1972 GENERAL MOTORS CHEVROLET

Few American sports cars are as instantly recognisable as the third-generation Chevrolet Corvette. Introduced in 1968, its dramatic styling and muscular proportions captured the spirit of American performance motoring. Amongst the most desirable variants was the LT-1, produced between 1970 and 1972, combining Chevrolet's high-revving 350ci small-block V8 with a four-speed manual gearbox. Of the more than half a million C3 Corvettes produced, just 4,977 were LT-1s, representing approximately one per cent of total production. Increasingly restrictive emissions regulations, rising insurance premiums and the decline of the muscle car era brought production to an end after just three years, making genuine examples particularly sought after today.

This 1972 example is an authentic, numbers-matching LT-1, an important distinction given the existence of cars subsequently converted to resemble this desirable specification. Equipped with a manual gearbox, limited-slip differential, power-assisted steering and servo-assisted brakes, it retains its removable roof panels and original storage bags. The concealed windscreen wiper panel operates as intended, preserving the clean lines of the C3's distinctive shape.

Originally supplied by Woody Jepson Chevrolet of Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Corvette retains its original purchase contract, together with the rare factory 'tank sticker', effectively its build sheet, laminated for preservation, and the important Protect-O-Plate. An extensive collection of invoices and records spanning the car's life provides unusually comprehensive documentation for an American car of this period.

Imported from Florida in 2021 following an inspection by a Corvette specialist, the car has since been owned by respected motoring journalist Richard Bremner. A former Editor, Deputy Editor and Road Test Editor at CAR, and long-standing Senior Contributing Editor at Autocar, he was also the founding editor of Channel 4's 4car website and currently writes for The Intercooler, where this very Corvette has been featured. Drawing upon decades of experience evaluating some of the world's finest cars, his objective was to return this LT-1 to the driving characteristics Chevrolet originally intended.

Between November 2022 and May 2024, Corvette Kingdom undertook extensive mechanical refurbishment, documented across 28 invoices. Work included rebuilding the suspension, steering, gearbox, gear linkage and limited-slip differential, together with replacement of the clutch, flywheel, wheel bearings, driveshaft components and exhaust. The braking system was comprehensively renewed, the carburettor rebuilt and five new tyres fitted.

In 2026, a final tune at Northampton Motorsport produced a recorded 273bhp on the rolling road, supported by the accompanying printout, whilst laser four-wheel alignment was also completed.

Indicating 80,700 miles, supported by its history, the Corvette retains its original paintwork, complete with age-related blemishes and manufacturing characteristics associated with its fibreglass bodywork. The seats have been refreshed with correct-pattern covers and new foams, whilst the door cards have been replaced. Importantly, the chassis and steel cockpit reinforcement structure, known as the 'birdcage', are reported to be sound.

A genuine, numbers-matching LT-1 with original paintwork, exceptional documentation and substantial mechanical investment is an increasingly unusual proposition. With the added interest of Richard Bremner's ownership and its appearance in The Intercooler, this Corvette offers authenticity, provenance and the prospect of enjoying one of America's most distinctive sports cars as its makers intended.