1973 Chevrolet Chevelle

Chevrolet produced the Chevelle through three generations, beginning in 1964 and continuing through 1978. It was one of the company's most successful and memorable nameplates and built atop General Motors A-body platform with body styles that included coupes, convertibles, sedans, and station wagons.

Chevrolet's entry into the muscle car arena was with the Chevelle Super Sport - or SS. The $162 Super Sport package was available on the upscale Malibu two-door hardtop and convertible models, and added SS emblems, unique exterior brightwork, and 14-inch full-disc wheel covers. The interior received vinyl bucket seats, and a floor console when the optional Muncie aluminum four-speed-manual or Powerglide two-speed automatic was selected instead of the standard three-speed manual.

A complete restyling of the Chevelle occurred in 1966, inspired by the popular 'Coke bottle' body shape of the era, with a broad new grille and bumper treatment, curved side windows, a 'flying buttress' roofline, and smoother body contours.

A revised front-end arrived for 1969 and Chevelles were now promoted as 'America's most popular mid-size car.' Quad headlights were connected by a single chrome bar mounted within a revised front grille, now cast in ABS plastic, atop a slotted bumper that contained the parking lights. Sheet metal revisions with a more pronounced 'coke bottle' styling feature arrived in 1970, along with a redesigned interior, and sharing the same roofline as the 1970 Buick Skylark. New front- and rear-end styling were applied to the 1971 designs, highlighted by large Power-Beam single-unit headlights, and a reworked grille and bumper with integral parking, signal, and marker lights.

The 1973 Chevrolet
The 1973 Chevrolet model lineup included the four-cylinder Vega resting on a 97-inch wheelbase and priced from $2,090 to $2,330. The sporty Camaro used a 108-inch wheelbase and prices began at $2,780 for the Sport Coupe equipped with the 250 cubic-inch inline-6 offering 100 (SAE Net) horsepower, which it shared with the Bel Air, Nova, and Chevelle. The standard V8 for the Bel Air, Monte Carlo, Laguna, and Impala was the two-barrel 350 CID with 145 (SAE Net) hp. The Monte Carlo and four-door Chevelle rested on a 116-inch wheelbase while the two-door Chevelle had a 112-inch platform. The full-size platform measured 121.5-inches, used by the Bel Air, Impala, and Caprice Classic. The station wagon body styles measured 125-inches.

The Chevelle was the intermediate-level vehicle, with prices that ranged from $2,720 to $3,800 and trim levels that included the Deluxe, Malibu, Malibu Estate, Laguna, and Laguna Estate. The Monte Carlo was offered solely as a two-door hardtop coupe with V8 power, and prices ranged from $3,420 to $3,800.

The full-size line began with the Bel Air sedan and wagon priced at $3,250 and $4,020 respectively. The Impala was priced from $3,750 to $4,240 with body styles of sedan, hardtop sedan, sport coupe, custom coupe, and a 6- and 9-passenger station wagon. The range-topping Caprice Classic had similar body styles as the Impala, but without the sport coupe and with a convertible, with prices of $4,060 to $4,500.

The combined full-size model production was 941,104 units, making them by far the most popular Chevrolet. 328,533 Chevelles were built in 1973, along with 369,511 Novas including 35,542 Nova Super Sports, and 396,792 Vega models. 89,099 Camaros were built in the United States in 1973, and 233,689 Monte Carlos.

The 1973 Chevy Chevelle

The priorities of the 1970s shifted away from the performance mindset of the 1960s, ushering in a new era of safety, luxury, fuel economy, and compliance with new emissions regulations. The convertible and four-door hardtop models were discontinued due to proposed Federal rollover standards, and the two-door hardtop body style was replaced by a pillared coupe name 'Colonnade Hardtop.' This body style, built to withstand roll-over type accidents, had a semi-fastback roofline with fixed, styled 'B' pillars and frameless door glass. Four-door body styles had new side windows with styled center pillars, and the coupes had a distinctive rear quarter glass that could no longer open. All body styles received side-impact guard beams in the door, per new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

1973 was the first year of the federally mandated 5 mph front bumper, increasing the length of the sedan to 209.7-inches, the wagons to 215.4-inches, and the coupes to 205.7-inches. The coupe had a 112-inch wheelbase while the sedan and wagon rested on a 116-inch platform (the same as the 1968 through 1972 Malibu - the 1964 through 1967 Chevelle used a 115-inch platform). Along with a five-inch longer length, the width and wheel track were an inch wider.

The 1973 Chevy Chevelle design was inspired by European styling of the era along with a few styling cues sourced from the concurrent second-generation F-bodies. Along with the new roofline, the new body designs incorporated flush style outside door handles, an acoustical double-panel roof, and tighter-fitting glass. There was a cross-hatched grille, single headlights, and fairly plain and clean body sides. The circular taillamps were recessed into a back panel that was 'veed' horizontally along its centerline. The 'flush and dry' rocker panels introduced on the redesigned 1971 full-size Chevrolets were applied to the 1973 Chevelle, and the fuel tank grew to a 22-gallon capacity. The station wagons received a new counterbalanced liftgate which allowed for easier entry and loading up to 85 cubic feet. 1973 models also introduced an inside hood release, and a flow-through power ventilation system. The interiors received full foam seat construction, and new items added to the options list included Turbine I steel-backed urethane wheels and swivel bucket seats with consoles for coupes. The optional power moonroof was available from 1973 through 1975.

