Vehicle Description
1973 started Corvette's transformation from muscle car to sports
touring car. What that means is that the car kept its substantial
sports car capabilities, but became a bit quieter in the cockpit
and more comfortable to drive. This particular 73' Vette has spent
the last 18 years in the well cared for personal collection of
Ronnie Barrett. Ronnie and his son, Chris Barrett, had personally
rebuilt the original small block 350CI V8 into the stroked out
383CI V8 that lives under the hood today. Masters of their own
craft of firearms, Ronnie and Chris' attention to detail carried
over into this C3 Corvette. Come on down and see for yourself. It's
a sweet combination of performance and comfort with a 4-speed
manual gearbox that insures you stay engaged on the performance end
of the equation.
Yellow sports cars just look like they are ready to head out and
have some fun. The color works particularly well on this Corvette
in part because it is the first year with the molded front bumper,
so the color reaches all the way forward and down surrounding the
lower grills. Crossed racing flags grace the hood between the
hideaway headlights that allow a smooth flow of color up and over
the flared fenders that have defined the muscular looking front end
of the Vette for years. There is a power bulge on the hood and a
steeply raked windshield that flows over body colored T-roof panels
when they are in place. The rear sail panel blends smoothly with
the flared rear fenders as they curve down toward the integrated
rear spoiler for a super clean look at the rear. A bit of chrome
dresses out the rear with the luggage rack and the last of the
chrome bumpers adding a splash of flash.
Open the door and you will find a comfortable place to burn up some
backroads or burn up some miles. It is a Brown interior but with
the variations in textures and materials, presents kind of a gentle
two-tone effect. The door panel has rectangular panels with a long
comfortable armrest for cruising. Comfortable high-backed bucket
seats have a breathable seating surface with smooth vinyl bolsters.
Between them is a nice center console with a padded armrest and the
shifter for the 4-speed manual transmission is just a flick of the
wrist away. A deep dish 3-spoke steering wheel with a crossed
racing flags center button sits in front of a stock dashboard with
a 160 MPH speedo on the left and a tach on the right. Engine gauges
are mounted in a pod in the center of the dash just above the
Corvette FM/Cassette deck.
Under the hood you will find a 383 cubic inch stroker motor with
significantly improved torque and horsepower over the stock 350.
There is no real drama here. No fancy chrome or flashy decals, just
a neat and clean motor making more power. There are signs of good
regular maintenance with all the belts and hoses and ignition
components looking fresh and an old school style cold air intake
with a smaller air filter top capturing the filter so it can catch
fresh air from all directions. Power flows back through a wide
ratio 4-speed manual trans to a Posi traction rear axle, because
they started putting those in all Vettes as standard equipment by
this year. The front is kept under control with coil springs,
shocks and a beefy sway bar and power steering while the rubber
meets the road through 225/70R15 tires mounted on steel rally
wheels with polished trim rings and bowtie center cap.
Come on down and check out this Yellow Vette. Its looking to go out
and have some fun, but it needs a designated driver.