Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

454 And A 4-Speed: 1974 Corvette

Before you start writing that email telling me I’m wrong on the year, yes, this is a 1974 car, it’s just wearing a lot of 1982 parts. It does have a numbers-matching 454 V8 and a four-speed manual transmission, something you don’t see very often. It’s for sale here on eBay and is located in Brooklyn, New York. There’s a buy it now of $5,490 but lower offers are being considered.

The older style rear window design is evident here. You can also see the need for some exhaust work and some deterioration on the rear cap. I personally like the rear and nose design of the later cars, so if you don’t mind it being unoriginal this might be just right for you. Of course, that kind of negates the value of the matching numbers engine and transmission.

Unless you are planning on flying under the radar, you’ll probably need some paintwork here. I’d at least clean and compound it first and see what you have, and I actually like the white/silver with the pinstripe. I’m a fan of these wheels, too, once center caps were found. My real question, though, is how is the frame and “birdcage” underneath? New York = rust many times in my experience. One of the Heralds that I recently sold through Barn Finds had a body that looked pretty nice, but the frame was totally shot–and it was a New York car.

Apart from the area around the shifter, the interior looks pretty good (aren’t those later seats, too?). Actually, surprisingly good. The seller tells us it’s been off the road for 18 years, but hopefully it was stored inside as I don’t see a lot of sun or water damage.

Here’s that 454. Amazingly enough, the seller tells us they applied a jump start and starter fluid and it fired right up. It looks like at least some of the air conditioning components are missing and there’s got to be a reason it was taken off the road in the first place, but as long as you aren’t looking for a show car restoration and are willing to wait on perfection (or never get there at all) this looks like a great start for a driver. Agreed?

Comments

  1. Avatar Mark

    I was told years ago to stay away from cross fire engines. Also not to buy an Amf Harley. Anyone else?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Dave Member

      Correct on crossfire engines but this is not one of those.

      Like 1
    • Avatar leiniedude Member

      I am not to sure about the crossfire engines, But I did buy a 1971 AMF-HD in 1973. It is a FX 1200. Willie G’s first shot at designing a scooter. I still own it, so maybe not so bad.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Neil

        I’ve got a buddy that I ride with that has a ’74 1200 Sporty that he put Fat Bob tanks on, front controls and a ton of chrome. Very pretty.
        I heard the same warnings regarding the AMF back then, and bought a ‘ 74 850 Norton Commando.
        We both still ride the same bikes, plus more modern bikes. His Kosmoski paint job still gets comments. We were lucky enough to live a few miles from his shop in Minneapolis.

        Like 0
    • Avatar KC Jones

      Lmao. Surely this appeals to some folks. Those are later seats and if the frame is solid I think it’s worthwhile after a set of rings and a hone. It pains me when people start up an old engine that’s been sitting without doing it properly. Ether & a battery is not the way people! Please stop that crap! Oil it up and leave it.

      Like 1
    • Avatar C Carl

      Evel Knievel rode an AMF, and 1984 GM throttle body injection had a bad reputation. (TBI)
      Can someone post a pic of Evel Knievel.

      Like 0
      • Avatar leiniedude Member

        The Evel one.

        Like 1
  2. Avatar Enesset

    Forever to be underwater?

    Being from the Midwest I lusted after these when I was young. Remember looking for one at corvettes in Carlisle back in maybe 1999 and this combo was the ticket but always preferred the 1980+ body style….if this wasn’t so haggard looking…..

    Like 1
    • Avatar giorgitd

      Underwater has a double meaning here. Never recover the investment and the effects of hurricane Sandy…

      Like 1
  3. Avatar Steve R

    Those valve covers and breathers will bring good money.

    Steve R

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Blyndgesser

    ’74 was the last year of the big block. That alone makes it interesting.

    Like 1
  5. Avatar jcs

    While not mentioning the birdcage, the seller does say that the frame is solid, although an inspection is in order. Although the body is a mishmash of body parts and years, a 454 will grab me every time!

    Like 1
  6. Avatar Squanto

    Something is not adding up here.The entire interior is from an 82. The hood is an 82. I highly doubt that is a correct 454. Run.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar John

    I hate to mention it, but I hope he connected te thermostat housing to something when he “started it right up” There’s no coolant connections in the pictures.

    Like 0
    • Avatar s

      Its no big deal John, you could run it a couple minutes like that with no problem.

      Like 0
    • Avatar mark

      I noticed that too!

