1966 Corvette 427 / 425 4 Speed Convertible Rare L72 Survivor Both Tops Nice One

1966 Chevrolet Corvette Description

This is a rare survivor 66 427 cu. inch / 425 horsepower Corvette L72 big block roadster with both tops. Ipurchased it in 2009 from a seller who had stored it for nearly25 years in a heated storage unit. I met him in 1994 at a land use hearing where he told me he had a 66 Corvette with a 'broken engine'. He bought the car in 1985 from a friend in Tennessee who said was the original owner. He also had bought a lot of original GM parts after his purchase, like front bumpers and bracketsplus most of the rubber moldings for the hard top. He also changed the shifter to a Hurst Competition Plusbut saved the factory Muncie shifter. Theextra partswill go with the sale as will the original brake calipersand heater core if the buyer wants them. (See the last picture) All body panels appear to be original to the car.

The engine, transmission and differential were professionally rebuilt tomostly stock specifications in 2010.I had all new brakes installed including calipers, rotors, master cylinder and brake lines.The radiatorwas removed and flushedand the heater core which had a small leak was replaced. It now runs and drives fantastic and never passes the center mark on the temp gauge, even in 80 degree weather. I also installed a new fuel tank but saved the original if the buyer wants it. Most front and rear bushings were replaced while the drivetrain was out. All new hoses and belts were installed using correct GM Reproduction hoses and clamps.

The engine is the correct 3869942 block with a casting date of November 30, 1965. Ican't becertain it is the original engine as the numbers on theblock stamp padwere ground off during a previous rebuild butthe November 30, 1965 casting date seems about right for the January 1966 build date of the car. It did have transistor ignition, the imprint and the three drilled mounting holesof the amplifier unit can be seen.It is now fitted with a Pertronix electronic ignition inside the distributor which works great and can't be seen under the original ignition shield. There are currently high temperature spark plug wires installed as the vintage Hooker Header side pipes make a lot of heat and I thought theycould melt the stock style wires. It hasthe correct Holley 3247 dual feed 780 CFM 4 barrel carb on the original 3885069 aluminum high rise intake manifold. On the recommendation of my engine rebuilder Ihad an LS6 cam installedand had the heads slightly ported to drop the compression a bit for better driveability on premium gas, We have a station nearby that sells premium gas with no ethanol so that's what I feed it. Hardened valve seats were installed and the rotating assembly was balanced. The valve covers are incorrect but a pair of newly painted reproduction 'dripper' coversare includedwith the sale. There is currently an Optima battery installed but the original battery hold down bracket is included with the sale.

The transmission is the original matching numbers MuncieM-21 close ratio 4 speed. (See photo for last 8 digits of the VIN stamped on the transmission case) It was completelyrebuilt and Ikept the Hurst Competition Plus shifter as they are bulletproofand you don't want to miss a shift on such a high revving solid lifter engine. As stated above the original Muncie shifter comes with the car. A new high performance clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing were installed.

The Positractionrear axlewas professionally rebuilt and is a 3.36 to 1 ratio 'AU' coded unit.

A previous owner had the striping installed prior to my seller purchasing the car, soprobably some time before 1984. He also had the wiper grillespolished which was a common 'Day 2' addition back in the day.For performance headded the Hurst Compition Plus shifter and Hooker Header Side Pipes. He had also removed the front bumpers which have now been replaced with the NOS GM unitsmentioned above.

Factory options on this Corvette include: Genuine Leather Seats in Bright Blue (415), A01 Soft Ray Tinted Glass, C07 Auxiliary Hardtop, F41 Special Front and Rear Suspension, G81 Positraction Rear Axle, K66 Transistor Ignition, L72 425 HP, 427 CI engine, M21 Close Ratio 4 Speed Transmission, N32 Teakwood Steering Wheel, N36 telescoping Steering Column, P92 Whitewall Tires, U69 AM-FM Radio with power antenna and V74 Traffic Hazard Lamp Switch. It maybe an original N14 side mounted exhaust car but I can't tell beyond the rear valance appearing to be original to the car and not having had thetail pipeholes repaired, the undercar exhaust ground strap holes being unthreaded and the rear side exhaust slotted support hole appearing to have been used while the undercar exhaust hanger holes weren't. I'm happy to provide pictures upon request so you can decide.

The leather seats are in very nice condition with no major tears and just minor wear. The driver's side door panel is nearly perfect but the passenger side has a few cracks. The radio worksfine as do all of the gauges except the clock and odometer which works at times. The speedo works fine though. The rear compartment is very nice and includesthe original jack andjack handle. The white soft top is original to the car and has the date code of A8-6 (January 8, 1966) on the Vinylite manufacturer's stamp on the window. It is in excellent condition and the rear window isclear as well. The hard top has all original rubber moldings in good condition but has some breakdown of the foam padding behind the headliner whichshouldto be replaced if heavy use of the hard top is contemplated. .

The body is in good shape with the exception of a smallbroken off area above the passenger side front tire. (See photo)This was likely due to the mag wheelswith spacers installed on the car when I bought it. However, the seller had saved the original Kelsey Hayes stamped steel wheels in separate boxes as well as the original spinner hubcaps. It currently has white wall radials with lots of tread left and rides smooth and straight. Most of the gaps are very good. The doors are excellent and close smoothly. The rear compartment mechanism is like new. The hood is a little tight on the rear passenger side but does latch fine. All four headlights have their original T-3 seal beams and work great. The frame is excellent with just a little surface rust.

This Corvette is truly a time capsule. I believe the miles to be correct based on the overall condition of the car but I can't be positive as the odometer stopped working reliably before my purchase. I have driven her about 300 miles since the drivetrain restoration with no issues at all. I wish I could keepher but it is not possible. Please ask questions and I'll answer as best I can. I can also provide more pictures on request. I am happy to help with arranging transport and load it as well.The car islocated in Snohomish, Washington, about 25 miles north of Seattle and I am happy to show the car to you or an appraiser on request.Or you can always drive her home. Thanks for looking and good luck.