The C3 Corvette rolled off of the assembly line and into the hearts of sports car and performance enthusiasts alike, just in time for the 1968 production year. A car that had been in design since the halfway mark of its C2 predecessor’s run, the C3 Corvette endured some of the automotive industries’ most trying times, weathering the storm, and coming out on the far side better for it.
The C3, or Shark as it was affectionately known, was the brainchild of multiple camp’s attempts at visualizing what the future of the Corvette would hold. Teams led by Zora Arkus-Duntov, Bill Mitchell, and Frank Winchell worked feverishly to give the world what would be the third rendition of the Chevrolet Corvette. Initial plans across the board conceptualized the idea of a mid-engine car, though this was not to be.
To say that the C3 came onto the automotive scene in a time of immense growing pains would be woefully inadequate. Oil shortages led to a reluctance toward gas-guzzling performance car purchases, the onset of new emission standards lead to an ever prevalent game of cat and mouse between engineers and industry compliance, and the nation itself was caught up in a state of unrest. But for every challenge thrown its way, the C3 Corvette soldiered on.
The following is a basic guide to bolt-on modifications for your C3 Corvette.
