1969 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435HP Coupe (LHD)

The Corvette Stingray announced in 1968 has been tagged the C3 model in deference to its position as the third generation of America’s only sports car.  Drawing inspiration from the Mako Shark II show car, the C3 Stingray had pronounced ‘Coke-bottle’ lines that still manage to look beautiful and aggressive in equal measure.  The styling was largely left untouched for the first few years of production and this was no bad thing, as the Stingray’s original shape was always going to be hard to better.  For 1969, few changes were made – the Stingray script appeared above the side vents, the reversing lights were integrated into the tail lights and the ignition moved to the steering column.  The Corvette was sold in either of two body styles, namely a full convertible or the coupe, the latter sporting a targa-type roof arrangement with a pair of removable panels and removable rear window.  The 1969 Corvette came with a 350-cid V8 developing 300 hp at 4800 rpm and a choice of either the Turbo-Hydra-Matic or four-speed manual gearbox.  Included in the standard equipment list were vinyl upholstery, centre console and full instrumentation including tacho and an electric clock, disc brakes front and rear, a dual exhaust and tinted glass.  Optional engines included the 350 hp L46 or the various 427-cid big-blocks in various levels of tune, along with various heavy-duty manual transmissions to cope with the extra grunt.  The L71 package, ordered by 2,722 buyers, was – at 435 horsepower - technically the highest rated motor available in 1969 (although the L88 was nominally rated at 430hp, was more powerful in reality) with solid lifter camshaft, triple two-barrel Holley carburettors, rectangular port heads and an 11:1 compression ratio.  Capable of running the quarter mile sprint in 13.94 seconds, the Tri-Power Vette was an absolute weapon in 1969 and remains a seriously quick car today.  Built in tiny numbers, just 2,722 buyers checked the L71 package, a fraction of the 38,762 Corvettes that rolled off the production line in 1969.