Featured Cars: Custom Street and Classic Rods, Build kits

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-K-66 transistorized ignition

-Heavy-duty Turbo-400 automatic transmission (’69 only)

-Special ducted fresh air hood

All this in addition to the namesake factory “blueprinted” power plant itself with its 850CFM Holley 4-barrel carburetor sitting atop a high-rise aluminum intake and feeding forged pistons with 12.5:1 compression. A radical solid lifter camshaft and special aluminum heads were part of this monster motor; the culmination of Chevrolet’s racing experiences.

There was a strict adherence to this race package; no deviation from this mandatory list was permitted. The L88 427 was deliberately underrated at 430hp (to make it less desirable than the 435hp L71 427) but in reality 560+hp was attainable with use of a header/open pipe exhaust system specifically designed for this otherwise over-cammed and over-carbureted race engine. Compliance with federal emission standards prevented GM from installing this racing exhaust system at the factory, but its use released the L88’s full power potential. The L88 was Chevrolet’s premier engine; RPO-L88 was the complete factory-built race car. The crowning achievement of Chevrolet performance, they are among the most desired and valuable Chevy collector cars of the day!

The story of our featured 1969 L88, a dazzling Daytona Yellow 4-speed coupe begins with a man named Hugh Whitlock from Windsor, Ontario. Working at Don Webster Chevrolet as sales manager, he had a long history of ordering and selling vehicles with special engine/trans/differential combinations. He envisioned the ultimate Chevrolet sports car; a brilliant high-speed Corvette. Knowing this would require high-speed rear-end gearing coupled with Chevy’s most potent power plant, he painstakingly set about to bring in Canada’s 1st L88 Corvette. Finally, after 15 months of diehard persistence, he received his “dream-car”. Unfortunately, the dealer owner did not share in Hugh’s passion for this supercar; he was terrified this expensive, aviation-fueled Vette would be impossible to sell. At that time Central Chevrolet in London, Ontario (referred to as Canada’s #1 Supercar dealer) arranged to acquire the car through a dealer trade. They had little trouble finding a buyer despite tearing off the original window sticker and jacking the price up to a whopping $9650! The first owner traded it in after not owning it too long and the head salesman at Central installed 4.56 gears and exhaust headers and took the car to the local drag strip. The L88 was soon up for sale again and incredibly the L88 was sold to a lady school teacher who never raced it, cared for it well and parked it regularly in the school parking lot! During the 70’s the car was shipped out west and was eventually purchased by local Chevy high-performance expert George Pappas. Although the first owners had only put on less than 29,000 miles the car was restored and driven across country to a Corvette meet, along the way reaching over 150mph.

This was the first L88 Corvette delivered to Canada (of only 3 in total) and the only one to remain here today! This ultimate shark (serial #194379S707456), featured recently in Bloomington Gold’s L88 Invasion Special Collection, carries one of the rarest L88 colours and is 1 of only 99 1969 4-speeds of which only 4 are known to have the super-fast 3.08 rear end. This all numbers-matching car is documented with its original tank sheet, POP and bill of sale in addition to its coveted GM Canada paperwork. A true Canadian classic!

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