Is it worth having the best of a certain generation? Or is it worth waiting for the next generation to appear, which should be better every which way? That may have crossed the minds of potential customers back in the day regarding our Pick of the Day. This 1967 Chevrolet Corvette convertible is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Clifton Park, New York.
If you couldn’t wait for the 1963 Corvette, then this is what you’d have: classic Harley Earl styling and a new 327 that dwarfed the previous 283. Yet we know that if you were impatient, the utterly classic C2 Sting Ray could have made you regret your decision.
The same scenario came up for 1967. By then, the Corvette was in its fifth year of its second generation. The refinements that came along for the ride, such as four-wheel disc brakes, big-block power, and functional front fender louvers (among others) helped make the ’67 the best C2. The powerplants also were an improvement over what was available when the Sting Ray first appeared in the fall of 1962: base was a 300-horsepower 327, which offered 50 horses more than the base 327 four years earlier. Want more horsepower? Previously, you had to deal with mechanical valve lifters and a high-lift camshaft for 340 horsepower. However, for 1967, the step up offered 350 horsepower with hydraulic lifters (and a bigger bumpstick), which was easier to live with, yet offered more horses.
Sure, the Fuelie was no more after 1965, but the big-block more than made up for it. The base 427 was rated at 390 horsepower with a four-barrel carburetor. The same engine with three two-barrel carburetors was rated at 400 horses. Add mechanical lifters and special performance camshaft and you’d have 435 horses. You could even throw in aluminum heads on the latter if you wanted! And then, mid-year, Chevrolet added a 427 that was destined for the racetrack but produced in street duds: the 430-horsepower 427. Sounds like the Corvette had its bases covered nicely. But with a new Corvette around the corner, wouldn’t it be better to wait?
New for 1967 was a unique hood for big-block cars. Today, we call that the “Stinger” hood, which was different than the “power blister” hood used for 1965-66. Though looking like a hood scoop, it was non-functional, but it did give space that was needed for the taller big-block. What was truly unique about the Stinger hood was the contrasting streak of paint, giving the Corvette a bit of color that small-blocks couldn’t match. Stripes were available in Back, White, Red, or Teal. Though no production numbers exist, I’d bet that teal was the rarest Stinger stripe of the bunch.
So, yes, there is validity in the idea of waiting a few months and ordering the new-generation model, but for some reason most enthusiasts would agree that impatience would have paid off. This Ermine White 1967 Chevrolet Corvette convertible shows us why — and it also features a Teal stripe! This one is powered by the L68 engine, which was the 400-horse version that was the most powerful engine one could order with air conditioning. This particular car has won NCRS Top Flight and 2021 Bloomington Gold OEM, so you know this car has been done right. It’s also equipped right: blue soft top, accessory hardtop, side exhaust, transistorized ignition, AM/FM radio, power windows, power steering, and four-speed (like most of ‘em, as Powerglide was the alternative). “Produced on December 29, 1966, and delivered new to John Sonder Auto Company in New Holland, Pennsylvania, this car combines outstanding provenance, rare factory equipment, and award-winning authenticity,” says the seller.
Sure, it’s a gamble whether you wait for the new version or simply buy what you want now because you hate waiting. Hindsight is always 20/20, so it would be inauthentic for me to say I’d let impatience rule my decision if I were alive in 1967. Were you one of the patient ones and always regretted your decision? Waiting almost 60 years for the right car shows even more patience, but be prepared because show winners with “Contact Seller” generally don’t come cheap.
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