The History of the Big Block Corvette Etc.

  It may seem a bit ironic, given the long history of the Corvette, that arguably the best received and most desirable of these glass bodied roadsters are those that saw the shortest production run. The Corvette staked its claim as the top dog on the American sportscar scene right out of the gate, a reputation that grew somewhat reluctantly at first, although by the early Sixties the car's position in the sports car arena was well secured.

   Interestingly, once the radically redesigned Corvette, sporting the downright sexy Sting Ray profile crafted by Larry Shinoda, appeared in 63, the applause from consumers and the automotive press ramped up a few more decibels. When the big block 396 hit the scene in 1965, more fuel was added to the fire. Yet Chevy planners were already mapping out the next incarnation of the Corvette.

  The original plan was to bring the third generation Corvette online for the 67 model year. However, production problems delayed the launch until 68. In 66, the awesome 427 big block was made available, but with the C2 production run extended another year, Chevrolet decided to up the ante yet again. RPO L71 took the 427 and added a triple deuce carb set up that pushed the big block Corvette to 435 horsepower, making the 67 big block perhaps the most desirable member of the distinguished Corvette lineage.

  Although some would blanch at the idea of driving a  well preserved classic Corvette on the street today, I'm a firm believer that Corvette fun is best enjoyed behind the wheel. As such I would indulge my cravings by hitting the asphalt at least a couple of times a month during good weather, and by taking in area shows. Of course, if I had one of these little beautys sitting in my garage, I couldn't resist a little tire smoking every now and then.