1969 CHEVROLET CORVETTE L88 CONVERTIBLE

Details

This L88, one of 116 examples built in 1969 (the final year of availability), is well-known among Corvette historians. After being custom-ordered by the son of a wealthy Kentucky tobacco family who decided not to take delivery for personal reasons, the car ended up in Tennessee. The promoter of the Knoxville Corvette Expo, Bryan Cooper, bought it in 1977 and in turn offered it to Corvette authority Paul Kitchen, which is when the two dropped the gas tank and found the all-important Tank Sticker.

Removed for safekeeping, the sticker remained with Kitchen when the car was sold again, but it was reunited with the vehicle in November 1987. (Recently, David Burroughs and his 'Prove It' process were employed to scientifically verify the sticker's authenticity.) The car was placed in storage for almost 25 years, until February 2012, when it was delivered to renowned restoration expert Roger Gibson, who performed an all-encompassing frame-off restoration totaling 5,100 hours in a 19-month period. This spectacular machine has been exactingly returned to its as-built state with correct LeMans Blue paint and matching Bright Blue interior, with a black vinyl auxiliary hardtop as well. The extensive use of NOS pieces and preservation of original components combined with a carefully executed driveline restoration, including an open-chamber head L88 engine (underrated at 430hp) and M22 aluminum-case 4-speed. In October 2014, this meticulously restored and detailed rarity commanded a high 98.1 score in Top Flight NCRS judging. The car comes with several signed documents noting its past history, including one from the original intended buyer, two three-ring binders showing the work done by Gibson with accompanying receipts, an NCRS shipping report and NCRS validation service. It also comes with the 'Prove It' report and the original Tank Sticker.