For C3 Corvette enthusiasts, this 1969 Corvette Coupe would have to tick a lot of the right boxes. It is not only original and rust-free, but it is a numbers-matching car with its original 427ci V8 under the hood. This appears to be an American icon that is ready to be driven and enjoyed by its next lucky owner. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Joe for referring this beautiful classic to us. Located in San Jose South, California, you will find the Stingray listed for sale here on Craigslist. Would you like to be the next owner? That’s simple. All you need to do is hand the owner $44,000, and you will be ready to drive off into the sunset.
The Cortez Silver Corvette is nothing short of stunning. Starting with that which we can’t see easily, the owner provides a pretty decent array of photos of the vehicle’s underside. What these reveal is a classic that is spotlessly clean, and is free of rust. The owner doesn’t mention any issues with the birdcage, but if you combine the fact that the Stingray has spent the majority of its life in warmer climates with the way the doors seem to line up so nicely, that tends to suggest that all is well in that area. The owner makes no mention of the car ever receiving a repaint, but the paint does have a nice shine to it. There are no cracks in the paint or signs of fatigue in the fiberglass, so this is all looking very positive for any potential owner. I do agree with those enthusiasts who express a fondness for the chrome-bumper Corvettes because the styling is very pure in this form. That chrome also provides a nice contrast, especially on Corvettes painted in darker colors. The bumpers and remaining trim look like it is in good condition, as do the original wheels. The side-pipes add a touch of purpose to the outward appearance and provide some hint of the potential that lurks below the surface of this classic.
If you like cubic inches, then this Corvette is happy to oblige. Lifting the hood reveals the L36 version of the mighty 427ci V8, which is good for 390hp. That engine is original to the car, as is the 4-speed manual transmission and the 3.08 Posi rear end. This combination wasn’t the most potent in the Corvette armory in 1969, but from a performance perspective, it really wants for nothing. With such healthy horsepower levels in a car weighing 3,448lbs, this allowed the Stingray to accelerate from 0-60mph in 5.4 seconds, while it only took 13.8 seconds for the ¼ mile to become a memory. It is impressive to think that even the rear shock on the vehicle are original. The owner claims that the Corvette has a genuine 70,251 miles showing on the odometer. How does it go? The owner states that the Corvette drives like a dream
That interior looks oh-so-attractive and is all original. What we find inside the car is red leather upholstery, and no aftermarket additions, We also find an interior with no significant issues to report. The upholstery is free of rips, tears, splits, and fading. The dash is perfect, and even the wheel has managed to avoid any significant wear on the rim. The original radio is still in place, and as an added bonus, the Corvette is equipped with air conditioning. This has been recently fitted with a new compressor and has been converted to R134A refrigerant, so it should work well.
What a car. I would be willing to bet that there will be a fair collection of classic car enthusiasts who will dream of parking this Corvette Stingray in their garage. Well, maybe that dream could become a reality. From a price perspective, this vehicle looks to be priced quite competitively. Values on the earlier C3 Corvettes, especially those with any version of the 427, continue to increase slowly but steadily. Forget the stock market, because maybe the time has come to consider whether this car would make a solid, and enjoyable, investment.
Absolutely stunning and beautiful. Given its current price I view it as a bargain. I think the early C3 models will gain in value.
Silver with a red interior. Absolutely classic color combination. My personal favorite just after black with red. Someone knew how to order a Corvette and ticked all the right major boxes. Even has redline tires to pull a bit of that color to the exterior.
Beautiful. I’m probably in the minority, but I have never cared for the side pipes on the C3 Vette. I LOVE originality, so I could absolutely deal with it, but prefer the non side pipe look.
Good luck to the new owner.
I like side pipes, but the C3’s have nothing on the C2 side pies!
I thought that 69 was the only year for factory side pipes?
Imagine that, a 50 year old leather interior not “all hardened and cracked”. Take THAT leather haters! Lol!
I had to double check. Holy crap that is a leather interior. Another major box checked on the order sheet! Wowza.
Wow. Not sure and I know these cars well….That I a GREAT PRICE. Not a huge fan of silver and/or the red…., not saying its bad, but 427 Speed numbers matching and being a 69, not 68, is huge. WOW. Honestly wish I had 44K I could free up to hand it over.
Looks like he has a ’63 sitting behind it.
Did he say it was a factory N14 sidepipe car and with documentation?
For me only the convertible version would top this. Always thought the side-pipes really complimented these cars. A stunner. Those big blocks sure did heat up the seating area.
I tried to call Ivan but the phone number comes up with an error. Other than the silver exterior and side pipes, I like it. A convertible would be better but this not too bad. The reason for not liking the side pipes for me is having exhaust drone at your ear. As I get older, I enjoy my cars to be less loud and obnoxious.
It’s a great street cruiser, the 390 hp 427 had hydraulic lifter’s, it also allowed for air conditioning compared to the 425hp solid lifter 427, no air option, it always needed a tune up, I was lucky to own both for much to little time
Nice car and I’m doing one right now, mine has original motor but also “flares and chairs and Motion Hood. Great Arm Chair Sports Car
Any mention of build sheet or any other docs or awards? A 427 a/c Corvette will not run 13s in the quarter. Prices for these cars are mostly in the 30 grand areas 44 might be a reach.
My neighbor had a ragtop version of this car. I rode in it once. Felt like being launched from Cape Canaveral as he ran through the gears with his foot to the floor. Beautiful ride here.
Headline says it’s a nearly perfect specimen for a Corvette enthusiast. Well, this non-enthusiast would put it right up there as well. Those lithe lines and the 427 also. Wow. That said, those performance figures are astonishing in that we live in a day when my daily driver VW GTI (w/ a couple of tweaks that have it at ~350HP) would trounce this car in any performance statistic.
So what killed the SBC mechanical Fuel Injection? The big block Chevy engine. 390 horses without even stressing about it. :-) Terry J
The mechanical fuel injection was very fussy. It took someone that really had a touch to keep it running right but those folks were a little hard to find.
Most people preferred the set it and forget it carb setup
Nice! Im guessing repaint though since Im not seeing the seams that always appear as the factory joints in tge body shrink slightly. Thats immpossible to reproduce so its a good hint.
That said the pics arent super close on the seams so they may still be there and I just dont see them.
What is with the fit of the hood to the fenders? Maybe it’s just the picture but the hood looks like it is setting high on the drivers side of the car and where it wraps around to the front above the headlight.
I had the almost identical one (no air and black interior) back in the day. Amazing in a straight line but had to plan well in advance if I wanted to turn a corner. The smaller engined ones handled much better. But for brute power in a straigt line these were hard to beat.
Beautiful!
Very nice car, competitively priced. Buy it, drive it, take good care of it and in five years you will get all your $ back and then some. Kind of like buying a CD except you get to do something with it except stick it in the safe.
My father had a 1969 convertible, with the same options listed, different wheels (turbine factory wheels), when I was in high school; still dream about that car, AMAZING torque!
hello jesse can you help me get a phone number so i can call the owner of the 1969 corvette stingray silver with red interior 427 engine 4 speed in california the owner did not leave his phone number in his ad on your website i viewed the photos and the info i need his number i want to buy his car or give him my number 615 834 9434 and have him call me i saw the car on barnfinds.com thank you for your help in this matter i really like this car thank you michael