1973 may not be the most memorable or most special year of the C3 Corvette but it has seen plenty of changes. It’s the first year that caused GM to drop the big block motors as options thanks to new federal regulations. These regs caused horsepower to drop to 250 hp produced by the L-82 small block Chevy 350 but most ’73s left the factory with the L-48 350ci mill which only made 190 hp.
This year’s Vette also saw a slight face lift, redesigned body mounts and interior noise reduction which reduced cockpit noise levels by 40-percent. This was the year that the Corvette began a transformation from being a muscle based sports car to a luxury sports car.
Barn Find Vette
We found this ’73 Corvette on BarnFinds recently which stated that it was for sale with a no reserve asking price of $5,000 on eBay. Sadly the Corvette only has the less-than-stout L-48 power plant but it does have power steering, A/C, and power brakes. All the motor needs is some new heads, a good manifold, a strong carb, a new cam, and this Vette will fly like the way it should.
Blank Canvas for the Artist
The car has sat in a quiet suburban garage in Riverside, California for the last 12 years and was parked for 10 years prior to that. It has no paint, it doesn’t currently run but since it has sent all of its life in the dry So-Cal climate, meaning it’s rust free. It’s a blank canvas for an artist to create, mold and shape a fine wheeled masterpiece. Much like a painting, a hot rod can go in several different directions from a fair grounds cruiser, to a road hugging pro tourer, to a mean drag car–the sky is the limit with this Vette.