Honored with the National Corvette Restorers Society’s Top Flight Award, this extremely rare 1971 Chevrolet Corvette is one of 188 produced with the top-performing LS6 454/425 HP Mark IV big-block V-8 engine package. Corvette was at the peak of its performance capabilities in 1970 when GM President (and, with Chief Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov, an outspoken early Corvette proponent) Ed Cole announced across the board reductions in power output in all divisions to enable the use of low-octane unleaded fuels. That order effectively stopped Corvette development in its tracks, but not before Arkus-Duntov temporarily sidestepped the dictate. Two big-block engines remained available in the Corvette, both detuned from previous years by lowering the compression ratio: the LS5, rated at 365 gross and 285 net HP, and the 425 HP LS6. Derived from the high-compression 450 HP 1970 Chevelle big- block of the same name, its forged aluminum pistons featured reshaped domes to reduce compression from 11.25:1 to 9.0:1. It remained otherwise little changed; the valves measured 2.18 inches for the intake and 1.88 inches for the exhaust, it used forged steel connecting rods with 7/16-inch bolts, a potent solid-lifter camshaft and a Holley 780 CFM 4-barrel atop an aluminum dual-plane intake manifold. But there was one significant difference: aluminum heads that shaved considerable weight from the front of the big-block Corvette. With its price tag of $1,220, the LS6 proved more than most buyers were willing to spend, resulting in one of the most exclusive Corvettes in the marque’s history. Built on June 8, 1971, this award-winning Corvette LS6 coupe comes with highly valued GM of Canada documentation, the result of being sold through Trois Rivieres Chevrolet Ltd. in Trois Rivieres, Quebec. Finished in gleaming War Bonnet Yellow with a black leather interior, it is nicely equipped with a 4-speed manual transmission, Positraction, power steering and brakes, shoulder harnesses, power windows, tilt-telescopic steering and an AM/FM radio. Al Grenning's Classic Car Affirmation Services has affirmed the LS6 engine as original to this fabulous Corvette, which is further documented with NCRS Certification with judging sheets, an NCRS Data Shipping Report, Official GM of Canada build sheet, Canada car proof history report, the original keys, ownership history, restoration photos and receipts.
