Restored Corvette Sting Ray Roadster 427/400 HP 4 Speed

The trouble with spending half of your retirement fund on an investment grade C3 is the amount of poorly restored cars that are readily available for next to nothing. For every NCRS gem that shows up to a Corvette meet there are 15 more hacked together, low budget builds which keep both prices and exclusivity trapped in the lower end of the market. So, if you don't want a pile of parts held together with a hassle, you have two choices. The first, of course, is to cash in your blue chip stocks and buy a high dollar trailer queen that's way too nice to roll more than a mile down the road. The second is to find a well-traveled showpiece like this killer 1968 roadster which was rebuilt by a reputable Corvette shop and is nice enough to both drive and show. Fully restored by Overhaulin' guest Steve LuVisi, this numbers matching, Tri-Power Sting Ray walks that fine line between a major trophy winner and the kind of overrated obsession that'll have you breaking a sweat over dust particles. If you're looking for an excellent mix of legendary performance and surefire reliability, you're looking at your next classic!

Assembled at GM's storied St. Louis manufacturing facility, and restored by Automotive Expertise in Orange County, California, this awesome C3 drop-top is bathed in correct GM code 983 British Green basecoat and sealed in a glossy clearcoat shell. Under that chameleon-esque paint, the car's solid fiberglass body presents a better-than-factory appearance and, by the looks of things, has never been seriously damaged or received any major modifications. And overall, this vintage cruiser is a clean, well-maintained restoration that provides a combination of style and reliability not normally found in moody trailer queens and butch barn builds.

Is it black? Is it blue? Is it green? Any way the lens captures this stunning roadster, the monochromatic look of its sinuous body combines with minimalist brightwork to lend a rather ominous presence to our showroom of bright muscle cars. At the front of its sinuous fiberglass body a familiar C3 cross-flag emblem combines with a bright chrome bumper and a small black chin spoiler to frame a natural combination of clear parking lamps and stainless-trimmed grilles. Above that bumper, a chrome-trimmed and “427” branded hood anchors like-new glass between a well-maintained stainless frame and a fresh black roof. At the sides of that hood, exaggerated fenders prop a standard stainless antenna above clean marker lights and simplistic air extractors while sculpted doors hang a chrome driver's mirror and flush stainless handles above subtle stainless rocker trim. And at the back of those fenders, a cross-flag branded fuel filler rides above a centered “CORVETTE” script, traditional Corvette tail lights, two more bright chrome bumpers and two spotless stainless exhaust tips.

Introduced as a concise and impressive answer to Chrysler's storied HEMI, this Corvette's Tri-Power 427 big block wears a correct 3916321 casting number behind a September (I) 27th (27) of 1967 (7) casting date, a high performance “IM” suffix stamp and a matching 402307 partial VIN. At the top of that stalwart engine a bright chrome air cleaner funnels wind into three Holley 2-barrel carburetors that are threaded into a correct Winter aluminum intake. Below that intake, a Chevy Orange block hangs a slick set of chrome valve covers over ceramic coated Hedman hedders. Behind those headers, a Delco Remy coil rations spark to a traditional points distributor and high quality plug wires that are hidden under a chrome cover and a series of bright sleeving. And in front of that sleeving, a correct radiator sends water around fresh V-belts with the help of reproduction GM hoses and correct tower clamps. Both the car's engine and engine bay are exceptionally clean for a collection of mechanical parts that probably haven't seen a restoration shop in quite a few years. And the brutal big block fires up instantly, idles quietly and, on its way to making a solid 400 horsepower, transforms an otherwise lightweight fuselage into a chariot worthy of astronauts!

Whoever checked the options boxes for this slick Corvette drop-top obviously had a plan that involved plenty of Main Street showboating and a lot of stoplight domination. Behind that awesome big block engine you'll find a beefy M21 Muncie 4-speed that wears a familiar 3925660 casting number in front of a 1968 (8) Muncie (P) assembled on October ( R ) 5th (05) of 1967 build stamp and a correct 402307 partial VIN. In front of that transmission, a rebuilt double A-arm suspension is equipped with factory power steering. Behind that transmission, a rebuilt transverse leaf suspension is equipped with big gears and a factory differential. And at the sides of that transmission, power disc brakes combine with the aforementioned factory power steering to ensure rapid stops and great handling. All that fully sorted hardware is bolted to clean floors which, based on appearance, haven't ever seen repairs or a significant amount of time sitting in the weather. The true dual exhaust system has, like most of the car's ancillary items, been replaced with top quality components. And at the corners of the chassis, a handsome set of GM Rally wheels spin red-lined 225/70R15 BF Goodrich Silvertown Radials around great looking trim rings and chrome Chevrolet center caps.

Pop this C3's tight fitting doors and you'll find a fully restored interior that presents exceptionally well despite a steady regimen of use. With cars of this age, seats are a common point of fatigue, but the great looking leather buckets in this cockpit feel comfortable and show virtually no wear at all. Below those seats, fade-free carpet runs from the firewall to the back of the cargo hold. In front of those seats, a conservative black dash props a warp-free pad above fully rebuilt gauges and a pristine, satin-spoked steering wheel. Between those seats, telemetry for the car's vitals ride above a correct Delco AM/FM stereo, roller controls for the freshened heating system and a fully functional Corvette shifter. And at the sides of those seats, great looking door panels frame correct twist-style locks and correct chrome handles in spotless stainless trim.

This '68 Sting Ray is a fantastic classic that's laden with blue chip options, has tons of eyeball appeal and provides plenty of enjoyment on the open road. Better still, with its numbers matching drivetrain and professional restoration, this roadster will age like fine wine. If you've been looking for a fun summertime cruiser that you can enjoy immediately without worries, this fully sorted Corvette is your kind of car!