Cars Of Particular Interest

Big Block Corvettes - What’re they Worth?
by Eric Lawrence

Although the Corvette may have started off life as a cute little sportscar in the early 1950s, by the mid 1960s it had morphed into two distinct personalities – the mild mannered small block Clark Kent, and the powerful big block Superman.

From nearly the beginning, Corvettes had always had optional high performance engines - most years offering a choice between several dual carbureted and fuel injected setups. By 1965 the optional fuelie engine had been tuned to produce as much as 375 horsepower, but Chevrolet realized that the lower cost and more reliable big block engines they had been working on for their other car lines would be the wave of the future.

The first big block Corvette was the 1965 396 cubic inch L78, which was rated at an impressive 425 hp. This was followed in 1966 by another 425 hp engine, the L72, this time based on a 427 cubic inch block, and a slightly less aggressive 390 hp sibling, the L36, also a 427. There were a few changes in store for 1967. The 390 hp L36 engine returned, but the L72 was dropped in favor of a pair of tri-carbed 427s – the L68 rated at 400 hp and the 435 rated L71.

Although the Corvette would undergo a total redesign for 1968, the high performance engine options stayed the same, and remained unchanged for 1969 as well. For 1970 the 427 was replaced by the 454, and the only choice was the LS5, rated at 390 hp. For 1971 the LS5 returned, but this year was rated at 365 hp. However, the LS6 454, which had become famous the previous year in the Chevelle Super Sport, was now available in the Corvette, rated at an ultra conservative 425 hp. Sadly, it was a one year wonder, and disappeared for 1972, although the LS5, now listed at 270 hp, was still available. The 454 was called the LS4 for 1973 and 1974, and was rated at 275 and 270 hp respectively.

As most of you probably already know, Corvettes are very expensive, especially the high performance versions. In fact, they were among the first American cars to crack the $100,000 barrier. The 1963-67 model years are referred to as the mid-years, and are the most desirable of all. 1965 Corvette big block coupes in good condition are currently trading for around $50,000, and convertibles will typically bring $5,000 - $10,000 more. 1966 L72 models, which were also rated at 425 hp, sell for maybe $4,000 - $5,000 more than the 1965 396 cars on average, while the 390 hp L36 cars run about $10,000 less. 1967 is when things start to get really expensive. L36 (427/390) coupes in good condition are currently around $48,000, the L68 (427/400) cars are nearly $65,000, and the L71 (427/435) cars are around $80,000. Big block convertibles can bring a $10,000 - $25,000 premium over the coupes, depending on horsepower.

The Corvette was completely redesigned in 1968, and prices fall off quite a bit. Expect to pay around $20,000 for a nice 1968-69 390 hp coupe, $24,000 for a 400 hp, and $30,000 for a 435. 1970-72 LS5 cars are about the same price as the 1968-69 390 cars, and the 1973-74 LS4s run $5,000 - $7,500 less than the LS5s.

The preceding values were for cars in good condition. Cars that are in excellent condition, either ones restored to the highest professional standards or perfectly preserved originals, can sell for up to twice as much as cars in good condition.

Data provided courtesy of the Black Book CPI Collectible Vehicle Guide. More information on the CPI Value Guide is available at www.BlackBookUSA.com or at 800-554-1026.

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