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-as...