Options are everything when considering a vintage Corvette. The difference between a base engine car with an automatic and little else and either a fully optioned or ordered for competition car is considerable. Sadly, as the seventies wore on, the option list got shorter and less consequential. Before the malaise era took full effect, you could order a very interesting Corvette if you chose carefully. Take for example this 1973 Corvette convertible for sale on eBay in Royersburg, Pennsylvania. with a $10,300 bid not yet hitting reserve. As a convertible, it obviously is a desirable car. However, there is more to the story. This car also is equipped with a 454 cubic inch engine, a four speed, and air conditioning!
The story on this unique Corvette is that the previous owner bought the car in 1988, and then drove it until 1996. At that time, he decided to store the car. Before doing so it was treated to a new interior, exhaust, and a convertible top. The car was stored in a heated building, and the deteriorating bumper finished its return to the Earth during that time. The 1973 adaptation of energy absorbing bumpers with injected molded urethane covers added 35 pounds to the weight and ruined the look of the car in the eyes of some. Another drawback was that these urethane covers sagged between the supports and didn’t hold up very well over time. Obviously, the bumper of this car proves that point. The good news is that a new fiberglass bumper cover can be had for $336.49 from Eckler’s Corvette Parts.
The seller also tells us that the paint was applied before the previous owner’s 1998 purchase. Looking closely, there are a number of chips and imperfections in the paint. Add to the list of faults a light coat of surface rust on the chrome rear bumpers and the trim rings on the wheels. This rust may buff out, but I doubt it. Show quality reproduction bumpers for the rear will run around $1050.00, and a set of the chrome trim rings go for another $82.00. Sooner or later, spending good money on these little things will put your family on the peanut butter sandwich diet.
The troubles continue with the passenger side door. It just doesn’t fit well. At all. It could be poorly adjusted, or maybe it has a worn out set of hinges (which would be odd). If I were a potential buyer, I would tread very carefully here. Having it checked out by a reputable body shop, preferably one that specializes in Corvettes, would be well worth the money in this case.
Inside lies the new for 1996 interior mentioned above. The seats look to have weathered the years very well, and the gold colored carpet needs to be vacuumed out. Other than that, some minor detailing would do wonders in here. The door sill by the driver’s seat has a chip broken out of it, but I think a trim piece is supposed to go there. We can also see the clutch pedal and shifter for the four speed, and can barely make out the air conditioning controls forward of the shifter. For a car with such interesting options, it is equally interesting that it doesn’t have power windows or even a tilt steering wheel.
Under the hood is a 454 cubic inch big block Chevrolet V-8, which produced 275 horsepower that year. Amazingly, the engine looks to have nearly all of the factory parts and pieces. Even the ignition shielding is still there. The seller tells us in the ad that the engine number and the VIN number match. It also has “Anderson Racing” stamped on the block, so it has probably been gone through at least once. There are no outward sign of performance parts, so chances are that any work didn’t range too far out of the ordinary.
Taken as a whole, this is a very desirable car. If it were born a few years earlier, the bidding would be a lot higher by now. The seller seems to be very honest about the car’s condition, and the car seems to be quite complete. A lot of money would have to be spent to get it to show condition, but you could make it a presentable driver for a bit less. The ill fitting door and the condition of the frame are the only big question marks here. As always, paying an expert to inspect a car like this before purchase would be worth every penny.
Finally a four speed car which is desirable.
That door is definitely adjusted wrong and prob needs the shims removed from the two hinges.
One wonders if the prior owner attempted to align and went the wrong direction prior to giving up? A bad frame usually sags but it’s possible here.
(Picture 11 shows gap by front fender)
I have adjusted successfully in past by myself with box in wrenches and a floor jack and a 2×4 wrapped in cloth to avoid scratching (used as a support to me and not forcing upward as one moves door closer to fender)
I have had two C3 convertibles in past and all needed the front bumper tossed .
The other problems are headlights needing new hoses on canisters to get them to open properly and stay up.
The rear dog legs (frame upward over axle) that kick up are known for cancer too!
They make sections put one needs to remove body from frame!
If it’s just bottom section welding after cleaning and grinding rust out is the approach.
The bird cage is also another area to check as well as frame connects on fire wall and the metal under the front fiberglass panel on front of hood and between headlights like to rust as well as radiator support. The other area seen in past that’s common is this leafs under axle sagging and required replacing and much work to install.
Looks like a gr8 car if priced right !
If I’m looking for a corvette I’m contacting you a wealth of knowledge
I totally agree with Ron. I just purchased a 63 rag top and am going to need all the help I can get.
Frank
Not that it is a big thing, but it is missing the vertical shields also. About a half a rock a side.
