67 Corvette 427

[Memphis]

I've had two vettes in my younger days. The one I regret selling most was my 1962 Tuxedo black roadster. I bought it in about 1982 for $5500. I loved it so much I STILL remember the vin number (20867S111669) 37 years later. I'm still not sure why I memorized that number but obviously I did. I had removable hard top but never was able to find a soft top frame. It was not numbers matching but was a nice driver. I had acquired an original 1962 fuel injection unit with air cleaner and an original shifter. I had new Al Knock black interior and sold the car for $10,000 in about 1988 to put siding on my house. I even drove away from the church (in my first wedding) in that car. My only other vette was a 1973 convertible. I just never warmed up to one "that new". My neighbor and friend 3 doors down had an original and unrestored 1955 corvette (only 700 ever produced) in corvette copper factory paint. I still have the itch but old straight axle vettes are WAY too high in price now. It'll never happen to me again. But it sure did back in the day.

Roger

 

[Marloe]

I had one Just like the 1967 Marina Blue Coupe with the redline tires. Only difference was mine had black interior and had the Single four barrel 390 HP 427. Man I will never forget the awesome music that those sidepipes made. So many good memories.

 

[JcMack]

In 1969 I bought a '65 Corvette for $1600. It was in great shape and came with the soft and hard tops. Nobody wanted it because it was an automatic trans. I cut the wheel wells out and put L60's on the back and G60's on the front. I bought a 427 hood from a Chicago police officer. When I went to pick up the hood the guy was young and he and his pregnant wife led me to their garage to get it. In the garage was a '67 427 coupe. Car looked great except it had front end damage and was repaired. A '63-'67 Corvette coupe with front end damage almost always required replacing one or both of the electric motor pods. They were really expensive so a popular repair was a fiberglass complete front end sans headlights. Then you mounted Chrysler freestanding headlights in the cavity below where the headlights normally went. This Vette had this mod and the front end needed painting. The guy offered the car to me for $2000. I didn't have the money and I didn't do credit. I had to pass and they were disappointed because they were trying to get cash for upcoming baby stuff. I'm not BS'n about money for these cars. My buddy bought a new '69 427 coupe with sidepipes for $6000.

 

[italiansport]

I have the original window sticker for my 89 Corvette and the total was over $40,000. One of the most expensive options was a removable hardtop which, to the best of my knowledge, has been on the car twice. When the original owner brought it home from the dealership and when I brought it home from the original owner.
Jim

 

[The Big D]

Are you sure?

NOT questioning your veracity, truly, but are you certain your '89 Corvette convertible had a removable hardtop as an OEM option? The reason I ask is I had an '89 convertible, too, and the first time I saw that option was on a 1990 model.

Please don't take offense; wish I had that top and was quite envious I didn't have one.

Be safe.

I have the original window sticker for my 89 Corvette and the total was over $40,000. One of the most expensive options was a removable hardtop which, to the best of my knowledge, has been on the car twice. When the original owner brought it home from the dealership and when I brought it home from the original owner.
Jim

 

[The Big D]

My first Corvette.

Speaking of 1989 Corvettes, here's mine. It was the first of my six Corvettes. The current one is in another post in this thread.

And, yes, that is a cell phone antenna on the windshield.

Be safe.

 

[NYlakesider]

Speaking of 1989 Corvettes, here's mine. It was the first of my six Corvettes. The current one is in another post in this thread.

And, yes, that is a cell phone antenna on the windshield.

Be safe.

Among my 7 Vettes I have had over the years I had a 4spd 81 and that one had the radio with the built in CB radio function. Had a rather fancy antenna in order to do both jobs. In reality not that practical .

 

[italiansport]

NOT questioning your veracity, truly, but are you certain your '89 Corvette convertible had a removable hardtop as an OEM option? The reason I ask is I had an '89 convertible, too, and the first time I saw that option was on a 1990 model.

Please don't take offense; wish I had that top and was quite envious I didn't have one.

Be safe.

I just went and pulled the original window sticker out of the file and the hardtop is listed right on it at $1995. I can take and post a picture if need be.
Jim

 

[The Big D]

Cool.

Thank you. Once again I learn something new.

Recall driving a '90 with one and was much impressed with the increased rigidity and quietness.

Suspect it helps with leaks, too. With mine I got almost as wet with the top up as when down whilst driving in the rain.

Thanks, again, for the new info.

Be safe.

