Chevrolet offered 1971 Corvette buyers a range of engine options, with many people believing that the LT-1 version of the company’s small-block to be the pick of the bunch. It offered excellent performance, but because it was relatively expensive, it found its way into under 9% of cars produced during that model year. This Corvette is one of those cars, presenting superbly following a high-end repaint. It runs and drives well, ready to hit the road with a new owner behind the wheel. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting this beauty listed here on Craigslist in Bellingham, Washington. The seller set their price at $38,500 for a classic that is a turnkey proposition.
Chevrolet made its first significant cosmetic updates to the C3 Corvette for the 1970 model year, with those upgrades continuing into 1971 virtually unchanged. The most welcome of these was the integrated fender flares, which reduced the possibility of paint damage caused by the tires flicking up small stones and gravel. The first owner ordered this ‘Vette in Brands Hatch Green, and the incredible presentation is no accident. The seller recently invested a cool $25,000 into a high-end repaint, providing a progress shot in their listing that demonstrates the depth of shine achieved during this process. The paint cloaks what appears to be perfect fiberglass, with the original chrome providing a sparkling contrast to the dark paint shade. The seller doesn’t mention existing or previous rust issues, and I wouldn’t expect any problems considering their recent financial investment. The Rally wheels and glass show no evidence of problems, but the hood and decals confirm that this Corvette is more than a pretty face.
For effortless acceleration, it was hard for buyers to go past selecting a big-block to power their 1971 Corvette. The sheer power and torque these motors delivered made them excellent value for money. However, some buyers preferred the more nimble handling that was provided by a small-block, but still craved impressive performance. Chevrolet introduced the LT-1 version of the 350ci V8 in 1970, retaining this option until the end of 1972. The sticking point was the price, with the LT-1 adding $483 to the purchase price. That made it almost $200 more than the LS5 version of the 454ci V8. The figures tell the story, because while 5,097 buyers chose the big-block, only 1,949 ticked the box for the LT-1. The company quoted both gross and net power output figures for this motor in its 1971 Sales Brochure of 330hp and 275hp, respectively. There was no automatic option available with the LT-1, meaning that this classic sends its power to the Posi rear end via a four-speed manual transmission. The engine bay images reveal some minor aftermarket additions that don’t rate a mention in the listing. However, the impression conveyed is that the vehicle is numbers-matching. Therefore, returning the vehicle to its factory form should be possible. Otherwise, the Corvette runs and drives well, with the strength of its engine rating a particular mention.
The seller describes this Corvette’s interior as “incredible.” That suggests that most of the Saddle trim might be original. It is hard to criticize its condition, with no evidence of wear or other issues. The only visible factory option is the AM/FM radio, further reinforcing my belief that the first owner focused heavily on performance when ordering this classic. The seller has added an aftermarket stereo on the passenger side, but this is another change that appears reversible.
Chevrolet sold 21,801 examples of the Corvette across both body styles in 1971, but only 1,949 buyers ticked the box on their Order Form for the LT-1 option. That makes this a relatively rare beast from a “big picture” perspective, but also increases its desirability. The changes made by the seller appear reversible, and many potential buyers will probably tread that path to maximize the investment potential locked away in this classic. With values continuing to climb, the effort and expense of doing so would seem justified. Is that your preferred approach, or would you leave this American icon as-is?
Classic colors. Can’t blame those that went w the big block either 💁♂️
The hi-winding 350 w mandatory close ratio Muncie spins factory 3.70 gears. 330hp/360lb-ft. 3200lbs. Sweet machine 🏁👍
Unless they ordered it with the 4.11 s like mine.
3.55 available also ACZ.
Nice choice by you, must’ve really got offf the line 🚀
Any potential buyer should go over this car very closely. If you are paying a premium for an LT-1 you need to make sure it’s real and has, if not all, most of the parts specific to that engine option. I’d want to see the tachometer, find out if the seller still has the factory deep groove pulleys, intake, carburetor, distributor, to start with. Is it matching numbers?
Why does it have a $25,000 paint job, yet have the heater core bypassed?
I remember when the 70-72 LT-1’s were selling for significantly more than this cars asking price, unfortunately all early, chrome bumper C3’s don’t have nearly the value as earlier generation Corvettes. It will be interesting to see if this changes over time.
Steve R
Someone forgot to paint the egg crates, sure cheapens up a $25k paint job!
Looks so much better unpainted, makes it pop.
Fortified with a healthy dose of GO and good handling.
You would think for a 25K paint job they would have painted the side egg crates too ? @ Steve R. , in one of the interior pictures you can catch a glimpse of the Tach with a high redline , but why is there an MSD box in one of the engine bay pictures ? My ’71 LT-1 had transistorized ignition that was pretty much fool proof and performed very well ?, my ’71 had an A.I.R pump that I don’t see on this one ? I loved my Ontario Orange ’71 LT-1 2 top Convertible almost as much as the ’70 350~350 with A.C. Convertible I had also . $ 38,5 ? is that what they are going for today ?, I’m out of the loop !
Beautiful car, not a big fan of green Corvettes, but this car is nice. Without seeing the engine block stamp pad to verify if this car is indeed a numbers matching LT-1, $38k maybe be a tall price for a repainted Corvette.
