Deep in the piles of car mags that I read through, there was one particular rag from 1978 that really captured my attention. Amazingly enough, it wasn’t because it was a swimsuit issue, it was because of the cars. Vans that weren’t all just shaggin’ wagons, a 1970 Shelby on wide and wider Keystones and Mickey Thompson tires, Pinto Cruising Wagons dropped to the ground, Chevy LUVs and Datsun 620s…you might typecast that period of time as all show, little go, but some of that show was worth keeping around. Paint work was intensive and you had to do something killer to stand out. Mags had to be the right fit and finish, and flush-mounting wasn’t a deal then. You wanted as much rubber as you could fit at all four corners. If it looked like it could race at LeMans, all the better. And just because Detroit forgot what horsepower was didn’t mean the public did. If your car could hustle down the road while looking good, you won at life.

This 1970 Chevrolet Corvette nails every part of that look for me. Take a look at it…what’s missing? The sunburst paint (actually, “Candy Brandywine”) is stunning, the etched glass is a nice touch, and dual-quads sticking up out of an L-88 hood…oh, yes please, more of that. Those carburetors are bolted to a 6-71 GMC supercharger that is sitting on top of a 355ci small-block that is hooked to a four-gear. You won’t have air conditioning, power steering or power brakes, but you’ve got suspension upgrades like a heavy-duty rear leaf, offset trailing arms, and a heavy-duty radiator.

And just when you think you’ve seen every ounce of 1970s flair there is to be seen, open the door and take in that crushed velour interior. This Corvette is as retro as you can get while still being very desirable, and it needs to stay this way. The seller has owned it for 38 years and has taken great care of the car, but in order to start a new project the wife said one had to go. Ouch.

eBay Link: 1970 Chevrolet Corvette