- 1 of just 624 L89 examples produced
- Documented nut-and-bolt restoration
- Numbers-matching 427/435-HP V-8 engine and four-speed manual transmission
- Documented by copies of the original build sheet, order form, and purchase agreement
LOT 422
Selling on Saturday
1968 Chevrolet Corvette L89 427/435 Roadster
Given the Corvette's astounding performance, aerodynamics took on greater importance than ever before, with the new body design refined using analysis of data collected from Jim Hall's covertly Chevrolet-backed Chaparral Can-Am cars. As a result, the 1968 Corvette required 50 fewer horsepower than the previous Sting Ray to hit 120 mph. While the 'C3' Corvette's development cycle was challenging with many last-minute changes required prior to its release for sale, the car went on to enjoy 15 years in production.
A strong performer with a wide range of powertrain combinations, the Corvette was particularly fierce with the 427-cubic-inch RPO L71 solid-lifter "Tri-Power" engine packing 435 factory-rated, tire-frying horsepower. Just as the L88 was a little-known option that most buyers were actively discouraged from ordering by Chevrolet, RPO L89 was likely even obscure. Substituting high-flow, lightweight aluminum cylinder heads for the standard cast-iron units of the L71, RPO L89 added $368 to the already considerable $437 cost of the L71 engine. Delivering explosive performance bettered only by the wild "off road" L88, the L89/L71 combination retained the 435-HP power rating of the L71, which featured a tough four-bolt main cylinder block, forged crank, solid-lifter valvetrain, high-performance cam, 11:1 compression, and triple Holley two-barrel carbs atop an aluminum intake manifold. Thanks to larger exhaust valves, L89 power output surpassed that of its L71 base engine.
Period L89 road tests quoted 0-60 mph acceleration in 4.7 seconds and quarter-mile times of 13.6 seconds at 105 mph, enroute to typical top-end speeds of some 140 mph, all with traction-limited bias-ply tires. However, raw horsepower did not define the true purpose of RPO L89. Most importantly, the aluminum heads shaved some 75 pounds of weight from the Corvette's front end, restoring the car's weight distribution to levels enjoyed by small-block 327 Corvettes and creating one of the fastest and best-handling road cars of the era.
A total of 28,566 Corvettes were produced for 1968, of which 2,898 were equipped with the hot RPO L71 427/435 engine. Just 624 combined the L89 and L71 RPOs that year, such as this example. Documented on copies of the original build sheet, order form, and purchase agreement, this example was ordered new at Buster Miles Chevrolet in Heflin, Alabama. The recipient of a previous nut-and-bolt restoration, it was finished in its factory original 976 colors of LeMans Blue over a black interior. Items on this L89 Vette include original Kelsey-Hayes date code rally wheels, turbine wheel covers, Redline tires, tinted glass, off-road exhaust, and a pushbutton AM/FM radio. Today, this example retains a numbers-matching 427-cubic-inch, 435-horsepower V-8 engine with its lightweight aluminum cylinder heads, its numbers-matching M21 four-speed manual transmission, and original carburetors and manifolds. Other mechanical items include four-wheel disc brakes and a Positraction rear axle.
Accompanying the sale of this Corvette are the aforementioned sales documents, and a binder filled with various other items. Finished in its original colors, well-documented, and retaining its original numbers-matching engine and transmission, this one-of-just-624 L89 example is just as desirable today as when it was new, tearing through the streets and dominating the blacktop everywhere.
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