1966 Chevrolet Corvette in Lithia Springs, Georgia

Vehicle Description

The craziness surrounding "matching numbers" is getting out of hand when people will overlook cars like this incredible 1966 Corvette roadster simply because of a few numbers stamped into the block. It has a thundering 427 under the hood, a 4-speed, a great color combination, and a high-quality restoration that's only 3000 miles old, all for a significant discount compared to a numbers 427 car. How could anyone think that's anything other than amazing?

If you buy your cars as investments, then sure, this isn't for you. But if you want to drive your car and have the hairiest mid-year roadster around, then this slick Milano Maroon 'Vette should prove to be very interesting. The restoration is very nicely done, with a handsome paint job that looks better than plain old Milano Maroon, thanks to a touch of metallic in the mix. Mid-year Corvettes can be a challenge to get right, but the way this one fits together emulates the factory's workmanship pretty well (meaning that it's imperfectly perfect, just the way Corvette guys like it). Milano Maroon is this car's original color (code 988) and it provides a wonderful subtle contrast to the horsepower living within. Corvettes were horsepower embodied, so they didn't need stripes or other add-ons to be impressive, so this one keeps it stock hood and is instead dressed up with bright chrome trim that's in excellent condition. Nice bumpers, correct emblems, and other little details all add up to a car that looks great without looking over-done.

That's the code STD standard vinyl upholstery, but it looks a lot more upscale than something called "standard" should. This car did come with a regular black interior, so the whole driver's compartment was simply restored to like-new condition and looks great. A woodgrained steering wheel warms up the monochromatic passenger compartment and the gauges are exceptionally attractive with beautiful slender markings and bright orange pointers. And yes, the 36,750 miles showing are authentic. The chrome shifter for the 4-speed manual gearbox falls easily to hand and it's now tied to a Hurst linkage, which snaps through the gates with real authority. The unique vertically-oriented AM/FM radio sits in the middle of the center stack, and interestingly, this car was ordered with a hardtop only, so that's included and you'll note the rear deck is smooth and devoid of the usual soft top latches.

But the reason this Corvette is special is under the hood, where the magical numbers '427' resonate with Chevy fans around the world. It's a correct 1966 block and was rebuilt about 3000 miles ago, so it has all the performance you'd expect from such a beast. They did stamp the correct numbers on the pad, but it's important to note that this is not the car's original engine. There's a Comp Cams roller cam inside, but otherwise the internals are stock, and an electronic ignition was added for reliability. The big valve covers are proper plain stampings and familiar Chevy Orange paint dresses up the block. The 4-speed shifts cleanly and while some guys live for side pipes, if it's a Corvette you're actually going to drive for more than 15 minutes at a time, the new rear-exit exhaust system is going to be a welcome sight. The rear suspension was augmented with a monoleaf spring, but otherwise it's stock, and it includes both power steering and power brakes. Reproduction knock-off wheels look fantastic and carry new whitewall radials.

Get past the "matching-numbers" thing and realize that this is really about fun, and if there's a better way to have fun on four wheels than a big block Corvette convertible, I can't imagine what it might be. Call today!