1969 Chevrolet Corvette ZL-1 – 2 or 3 examples
The new third generation of the Corvette was introduced in 1968. It brought a new, sleek design, the so-called “Coke bottle” look. The mechanics, chassis, and drivetrain were the same and the car was still great value for the money. The C3 generation brought us some of the most potent Corvettes. None was more powerful than the ultra-rare and legendary ZL1 (via Hagerty).
The heart of the ZL1 was the fantastic, almost racing-spec aluminum 427 V8 with up to 550 hp in mild tune. Chevrolet also made around 12 test Corvettes with that same engine in late 1968. The performance potential was unbelievable. Chevrolet wanted to refrain from offering this wild racing engine to the general public, so the ZL-1 option was never in the press or official brochures. However, wealthy individuals close to the factory knew about its existence and could purchase the ZL-1. That’s why only two Corvette ZL-1s left the factory. There was one manual and one equipped with an automatic gearbox.