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Known as the baddest Corevette of them all, the 1968 was the final series of L88 cars that recived race-spec, big block V8s. The same engine powered the red, white and blue Sunray DX racer to victory at the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring, and was later offered in road cars straight from the Detroit assembly line.

The story of the L88 beings with the introduction of Zora Arkus-Duntov to Chevrolet. Duntov was the first to motivate Chevrolet to install a manual transmission and larger engine into the Corvette, turning the 1956 version into a genuine sports car. Duntov would later convince GM to race, and upgrade, the Corvette into the L88 with motivation from Don Yenko and the Sunray DX Motorsports team.

Progressive Evolution to the most powerful production Corvette:

1957 - Fuel Injection Introduced

1963 - Second Generation Released Including The Split Window Stingray

1963 - Duntov Secretly Produces Five Corvette Grand Sport Race Cars

1966 - Big Block V8 Offered, Corvette Becomes A Muscle Car

1967 - Legendary 427 Introduced, With The L88 Option Available

1968 - Third Generation, L88 Still Offered

And this is where our timeline stops, as the L88, to date, is still the most powerful production Corvette Chevrolet has been willing to sell on the road.

L88, the ultimate production Corvette

As an option code on the 1967 to 1969 models, L88 was an almost secret offering. Chevrolet actively discouraged L88 orders from dealerships and the public. Just what was all the fuss about? The L88 was capable of 170 mph and sported more than 500 horesepower. This homolagtion special was developed for the track and never intended for the road.

The L88 was first offered to teams such as Sunray DX Motorsports who contested Covettes in events such as the Sebring and Daytona. Packed with factory competition hardware the L88 package was an ordering option that made the Corvette a pure race car. It is quite remarkable that some customers had the insight to order this hush-hush package on their street machines, and more so, GM was willing to comply. Luckily, over 200 L88s were ordered, and they each represent the ultimate road going Corvette.

At the heart of the L88 package was a 427 similar only in block casting to the engine first offered in 1966. After two years of development, almost every other component was reconsidered for power and racing endurance. This was not the case with the L71 package which GM was advertising and more willing to sell.

At almost half the price of the L88 engine, the L71 officially appeared to offer the same performance at a marked discount. However, GM was fudging the numbers to keep the L88s off the road, making the L88 essentially the hidden, more potent, option. The L88 even donned a warning sticker on the center console that emphasized only racing fuel was adequet for the large valves and radical timing. Furthermore, interior options such as air conditioning, a heater/defroster system and a radio were were not available.

In detail the L71 and L88 Corvettes were very different machines. One was raced, the other was driven. While the L71 and L88 shared the same aluminum cylinder heads, the L88 took the theme a step further by adding a Tuftrided crankshaft, 12.5:1 pistons, cold air induction and a 850 CFM dual feed Holley carburetor into the mix. As with any racing machine, the L88 left out the fan shroud, choke and often, the heating system. With it's exhaust removed, and running on racing fuel, the L88 was capable to 600 horsepower which was more then enough to take class victory at the 1967 Sebring 12 Hours. On the road, and far above GMs 435 bhp figure, the L88 can claim anywhere from 550 to 570 horsepower in production trim.

Filling out the package, the L88 included much more than just an engine upgrade. Mandatory factory upgrades included a Muncie M22 Rock Crusher or M20 Hydramatic Transmission., power-assisted, heavy duty brakes, heavy duty coil springs and dampers, G81 positraction differential and special cowl induction hood. After all was said and done the the L88 doubled the price of a standard Corvette, but more than doubled its potential or resale.

L88s were produced from 1967 to 1969 and during the transition from the C2 Stringray to the C3 bodystyle. As a limited series of around 200 cars, the L88 was sold in both coupe and convertible form. The rarest cars are 20 1967 L88 Corvettes. Due to stringent emissions standards, the L88 was forced to be cancelled in 1969.

Story by Richard Owen for Supercars.net