1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Coupe

The car that most Corvette collections consider the ultimate was never meant to be. In GM’s master plan, the new body style introduced in 1968 was intended for 1967 production. Fortunately for Corvette fans everywhere, delays forced the continuation of the Sting Ray for one more year.

Corvette designers were instructed to carry out a minor facelift for these interim ’67 models. Fortunately, the engineers were not held back, and there were several changes to the engine lineup, including the legendary L71 435-hp, Tri-Power big block. Most performance buyers chose this option, assuming that it was the most powerful engine.

What they didn’t know was that Chevrolet had carefully hidden an even more potent option. In the catalog, the L88 engine was listed as a 430-hp option for $947.90, more than twice the price of the 435-hp L71 engine.

What that money bought is equally impressive. The L88 engine featured aluminum intake...