One of only 390 L89-equipped Corvettes built for 1969, this Cortez Silver convertible is both Bloomington Gold Certified and an NCRS Top Flight Award winner. It retains its original aluminum-head L89 427/435 HP engine, verified by its CCAS engine pad and trim tag certificates. Inside, the car features a pushbutton AM/FM radio, black leather upholstery, and Soft Ray tinted glass.
The L89 option is notable for its focus on weight reduction to improve acceleration, handling, and braking. Mechanically, it mirrors the L71 427/435 HP engine but uses aluminum cylinder heads in place of cast iron, cutting approximately 75 pounds. This reduction improves the power-to-weight ratio, lowers the engine’s center of gravity, and decreases front-end mass for more stable braking. An L89-equipped L71 weighs only about 40 pounds more than a 327 small-block.
The 427 L71 itself is a robust design, featuring a forged steel crankshaft, forged pistons, a high-lift/high-duration camshaft, larger valves, and an 11:1 compression ratio. With three Holley carburetors on an aluminum semi–hi-rise intake, the system can move up to 1,000 CFM.
Currently offered on Bring a Trailer, this example shows just 35,440 miles and comes with all the required performance components: its original Muncie close-ratio M21 four-speed manual gearbox, a 4.11 Positraction rear axle, special-purpose suspension, transistorized ignition, and the MA6 heavy-duty clutch.
Source: Bring a Trailer
