Vehicle Description
Quite possibly the finest '73 Laguna anywhere. Frame-off
restoration by NHRA crew chief Brian Corradi. 383 stroker, 4-wheel
Wilwood disc brakes, upgraded wheels and tires. Beautiful paint and
stock interior. A great car with an equally great story behind
it.If you're not familiar with Brian Corradi, look him up-he's one
of the winningest crew chiefs in the NHRA and is currently the crew
chief for 3-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown. So when
we tell you this is his personal car, built to re-create the Laguna
he had in high school, you know it's a special machine. Starting
with an ultra-clean original Laguna, it was torn down to a bare
frame and rebuilt from there. The goal was to create the car Brian
would have driven in high school had he had the money to build it.
That meant it would be modest, not a cost-no-object monster, and
we'd say mission accomplished. Everything is beautifully finished,
starting with the bodywork, which is probably better than new in
every way. The original brown vinyl top was ditched in favor of a
black top, but otherwise the bodywork remains 100% as delivered by
the factory. The Laguna had an awesome molded-in front bumper that
gives it a look that's quite different from the Chevelle with which
it shared bodywork. The burgundy paint is far deeper and more
lustrous than the factory enamel and the sheetmetal underneath is
laser-straight and expertly fitted. Those rub strips on the bumpers
are impossible-to-find NOS pieces and all the original emblems were
reinstalled, including the '350' badges on the front fenders that
don't quite tell the whole story (more on that in a moment). We
have to admit we don't remember these cars being this good looking,
because this thing turns heads!The interior likewise doesn't break
any new ground but shows expert workmanship and a dedication to
keeping things stock. Yes, that's a bench seat and a column
shifter, but that's how Brian's original car was configured so it
was faithfully duplicated here. The red cloth upholstery is GM-spec
and has been completely restored-who knows how much that cost,
because there are no kits for this car. The original dash has
bright woodgrain appliques, rebuilt gauges (with an auxiliary
temperature gauge underneath, just in case), and even the original
AM radio remains in place. The 59,331 indicated miles are believed
to be an accurate reading, so you know the car has led an easy
life. The only noteworthy alteration is that the A/C system has
been removed simply because the engine headers and A/C system
couldn't live in the same spot. There's virtually zero wear on the
inside surfaces and the back seat has never been used. You have to
understand what a massive undertaking restoring this interior
really was-even the headliner is made of the right stuff and fits
beautifully. The trunk is outfitted with a correct mat and a
full-sized spare with jack assembly.Power still comes from a small
block Chevy V8, just like the '350' emblems suggest. However,
knowing the guy who built it you didn't think it would be some 130
horsepower smog motor, did you? Instead it's a 383 cubic inch
stroker motor with about 500 horsepower on tap. Using his contacts
in the big horsepower world, Brian created a tidy package that is
docile enough to drive every day but which has also pushed this car
into the low 12s on the drag strip. And again, tradition and the
factory look were his guide, with Chevy Orange paint and
reproduction decals on the air cleaner. However there's also a big
Holley double-pumper, an aluminum Edelbrock intake manifold,
aluminum heads, and a beautiful set of long-tube headers to really
help with the torque curve. There's a serpentine belt drive for the
accessories and yes, ladies, it has power steering, don't worry. It
always starts, has a cackling idle, and pulls the relatively
lightweight Laguna around with genuine aggression. The TH350
3-speed automatic transmission snaps through the gears like a
Marine coming to attention and it feels like a set of 3.55 gears in
the 10-bolt rear end. The suspension and steering are stock, but
the brakes have been upgraded to cross-drilled and vented Wilwood
discs at all four corners, so no worries about keeping the power
under control. You'll also see the results of a frame-off
restoration with ultra-clean floors, a detailed chassis, and that
beautiful Flowmaster exhaust system with X-pipe that sounds
spectacular. 18-inch Weld forged aluminum wheels are really the
only clue that this isn't a stock Laguna, and they carry fat
245/45/18 front and 295/45/18 rear performance
radials.Documentation includes the original owner's manual and some
restoration photos. We know the price doesn't jibe with the price
guides, but look at the quality, the performance, and the pedigree
behind it and you'll have to agree this is a special Laguna. These
don't show up very often and certainly not restored and built to
this level (which still cost several times more than the asking
price). Fast, sorted, and beautifully finished, this is a car we
didn't expect to love as much as we do. Call today!Harwood Motors
always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections
of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
