What car makes you feel like you were sixteen again? What car makes you feel invincible, if only for brief moments? What car calls out to your inner child? We’d argue time and time again that the answer to these questions is the Corvette. It’s been that way since 1953.
But to answer the first question, the car that makes many people feel 16 again is usually their first car or what they wished they had when they were 16. This author recalls a handful of beauties that made everlasting impressions at that age including a 1968 Ford Mustang convertible, a 1972 MG Midget, and a finally a 1972 Corvette Stingray in bright red similar to today’s offering.
Sometimes when you get behind the wheel of a car memories are born that can last a lifetime. There’s simply nothing better on a sunny summer day than being behind the wheel of a C3 Corvette, clinging for dear life to a thin steering wheel, hearing a lazy but well tuned V8 burble, with no need for music, and a friend by your side. Is it the safest car in the world? God no. But, is it an exciting and mentally stimulating experience? Absolutely!
Just imagine that first drive, staring forward over those expertly sculpted fenders, admiring the deeply fluted gauges, hearing that vintage V8, and we submit that no written words could express the sheer joy experienced in that brief drive. There is no poetic phrase that can portray the beautiful operetta music peaks that express taking the V8 to its redline or quick flicks of the gas pedal.
In 1970, big block engines increased from 427 to 454 cubic inches and the powerful 370 horsepower LT-1 350 cubic inch small block engine was introduced. The first ZR1 performance package appeared and included the LT-1 engine plus a group of other high performance items. A stock 1970 model was quick, but we can only imagine what adding a supercharger to that equation might do. We expect it would be like throwing a live hand grenade into a fireworks factory. So get ready to stomp on the loud pedal, and hang on for dear life, and bid now on this ode to youth, a blown 1970 Chevrolet Corvette.
