The big news for the C3 Corvette in 1974 was a change to the rear that now employed a urethane bumper along the lines of the one out front. That meant the Kamm-style rear treatment that was a Corvette feature from 1968 was gone. But nowhere on the options list was a moon roof offered on the hardtop coupe, which means this ’74 ‘Vette has gone the aftermarket route. Located in Summit, New Jersey, this sweet-looking Chevy is available here on craigslist for $18,000. Thanks for the groovy tip, Pat L.!
With the impact of the OPEC oil embargo from October 1973 through March 1974, the 1974 model year should have been a rough one for the Corvette. After all, gas prices shot up and there were often long lines at the fuel pump. Yet, the Chevy sports car managed a near-record sales year at 37,500 units. The convertible had become a slow seller at only about 15% of Corvette production. There were two versions of the 350 V8 offered, producing either 195 or 250 hp with a 4-speed manual or automatic transmission. We don’t know which 350 is in the seller’s auto.
This Corvette has a set of twin moon roofs, but they must have been added later. A company called Moonroof had a contract with GM in 1977 to produce these products, but the deal fell through. The next year, Moonroof would offer them in the aftermarket space, being a hybrid top with a fiberglass perimeter and glass center. But that’s four years after this car with built. The seller does not quote the source of the moon roof in this machine.
The seller has owned this Corvette for more than 12 years, putting his/her acquisition at around 2010. The car has 108,000 miles on it and looks quite good from the limited full-length photos, suggesting that it may have been repainted when the moon roof and aftermarket Turbo hood were stalled (the seller still has the stock hood). It’s always been garaged-kept (we’re told) unless the seller got caught out in a storm.
A lengthy list of work has been done to this Chevrolet over the years, including adding rack & pinion steering, aluminum radiator, new brakes, exhaust system with chambered intermediate pipes (quieter ones also come with the deal), upholstery, carpeting, and more. We have every reason to believe this is a turnkey automobile and it should attract attention in sports car circles as the moon roof isn’t all that common.
Another one to pass for many reasons, the main one is $$$ and the second is power and then the list can get longer …
These might also have been made by a company named Saratoga T-Tops. They were pretty big in the mid 70’s with ads in many of the car magazines during that time.
The artifically high prices of cars today has led many owners of Corvettes to believe the “Golden Ticket” is sitting in their garage. $18,000 will put a 1995 or 1996 C4 in your garage. That car will come with 300hp, a ZF six-speed transmission and a driving experience that is an order of magnitude above a rubber-bumper era C3. Trust me. I have owned both.
Had Saratoga tops for my ’75 and ’77 Vettes – Christmas present from my “ex”… they weren’t “moonroofs” but full smoked grey tops which screwed in … real good for winters in Chicago when it wasn’t snowing … wouldn’t do that to my cars – had a ’63 Valiant “beater” for that … still have them …