Vehicle Description
1974 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
"We're not about to take all the credit for the exciting shape of
Corvette's body. Basically, what we set out to do was design a
fiberglass envelope that would house two passengers, one engine and
four independently suspended wide base wheels. All designed to
minimize aerodynamic drag. By the time we finished our wind tunnel
testing, we had it all. We also had a big bonus, one of the
greatest looking shapes on any road. Which proves that virtue is
rewarded. For the convertible? A fast folding top that completely
hides away under a flush panel in the rear deck. And that's just
the body!" thxcorvettemuseum.org
For consignment, a 1974 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible showing
36,299 miles, but the true miles are unknown. This is a numbers
matching car including the Muncie M21 manual transmission and one
of just 5,474 convertibles produced in '74.
Exterior
Silver Mist Metallic makes this one a silver bullet, contrasted
nicely by the black canvas top which of course, creates the top of
the black sandwich with the tires contrasting below. Those tires
are mounted on the 15-inch Chevrolet Rally wheels which look
exactly right on this car under the Coke bottle fenders that also
conjure the female form and probably reason, in part to the long
running success of the Corvette. Quad tail lights seem to melt into
the later model flexible end, with the reverse lights cleverly
centered on the inside circles. And what would a Vette be without
some form of air duct on the front fenders and with so many
iterations, this open cove is simple, sporty, and stylish. Up
front, our example is wide eyed with the pop up headlights popped
and at this point, unable to retract. The slight bulge on the hood
is also a subtle styling cue that just works and ends with a row of
cowl louvers. Imperfections include a crack in the body just in
front of a headlight, another in a wheel opening, some uneven
areas, a chip, and a dent in the rocker panel molding. Beyond that
the paint and soft top roof are quite good.
Interior
Monochromatic coverage continues on the inside where silver door
panels are accented with simulated wood inserts and a molded
armrest that cants up, a natural position since you'll be somewhat
reclining. A small, carpeted kick panel tapers to the rear to a
point and both doors are in good shape. Just before we get to the
seats, we note some missing paint in the door jamb, but then our
attention goes to the silver leather bucket seats, deep pleated,
high backed and in great condition. A sport style steering wheel
presents to the driver, this one wearing an aftermarket cover, and
leads to a tilt column with some patina on the stalks as we head
down. The dash surround shows some patina as well and houses a
tachometer and speedometer in front of the driver, while a cockpit
like arrangement of small gauges lives in the center, and some
restoration would benefit the plastic housing. Just under it an
AM/FM radio is above the center console. Here the surround is
showing some age and houses the A/C panel with thumb wheels, and
the Hurst shifter based in a wood panel with shift diagram. The low
pile gray carpet that covers the floor is in decent shape and
continues to the cargo area accessible by moving the seats
forward.
Drivetrain
Driver quality in the bay where the engine shows a mix of old and
some newer parts. It's the numbers matching 350ci L82 V8, rated at
250 horsepower and is mated to its numbers matching Muncie M21
4-speed manual transmission. Power is sent to the rear wheels, of
course, and 3.36 gears with Positraction. As America's sports car,
this one carries power disc brakes front and rear.
Undercarriage
Driver quality underneath as well in the form of surface rust on
the exhaust, suspension, and frame and the mufflers are pretty
toasted. Some residual oil on the pan and some fluid on the
transmission that's drifted back, the knuckles have some old
grease, and we note some dry bushings as well. The dual exhaust is
pretty epic, coming from headers and traveling through holes
provided in the crossmember of the frame, then finding both
glasspack and stock style mufflers before exiting via steel pipes
out back. Suspension is made up of coil springs in front, and
Corvette's unique independent rear suspension is present and capped
off with transverse leaf springs.
Drive-Ability
The engine starts without complaint and sets us on our way around
the loop, during which we note some things that will need
attention. First, the compressor has been removed so there's no
A/C, the heater blower doesn't work, nor does the tachometer, the
turn signals, the radio, the wipers, (due to disconnected motor),
the reverse lights, the clock, the trip odometer, and as mentioned,
the headlights will not rotate down. We also note that the steering
is sloppy in part due to the fact that the steering box is not
securelybolted to the frame, and the brake pedal soft. Beyond these
things, the remaining functions operate as they should. While
Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at
the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions
will be working at the time of your purchase.
Despite its shortcomings, this car has a lot going for it! An
interior that could be easily restored with the intact items in
place or the myriad of aftermarket resources available. The soft
top, normally a piece that needs replacement, is in good order
here. And then of course, there is the matching numbers drivetrain,
a virtual Holy Grail of the classic car world and an increasingly
rare find. Roll up your sleeves and roll down the windows on this
streamlined silver two seater from 1974!
1Z67T4S420579
1-Chevrolet
Z-Corvette
67-Convertible
T-350ci 250hp L82 4bbl V8
4-1974
S-St. Louis, MO Assy Plant
420579-Sequential Unit Number
TRIM TAG
H12-March 12th
TRIM 407-Silver Leather
PAINT 14L-Silver Mist Metallic
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee
is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
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