The C3 had the most extended lifespan in Corvette’s history, and people considered it one of the most beautiful from the series.
With a design inspired by the Mako II concept car designed by Larry Shinoda under the supervision of Bill Mitchell, the C3 broke the rules of an American sports car. It was launched at the beginning of the muscle-car era, but its look was like nothing else on the market. But Mitchell and GM knew that an open-top version was required, and the quickest solution was a T-top. It was the closest thing to a convertible, which was introduced later on and sold in smaller numbers than expected.

The T-top featured a wide V-shaped front bumper made out of urethane, while most cars still featured chromed metallic ones. Its pop-up headlights protected the four headlamps and improved the car’s aerodynamic. Its long hood stood lower than the front fenders upper side, while the sideline was a double curved shape, lowered on the doors and raised again over the rear wheel-arches. At the back, the sloped trunk lid sported an integrated lip spoiler. The T-Top featured a beam that connected the windshield with the safety arch above the seats. Its removable panels were small enough to fit behind the seats.

Inside, the carmaker installed low-mounted sport bucket seats separated by a tall center console where Chevrolet placed the hand-brake. Since it was more of a luxury car than a sports coupe, it featured a center stack where GM arranged the audio controls and the ventilation dials. The dashboard was sloped toward the car’s occupants.

Under the hood, Chevrolet installed a 5.7-liter, small-block V-8 engine paired to a three-speed automatic transmission. The big-block version was reserved for its coupe sibling.