The seller of this vintage C3 Stingray describes it as the “Holy Grail of ’71 Corvettes.”
It’s hard to argue with that assessment as this Brands Hatch Green over Black leather coupe is one of only 188 LS6 Corvettes produced that year with the optional 454/425 horsepower V8 engine.
That powerplant featured aluminum cylinder heads similar to the race-only L88 that had been discontinued by Chevy two years earlier. The lighter weight over the front wheels allowed the LS6 to handle corners closer to the small-block versions.
One of only 133 LS6 coupes built in ’71, this pristine example is being offered at no reserve in a Hagerty auction. The bid right now is $50,000, but with 12 days remaining in the auction, there is plenty of time for you to get in on the action. Hagerty estimates the car is worth more than $90,000 in Good condition, and this one seems to be in even better shape, having earned the prestigious Top Flight award twice from the National Corvette Restorers Society in 2010, judged to be 95.6 percent of “as the car left the factory of origin.”
The numbers-matching 454 – which added a whopping $1,221 to the original MSRP of $5,496 – is mated to the numbers-matching M22 close-ratio “Rock Crusher” four-speed manual transmission. That drivetrain was capable of 0 to 60 times of 5.3 seconds, according to a June 1971 article in Car and Driver magazine, along with a quarter-mile time of 13.80 seconds at 104.65 mph and a top speed of 152 mph (with 3.36 axle ratio).
The car is also nicely optioned, with items like power windows, power brakes, tilt-telescopic steering column, power steering, Delco AM/FM stereo radio, and 4.11:1 Positraction differential.
According to the listing, which includes 207 photos and three videos, the only known imperfections on the car are a small scrape on underbody spare tire carrier and the exhaust system needs a simple adjustment to be equally fitted.
Included with the sale will be the original Firestone whitewall tires and 15-inch Rally wheels with chrome wheel rings, along with the NCRS Top Flight judging sheets.
Brands Hatch Green was the second most popular color in ’71, with 3,445 units to rank just behind the most popular shade of War Bonnet Yellow at 3,706.
Source:
hagerty.com
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Super nice, very desirable C3.
Ad reads like the aluminum heads were not original in 1971, but all 188 Corvette LS6’s came with the 074 aluminum head which was also used on the ’69 L88 and ZL1. The LS6 Chevelle was to have Iron heads, but none were ever made.
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