I’d take it, fluff and buff it , paint it and drive the wheels off it. . I kinda like the very early 70’s, it’s a roadsters, big block 4sp. I’d have a blast. Somewhere down the road maybe, possibly, sorta, kinda…repaint black,grayish, silver or red, re-seat cover in black or red and re carpet in black or red, re die the vinyl and plastic …..a little at a time and just have fun enjoying a big block, rag top Corvette!
It’s amazing that the big block of that year was “only” 275 hp!
Still had scads of torque though at 395 lb-ft.
I wouldn’t spend the $82 for trim rings, I’d spend more and get some nice alloy wheels.Maybe American Racing.
Thanks, @Classic Steel – for that. All true.
This is one of my bucket list cars /options. However: He wants $26,500 and can’t be bothered to replace the bumper cover / clean the car up a little.
That kind of george buys one that DOESN’T need paint, body work and parts, door alignments, windlace trim around the doors on the interior, and God knows what else.
I have previously ranted about sellers who can’t be bothered to clean the cars up, before asking top dollar. No need to belabor it here.
He should keep it. He wants it more than we do.
yes he does want to keep it???nuts
Sorry, not one I’d go after. Unless you’re into straight line acceleration only it’s not going to be a fun car to drive. Take that onto a windy road or autocross and it would wallow like a pig on ice.
If you want it to handle, get something like a RS frame, add an LS and a Tremec 6 speed along with a C4 suspension. It would outrun a BB in pretty much any situation IMO.
Far too overpriced IMO for what needs to be done to it just to get it back to a presentable configuration, assuming there’s no hidden issues with the frame or birdcage.
@86_Vette_Convertible – Couldn’t disagree more. Virtually ALL Corvettes put a big grin on one’s face that doesn’t leave for hours after you’ve put it back into the garage. They ARE attitude adjustments.
Looking at a Corvette from a competition point of view is a very narrow position to take. They are in all ways designed from the ground up as street machines. At that task and within any sane excesses thereupon, the Corvette succeeds brilliantly. Most ANY Corvette.
The more competition you want from them, the more they may need to be modified, depending. Will a C3 ever match a C4 in that regard? No. Will a C2 ever come up to C3 levels? Again, no. How about a straight-axle C1? The same applies to EVERY iteration of the magnificent marque.
But I have a picture of the Rebel L-88 Corvette at LeMans, in the Chicane, and it was doing just fine… in its time.
Corvettes do exactly what they were designed to do… provide a high level of street / competition value for the buck.
And don’t ever count a C3 Big Block out. You might just be surprised.
BTW – some good bushings, body mounts, a rack-and-pinion steering kit, maybe some stickier meat, and parking lot slaloms in a BBC powered Corvette are heap big fun. So it won’t beat a Lotus Europa… so what?
Neither will your C4.
I’ve attached a pic of my old C4, just ’cause.
OK to disagree, everyone has their own opinion. I’ve driven a couple of BBC Vettes and ridden in more. Like I said – straight line acceleration and they’re everything. Unfortunately not one I’ve been in handles curvy roads well, they wallow all over the place. Around here it’s over 200 miles to a drag strip and I don’t street race which defeats the purpose of a big block. Curvy roads on the other hand are easily available and that’s where it’s fun. I’ve been working on my 86 including upgrading to the Banski suspension kit. It will keep up or exceed many C5-C7’s in those situations though it won’t out accelerate them.
Here’s mine
Here’s the main reason it can handle curves as well as it does. Rebuild and add these and it makes a world of difference in the cars handling IMO. Driving a Vette definitely adds a smile, hit those curvy road with a properly set up car and it’s from ear to ear.
I know it’s not the same, but that photo just reminds me of the one Face drove on the old A-Team.
@86_Vette_Convertible – I gave each of these subsequent comments a thumbs up, even though I still don’t think you ‘get it’ about 427-454’s.
It’s like in the old days, people used to rag my brother and me about our 1967 GT500. They kept saying the weight threw the car off-balance, and that the GT350’s were better balanced. HHhhmmm, 428 2X4 bbl carbs orrrrr 302 4V… geee… tough decision.
Who says that on the street you have to be racing someone, in order to enjoy the benefits of Niagra Falls-like torque?
TriPower
I respect what you’re saying and used to feel much the same way. I hung out with guys with SS396, SWC with a 65 Fuelie engine, a 55 Chevy drag car we transplanted an early Hemi into, a Nicky SS427 just to name a few. Shoot I even had a Dodge pickup with a Desoto Hemi. I know what it’s like to bury someone in the seat, it was fun at the time. Then again back then we had a drag strip 30 miles away so it was easy and safe to settle dispute on the drag strip. It was routine after a night out to spend the next few days fixing what got broken.
