Sales were very few and far between on the second day of Mecum's High Performance Auction at Bloomington Gold. We'll discuss this later when we tabulate the sales results. So when this 1968 L88 Corvette Coupe crossed the auction block, we weren’t getting our hopes up that the big block would sell. But the checkbooks came out for an original Bloomington Gold Survivor L88 and the $300,000 selling price was the highest price paid for a Corvette all weekend.

Here is the description of the L88 from Mecum's catalog:

The dominant force of its time in SCCA and FIA competition, the L88 Corvette is still one of the wildest of any generation. With over 560 horsepower on tap at 5600rpm, the L88’s thumping powerplant far exceeded its factory-rated 430. Add its requisite F41 suspension, heavy duty disc brakes and indestructible Positraction rear end and the L88 was without peer.

Formerly a prominent piece of the Steve Hendrickson collection, this fabulous 1968 coupe embodies all the qualities dedicated collectors are searching for in their quest for the Holy Grail of Corvettes. In 1991 it collected an amazing NCRS judging score of 95.5 out of 100, and today it counts Bloomington Gold Silver and Survivor Certification awards in its well-documented history.

The car’s all-conquering L88 427 engine is complemented with the best from the 1968 equipment list, incorporating transistorized ignition, an M22 “Rock Crusher” 4-speed, J50/J56 heavy-duty power disc brakes, N36 telescopic steering and N11 off-road exhaust. It all comes together wrapped in sparkling International Blue with a Dark Blue interior, both in extraordinary condition, and completed with Rally wheels with correct Red Stripe tires.

Climb into the Dark Blue cockpit, depress the clutch pedal and turn the key, and the L88 barks instantly to life, idling crisply and rewarding the driver with instantaneous throttle response. When everything is up to the right operating temperature, the car answers every command with immediacy only possible in a big block Corvette built specifically for competition.

Documentation includes the Bloomington Gold Survivor Certificate, NCRS judging sheet, chain of ownership, window sticker and Protect-O-Plate.

The L88 legend is still very much alive, and it absolutely thrives in this shining example of the King of Corvettes.

Highlights:

• Rare 1968 L88 427 4-speed
• International Blue with Dark Blue vinyl interior
• All correct original codes and numbers
• M22 “Rock Crusher” manual transmission
• F41 suspension
• J56 heavy duty brakes
• N11 off-road exhaust
• A01 Soft Ray tinted glass
• Telescopic steering column
• Red Stripe tires

Source:
Mecum High Performance Auctions

Related:
Bloomington 2009: Twin-Turbo 1991 Corvette Callaway Speedster Sells for $115,000
Bloomington 2009: 1966 Corvette Convertible Sells for $83,500
Mecum's Two-Day Corvette Auction at Bloomington Gold Show
Auction Preview: Mecum Selling Harley Earl's 1963 Corvette Roadster

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