Pick of the Day: 1969 Chevrolet Corvette

A clever vanity license plate makes the perfect conversation piece. Recently, I came across a Corvette wearing tags that say, “WE R OLD.” I had so many questions. Is the owner elderly? Is the statement a reference to the car itself? Maybe a little of both, haha.

The Pick of the Day is a 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Foster, Rhode Island. (Click the link to view the listing)

“For the purists out there, this is a numbers-matching car that has been mostly restored,” the listing begins. “Body-off restoration in 1989, documented with photos of entire frame removal and replacement with new frame.” This ‘Vette was formerly painted green but was refinished in Ontario Orange.

The third generation (or C3) Corvette initially came out in 1968 and lasted through 1982. It was launched with design language from the Mako Shark II concept car in August 1967. Some sources state that the debut was in fact “leaked” early by a Hot Wheels diecast toy, but I was not able to validate that. As with the prior generation, the C3 was a two-door, two-seat sports car and it was available in coupe or convertible form.

“The car runs and drives like a dream,” the listing says. There were a staggering number (upwards of 20) of small-block V8s available during the third generation of the Corvette, and the seller doesn’t specify the displacement of this one. The chrome-finished air cleaner demonstrates that the powerplant is a Turbo Fire 350cid, and torque is fed rearward through a four-speed manual transmission.

Speaking of the drivetrain, the mechanical work at the time of restoration was extensive. The car was only about 20 years old at the time, but it received work including replacement of the brake lines, ball joints, bushings, timing chain, harmonic balancer, intake, differential, clutch, driveshaft, and U-joints.

Later on, in 2013, it received new hoses along with a rebuilt Quadrajet carburetor, new rotors, an oil pump, and a Magnaflow 2.5-inch exhaust system. Ten years later, it may now need some additional freshening. Hard to believe this car will be 55 years old next year. Keeping an old car on the road takes time, effort, and money; I guess the WE R OLD license plate is perfectly fitting!

The asking price is $32,500 or best offer for this C3.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.