Hot Wheels: ’70 Corvette LS-5
The Corvette C3 was patterned after the Larry Shinoda’s Mako Shark Concept Car. It was a mid-engine design that excited everyone who saw it. But concept cars are supposed to be pre-cursors of the future. In this case it was, but the mid-engine was ditched in favor of the existing Sting Ray’s layout. Shinoda’s car was sent to Chevrolet Styling, where Harry Haga’s studio adopted it for production. The C3 also adopted the “sugar scoop” roof treatment with vertical back window from a Duntov design. The C3 was accidentally introduced to the motoring public not at some big hoopla reveal at the Detroit Motor Show like this year’s new Sting Ray. Mattel’s Hot Wheels was given permission to release an authorized model of the C3 called the Custom Corvette. Seems they didn’t get the memo on the release date. Fast forward 43 years and while you are doing that mentally picture everything that happened in that span of time. Then you’ll appreciate the fact that today’s Corvette offering survived all that while still wearing its factory applied Marlboro Maroon paint. Everything else is original too including the little things Corvette aficionados love like tank sticker, dealer order copy, warranty documents and production plate. Cars like this are hard to come by. Yes, this car has patina which is a nice way of saying it shows character. So don’t expect smooth as glass finish and spotless interior. But you want to know hat? If it was restored, people will only pick it apart. “the paint has too much orange peel, shows signs of sanding marks blah, blah, blah.” With an original paint car, those blokes have to shut up. Go for preservation class and you’ll be the coolest cat in the bunch.
The ask is $59,500 and we think it is right in the sweet-spot between #1 and #2 cars. And what value do you place on originality? We believe like most enthusiasts, its only original once. Contact the seller by clicking here.
Good writeup – except that it was Henry “Hank” Haga…not Harry.
Darn that Wikipedia! Glad to have you as a reader!
blokes
Blimey! Thanks. I’ll update my spellcheck.