Although the dimensions were similar to the previous generation, the new roofline design afforded greater interior room for the occupants, particularly for the rear-seat passengers. The rear seat legroom increased by 3.5-inches for sedans, shoulder room grew by 1.6 inches, and headroom improved slightly. The luggage capacity increased by 2.5 cubic feet to 15.3 cubic feet.

Safety improved, interior room increased, and visibility was thirty-five percent better for sedans and twenty-five percent for coupes, partly due to the thin windshield pillars. The new bodies rode on a sturdier perimeter frame chassis with revised mounting points, a larger 8.5-inch rear axle, wider 6-inch wheel rim width, standard front disc brakes, and a left wheel that was adjusted with slightly more positive camber than the right, better suited for high-crown road surfaces. The front suspension geometry was revised, increased suspension travel front and rear, revised clearances for spring travel, adjusted shock absorber location, and revised rear control arm bushings. All four coil springs, one at each wheel, were computer-selected to match the individual car's weight.

Engine
The standard engine was the 250 inline-six with hydraulic valve lifters, a one-barrel carburetor, a cast-iron block, seven main bearings, and 100 horsepower (SAE Net) at 3,600 RPM. The standard eight-cylinder engine displaced 307 cubic-inches, had overhead valves, five main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, a two-barrel carburetor, and delivered 115 horsepower (SAE Net) at 3,600 RPM. The base Laguna engine was the 350 CID V8 a two-barrel carburetor and delivering 145 (SAE) hp. A four-barrel, 350 CID V8 rated at 174 (SAE) hp and a 454 CID V8 with a four-barrel carb setup offered 245 hp. Chevy engineers increased these engine's reliability and allowed them to accept the increasingly popular unleaded regular gasoline with hydraulic camshafts and hardened engine valve seats. Overheating was controlled by coolant reservoirs and crossflow radiators.

The standard transmission was a three-speed manual while a four-speed manual and Turbo Hydra-Matic three-speed automatic were optional.

Trim Levels
All models wore their nameplates at the left of the grille and on the fenders behind the front wheel opening. The base trim level was the Deluxe Series, offered as a Colonnade Hardtop coupe and sedan, and a 6- and 8-passenger wagon. The eight-passenger wagon was offered solely with the V8 with prices that began at $3,330. The rest came with the standard 250 CID inline-six, with the two-door Colonnade priced at $2,740 and the sedan version at $2,720. The six-passenger wagon listed for $3,100. Deluxe series interiors were knit vinyl or cloth and vinyl seat trim. Floor coverings were color-keyed in vinyl-coated rubber.

The mid-level Malibu trim level had rocker panel moldings and the same body styles as the 'Deluxe' with prices of $2,880 for the two- or 4-door Collonade or $3,290 for the station wagon (the eight-passenger version added $130 to the base price). The Malibu Estate was priced at $3,475 for the six-passenger wagon and $3,600 for the eight-passenger version. The Malibu interiors were cloth and vinyl or all-vinyl seat trim and deep-twist carpeting. The SS option was available only on the Malibu, adding a black grill with Ss emblems, wheel opening and lower bodyside striping, color-keyed dual sport mirrors, black taillight bezels, bright roof drip moldings, and rear panel and SS fender emblems. They rode on 14x7-inch rally wheels wrapped with 70-series raised white letter tires. The suspension received special stabilizer bars in the front and rear. The interior was given SS interior emblems and special instrumentations. The SS option came with either a 350 or 454 V8 with four-speed or Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission. 1973 was the final year for the Super Sport option.

Both the Deluxe and malibu were powered by the 250 CID six or the 307-CID V8. The top-o-the-line Laguna came with the 350 CID V8. Wagons and the Laguna rode on G78-14 tires. The Laguna Esate had H78-14 tires. Laguna's wore specific front and rear styling with a body-colored urethane front end concealing the new federally mandated 5 mph bumper with bumper rub strips (the rear bumper was body-colored (steel)). They also had a unique diecast chrome grille with bowtie emblem, bright roof drip moldings, chrome taillight bezels, full wheel covers, and Laguna fender nameplates.

The interior of the Laguna was pattern cloth and vinyl or optional 'breathable' all-vinyl upholstery. They had deep-twist carpeting, unique door trim with map pockets, Laguna nameplates, and woodgrain vinyl accents.

The 'Malibu' and 'Laguna' honored California beach resorts.

Production
The 386,739 Chevelle's produced in 1973, including the 59,108 station wagons, represented approximately fifteen percent of Chevrolet's total production. 28,647 examples were equipped with the SS-396 option. The Malibu remained the most popular, and 56,036 were Laguna coupes and sedans. 28,647 examples of the Chevelle received the Super Sport option of which approximately 2,500 received the 454 cubic-inch engine.

By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2021