1966 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible 44625 Miles Nassau Blue L72 427 cubic inch

This 1966 convertible is the right way to Corvette. If you haven’t enjoyed the feeling of pinning a big block V8’s throttle wide open and racking a crude but bulletproof 4-speed through the gears while the tires squirm to keep from turning into smoke, then you’re missing out on one of the finest experiences in all of motoring. I bet that guys with matching-numbers cars and Bloomington Gold trophies haven’t enjoyed that simple pleasure because of the risks involved with damaging their “investment.” That’s silly because Corvettes are simple, brutal machines that were built to do one thing and one thing only, and they do it extremely well. Ask them to do anything else, and, well, it’s like owning a thoroughbred and using her to plow your field. It just ain’t the same.
Which brings us back to this handsome Nassau Blue 1966 Corvette convertible. Is it a pedigree car? Nope. Is it matching-numbers? Uh-uh. Is it going to win trophies at a show? Unlikely. Should you consider it an investment? I wouldn’t. However, I can guarantee that you will have more fun in 10 minutes of driving this car than owners of trailer queens have in a year of standing around on show fields. I love this car more than any of the freshly restored, numbers-matching trailer queens we’ve ever sold (and there have been quite a few). And on the plus side, this car does appear to be a factory L72 car with a warranty replacement block—how it happened or where the engine came from, I can’t say, but it certainly sings and dances like a big block ‘Vette should. And that is the ONLY reason you should buy it. If you’re a poser or a guy who likes collecting trophies, I’ll save you some time—you can stop reading right here.
For those of you looking to hammer the throttle and listen to the tires bark, I’ll keep going because this car will make you smile. Code 976 Nassau Blue is this car’s original color and it was repainted at some point in the past—maybe 15 years ago. It wasn’t fully disassembled, but they did a good job and it looks like this was a nice car to start with, so the results are pretty good even after years of fun on the road. There are plenty of little tiny marks on it that any car would get after some serious driving, but no defects jump out as needing attention. Gaps are excellent and since this car has never been blown apart, the doors close they way they did in 1966 and the headlights fit flush. There are a whole lot of more expensive ‘Vettes out there that don’t fit together as well as this one. The chrome is very good to excellent and the glass has no cracks or delamination despite being original. You won’t be ashamed to be seen in this Corvette any more than you’d be ashamed to be seen in your favorite jeans and T-shirt. In fact, most folks who see it going down the road will wish they were you.
The code 418 dark blue vinyl interior appears to be mostly original, including the seat covers, door panels, and dash pad. There are two minor splits on the driver’s seat back right in the seams of the pleat, and they would be easy enough to repair or just put some repro covers on there—it’ll be inexpensive and look good and on this car it matters naught. The carpets have probably been replaced at some point, but nothing looks out of place. The factory gauges are a little faded but they all work, including the tach with a 6500 RPM redline, which helps corroborate that this is an original L72 car (more on that in a moment). It also has an 80 PSI oil pressure gauge, which is another clue that a big block originally lived under its hood. There’s an aftermarket Hurst shifter with a T-handle that isn’t correct, but it does work quite well when you're racking it through the gears at speed. There's an aftermarket AM/FM/cassette radio with that unusual vertical orientation and it powers a pair of speakers behind the seats, but one of the knobs is missing. Meh. The clock doesn't work, but who cares? The recent white convertible top is in excellent condition and seals up pretty well and once you perfect the stowing technique, you’ll be able to stash it at a red light and have some fun.
The engine is a great-running 427 cubic inch V8 that has outward signs of being a legendary L72, which was a 425 horsepower version (actually, they originally rated it at 450 and then changed the numbers just before it hit the market). It is definitely NOT matching numbers, so get that nonsense out of your head right now. It is, however, a 3963512 big block casting, which is a later 427 or 454 block used in cars like the COPO Camaro and LS6 Chevelles, as well as a few less glamorous applications. We don't know exactly where it was born because the stamping pad numbers don't add up to anything beyond a CE, which experts suggest is a warranty replacement block. Again, this is NOT a matching-numbers car, so let's not worry about that numbers stuff here. At least it's a genuine hi-po big block and not some kind of '80s truck block. Regardless, it's a fantastic runner. It wears a few markings that suggest this car was originally an L72 427/425 but other than circumstantial evidence like the gauges, there is no real proof, which is why this car is both reasonably priced and a party to drive. It was rebuilt maybe 10 years ago and was just recently tuned and serviced so it runs extremely well. It starts easily, idles nicely, and man is this thing STOUT! Like most big block Corvettes, it'll drive nicely enough if you're just puttering around, but what it really wants you to do is put your foot on the floor and abuse it. The harder you drive it, the better it works. There's a fantastic whack of torque at any speed and it rips through the gears so quickly you don't really have much time to think about it. Just grab the next gear as fast as you can and hope that one hand on the wheel is enough to keep it going straight. This car is about driving, remember?
The Muncie 4-speed just shrugs off the horsepower churning through it, and if you get the shifts right it’s just a joy to drive. Ratios are perfectly spaced for aggressive driving so that each time you push in the clutch, the engine slows down just enough to perfectly catch the next gear. It’s almost seamless and the faster you go, the easier it gets. Do it gently and slowly and it’ll lurch. Do it like you’re fleeing the scene of a crime and it blasts along on an almost limitless wave of torque. Seriously, this is what Zora had in mind when he built the thing. It does have manual steering and brakes, so don’t start whining about how you need power steering because of your wife, just man up and have some fun. It’s easy to handle and not at all heavy, and the 4-wheel discs are plenty powerful for the car’s performance. The exhaust note is mellow enough that you can drive this car long distances without getting a headache and the underside is solid and clean, if not detailed for show. Steel wheels with hubcaps are a great OEM look and it sits on recent 205/75/15 Firestone whitewall radials that ride well and have just enough grip to let the 427 do its work.
Finicky Corvettes with pedigrees are fine, but these cars were built to drive. If you’re that kind of enthusiast, the one who looks at bugs and chips on the nose of his car as badges of honor rather than defects, this Corvette is going to make you smile every time you see it in the garage. It starts, idles, and runs great, it handles well, stops true, and doesn’t ask anything of you but gas and an oil change once in a while.Just watch—you’ll take this car to an event and the guys with the show cars will come up and tell you how much they wish they had left their cars alone so they could enjoy them. Think about that, then give us a call.
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