There are a few cars in American history that draw the same amount of attention as the Chevrolet Corvette L88. The vehicle saw production in minimal numbers between 1967 and 69. Mainly, it was a track-ready version of the C2 generation Corvette, from the factory. Zora Arkus-Duntov is the legendary designer that’s responsible for making the L88, and it took part in some legendary races. These include the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
What makes the car so sought after, and so rare are the production numbers. Only 216 units of the L88 Corvette were ever made. The 1967 is especially sought after because only 20 were produced. Many fans of the Corvette consider the L88 to be the crown jewel of the car’s long history, and for a good reason. However, with all the performance figures from the modern Corvettes, the L88 often finds itself being forgotten.
We’re here to change that, and remember everything that makes the rare Chevrolet Corvette L88 special.
The Engine
The L88 name comes from the engine inside his magnificent Corvette. It was known as the L88 Big-Block engine and had a displacement of 7.0-litre. This particular engine was also capable of producing 430-horsepower at 4600 rpm. The 4600-rpm figure becomes vital because it was thought to be Chevrolet understating the actual peak figures. According to an article on the L88 by Hagerty, it was capable of producing more than 500-horsepower.
To accomplish this immense level of power, the engine features a 12.5:1 compression, aluminium intake, transistor ignition, hardened pushrods, and an aluminium cross-flow radiator. The engine itself is a piece of absolute magic, and it explains why it was so popular with racing teams.
Limited Edition
The Chevrolet Corvette L88 is as limited edition as it comes. Back in the day, the C2 generation of the Corvette was available with several different trims, and engine displacements. Out of all these options, the rarest was the L88 edition of the car, and it saw only 20 units of production. The rest of the L88 Corvette belongs to the C3 generation of the vehicle.
These limited-edition vehicles were meant for the track. As a result, there’s a lot of traditional creature comforts that are missing. There’s no radio or air conditioning, to make the car weigh less. It’s a particular reason why the limited-edition Corvette isn’t a great streetcar. However, the vehicle is an absolute legend on the tracks.
GM Discouraged Casual Buyers
The company themselves didn’t want casual drivers to buy the vehicle. Chevrolet made several other trims from the casual buyer segment, and the L88 was for more enthusiastic buyers. GM discouraged these buyers by a variety of different ways. Firstly, the L88 edition has minimal creature comforts. Everything in the car is geared towards being able to perform at an optimum level on the tank.
Additionally, in a report, corvsport state that the L88 will only run on 103 octane fuel, which wasn’t exactly easy to find at that time. If you put any other fuel in the tank, it will end up damaging the great engine of the vehicle. Moreover, the price of the L88 option was $1500 higher than the base model of Corvette. All these features were deterrents GM put in to help ensure that casual drivers stay away from this ultimate driving experience.
Mostly Purchased by Race Teams
As a result of Corvette’s high price tag, and lack of creature comforts, they succeeded in getting the L88 in the hands of the right people. A majority of the Corvette L88’s ended up in the hands of racing teams. Due to the incredibly powerful engine, and the lightweight of the car, it was capable of immense speeds. In their report, corvsport also mention that Dick Guldstrand was able to set a new record speed of 171.5 mph in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Considering the immense capability of these vehicles on the track, and how expensive they were, it’s no surprise they ended up in the hands of racing teams. Racing teams were the only ones that could quickly get 103 octane fuel.
Worth Millions Of Dollars Today
Due to their rarity, the Corvette L88 models are worth millions of dollars today. The 1967 models of the vehicle, manage to attract the highest prices. Motor Authority did a piece on the last 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88, and it was worth a staggering $3.95 million. These price tags are a result of the Corvette becoming a household name and the rarity of L88 models.
While the L88 might be the crown jewel of the Corvette lineup, there’s no doubting the quality of the new 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8. It has the potential to be one of the hottest cars of 2020, and you can find out more about the 2020 Corvette C8.