76k Original Miles: 1973 Chevrolet Corvette

Some classics appear on the market with so many positive attributes it is impossible to determine their greatest strength. That is the case with this 1973 Chevrolet Corvette. The seller is only the car’s second owner. It has recently emerged and been revived after years in storage, it presents superbly, and it has a genuine 76.000 miles on its odometer. Take your pick because there’s enough there to satisfy most enthusiasts. If you want to become its third owner, you will find the Corvette here on Craigslist in Central California. The seller will hand you the keys when you hand them $22,000. I must say a big thank you to eagle-eyed Barn Finder Pat L. for spotting this stunning survivor.

The seller is this Corvette’s second owner. They located it hidden away in dry storage, a spot it occupied for a considerable period. Dragging it out into the light of day revealed a classic with plenty of positive attributes. It is an unmolested vehicle wearing its original Mille Miglia Red paint. It shines beautifully, and if there are any defects, they aren’t visible in the supplied photos. The same is true of the fiberglass because I can’t spot any cracks or other issues. The seller doesn’t provide information on the condition of the frame or birdcage. Still, if the ‘Vette spent its life in its current location, the dry climate should mean there would be nothing more than possible surface corrosion in those areas. This year marked the first for the C3 Corvette with the new front bumper with the urethane cover. The upgrade, performed to comply with safety regulations, brought its own headache for owners. Chevrolet had significant experience painting fiberglass, but urethane posed unique challenges. Paint color may have appeared consistent between the two materials initially, but it faded at different rates that could become apparent as time passed. This car has avoided that problem, and its trim and glass are spotless. The Corvette features its original Rally wheels shod with new tires.

Chevrolet offered buyers a choice of three motors to power their ’73 Corvette, with this car’s original owner selecting the L82 version of the 350ci V8. This motor produces 250hp, which feeds to the back wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. That combination would allow the Corvette to cover the ¼ mile in 15.1 seconds. The choice of the L82 is fascinating, especially when you consider the LS4 version of the 454 dropped the ET to 14.7 seconds and would have cost $49 less than the L82. However, there are a couple of points to ponder. The first is that the LS4 added considerable weight to the car, which is the sworn enemy of high-performance vehicles. The second revolves around the subject of top speed. The LS4 may send a Corvette down the ¼-mile faster than an L82, but the balance shifts when we focus on top speed. The 454 runs out of breath with the needle nudging 116mph, but if the driver keeps the pedal to the metal, the L82 will see 127mph. Potential buyers will find plenty of positive news when assessing this Corvette’s mechanical health. After years of hibernation, the seller worked carefully through the revival process, ensuring no stone was left unturned. They pulled the numbers-matching small-block and treated it to a rebuild. They replaced the entire braking system, and it looks like they upgraded the ignition system. We receive no information on how this classic runs or drives, but the list of work and spotless presentation provide cause to be cautiously optimistic. The seller claims the car has a genuine 76,000 miles on the clock, and while they fail to mention supporting evidence, the ownership history suggests it may exist. It looks like the new owner could build a relationship with this Corvette by driving it home once they’ve handed over the cash.

While the original owner may have primarily focused on performance when ordering this Corvette, it appears they didn’t mind a few creature comforts. It is no surprise that this car features leather upholstery, air conditioning, power windows, and an AM/FM radio. If considered an original and unmolested survivor, this interior is very acceptable. The leather seat upholstery has a few wrinkles, which is common with this material. The carpet may have faded patches, but with inconsistencies evident in the supplied photos, these could also be illusions. There is no crumbling plastic or evidence of UV damage. Overall, I would classify the interior condition as right at the top of what you might expect to find in a survivor-grade vehicle.

Part of my role as a Barn Finds writer is to provide entertainment and information for our readers, but it also allows me the opportunity to spark healthy conversation and debate. With that thought in mind, I would like to say that if I’d had the funds at my disposal and had walked into a Chevrolet dealership in 1973, intent on driving away in a new Corvette, it would probably have been this car. I know we will have readers advocating for a 454-equipped version, and I understand and respect that thinking. The reality is that this car would have cost marginally more, but I feel it represented money well-spent. I won’t argue that the additional power and torque of the big-block would have provided better acceleration and a faster ¼-mile ET, but that performance comes at a cost. A Corvette with a 454 under the hood tips the scales 212lbs heavier than this car. The additional mass is almost entirely over the front axle, compromising weight distribution and balance. The big-block ‘Vette may be faster in a straight line, but it would lose that advantage under brakes and through the bends. That makes our feature car the more complete package to my eye and helps explain why I wouldn’t mind finding it in my garage. It will be fascinating to read the feedback to see whether or not people agree with my logic. So, over to you.