The Laguna S-3 was Chevrolet’s top mid-size car, packing both performance and creature comforts into a package that was offered for three years (1974-76). Production numbers weren’t massive (less than 39,000 copies overall), so you don’t run across one of these Chevies every day. Located in Oneonta, New York, this 1974 edition is being offered out of an estate and is freshly serviced to be roadworthy. It’s offered here on craigslist for $9,500 OBO. Another tip brought our way via Tony Primo.
The 1973-77 era of the A-body Chevelles was part of GM’s “Colonnade” styling period, where convertibles and true hardtops were no more (safety was the supposed reasoning). The Laguna was added over the Malibu as top dog, but it was repositioned as a performance-type coupe only in its last three years. A 350-cubic-inch V8 was standard, with 400- and 454-cubic-inch V8s optional. The badging on this car suggests it was built with a 400, and the seller claims the engine has 6.6 liters (aka 402 cubes). But is it original? Less than 16,000 S-3s were produced in 1974.
We’re told this vehicle was a barn find with 99,000 miles (not exactly low as the seller postulates), and it appears to be on the market via the owner’s heirs. The automobile appears to be in fine shape and wearing old-school Cragar wheels (wider in the rear) as opposed to Rally’s, which would have come from the factory. An automatic transmission is on board with the shifter between the swivel bucket seats that were standard.
The body, paint, and interior all appear to be ship shape, so we guess the car was cleaned up after it left the barn that it may have occupied for years (we don’t know that specifically). The seller says the machine is currently registered and back out on the road, so we assume it may need nothing more than a new home. When was the last time you saw a Laguna S-3 up close and in person?
A Chevy 402 was just a 396 and was a big block.that is def the 400 small block thus is not a 402 :P Also,you want a 350 over the 400 small block due to ….reasons :|
actually, you dont want a 350 over a 400, for good reasons. A 400 is a great SBC, and my engine of choice. I say this after decades of owning them and working in an engine shop.
As most things that arent the ‘norm’ they are lost to the average ‘Joe’ and just as well, theres less to go around.
love it, just weirded out by the full top in orange ?!, thats just.. weird.
Beautifull S3 regardless, if it had power windows, id be motivated to buy it, then remove or dye the roof a different color.
Someone had to remove the trunk lock but otherwise looks clean. I’ll assume the AC doesn’t work but the compressor is still there.
Aftermarket intake and headers suggest this car may have been run hard in its day.
A Chevy Laguna of this vintage could have very easily been powered by an SBC. 1974 was still a time when the divisions of GM had their proprietary engines. We had a lot of cars like this go through our shop.
One thing I’m trying to deal with is the R-4 A-C compressor. I don’t recall anything before 1978 having anything but an A-6. The R-4 is completely capable of cooling that interior but it just looks out of place compared to the cars I saw.
However, the rest of the car fits…
A lot of things can get changed or modified on a vehicle in 52 years.
Did anyone else notice that it looks like it has had a serpentine drive belt conversion? Nice Laguna, though.
True original 400 car (R is the 5th digit in the VIN)
Factory tach too, I haven’t seen one of these on the road in decades
AC is aftermarket (look at controls and vents under dash). The seats are wrong. GM didn’t even put bolsters like those n Corvettes. That’s just the quick stuff before I have to take off for an appt. Y’all have fun lookin for more Waldo’s on this mutt. It’s very interesting according to Bugs B.
I had a ’74 just like this one, but red and white. I loved it, but the 400 cu. in. small block was pitfully underpowered. It wouldn’t pull a greasy string out of a cats butt. My wifes’ friend had a early ’70’s Barracuda with a 318 and she would smoke me.
My brother had one blue on blue same engine just needed a little cam and head work and woke it right up good set of headers to let it breathe
real shame here. too many liberties were taken on this IMO. these were rare when new. would take a lot to bring it back to factory. mot had a sb 400 in them. i have a s/b 400 in a crew cab 70 malibu and that thing is a real stump puller. never runs over 205 temp wise. motor runs great.
Agreed that a lot has been changed on this one, but at least the seller isn’t shooting for the moon, price-wise.
And, check it out, 24 photos in a CL ad!!!!!
LoL writer apparently doesn’t understand the 400 sbc was 6.55 liters rounded up (as they usually did) the seller would be correct in saying 6.6 writer obviously doesn’t know the difference between small block and big block heads 😂
Seriously, who cares about the mods. Pretty sweet car overall at a great price.
I bought one new in late ’73, at model year change. I ordered it, 454/THM, white with red vinyl top, red stripe trim, red interior. There was little of the 454 by ’74, wouldn’t fall out of a tree. It did have the cool rotating bucket seats.