$38,500 seems cheap for an LT-1 if it’s what he says it is. Needs to get rid of some of that bling under the hood and take it back to stock. Very pretty color if you like green.
Tach is 6500 red line
If it were mine I would have included some documentation photos to substantiate all the hubbub. And the not what it should be price tag.
Years ago, late 70s, I resided in the Puget Sound region. For some odd reason it was litered with LT-1’s. Had a friend who was a auto wholesaler. His theory was that most of them came from the submarine base. Made sense..at the time.
I do like the color combination.
Is it true that the 350LT1 option produced more hp than the 454 in a Vette that year?
No.
The incorrect gills jumped out at me. A $25,000 paint job and it didn’t include properly painting them? That’ll have to be fixed if the new owner doesn’t want to hear about it at every Corvette gathering. It’s a bit of a tedious job too because only the top edges of the raised trim gets painted. I would think it wise to really do your homework on this car before making an offer. Maybe I’m being hyper wary but this lack of attention to detail in a car like this sends a red flag to me. All that aside a LT-1 in this color and condition would be very desirable and I am sure it won’t be on the market long if it is the real deal. GLWTS
I have a couple dozen cars and am an avid collector. I am looking for some advice.
I have a 1970 LT one coupe. VIN number 194370S400709. Block number 70S400709. unfortunately I have almost no documentation on the car. The big issue is it has a TREMEC five speed manual transmission.
I have no idea where the old Transmission went. I’d like to know if anybody can tell me if this transmission greatly or slightly or not at all affects the Car Collector value. Thanks for any advice. Mike in Tucson.
This would be a very nice looking car with the deletion all the fake braided line covering and various chrome junk under the hood… and, paint the egg crates. Between these two, it just appears tacky, but hey, to each, their own! Why is there no mention of the engine? Is it really an LT-1? All it says is “runs strong”
Ahhh, my dream car… I would take it exactly the way it is and wouldn’t change a thing. Drive the tires off, and buy more tires, rinse and repeat . . .
Very nice LT-1. I have a 1971 LT-1 convertible, Ontario Orange with black interior and top, which I got from my oldest brother. I learned a lot about them.
I wonder if the bird cage and frame were inspected and repaired if warranted. Our bird cage needed repair, and it was a bit of money.
Wheels are correct. Small detail difference on how the beauty ring fits against the wheel then the earlier C2s.
Too much chrome in the engine compartment! Chrome holds heat, and I wonder if this has headers hiding under the chrome covers. Also, I don’t like braided hoses. Too much time making sure that they don’t leak.
Like the MSD ignition. I put it on mine. Nothing wrong with the factory unit, just like MSD. It’s a preference.
Glad to see a removeable dash pad. C2 dashes crack easily.
Is the Winter’s manifold on it? If not, wonder why.
$38K for a car with a $25K paint job has me scratching my head.
@ Kevin ,,,,,,, I had a ’71 LT-1 convertible Vin.# 194671S101719 that I bought new from Reedman Motors in Langhorne Pennsylvania the day after Thanksgiving in 1970, originally it was shipped to Ramp Chevrolet , Long Island N.Y. according to the window sticker . It was Ontario Orange with a black top & interior, I added a hardtop soon after I bought it . It was a good car and very fast, I put a Hurst shifter in it & also a Lakewood scatter shield . I still wish I never sold it .
The only thing that could make this classic sweater is a drop top but that would probably set you back another 20k minimum. Love the 71 LT1 but thought it came with the 350/350 power plant. Ok that’s the L48 . Well this happens when you don’t know the cars you love that much.
The 350/350 was the L-46 offered in 1969-70. LT-1 offered 1970-72 and the main difference was LT1 had solid lifter cam, hi rise aluminum intake manifold, and a big Holley carb. LT-1 had 11:1 compression in 70, lowered to 9:1 in 71-72.
Real LT-1 cars sell for more than 30K, but don’t have that cheap chrome bling, a correct A.I.R. system and bullet proof paper work. A 70 ZR1 just sold for $190,000, bit only were built. That option cost $968 55 years ago. A very special purpose built car to go racing.
@George- I’m surprised to hear a 1970 ZR-1 went that low.
$38,500 LT-1 minus a $25,000 paint job= a $13,500 LT-1 under the paint?
I’m confused. Do chrome bells and whistles cost that much?
Beautiful car. I love the color combination. Now I know that I will get all manner of crap for this, but the only big fault that I can find with this sweetie is the year. The 3 point drop in compression from ’70 to ’71 really made the ’71s seem somewhat anemic to the ’70s. I have had numerous LT-1s, (a ’70 Z-28, a ’70 roadster, a ’75 roadster with a ’71 Z-28 motor, and 5 other various cars with LT-1 transplants) I can tell you from experience that you can feel the difference in the snap between a ’70 and a ’71. Still a really nice looking car, even with all the silliness going on under the hood.
While it could be wrong, I do seem to remember reading more than once over the years, that the LTIs had HIGHER TOP SPEEDS than their big block counterparts. This being the case because of their higher-revving engines.
GONE.
As mentioned, if this is a true numbers matching LT-1, someone just got a fantastic deal, but I have my doubts just like everyone else.