There are all kinds of classic muscle cars to choose from but the cream of the crop might be the Corvette. Specifically, the C3 Corvette, made from 1968 to 1976. A bunch of the Apollo astronauts thought so.
Virtually everyone would recognize these cars, whether they were alive when they could have driven one off the lot or not. And they can be surprisingly affordable.
Let’s take a closer look at this muscle car, review a current eBay auction, and see if you can follow in the footsteps of those NASA legends.
A Brief History of the Corvette
Chevrolet introduced the first generation of the Corvette in 1953. The second generation hit showrooms in the 1963 model year, and the third generation came along in 1968. This model is known as the “C3” Corvette, indicating the third generation. The new 2020 Corvette that was recently announced is the eighth generation or C8.
The 1969 Corvette improved on many complaints owners had with the 1968 models. It stuck with the same iconic design, however. This 1969 Corvette convertible currently for sale on eBay Motors is a very nice example.
Powertrain Details
This Corvette sports Chevrolet’s 350-cubic-inch V-8 engine, which produced 300 horsepower in its original configuration. Unfortunately, the eBay listing doesn’t specify whether the engine is all original but it does indicate it has “matching numbers” which makes it likely it’s the original stock setup.
Those 300 horsepower transfers through a 4-speed manual transmission but once again, the auction listing doesn’t say what type of rear axle is in the car. The stock rear axle for the 1969 Corvette with a stick shift was 3.36 so that’s likely what’s in it.
There’s no indication whether it’s a Positraction rear-end but more than 95% of the cars were outfitted with it in 1969.
Restored but Not Concourse
The eBay listing says the interior of the car has been restored and it has a new convertible top along with new brakes, hoses, belts, shocks, battery, and weather stripping. The pictures don’t do the car justice but judging by what you can see, the car is in nice shape.
It’s not a concourse restoration though. For one thing, there a new Pioneer stereo and speakers installed so that alone means it’s not stock. This is a daily driver. There’s no need to hire a towing service to get this car back home.
One interesting feature of the car is the paint. It’s painted gold, a color that was only available as an option in 1969. That’s also the color that all three Apollo 12 astronauts ordered for their Corvettes.
They had a slightly modified paint scheme, with some black highlights, but if you want to imagine yourself behind the wheel of your Corvette on the way to Cape Canaveral, this is the car for you.
The Bottom Line for This Muscle Car Review
What do we think about this muscle car review? It looks like a solid choice if you’re looking for a classic Corvette that you can get out and drive. You won’t need to worry about babying this one, it’s meant to be enjoyed.
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