Corvettes for Sale: 454-Powered 1970 Corvette Convertible on BaT

They’re only original once, so goes the old adage.

That saying certainly applies to this 1970 Corvette convertible being offered by Corvette Mike on Bring a Trailer, where the high bid is currently $25,000 with six days to go.

“From its excellent Monza Red exterior and black vinyl interior to the torque monster #’s-matching 454ci big block under the hood, this ’70 ragtop is one of the best preserved Sharks we’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing!” Corvette Mike Vietro comments on the BaT listing.

Mike has been aware of this car since the ’80s and says it previously resided in Los Angeles as part of “the vast Corvette collection of a good client of ours for over 35 years,” further calling this vintage C3 “the definition of ‘time capsule.'”

The car has been driven only 19,000 miles over the past 53 years. After an extensive service in 2021 when the four-barrel carburetor and brake calipers were rebuilt, a Pertronix ignition system installed, and the thermostat, fuel tank, fuel lines, spark plugs, upper radiator hose, and battery all replaced, Mike says the car now runs and drives “just how you would expect a 19k mile 1970 Corvette would. Namely, excellent!”

The numbers-matching 454/390 horsepower LS5 V8 engine (one of 4,473 built that year at a cost of $289.65) remains in place, attached to the original four-speed manual transmission. Mike answered questions about the engine pad being tampered with by saying it’s what is known as a factory grind-off restamp with a bounce, adding that “it was not an uncommon occurrence back when these cars were being built.” Furthermore, he says “in our professional experience and opinion, we feel this is a factory stamp.”

Continuing the original theme, Mike says all of the interior and the paint and all of the factory markings and black out under hood are just as they were when the car left the St. Louis factory decades ago. “The red paint you see coming through the black out spray in the engine compartment is General Motors’ way of saying: ‘We’re not getting paid enough money per hour,'” Mike quips.

Due to extended 1969 production, production of the ’70s didn’t start up until January 1970, resulting in the lowest production since 1962. Just 17,316 Corvettes, including 6,648 convertibles like this one, were built in ’70 – less than half the output of 38,762 in ’69.

“Most C3 Corvettes require more work than the car is worth once done,” Mike concludes. “That’s why this extremely beautiful original example is a rare find. This is a keeper!”

Source:
Bring a Trailer

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