1968 L88 Corvette: The Vette That Was A Ferrari For A Day

Automotive history is full of outlandish tales and shenanigans, many of which would be hard to believe if the fine details of the event in question had not been thoroughly recorded. However, few tales of this nature are quite as intriguing as that of the L88 Corvette that competed at Le Mans in 1973.

The storied Corvette masqueraded as a Ferrari, in order to gain entry to one of the world’s most coveted endurance races. However, these efforts almost fell flat, as a fateful set of events threatened to end the Corvette’s Le Mans entry before race day ever began.

A Corvette Ferrari?

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, automotive manufacturers from across the world were locked into an intense power war. Every weekend, cars of different makes sped around raceways of every perceivable type, in search of the checkered flag. This was a period of time in which on-track success equated to increased sales, and everyone wanted their piece of the pie.

Tire manufacturers had become keen to this fact, and several companies had joined the fray, looking to increase their sales on the backs of winning race teams. Radial race tires had begun to rise in popularity, with both BF Goodrich and Goodyear tire companies looking to solidify dominance over the market.