In 1967, the big-block Corvette was king of the road. Brutally fast, with nimble handling and stopping power to match with four-wheel disc brakes, Corvette truly earned the title “America’s Sports Car.” Yes, it was expensive, but the Corvette was the car for buyers who wanted speed, and for the all-out performance addict, there was the thundering 427-ci V8 in several levels of tune.
In his book Corvettes, 1953 to 1988, Richard Langworth wrote, “The 1967 Stingray is arguably one of the best Corvettes ever built. All the styling clichés had been eliminated…four-wheel disc brakes allowed it to stop as well as go.” Randy Leffingwell also wrote in his book, Corvette: America’s Sports Car, that in 1967, the Corvette “was the best Stingray yet…and all the appearance bells and whistles, trim and shimmer was removed from the car, making it the purest form that the Stingray body ever achieved. Coupled with the possibility of astounding performance from a $437.10 optional 435-horsepower engine, with standard four-wheel disc brakes and new, wider six-inch wheels, it was the best of the best.”
A total of 22,940 Corvettes were produced in 1967, of which 14,436 were convertibles. Of those, 3,754 were equipped with the top RPO L71 Tri-Power V8 engine with three Holley two-barrel carburetors.
In 1967, Hot Rod magazine’s Eric Dahlquist put an L71-powered Corvette through its paces for his in-depth road test, entitled “Hottest ’Vette Yet.” At the dragstrip, Dahlquist managed a 13.80-second quarter-mile times, with a 108-mph trap speed. This blistering straight-line performance was achieved with a set of narrow 7.75-inch bias-ply tires, which erupted into clouds of billowing smoke whenever the clutch was dropped with anything but a closed throttle. Dahlquist also found that the Corvette handled very well, particularly at sustained high speeds, with the considerable mass of the iron block-and-head 427 V8 offset by a set of carefully tuned, higher-rate front springs. In addition, weight distribution was surprisingly balanced, thanks to the set-back engine placement within the Corvette’s relatively short 98-inch wheelbase.
One of only 815 Tuxedo Black 1967 Corvettes built, this matching-numbers, fully documented L71 427/435 Corvette is equipped with a matching black interior and a Muncie 4-speed manual transmission. A former NCRS Top Flight Award winner, the Corvette is offered from the noted private automobile collection of Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson. Terry Michaelis and Jim Mangione of Pro Team Corvettes previously owned it, and noted Corvette experts have recently confirmed this Corvette’s authenticity and correctness. Offered complete with its Protect-O-Plate and ownership history, this highly documented, award-winning Corvette is a superb example offered from a highly respected collection.
SCM Analysis
Detailing
| Vehicle: | 1967 Corvette 427/435 Convertible |
| Years Produced: | 1967 |
| Number Produced: | 3,754 with L71 |
| Original List Price: | $4,809.50 (as equipped) |
| SCM Valuation: | $97,000–$189,400 (as equipped) |
| Tune Up Cost: | $400-$500 (3x2 induction tuning) |
| Distributor Caps: | $25 |
| Chassis Number Location: | Passenger side dash under glove box on structural support |
| Engine Number Location: | Pad on passenger side of engine forward of cylinder head |
| Club Info: | National Corvette Restorers Society |
| Website: | www.ncrs.org |
| Alternatives: | 1965-67 Shelby Cobra 427, 1967-69 Chevrolet Camaro, 1964-67 Jaguar XKE 4.2 |
| Investment Grade: | A |
This car, Lot 267, sold for $165,000, including buyer’s premium, at the RM auction in Phoenix, AZ on Friday, January 21, 2011.
The Big Kahuna of the Corvette world is widely known, so there is surely no need to go into a detailed history of the model and engine selection. The 427/435 was the most potent production engine offered in the 1967 Corvette—other than the underrated 430-horsepower L88, which found its way into only 20 Corvettes that year.
That said, let’s shift right into 4th gear.
On a desirability scale, it doesn’t get much better than a Triple Black C2 big-block Corvette with a red stinger hood. Add some wicked-sounding sidepipes and you’re off to the races—literally. As one of only 815 dressed out in Tuxedo Black, we can whittle the total number of 427/435 builds in this color to just under 22% of the total production of 3,754 cars—not a bad number to begin with. Further, our subject car still retains the original, numbers-matching drivetrain, which is a rarity, as many big-block Corvettes have long since parted ways with their internal organs between two green lights.
Don’t get stung
Chassis number 105851 is also reported to be a highly documented example. This becomes especially important in the universe of high-dollar, big-block Corvettes. Why? The reality is that there are now more big-block Corvettes out in the world than were originally built. These cars are widely faked, restamped, repurposed and creatively rebuilt.
As soon as big-block Corvettes started pulling big money on cable television, unscrupulous shops and backyard garages all over the country started building them from heaps and piles—and turning out, on occasion, some fairly impressive stuff.
It has been reported that some of the fakes are so well done, they’ve deceived some of the best guys in the hobby. There’s a lot of money involved, so, as you can imagine, some guys get really good at it. That’s where bulletproof documentation comes in. For investment-grade Corvettes, especially Fuelies and big blocks, history and documentation become overwhelmingly important.
Finding a potent, 427-equipped 1967 Corvette is really quite easy; I did a quick search and located 138 for sale without too much effort. If we analyze the results and demand airtight, rock-solid papers on the car, including judging sheets and awards, the field of available cars drops dramatically. Be aware, fake documentation floats around out there too, but that’s another story for another day.
Great history, great documentation
Based on the catalog description from RM Auctions, we see very good records, such as the Protect-O-Plate and ownership history. More than a few Corvette gurus have left their DNA on this chassis—and have confirmed that our black big-block roadster is, indeed, as it was built when it rolled off the assembly line.
Add to this that 105851 has some nice hardware in the form of an NCRS Top Flight Award and was offered out of the private collection of Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson—a well respected collector—and the new owner can be assured that his cash has been put to good use. Other notable owners included Terry Michaelis and Jim Mangione of Pro Team Corvettes, which also adds to the provenance of the machine.
Time for a shameless plug. This kind of information is why it becomes so valuable to subscribe to the Corvette Market Database (Platinum Subscriber). As auction reporters, such as myself, scour over auction offerings, our findings end up in the Sports Car Market and Corvette Market databases. This data can come in handy when you’re investigating a car you purchased—or one you plan to purchase. It’s well worth the price of admission.
Last sold in 2005
Our subject car was last recorded sold for $145,200, including the buyer’s premium, at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach, CA, sale on August 21, 2005 (SCM #38927). At the time, the car was reported to be in #2 condition. Upon examination of the database record, all appears to be well—we see a car with the same equipment, color and details. That’s good news (it doesn’t always work out that way).
In 2011, our sales figure has grown to $165,000, including the buyer’s premium. While a near 14% increase in value over a span of six years may not sound all that stellar, it’s not bad given the high-flying economic times during which this car was last reported sold versus today. It still serves the market well to see a solid result and offers more evidence of why quality is paramount.
Final thoughts
The car appears to be holding up very well. I am sure the restoration is tiring a bit, but that is to be expected as a car naturally ages. It’s dressed in a very desirable color combination, and it is well-equipped, given that the car was originally built for high-performance street fighting.
The history is well known, there’s very good documentation and the certainty that the car is the real deal. No nips and tucks. No back-room blowtorches. No restamps. The new owner can be assured that he’s acquired a fine, well-respected, correct, numbers-matching ’67. The black color will, generally speaking, command a 10% to 20% premium over other colors. Looking at other comparables, the documentation, history, awards, color and the generally improving market conditions, I’d call this Triple-Black, Tri-Power Corvette well bought.