Green-on-green 1971 Chevrolet Corvette LS6 convertible heads to auction

A High-Performance Corvette From A Different Era

Today’s Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X have taken “America’s sports car” to new performance heights, but in the waning days of the golden age of muscle cars, enthusiasts were being catered to with cars like this 1971 Corvette convertible with the legendary LS6 big-block V8.

Part of Mecum Auctions’ 2025 Monterey Car Week sale, this car is one of just 50 LS6 convertibles built (plus 138 coupes), according to the auction house. That engine is numbers-matching, and the car wears a distinctive combination of Brands Hatch Green paint and a green leather interior, which should help it stand out among the many desirable lots at the various Car Week auctions.

Going Out On a High Note

By the turn of the decade, the muscle car boom of the 1960s was on borrowed time. Rising insurance rates and gas prices were on the horizon, making 1971 more or less the end of an era. But it was also the year the Corvette got the LS6, which had debuted in 454-cubic-inch form in the Chevelle for the 1970 model year as Chevy’s ultimate big-block engine.

In the Corvette, the LS6 was rated at 425 horsepower—down 25 hp from the Chevelle due to a lower 9.0:1 compression ratio—and 475 lb-ft of torque. Car and Driver published a zero to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 13.8 seconds in its June 1971 issue. Those numbers aren’t that remarkable today, but they were seismic in 1971.

This car has a Muncie M22 “Rock Crusher” four-speed manual transmission and an optional Positraction limited-slip differential with a 4.11:1 ratio, plus power brakes, the F41 HD suspension, and an upgraded ZR2 radiator. It also has a removable hardtop in the grained black vinyl typical of the 1970s.

One Of The Rarest Corvettes

In 1971 the LS6 option cost $1,221 over the Corvette’s $5,496 base price, according to Mecum. That made it a fairly costly option, contributing to the low production run of just 188 LS6 Corvettes, including both coupes and convertibles.

In addition to its rarity, this convertible shows just 29,889 miles on its odometer and appears to be in good condition. However, the listing claims it’s being sold with the original whitewall tires (on 15-inch Rally wheels), which would obviously need to be replaced to make this car a driver. It’s likely the person pays the estimated $90,000-$100,000 Mecum expects this car to sell for will stash it away to wait for its value to appreciate more, however.

That estimated price range is a relative bargain for a classic Corvette in a desirable spec. A C7 ZR1 recently went up for sale with an asking price of $185,000, for example. That’s perhaps due to the number of low-volume performance versions of the Corvette that Chevrolet built over the years. For example, even within the same time period as this LS6 car, Chevy offered the race-bred L88 option as well.