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I went to Carlisle a few weeks ago and had a blast. The biggest thing I learned about corvettes and myself is that I love 1968-1972.
I really cant get a bead on which year offers the most in terms of raw hp suspension and of course collectability.
I am a novice when it comes to c3's.
My question is if you were to begin a project or pick up where someone left off which year is most worth it? :flag
We have the same taste. I went looking for a 68-72 with the objective of finding the best car in that group. It did not matter if it was a vert or coupe.
My biggy was finding a car that someone else had done most of the work. I was very successful in that regard. :)
68 owners will say 68, 69 owners will say 69, 70 owners ... well you get the drift. Bottom line is get the car that you like the best. You most likely will not have a choice of each year when you go to buy. I was looking for a 69 when I bought my 72 vert. I think that if you keep things stock, then the 69 and 70 cars offer more power. Earlier cars did not have flairs that extend out like built-in mud flaps. The addition of these in (what year guys?) keeps the stuff from the tires being kicked up on the side of the car. The seats were higher backed in later years also. Probably many other differences that others can point out to you to help you make your choice. What are the rules for smog and registration in your area? This can affect your project in a big way. Have fun in your search.
Read as much as you can about these years. Richard Prince's "Restoration Guide" and Richard Newton's "How to Restore and Modify Your Corvette" are two good resources not only for chrome bumpers but for all C-3s. Do archive searches for different things you see on this forum or think about ("brakes", for instance, or even "cabin heat") to learn even more. Good luck :seeya
egg crates, 11:1 compression, fender flares, low production year.
Gotta be honest, I was thinking '68 or '69 when I started looking. As I researched more I really wanted a '70 LT1. I would have went with any coupe, or vert from '68-'72 if it was "right" for me. I looked at cars ranging in price from $10k-$25k. I'm very happy with what I found.
I would suggest looking for the nicest 68-72 car you can find rather than limiting yourself to one particular year or option. There are just not many of these cars to choose from and finding a really nice one is hard to do. The 70-72 cars did get many subtle improvements that made them easier to live with.
I was looking for a '69 BB vert when I found my mint one owner '71 LS-5. Keep your options open.
Xander....call me extremely biased but the '69s are pretty nice. I've had mine since 1970 and still have no desire to get rid of it. The big blocks are awesome and the 3X2 Holley TriPower setup is a kick in the pants. Factor in the removeable rear window, fiber optics, shark fin cutouts, BB hood and removeable T-tops, engine accessibility and last but not least...real chrome bumpers and you have a car that has it all....looks....and power. What else could you want? If you have any doubt as to how cool these cars are....just take a look at something like an Audi TT and when you finally get up off the floor and stop laughing you will want to run out and buy a Corvette. What will sell you on a 427/435 is a test drive. Run the car up to around 40 mph in second gear and then stand on it. When those other 2 carbs open up and you're doing 90 in about a nanosecond....you'll be a believer....and that's a good thing!!!
Earlier cars did not have flairs that extend out like built-in mud flaps. The addition of these in (what year guys?) keeps the stuff from the tires being kicked up on the side of the car.
1970
All Chrome bumper Vetts are :cool: :cool: Get a 69 ZL1 for collectability, just make sure you win the lottery first and you can find one of the two built
John
If you decide on a 68 you better make sure all the parts are there including the interior. Many 68 parts, however small, are different from 69-72. They are expensive and harder to find. That is why I got rid of my 68 and kept the 69.