Zora’s Secret Weapon: How the Corvette L88 Beat the Shelby Cobra

Feb 28, 2023

In the late 60’s, General Motors quietly greenlit a secret project. Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Corvette’s chief engineer, rebuilt the Vette’s standard 427 big block into a 550-horsepower racing machine. The 7-liter aluminum L88 was intended to beat Ford’s new Shelby Cobra on the track- but secretly, it could also be ordered for the road. As the years went by, more and more enthusiasts began to take advantage of the upgraded option, against the wishes of Chevrolet. As the Covette L88 grew in notoriety thanks to success at the 12h of Sebring and 24h of Daytona, sales also grew for street cars. By 1969, the L88 wasn’t a secret anymore: and GM had to do something about it…