Chevrolet offered 1972 Corvette buyers an impressive list of options, and the first owner of our feature car didn’t hold back when ordering this classic. It features the ultra-desirable LT1 small-block, air conditioning, and other options to make life aboard this stunning car very comfortable. It seems to need nothing, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the ‘Vette listed here at Hemmings in Lilburn, Georgia. The seller’s price of $79,000 isn’t cheap, but the listing statistics suggest that this classic has generated considerable interest.
The 1972 model year marked the end of an era for the C3 Corvette. The chrome front bumper, vacuum-operated wiper door, and removable rear window would all disappear at the end of the year, representing the most significant changes since the C3’s introduction. To describe this Corvette as stunning wouldn’t be an understatement. The Mille Miglia Red paint holds an incredible depth of color and shine, cloaking fiberglass that seems to be free from flaws and stress cracks. Disappointingly, the seller supplies no underside shots. However, the lack of visible corrosion in areas like the engine bay suggests that frame or birdcage rust shouldn’t be an issue. The trim and glass look exceptional, as do the beautiful Rally wheels, trim rings, and center caps.
Lifting the hood reveals the first piece of the puzzle that makes this Corvette genuinely special. Buyers could still order these cars with the LT1 version of the 350ci V8 under the hood, which was another option that disappeared at the end of the year. It delivered 255hp and 280 ft/lbs of torque, with this car also featuring a four-speed close-ratio M21 manual transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The engine bay presentation is consistent with that of a survivor-grade vehicle of this vintage, with no signs of fluid leaks or other issues. It appears that the owner may have replaced the carburetor, but the listing indicates that the sale includes the original one. There is also a welcome selection of documentation, including the original Tank Sticker. Purists will welcome the news that this Corvette is not only numbers-matching but is in excellent mechanical health. It is ready for some high-speed motoring with its new owner behind the wheel.
Examining this classic’s interior reveals the second piece of the puzzle that helps this Corvette command a premium price. The 1972 model year was the only time when buyers could order one of these cars with the LT1 small-block and air conditioning. That is the case here, and you can add Black leather trim, power windows, and a tilt/telescopic wheel to the equation. The engine bay shots confirm that the A/C received a compressor upgrade, so it should blow ice-cold. The seller states that this car also features an upgraded stereo, although the original radio is present to be retrofitted if the buyer prefers authenticity. As with the rest of the vehicle, there is little inside this classic that warrants criticism. The leather looks supple and inviting, the plastic is in good condition, and there is no evidence of UV damage.
Chrome-bumper C3 Corvettes remain among the badge’s strongest performers in the classic market, and this 1972 example with the LT1 under the hood is no exception. That begs the question of whether this car justifies the seller’s asking price. It is undeniably at the top end of the market, although the options chosen by the first owner significantly increase its desirability. Will it find a new home? I suspect that it probably will. Will it be yours? Only you can answer that question.
My goodness, the early seventies are in full swing this morning! A 71 Caddy, a 69 Grand Prix, a 69 442 and now this? My heart cannot handle any more!
“Elizabeth, I’m coming to join ya”
Good one ☝️ Fred Sanford!
One of the many reasons I enjoy reading BF is that I often learn something new from the writers and the commenters. I always thought all LT C3s were not able to be ordered with A/C. I didn’t know that 1972 was an exception. Having owned a 1972 base coupe for over ten years I thought I was pretty well versed on them. But you don’t know what you don’t know. This one was nice to look at especially since it not only has the same color scheme as mine but a copious amount of photos to drool over. But the ask is way too much for my budget. GLWTS.
Chevrolet only ever made two solid lifter engines available with air conditioning for the Corvette. One was this LT-1in 1972 and the other was the L 76 327/365 hp of 1964 and 1965. The problem was that the engines would throw the air conditioner belt at high RPMs, that’s why the red line on this 72 LT-1 is only 5600 RPM. The 365 hp motor kept its higher redline. That is just some of the useless trivia I keep in my head.
Rather have a 370 hp.1970 model for about the same $$.
The pearl in the oyster. The LT1 Corvette is an often overlooked model because of the big block’s availability. These were a ball to drive. Very responsive with most rear gear options. A lot more balanced handling without that big block in the front. If you were able to compare the performance of a 1970 and a 1971,0r 72, side-by-side, you’ see very little difference, if any.
The Air Cleaner Decal was added at some point. 72 LT1’s didn’t have stickers due to the newer HP designation of SAE Gross to SAE Net in 1972. Chevrolet thought the 255 HP was not a big enough number to display on the Air Cleaner.
For that much coin, I want the smog pump and plumbing. All LT-1s from 70 to 72 had A.I.R. nice car.
Yep, (A.I.R.)The spider legs, check valves, pump, hoses & belt. My 68 has it. NCRS expects it to be there for this $. I’m not positive for 72 but I think it should be there.
This is a beautiful Corvette, and I bet finding a nicer ’73 LT-1 would be quite a chore. That being said, I think the price is optimistic. It will not surprise me if the seller does get it, but I don’t see it being a good buy at that price.
Thanks Curvette for jogging my memory about A/C and LT1 high rev causing the belt to disengage. I hear ya about useless trivia. I got a bunch of it that nobody cares about anymore.
It’ all relative. A restoration to this level might make this a bargain.
I’ve owned a 1970 LT-1 with 370 Hp. for 45 years. The correct smog pump cost me $1500 30 years ago because the original one was thrown away. This guy took it off his brand new 1970 LT-1 and put it in a box on a shelf. SMART GUY!! In 1970 you could NOT order an LT-1 with A/C, but it was and is the one to own. The 1971 hp went down to 330 HP and the 72 was about 120 HP less than the 70. On the 70, All the belt pullies are deeper than normal so they don’t throw belts at high RPM’s.
The 71 and 72 LT-1 engines are virtually identical. This 72 will have just as much grunt as a 71. The 70 and 71-2 LT-1 engines were the same except Chevy lowered the compression ratio from 11 to 1 to 9 to1 with bigger chamber heads and different pistons. Everything else was essentially the same, block, heads, intake, carburetor, crank and solid lifter cam. They lowered the compression to run unleaded gas for emissions. 70 was rated 370hp gross, 71 330hp gross, and 72 255hp NET even though 71 and 72 were identical engines. Also the difference between gross and net horsepower is measured at the flywheel but net is measured as installed in the car with air cleaner, full cooling, smog equipment and full exhaust system while gross horsepower is just the engine without all the ancillary equipment. I’ve owned a 71 LT-1 and driven a 70 and 72 and you can feel the difference in power and how much quicker the higher compression engine revs. But you must use high octane fuel with the 70, not the pump gas we have where I live. The 71-72 cars will give you the full LT-1 experience without the fuel headache.
Suuuuuweeet.
I’m probably in the minority here, but I love that it is a small block, means I can drive it more.
I commented on this LT 1 and about my 1070 LT 1 and you took it down, WHY???
We didn’t. It was just pending moderation.
What the heck does that mean??? I didn’t swear, tell you who to vote for or call anyone names so after 4 days, why haven’t you posted it? Bill
I see it’s on finally, so tell me what I said that you didn’t like and why it was (pending moderation) whatever that means. Bill
Fun fact- The LT-1 hood stripes were applied by hand by just two guys at the St.Louis plant. Back in the day, Corvette News had a very detailed article on the application of the stripes.