Ever since the internal combustion came to being and people could move about it didn’t take long for people to have the need to go faster. Over the years as cars became more common, it was becoming difficult to find one that ticked all the boxes at a wallet-friendly price, until Chevrolet introduced the Corvette back in 1953. The recipe was simple. Drop dead sexy looks and a price tag that was affordable, with its high sales figures over the years the Corvette has gone on to be an affordable classic which is steadily rising in value regardless of generation. It’s considered right up there with the American automobile greats. The C3 generation that ran between 1968 and 1982 retained the Stingray nameplate till 1976, as well as a few design cues from the C2 that preceded it. Customers could choose a convertible or coupe, and we have a 1968 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe 540ci from Florida with just 87,000 miles on the clock. It’s had a heart transplant too, in the shape of a 540ci big-block V8 engine that’s sure to put a wide grin on your face!

Exterior and Interior

The C3 Corvette saw a new design that carried over a few cues from the C2, but also brought some macho muscular cues such as the front and rear wheel arches, with a shark-like profile. Inspired by the ‘Mako Shark’ concept created by Larry Shinoda, the C3 also retained the iconic pop-up headlamps that would become a mainstay of the Corvette until it was killed off with the C6 generation. This 1968 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe 540ci has a unique and flashy Rally Red exterior and rolls on a set of shiny chromed wheels with BFGoodrich tall-profile rubber all-round. The interior is done up in black and is reported to be mostly new. The original gauges are present and correct and are reported to be functional, except for the clock. You can also find a retro-modern style Corvette-branded radio cassette with digital display and radio presets.

Engine

This 1968 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe 540ci started life as a 427ci car with 390hp and a four-speed manual, but as the title suggests, it’s had an engine transplant and is packing a Shafiroff 540ci (8.85L) big-block V8 with a Dart-M block. This engine is reported to put out 625hp at 5,800rpm and 640lb.ft at 4,000rpm on pump gas by the manufacturer. The power goes to the rear wheels via a Tremec TKX 5-speed manual transmission with removable crossmember. A custom 3-inch exhaust allows the engine’s thunderous personality to echo all over the place, and an Aeromotive fuel tank and electric fuel pump are present to ensure that no fueling hiccups occur. Spark comes courtesy of a complete MSD ignition set. The mechanical, electrical, fuel, suspension and power brake systems are reported to be all-new, and work was performed by Kent Eismann of Eismann Corvette Center, with only about 100 miles gone by since then. There is new power steering and power disc brakes on all corners to ensure proper control and stopping power.