That was also back when gas was 30 cents and you could get Sunoco 260 and Supershell. Now days I’d rather not spend the time and money under a car fixing it when I can take the granddaughter out for a fun ride, the body hates it the older you get. I now spend less in gas a month driving my 86 than I used to spend a weekend fixing what broke showing off or drag racing. I also have found it’s more fun to me to go through those windy country roads than it used to be in straight line acceleration. Lasts a lot longer and costs a whole lot less.
My reasons.
I’ve owned Corvettes since the mid 70’s. I’ve autocrossed Corvettes, and crewed on road race Corvettes, including the last 10 years where I’ve been crewing for a team vintage races both small and big block Corvettes. I also own a Corvette parts business, and do pre-purchase inspections of 53-82 Corvettes. I’m sorry, but any big block Corvette that “wallows”, must have something wrong with it.
Corvette engines are set back behind the front crossmember, giving big blocks a perfect 50/50 weight balance. Small blocks had a better 49/51 balance, but the factory used heavier springs, a larger front sway bar, and added a rear bar to big blocks, to compensate for the added weight and adjust the handling.
A small block might “feel” more nimble, than a big block, but over all, the handling should be about the same with either engine. As long as the bearings, bushings, shocks, etc., are good, the engine shouldn’t have an effect on a Corvettes handling.
As far as the 73 listed above, anyone interested in it better take a good hard look at the right side of it, and know what to look for. The door alignment could be something as simple as needing new brass bushings in the hinges, or as major as a rotted hinge pillar or frame.
The female door alignment receiver, on the passenger side lock pillar, is busted up. This is surely contributing to the sagging door, but some other problem caused the door to be out of alignment enough to allow the door mounted alignment pin, to damage the receiver like that. It also appears that the right door has rust in it, that was painted over, or has some bondo in it.
If I was a buyer for this car, I’d want to know what the hinge pillar and number 2 body mount look like, behind the right side kick panel, what the rocker looks like under the sill, what the lock pillar and number 3 mount look like through the rear access panel, and what the frame looks like, especially under the lock pillar.
@gbvette62 – Word up.
@TriPowerVette Yep. That pretty well says it all.
That front bumper did not ‘dissolve” on its own. Either it took a front-end hit or something heavy dropped on it. I have owned three soft-bumper Corvettes. The buyer needs to take a close look.(I’m sure they will anyways)
Actually it probably did just dissolve on it’s own. The urethane GM was using from 73 to 75, seemed to dry out, become brittle, and just crumble, all on it’s own. This problem wasn’t limited to Corvettes either, every GM car using the early, yellow color urethane, suffered from the same problem.
On the other hand, the black urethane that GM used from 76 on, seems to last forever. I have an 81 Corvette I bought new, and the bumpers on it are still as soft and flexible, as the day it was new.
You don’t see very many green corvettes so I say don’t change it. I would rather a black interior though. Why a big block? Baseball, hotdogs, Apple pie and nothing beats cubic inches. Your in Merica son.
The AC on these was highly ineffective even when new. Other GM cars had great AC but for some reason the Vette’s never got that cold inside.
<The AC on these was highly ineffective even when new.
I disagree. They worked great, except in hot weather!
@Derek – Have to agree with ol’ @Bob – The A/C was fine, until it got warm out. Then, the tach, the oil press, even the ammeter meant nothing. You drive an A/C equipped BBC Corvette by the temp gauge.
One night, my future wife and I were going to the drive-in, and we got caught in a fairly long line at the gate. As we inched along, my attention was not on the breathtaking desert twilight, nor was it occupied by the lovely, young blonde sitting next to me. My undivided attention was riveted on the temp needle and its inexorable climb to critical mass. When we made it to within 5-6 car lengths of the box office I blew the whistle. We pulled out of line, I popped the hood, and shut it down. We had to let everyone go by while that hot chunk of iron shed some calories.
Both of my TriPowers had factory A/C. Some of the problem was firewall/footwell/tunnel insulation. You really needed to make sure that those areas were properly insulated, otherwise, you had the Krell furnaces right under your feet.
Also; a trick I used was to replace the blower motor with a unit out of a Suburban. Seemed to be much stronger, and it blots right in.
Be all of that as it may, I have never gotten a Big Block Corvette to stay cool in the Arizona summer (or Spring or Fall for that matter) with the A/C on. But when it’s turned on, it works fine.
not true, any c-3 I’ve been in with good a/c you could pack full of Frozen meat, that’s the same system they put in BIG cars for a tiny little compartment
Ended: Apr 12, 2018 , 6:31PM
Current bid:US $16,100.00
Reserve not met
[ 54 bids ]
No sale? What a shock! The bid was about $4000 high. Owner should have grabbed it.