I just went and pulled the original window sticker out of the file and the hardtop is listed right on it at $1995. I can take and post a picture if need be.
Jim

 

[JcMack]

My last Corvette was a '70. Talk about leaks. I think the seal around the door that hid the folded top was bad, or maybe the seal around the gas filler door. That car had headlight doors and a cowl cover that flipped up when you turned the wipers on, all vacuum powered. I had problems with the headlight doors like one up one down when you turn the lights on. I think I remember the doors controlled by a separate switch, then you turned on the lights. I pulled the vacuum control switch out of the dash one time. So many hoses it looked like 7 octopuses in a wrestling match. I was gonna buy a '73 but I got STUPID and got married. Corvette dreams turned into a Volkswagon.

 

[italiansport]

I also had a 70 Corvette and wish I would have kept it. 1970 was the lowest production year for the C3 Corvettes due to previous production problems with the 69s. I could have kicked myself the day I sold mine. Mine leaked badly around the windshield when I first got it but I managed to seal it and it was fine after that.
Jim

 

[epj]

The 70 was the last of the high compression Vettes before they began stumbling down the path of mediocrity that all American cars suffered in the 70's and early 80's. I had a '71 big block that still screamed pretty much even with the lower compression. Raced it a couple of times and beat out some earlier big block cars that theoretically had more horsepower. Sometimes there's just no substitute for cubic inches.

 

[JcMack]

My '70 had a factory installed little plaque on the shifter cover plate "350hp - 350cu". In a race my car could beat my buddies '69 427 Corvette outta the hole and for about 3/4 of a city block, then he'd go flyin by. Mine had 11:1 compression and I put 2 head gaskets on each side to try to lower compression and keep it running on the crumby gas.

 

[TheHobbyist]

The 63 Stingray split rear window can go for 7 figures easy.....

Oh boy, I wish I didn't hear that......I knew where one was for years. Mid 1990's someone could have bought it for $ 10K, but needed engine work, all there though. I could not afford that at the time and even then if I recall correctly it was a good deal.

 

[Gamecock]

I had a captain in the Air Force who had a '67 427 Vette convertible. He let me drive it. It scared me. More power than I could deal with.

I'm sure I'd get the feel of it over time. As a one time drive, it was too much.

Current drive:

 

[JcMack]

I also had a 70 Corvette and wish I would have kept it. 1970 was the lowest production year for the C3 Corvettes due to previous production problems with the 69s.

I'm really taxing my old brain trying to remember something that long ago. Sorry if I'm incorrect with this comment. My buddy ordered his '69 silver 427 coupe (stunningly beautiful car) and the only factory that produced Corvettes was in Missouri and they promptly went on strike. So it took almost a year for him to take delivery. This part I remember clearly: Bill had the car for less than a month and lost control on a patch of ice and ran it into a house. He sent it to a Corvette specialist auto body place for repairs and it took months to get it back. I remember it looked better than new when he finally got it back, but he had really weird problems pop up thereafter.

 

[rkittine]

I made it to the opening of the Corvette Museum and we were staged along the highway by year, to get in. It was amazing how long the line was and how interesting the variety of Vettes that attended and then took the plant tour. I lived in Nashville at the time so it was an easy drive, but people came from everywhere in the country and a lot of places outside the country. A true following.

Bob

 

[kcphelps]

The 63 Stingray split rear window can go for 7 figures easy.....

A friend had a cherry '63 Stingray and cut the rear fenders with a torch to accomodate wide slicks. Then he traded it in on a Chevy pickup. This was 1972-'73
Strange but true.

 

[NYlakesider]

A friend had a cherry '63 Stingray and cut the rear fenders with a torch to accomodate wide slicks. Then he traded it in on a Chevy pickup. This was 1972-'73
Strange but true.

He cut fiberglass with a torch!


Back in that era a lot of funny things were done to Vettes. Being not too many people could make the Fuel Injection system work right, many people took it off and replaced it with a good four barrel set up or in some case put on 2 fours!. Also I knew of a few Vettes with trailer hitches.

 

[The Big D]

St. Louis before Bowling Green.

Corvettes were built in St. Louis before production moved to Bowling Green in 1981. A very limited run of mostly pre-production cars was built in Flint before St. Louis.

Be safe.

I'm really taxing my old brain trying to remember something that long ago. Sorry if I'm incorrect with this comment. My buddy ordered his '69 silver 427 coupe (stunningly beautiful car) and the only factory that produced Corvettes was in Missouri and they promptly went on strike. So it took almost a year for him to take delivery. This part I remember clearly: Bill had the car for less than a month and lost control on a patch of ice and ran it into a house. He sent it to a Corvette specialist auto body place for repairs and it took months to get it back. I remember it looked better than new when he finally got it back, but he had really weird problems pop up thereafter.