      Like 0
  8. Avatar Randy Elder

    1974 was a lot first and last for corvette like last year for the 454 big block and last year for the real dual exhaust with no cat. First year for front and rear rubber bumper and the only year 74 that the rear rubber bumper had a seam down the centre 2 piece bumper. I’m lucky to be the second owner of my car but in the same family as my oldest brother got it new in 74 and I got from him in 1986 colour is mid corvette blue with silver leather interior she turns a lot of heads when we have her out to play

    Like 1
  9. Avatar Randy Elder

    1974 corvette 454 big block corvette mid blue with silver leather interior

    Like 1
    • Avatar Squanto

      Beautiful. Did you know that the only Corvette Zora Duntov owned was a 1974 454? I understand it had some minor Zora “modifications”.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Roland

      I like yours a lot better, mine was a ’79 restored.

      Like 0
  10. Avatar Brian Hall

    Hi all, I got my 1st vette in 1983 and it was a 1970 stingray hardtop & raptor 4sp 4:11 gears, the car had a original 454 big block trip power hood. But sadly the guy we got it from was into pulling tractors😥 so yes he pulled the 454 tri power motor and blew it up in that tractor, now it had a 70 350 vette motor just not the right motor, we tore it completely down and did a complete repaint and rebuild, the info plate on the console said it was an LS7 454 ci 460 flb of torque. Pretty sure it said 406hp. So we got down to the build sheet on top of gas tank and it and my friend did some digging (sense he was a bodyshop employee and a chevy dealership here in town. He found that they only made a handful with the LS7 not 1 ever got sold. Now this was back in 1983 so things were harder to find. He did get a COMPLETE Factory assembly manual and every single page had a big discontinued stamp on it.. we did it in gold metallic base and candy apple red, he even made a really cool stripe that started at the nose and was 3-4 ” then it split into 2 at the begining of the big block raise on the hood then went all the way through and then came back together on the back deck. Now his intention was to have a solid black strip, but he messed up and did not prime or prep the stip, he painted the b,acknowledge over the gold base and candy apple red, it came out as a lighter smoke grey color. Honestly I loved it so it stayed to this very day. It was my friends car who painted, i was into mechanical everything and I helped with rebuilding the motor and setting it all up with eldebroc intake and a huge holler double pumper. That car was a Frickin torque machine. U could brake the tiers in all 4 on the drag strip & street. Anyway just 1 yr after finishing the vette my friend di’d of a heart disease at 23 years old. I was going thru a divorce at that time and not quite 2 years in married his widow and raised his 3 yr old son.. Well my wife had wanted to sell it a couple times and i absolutely said no way at all!!! I won over that decision.. I had a 3 yr old daughter of my own and Ian was 5 when we married. He was tall for his age, we farmed so he got a lot of practice driving the tractors. At 14 i took him out and that 70 veterans was the very first car he EVER drove and he learned how to drive a stick in it!!! Now was that not cool?? So he graduated high school in 98 went to college, so in 2000 i went out and bought a really nice 1992 coupe in aqua metallic (light blue) for 2 reasons, 1 was the when ian graduated co,leg he would get the 1970 lock stock and barrel. Ian was allowed to use the vette for all his prom dates, a few weddings and spring flight dances. HOW EVER and this is huge, he was allowed to take the vette out cruising whenever the weather was warm enough and never rain, the however was that only I was the sole shotgun rider and never any of his buddies. Now I took them all on a ton of gear grabbing rides but only me. I just knew if he did it with a buddy he would open it up and dump it and loose control and i couldn’t take that chance of him wrecking it!!! Here about 3 years ago, Ian is the car buyer and used car manager for Hare Chevrolet and they put on a car show every fathers day in noblesville indiana, so he and my younger son invited me ddown for that weekend and we spent it at the show.. There was an off duty police office there and came up and talked to us for a long time, he made a comment abt the new chevy camaro pace car ian had there. He told us that just 4 days before he worked a bad wreck down town indy that a 17 year old lost control and rolled a brand new camaro SS. He totaled it, well come to find out it belonged to his dad and his dad had just passed away 2 weeks before the wreck, So so sad, not only did he loose his dad but then he lost his dads brand new car and would have to live with that forever.. Well much to my proudness, Ian said u know I was so lucky to have somebody who had a tight rope on me with my dads car.. Wow the BEST fathers day ever for me!!!! Now he has 2 daughters to leave the stingray too….. And the 92 was for 2 reasons 1 was i was going to have withdraw once ian took the 70, and i had a daughter and a younger son so my daughter doesn’t really care to have it but derick is. Too bad tho i’m not done with it yet. I doubt I’d want anything to do with this vette for more than $1000.00

    Like 0
  11. Avatar W9BAG

    Parts car. Nothing of appreciable value.

    Like 1
  12. Avatar Mark P

    How bad could a motorcycle be from a company that also made bowling alley equipment.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar RandyS

    Assuming the frame and birdcage check out I think this is a great starting point for a restomod. Glasworks chrome bumper conversion would be tops on my list to backdate it.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar JET

    Why would you remove the stock 160 mph speedo and put one in that only went to 85 ?????

    Like 0

Leave a Reply to leiniedude Cancel reply

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.