1973 Chevrolet Corvette C3

Emission standards, increasing insurance premiums, and fuel economy was responsible for many of the changes that occurred to the Corvette and other vehicles during this period. A 5-mile-per-hour impact-resistant bumper was now part of the law. This was the final year for the chrome rear bumper. So the Corvette was fitted with a 'soft nose' bumper that complied with these new regulations. It had urethane plastic skin and was painted in the color of the body of the car and added 35 pounds to the weight of the vehicle. The hardtop's rear window was no longer removable. This was an attempt to limit exhaust fumes from entering the interior of the vehicle.

1973 was a transformation year for the Corvette, receiving new steel-sleeved rubber chassis-mounting bushings, guard beams, radial tires, and a slight restyling of the nose. The noise in the cockpit was reduced by 40 percent due to better sound insulation sprayed inside the body panels. Steel beams in the doors protected passengers from side impacts,

The 454-cubic-inch engine was still available but was now packing five extra horsepower over the previous year, now rated at 275 hp and renamed to LS4. The hydraulic-lifter L82, small block produced 250 horsepower from the cast-iron 350-cubic-inch engine. The engine and body mounts were changed and more sound insulation was added throughout the body. This stiffened the car and decreased road and mechanic noise.

An L-88 Corvette entered by Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team (N.A.R.T.) won its class at Le Mans in 1972. A total of 216 L-88 Corvettes were built during the model's three-year production run, and many of the L-88 parts and technology filtered down to committed privateers who continued to very successfully carry the L-88 banner in front-line competition. The legacy of the L-88 dates back to pioneering work initiated during 1962 by Chevrolet's chief Corvette engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov and field-tested as the 'Heavy-Duty 427' engine powering Roger Penske's Sunoco-sponsored Corvette to victory at the 1966 Daytona 24 Hour race. In 1967, the race-oriented L-88 engine reached RPO (Regular Production Order) status. Following early teething pains and methodical development, the L-88 earned victories included the GT-class win at the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona, where Jerry Grant and Dave Morgan hit 194 mph and the three-car Dunray-DX team led by Don Yenko took 1-2-3 in the GT class. Jerry Thompson and Tony De Lorenzo were highly successful in American SCCA racing with the L-88 and won the A/Production title for 1969.

The base 1973 Corvette engine was the overhead-valve 350 CID V8 with 8.5:1 compression, hydraulic valve lifters, Rochester type Quadra-jet four-barrel carburetor, five main bearings, and a cast-iron bock. It developed 190 horsepower at 4,400 RPM and 270 lb-ft of torque at 2,800 RPM. A Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic transmission with floor-mounted gear shift controls as standard, and the close-ratio four-speed manual was a no-cost option. The L82 remained a lightweight and nimble alternative to the larger 454 CID and offered 250 (net) horsepower and 285 lb-ft of torque from its 350 CID displacement.

The Sport Coupe had a factory base price of $5,920 and the convertible listed for $5,685. A total of 25,520 of the coupes were sold while the convertible accounted for 4,943 sales.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2005