Vehicle Description
1973 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible - 350ci V8 - 4 Speed Manual
Transmission - 64k Miles - Elkhart Green Over Tan Interior (Please
note: If you happen to be viewing this 1973 Chevrolet Corvette
Convertible on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site,
it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of
the car due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you
access all the more than 165 photographs, as well as a short
start-up and walk-around video, please go to our main website:
Garage Kept Motors.) Is the new (1973) 'Vette the best one ever?
�€" Car and Driver, December 1972 Hagerty Media gave a rundown on
the '73 'Vettes: As the door slammed on the muscle car era, new
regulations for 5-mph front bumpers led to a color-keyed urethane
front end treatment for the 1973 Chevrolet Corvette, replacing the
chrome bumper. It added only 35 pounds, and the tail stayed the
same as 1972 for another year. Corvette production increased to
30,464, but only 4,943 were convertibles, and 1,328 buyers chose
the auxiliary hardtop for $267. ... Chevrolet concentrated on sound
deadening material to cut interior noise a claimed 40 percent.
Rubber pads were fitted between the body and chassis. Steel beams
were installed in the doors as crash protection. A cold-air
induction hood was introduced and radial tires were now standard.
Not surprisingly perhaps, 17,927 buyers opted for the 3-speed
HydraMatic transmission and only 3,704 chose the close-ratio
4-speed M21 manual gearbox. A further 21,578 buyers selected
air-conditioning, with 24,168 choosing power disc brakes and 27,872
choosing power steering. 10 colors were offered again: Orange,
Yellow, Metallic Yellow, Mille Miglia Red, Elkhart Green,
Blue-green, Medium Blue, Dark Blue, Classic White and Silver. A
further 30 cars were painted black at the St. Louis plant. Offered
here in Elkhart Green (under a removable black-vinyl hardtop) over
Dark Saddle is a 1973 Corvette Stingray Convertible, one of the
3,704 (just 12% of the year's production) built. The car's odometer
shows 64,683 miles, or fewer than 1,350 miles per-year on average
since new. The outstanding condition of the car reflects
responsible-owner care, respectful use, careful upgrades, and low
mileage-accumulation through the years. The (code 947) Elkhart
Green metallic exterior color is original; the paint retains an
even finish with excellent gloss across the car's fiberglass body,
including the front-and-rear fender flares and cowl-induction hood.
(The color's Elkhart naming was a reference to Elkhart Lake,
Wisconsin, home to Road America, the racing circuit where Corvettes
were a common sight through the model's early years.) The
black-vinyl-covered removable hardtop is free of damage. Rear
chrome bumpers (their final model year) and the Endura-clad,
painted front bumper are both in excellent condition, as are the
chrome windshield trim and side-view mirror. Door handles show
expected light wear from use. (To best assess the quality of the
paint and chrome finishes, be sure to view the close-up photographs
of the car in the accompanying gallery.) The twin front black lower
front grilles are complete but show signs of light toad rash as
does the front chin spoiler. Original-tint cabin glass and lighting
lenses-including on the pop-up headlights-are clear and undamaged.
Factory badging-including circular crossed-flags-on-red front
emblem, simple crossed-flags badge on the fuel-filler panel,
Stingray script on the front fenders, and C-o-r-v-e-t-t-e lettering
on the rear-is all properly located and mounted. Factory
rally-style, 15-inch steel wheels with turbine-look Chevrolet Motor
Division hubcaps and chrome trim rings, are mounted with Uniroyal®
225/70 Steel Belted Radial raised-white-letter tires. The car's
interior has been beautifully maintained. The Dark Saddle vinyl
(with perforated center inserts) on the bucket seats appears nearly
new with virtually no wear indicat
