WARLORDS
MARLBOROUGH MUSCLE CARS & BIKES MUSEUM
1973 Chevrolet C3 Corvette Convertible
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The 1973 Corvette, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Corvette's introduction by Harley Earl in 1953 was the first re-design of the C3 since its introduction in 1968.
Changes to the 1973 Corvette, when compared to earlier C3 models, were obvious. For 1973, the Corvette received a new nose on both coupe and convertible models. The front chrome bumper was replaced with the federally mandated "5mph standard" light-weight front bumper system. A steel bumper was covered by deformable urethane plastic colour matched to the car's paintwork. This was the only year a plastic front bumper and chrome rear bumper were used.
1973 saw the introduction of steel belted radial tyres. Radial tyres gave longer tread wear, better wet-weather grip, and added stability when driving the Corvette at speed.
The '73 Corvette base engine was the ZQ3 350ci small-block with an 8.5:1 compression ratio and 190bhp output, down 10bhp on the 1972 ZQ3 while the optional LT82 350ci small-block with a 9.0:1 compression ratio developed 250bhp, down 5bhp on the 1972 LT1. The '73 model came also with a 454ci big-block option, the LS4 with an 8.5:1 compression ratio and 275bhp output.
In total 30 464 Corvettes built during the 1973 model year - 4 943 were convertibles.
Changes to the 1973 Corvette, when compared to earlier C3 models, were obvious. For 1973, the Corvette received a new nose on both coupe and convertible models. The front chrome bumper was replaced with the federally mandated "5mph standard" light-weight front bumper system. A steel bumper was covered by deformable urethane plastic colour matched to the car's paintwork. This was the only year a plastic front bumper and chrome rear bumper were used.
1973 saw the introduction of steel belted radial tyres. Radial tyres gave longer tread wear, better wet-weather grip, and added stability when driving the Corvette at speed.
The '73 Corvette base engine was the ZQ3 350ci small-block with an 8.5:1 compression ratio and 190bhp output, down 10bhp on the 1972 ZQ3 while the optional LT82 350ci small-block with a 9.0:1 compression ratio developed 250bhp, down 5bhp on the 1972 LT1. The '73 model came also with a 454ci big-block option, the LS4 with an 8.5:1 compression ratio and 275bhp output.
In total 30 464 Corvettes built during the 1973 model year - 4 943 were convertibles.
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Marlborough Muscle Cars & Bikes Museum
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Blenheim
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