By the numbers, the decade of the 1970s was the most successful one for Corvette, because even though its performance was reaching its historic low-point, buyers who had grown up longing for Chevy’s sports cars were then able to afford one of their own. For 1973, the long-lived C2 Corvette got a new front bumper, but much of the 1968-72 styling remained, and as we all know, a Corvette always looks good in red. This is a one-owner example brought to us by Barn Finder Tony Primo, who spotted it here on craigslist in Yakima, Washington, where it has spent its entire 53,000-mile life garaged under the care of its original owner. It’s now for sale with an asking price of $29,500.
Here’s a neat little badge that tells the owner some of the specifications of the engine in their new Corvette: This convertible has the base L48 350, which produced 190 net horsepower. While net horsepower ratings became the industry standard in 1972, it probably took a little time to grow accustomed to engine outputs that seemed pretty emasculated compared to their immediate forebears, so it’s no wonder that Chevy decided to list the torque rating rather than horsepower.
The seller says that the 350 is an original matching-numbers engine, and it’s bolted to an automatic and, in the case of air-conditioned cars such as this one, a 3.08 Positraction rear end. All Corvettes came standard with limited-slip, because nobody wants to see a Corvette in a “one-wheel-peel” situation, although the L48 wasn’t going to create any truly impressive smoke shows without a little help from water or an abusive brake stand.
According to the seller, everything works, including all lights, gauges, and the original radio.
While it would be nice if the Corvette had a four-speed, most of us would be lying if we said we didn’t want to sink down into this Corvette and take a spin. Since it’s not a fire-breathing 427 of years past, why not enjoy the cruise with an automatic and air?
Since it’s being sold by the original owner, the Corvette will come with a load of documentation, which is always nice to have when you buy a new collector car. I’ll spend hours poring over old receipts and literature to get to know a new-to-me old car. That’s part of the fun.
According to the seller, this Corvette is “beautiful inside and out” and “runs and drives like new.” If you’ve always wanted a red Corvette but balk at the asking price of a new C8, maybe this one’s for you. Chevrolet sold over 30,000 of them in 1973, the second most popular model year up to that point. That many Corvette buyers couldn’t be wrong.
Absolutely beautiful!
My favorite C3 year. Nice find and fairly priced given mileage and history. The only things that would make it better are some white letter tires and perhaps a saddle interior.
Beautiful original Vette! Affordable and would be fun to take to cruise ins and shows. Yeah, a 4 speed would be nice but I’d love it! I never saw an engine spec plate, that’s pretty cool. This car has a really low gear ratio. I always thought these were up around 3.70s or higher. Probably ordered that way for a reason. I have a GM promo model of this exact same car, still in a little GM box given to me by a service manager friend of my Dad when he bought a 73 pickup. I still remember him handing it to me and saying “don’t drop it kid”
Very nice looking. Needs L82.
Why? A car that looks this nice needs to go a little slower so people can get an eyeful!
That got a be a first, White walls on a corvette.
White stripe tires were a $32 option on 73 corvettes.
I wonder if it came this way. This is the original owner, so he would know for sure.
I gotta say that white letters belong on rally wheels, white walls look great with the wheel covers.
Nice relatively basic roadster. The L48 automatic will provide an enjoyable top down drive, assuming that’s what you are buying it for. If racing is your thing, then dial it in and win your bracket. The white stripe tires look classy.
good looking vette very sedate with the white stripes. nice change of pace
A military officer I was stationed with had a 73 convertible like this. Green with saddle top. I use to look at that beautiful Vette when ever he passed by and a fan today for very nice low mileage 73”s like this. Priced about right. Gorgeous Corvette.
I sold my 73 two years ago. Regret it. For 30 large, this thing needs new seat foam. Mine looked that way and was very uncomfortable until I put in new foam and seat covers. Like driving a new car. This red one is beautiful. Like that the owner kept smog pump. Most got tossed.
It has been repainted and by the height/stance it looks like it has recent springs and shocks. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great looking car, the all original claim raises questions.
I agree, it has been repainted.
But, how many 50+ year old Corvettes stay with the original owner? Not many, this is one of the first earlier C3s that I can remember seeing being sold by the original buyer.
At first glance, I thought the price was a little high, but having the opportunity to be the 2nd owner of a ’73 anything, let alone a Corvette, doesn’t come around too often.
Gorgeous car. Gotta agree, it’d look better with white lettered tires, otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing. Friend of mine had a beauty this year, don’t know the name of the paint color but it was a pretty medium blue that I really liked. his was TTops too I think? In any case, 73 was definitely the best year for C3s.
I’m very partial to the ’73 design. I always liked the new front nose and the rear bumper. I think this would have had white walls when new, and I’d keep ’em. PRA4SNW makes a really good point about the rarity of being able to be the second owner of anything from ’73, let alone a Corvette. I’d enjoy this one exactly as is. I’m sure it was a hard decision for the original owner to sell it.
Price is 22.5K and a pretty good deal. Wonder if the nose piece was changed out at some point. Most of the 73 front ends were due to warpage over time. Car still has its smog pump on the motor, so this is about as un-molested as it gets. Cool set of wheels at a decent price.
A good time for a nose replacement would have been when it was resprayed.
I don’t trust anybody that puts white walls on a Corvette.
As I previously mentioned, I bet that this car came with whitewalls, and I personally like the fact that the owner went with the original look.
For clarity, whitewalls were the most popular tire choice in ’73, but a huge margin.
1973 Corvette Tire Production Breakdown:
The 1973 model year had a total production of 30,464 units. Buyers could choose from three primary tire styles:
White Stripe (Whitewall): Identified by RPO code QRM, these were the most popular choice, installed on 19,903 cars (65.33%).
White Letter: Identified by RPO code QRZ, these featured raised white lettering and were installed on 4,541 cars (14.91%).
Blackwall: These were the standard base tires. Based on the remaining production numbers, approximately 6,020 cars (19.76%) were delivered with standard blackwall tires.
Also, this was the first year that Corvette got steel belted radials as standard equipment.
Still looks cheesy.