Corvettes on Craigslist: 1980 Duntov Turbo Convertible

Back before the C4 Callaway Twin Turbos, aftermarket company American Custom Industries (ACI) partnered with Zora Arkus-Duntov on a limited run of custom Corvettes. This rare 1980 Duntov Turbo Corvette is one of the products of that partnership and is currently for sale on Craigslist.

One of Zora’s post-GM gigs was working as a consultant for Sylvania, Ohio-based ACI. The company produced aftermarket Corvette parts and accessories at the time. Together they planned a limited run of 200 custom cars with various upgrade packages. In the end, though, it’s estimated that less than 100 were ever built. We found an old Corvette Fever article which states that 49 coupes and 37 convertibles were made. The price tag back then was roughly $45,000 or about 3 times the price of a regular Corvette.

The Duntov Turbos’ stock L48’s were force fed through a Martin turbocharger which boosted output by 70 horsepower. A water-injection system was added to prevent detonation (knocking) from the low octane 80’s gasoline. Prospective owners had their choice of manual or automatic transmissions. An upgraded independent rear suspension helped keep the Duntov Turbos between the ditches. Outside, the body widened by 6 inches in Greenwood-esque fashion.

The car featured here is a 1980 flavor and wears classic Corvette white paint with a red leather interior. An automatic transmission rests behind the turbo-charged 350. The listing states that it’s the 3rd of 10 built that year. It was featured in a 1994 spread in Corvette Fever and claimed a 1st place trophy at the 1987 Detroit Autorama. The current owner has had possession of this treasure since the late 1980’s. Other provenance includes the original invoice from Richard Chevrolet to ACI. Mileage is listed as 23,247.

So how much for this unique piece of Corvette history? It can be yours for just $48,975.

Source:
Classic Auto Showplace via Craigslist

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