There are two things that immediately caught my attention about this 1972 Chevrolet Corvette, the price and the hood-mounted engine badge – more on that later. A C3, steel bumper, big-block powered Corvette is always a draw so let’s examine this one closely. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, this Corvette is available, here on craigslist for $28,000. Thanks to rex m for this tip!

The seller mentions, “Hi I’m selling my wife’s 1972 Corvette she doesn’t drive it much due to work in Las Vegas and Oregon…” – I hope she knows about this. Well, this car is certainly a looker, it has a very strong, deep finish with no sign of cracks or seam separations. The frame of this Arizona two-seater is said to be rust-free and hopefully, that extends to the birdcage as well. The American Racing wheels look great and really highlight this car, they would make a grocery car stand out! As for the side pipes, they’re a non-factory add-on and a matter of taste; being dark-coated, I think, is an improvement over chrome-plated versions – they’re obvious but just a bit more subtle. Of note, the clear turn signal lenses are correct for a ’70-’71 Corvette, they were amber in ’72.

The hood-mounted engine badge is a head-scratcher. The seller states that this Corvette has its original 270 net HP, 454 CI engine, now producing 750 dyno-certified horsepower. If that’s the case, what’s up with the “427” badge, an engine that had been out of production for three years at this point. It would be helpful to see this ‘Vette’s VIN and engine alpha code to verify the claim. With a four-speed manual transmission in place, the seller states, “runs and drives excellent!“.

The interior looks great. It’s surprising to see white upholstery that is this bright and not yellowed. Is it original? Perhaps, but the seller doesn’t provide details. The red and white contrast between the seats and the carpet/dash is eye-catching. Two noted changes from original are the steering wheel which is a cheap, later produced version used on a multitude of Chevy models, and the gear shift which is likely an improvement over the original Muncie piece. The seller further adds that there is A/C in place.

I find the price of this car to be attractive as big-block, C3 steel bumper Corvettes have been ascendant in value for some time now. The devil is always in the details and a bit more information via the VIN and engine code would be helpful, however. Regardless, this example appears to be a good buy in my book, what’s your opinion?