Mako Shark Attacks C3
1968 brought us the body that most closely resembled the XP-755 Mako Shark Concept of 1961, and this new style Sting Ray would prove to be a popular design, as well as the longest lasting generation of styling to date. While the flip open headlights and the dual round tail lights remained, as well as the general Corvette feel, this new style was clearly a new generation. Where as the nose sat higher on the C2's, this new design had it lower to the ground and with the high arches of the fenders swelled over all four wheels, it carried a very muscular look, whether in a hard top or convertible.
The 1968 Corvette concentrated more on functional performance than it did shiny trim, so it contained quite a bit less chrome than the prior generation. This new design still offered the 327 packing either 300 or 350 horsepower, and the 427 big block was back again, offering 390 or 435 horsepower, and even 80 of the 560 horsepower L88 beasts were made for 1968. The 1968 Corvette also offered the widest variety of interior, exterior, and roof color combinations of any of the Corvettes to date. 1969 brought us the same physical appearance but with another change to the driveline. The 327 was gone, and had been replaced with the new 350. This engine was only offered as a base model, and offered either 300 or 350 horsepower. The L88 was still available with its 560 horsepower with one hundred and sixteen being produced in 1969. The ZL-1 Coupe also packed the L88 driveline, yet General Motors still insisted that it was only 430 horsepower, yet dynamometer results yielded around 560.
1970's
In 1970, the 350 was back, but the big block offering was increased to 454 cubic inches, with the new LS-5 building either 390 or 465 horsepower. This was also the first year for the LT-1; an engine that would become a regular in the next generation of the Corvette as well as the Firebird and Camaro. This LT-1 made 370 horsepower and came equipped with a Muncie four speed manual transmission in the ZR-1 edition Corvette, yet only twenty-five were built this year. The next year brought the return of the LT-1, but with a power drop to 330 horsepower; and only eight were built. Horsepower of the entire Corvette lineup dropped as a result of the lowering of the compression ratio; a sign of things to come over the next 10 or so years due to rising concern of vehicular engine emissions and the lowering of gasoline octane. The highest horsepower available in 1971 was 425, and with another big drop in 1972, the tallest performance numbers came from the balmy 270 horsepower 454, with the base 350 offering only 200, and the LT-1 with 255. This huge loss in performance was not so much due to any great mechanical change, but more so in an industry change in how horsepower was measured.
While the addition of emission control items caused some effect on horsepower numbers, the big hit was the measuring method. Before 1972 horsepower numbers had been measured strictly based on what the engine put out; without any consideration of accessory items like the alternator or cooling fan, but in 1972 all vehicles in the United States were performance tested with those horsepower drawing variables considered. The heftiest of the 1972 Vettes, the ZR-1 only saw twenty or so roll off the assembly line, with around 1,741 coming with the LT-1 engine. Rumors buzzed about the performance car circles that the 1973 Corvette would feature a mid engine, rear drive setup, but that change obviously never came about. However, 1973 did see a styling change with the removal of even more chrome with the lack of a chrome front bumper, yet the back bumped remained chrome. The base model only offered 190 horsepower, with the beefed up 350, now called the L82 since the LT-1 had gone on a hiatus, making 250 horsepower, and the big block 454 making 275 horsepower. 1974 was without the chrome rear bumper as well, and as opposed to the flat faced rear of the prior C3s, this one had a sloping back end with a split bumped.
The 454 big block power was back down to 270, with the standard 350 offering 195 horsepower and the L82 coming with 250 horsepower. In 1975 the emissions control became full swing and to aide this effort, the big block was gone. A catalytic converter was added and along with other emissions controls items, the base model only produced 165 horsepower, with the L82 building 205. The horizontal split rear bumper was done away with, and a molded style rear bumper with bumper pedestals and a lower mounted plate area. 1976 brought a startling change to the lineup with the removal of the drop top option. This year had the largest production numbers to date at roughly forty seven thousand, and cost a base price of just over seventy six hundred dollars; an increase of almost a thousand dollars over the previous years model. 1977 was the first year since early C2 Corvette which did not carry the Stingray name. While no other great changes were made this year, there was still no convertible, and with another thousand dollar base model price increase, the forty nine thousand Corvettes built in 1977 were quickly obtaining high end performance car pricing, even while only offering 180 horsepower in the L48 low line, and 210 horsepower in the L82.
1978 brought the return of the fastback, and with it, another price increase; this time to about ninety four hundred dollars, with the two tone anniversary model carrying a hefty thirteen thousand six hundred dollars; nearly twice the price of the base model Corvette from of just two years before while performance numbers were no better, especially considering the price. In 1979, the L48 offered 195 horsepower and the L82 had 225 horsepower, the base price was over ten thousand dollars now, and production topped fifty thousand for the first time.
1980's
1980 was another major redesign year, although not obvious to the common eye. The front fascia was changed to aide in the aerodynamics and cooling effort. New lighter materials such as window glass and underbody reinforcements were used to help improve the speed and handling abilities even with the relatively low power output, which was at 190 in the L48, with the L82 around 230. Base price was right around thirteen thousand dollars, making it a very pricey vehicle for the time. In 1981 some new, lighter suspension items were added such as a new fiberglass mono spring in the rear, cutting about thirty three pounds from the suspension which used a similar design, but with metal components.
This year also saw the removal of an engine option with only one engine offered. This single engine was a L81 350 small block, building just 190 horsepower, yet the price increased again, this time to roughly fifteen thousand dollars. Even with poor automobile sales, and the steadily rising price of the Corvette, and the lowered performance numbers; sales remained strong for the model line. Then in 1982, another huge change. Performance car buyers who were headed to the dealerships to drive the new 1982 Corvette received shocking news upon their arrival; no manual transmission. For the first time in the history of this American classic it only came with an automatic transmission, and although the automatic transmission had been worked internally to provide better feel and control by the driver, it simply was not a manual. Still only one engine option remained, with the L83 building 200 horsepower in front of the automatic transmission.
This L83 featured General Motors all new Cross-fire Injection was the first injection system offered on a factory corvette in almost twenty years and thanks to the twin throttle bodies, it offered an extra ten horsepower over the 1981 carbureted model. The price of this Corvette was around eighteen thousand dollars, and for twenty two thousand dollars, a "collector's edition" 1982 Corvette was available, although it was strictly an appearance package and offered no performance upgrades.