Chevrolet introduced the C3 Corvette for the 1968 model year. A notable departure from the C2, the third-gen sports car featured a sleeker body, a brand-new interior, and removable T-top roof panels. The engine lineup was mostly carried over. Chevrolet sold 28,566 units in 1968 before the nameplate set record sales of 38,462 examples in 1969.
But even though it’s rarer than many other nameplates from the era, the early C3 Corvette is a relatively common find in barns and junkyards. Some are damaged beyond recognition, while others are still worth restoring. The 1968 example you see here is one of the lucky ones. Even though it was retired a long time ago and parked in a basement, it’s still in pretty good shape.
Showcased by YouTube’s “ORTHMAN,” this Vette is neither a survivor nor a classic that’s been restored before it was parked. It’s one of those rigs that got quite a few mods. Based on the way it looks, I’d say the upgrades were performed sometime in the 1980s. The car was likely parked in the 1990s, so it spent at least 30 years off the road.
Painted in what looks a lot like LeMans Blue (it could be International Blue; the dim light makes it hard to tell), the Corvette sports a pair of yellow and red stripes across the sides. The dual stripes have an interesting pattern that covers the upper fender areas while forming a sharp V pointing toward the bottom of the door. Otherwise, the exterior appears to be stock.
Upgrades have been kept to a minimum inside the cabin, which is all-black, but the engine bay is a bit flashier than usual thanks to a metallic blue air cleaner, and matching Moroso valve covers. The owner describes the 327-cubic-inch (5.4-liter) V8 as “strong” but doesn’t provide specifics.
The 1968 Corvette debuted with a pair of 327 units. The entry-level powerplant delivered 300 horsepower, while the L79 provided 350 horses. Chevrolet also offered four different flavors of its 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) big-block. The L36 came with 390 horsepower, while the L68 generated 400 horses. The now-desirable L71 and L88 units crank out 435 and 430 horsepower, respectively.
It’s unclear whether this Corvette has the base 350 or the L79, but it doesn’t make much of a difference because none are super rare. The L79 found its way into 9,440 cars, while 5,875 customers selected the base unit. Sure, the gearbox and the convertible body style would reduce these numbers, but we’d still be talking about four-digit sales.
But the really important news here is that this Corvette was rescued from the basement, and it runs and drives again. Check it out and hear its modified V8 engine burble in the video below.