Golden Treasure! 1973 Chevy Corvette L48

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You’d better hurry if you want this beautiful 1973 Corvette as the opportunity to buy it will be gone in less than a day! It’s listed for sale here on eBay where a couple of bids have bumped it to over $15,000, but the reserve has not yet been met. Offers are welcomed, though, so who knows what it would take to make this golden beauty yours? Although the car is currently in Ocean View, Delaware, it’s an Arizona car and therefore is said to have no rust!

One of 30,464 Corvettes produced in 1973, the car looks amazingly original, although I would be very surprised if this is the paint the car left the factory with. Raised white letter tires (with less than 100 miles on them) just belong on these C3s and I love the color — cosmetically, I wouldn’t change a thing! The seller states that the front suspension and transmission have been rebuilt recently and that the carburetor has just been tuned. Trivia time: the 1973 Corvette is known for its “mismatched” bumpers; the front body-color urethane-covered bumper was a departure from the previous C3 chrome, while the rear still had the original chrome bumperettes design.

I know the interiors on C3s are a love or hate for most of our readers (I’m on the love side) but regardless, it’s good to know that the air conditioning works (!), the heater core is new and that the biggest problems listed by the seller are a power antenna that needs to be connected to the radio wiring and a non-working clock! I wish my classic sports cars only had that level of issues!

Sure looks comfy to me! Of course, by 1973 the C3 was becoming a little dated, and performance certainly suffered due to EPA regulations, but I don’t think the present buyer of a classic like this really cares about every last horsepower. And there’s no denying you’ll turn heads with this gorgeous, “look at me” color!

There are some aftermarket parts under here, but largely the engine looks stock. I wouldn’t change a thing; even the automatic transmission somehow fits this relaxed cruiser. While the L48 isn’t the hottest engine available (190 rated horsepower versus the 250 for the L82 option), there’s still enough torque there to make things interesting.

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Comments

  1. Mikefromthehammer

    Even if resprayed, paint code 953 is yellow metallic, so it is the original color. Plus, from the eBay listing: “Asking $18,000 or Make offer”.

    Like 1
  2. FrankY

    Thanks for posting…it’s my vehicle and I will be with it for the next 2 days…( I live 6 hours from the car, it at our beach house. and have more pic and a 1 minute video of it running)
    Thanks BF ❤️

    Like 8
    • Jack

      Looks like a very nice car Frank. The steering wheel is from a later model year, am I correct?

      Like 1
      • Franksave30

        @Jack..I may have misspoke. And may have to do some further checking…that’s how I got the car from AZ. I’ve seen them 2 ways so not sure which is correct. But it might be that the Factory has the “cut outs” if so then I did not recognize it when I bought it and certainly would not pass it off as a OE if that is the case.

        Like 1
  3. FrankY

    Hi Jack, no it’s the original 3 spoke metal steering wheel . Maybe because of the sun and the angle you may think it looks different but it’s not.

    Like 1
    • Jack

      Frank, I worked for Chevrolet Engineering all through the 70s and I have never seen a 73 Corvette with this steering wheel. I believe that these were first offered in 1977 with the tilt wheel option. In any case it in no way devalues your lovely vehicle (personally I would prefer it) but was just curious as to why it might have been changed

      Like 1
      • Franksave30

        I believe you are correct. That SW is from a later year as you mentioned. ( I got the car from a “flipper” who purchased it from the estate of a deceased Vietnam Vet who was restoring it. Never crossed my mind to even question the SW. I knew the power antenna was aftermarket as is a later cassette radio.why it was done have no idea maybe the Vet needed a little more wiggle room??

        Like 1
  4. bobhess bobhessMember

    Nice car! Being the rabid fan of yellow cars of the group the overall look of this car goes a long way with me. Either way, fun on wheels.

    Like 2
    • FrankY

      Thanks, it doesn’t have spider cracks just some chips mostly on the door edges that the PO tried to touch-up and not that well done. I have not bothered to buff/wax it just a wash or 2. It’s about a 6.5 out of 10. And a good “10 footer”

      Like 3
  5. Lee

    Looks like I’m raising the price on my ’77. Was going to ask $13,500. Especially since it has 400ci motor out of a stationwagon! So much torque it will put against the seat when it hits second gear.

    Like 0
    • Ike Onick

      You may have to lower the price now that we know it has a station wagon engine. Might as well put a trailer hitch on it now. And fake wood paneling.

      Like 1
  6. Gary Rhodes

    My dad’s cousin had a 70 in a similar color. I believe it was a LT1. It had a pop out? rear window, black interior 4spd. I was six and it was my first ride in a Vette. I remember that it was fast! He was telling me this years later because I remembered it as I was such a gearhead at that young age, I “helped” my dad on his 53? Willy’s Aero dragcar.

    Like 1
  7. George Mattar

    I own a silver 73 L48 coupe. That is a steering wheel from a 77 or later C3 with tilt and tele. The standard column had the hideous Vega wheel. And I remember 73s new, I am 65 years young, and no power antenna ever offered on a 73. Great car. Saw an identical coupe at Carlisle 2 weeks ago. Asking $22,000.

    Like 1
    • Franksave30

      Correct the power antenna is aftermarket as is the radio. The PO ( not the people who bought it at the estate) was a Vietnam Vet who passed away. Did not hook up the antenna to the radio before he passed is what I was told.

      Like 1

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