Vehicle Description
If you like your Corvettes with chrome bumpers, matching-numbers,
and an unusual color, perhaps this 1973 Sting Ray is waiting for
you to take it home. With a numbers-matching LS4 big block, a
4-speed manual gearbox, and that beautiful blue-green finish, this
is one fantastic C3.
Subtle but menacing, this car looks great, both hammering down the
road as well as sitting still where you can get a good look at it.
GM offered all the traditional colors in 1973, even though the
names weren't all that interesting, with this one called simply,
"Blue-Green Metallic." That's the car's original color, by the way,
and we have to say that the more we look at it, the more we like
it. The paint matches equally nice fiberglass work, and there's no
evidence that this 'Vette has ever been abused. Gaps are good, the
surfaces are smooth, and the whole thing fits together extremely
well, with none of the rattles or looseness you commonly find in
Corvettes that have been ridden hard and put away wet. The chrome
rear bumper, which was a favorite styling element for Sting Ray
fans, is beautifully finished, along with the urethane front bumper
and stainless rocker panel moldings. This is one of those cars
where the more you look, the more you'll find to like about it.
The trim tag says this one originally carried code 404 black
leather, and that's what is in it today. Handsome black seat
covers, surprisingly plush carpets, and matching black door panels
have a fantastic high-quality look with just enough "breaking-in"
to add an inviting sense of comfort. The odometer shows 50,556,
which is an actual reading, suggesting that this Corvette has
always been someone's toy and not a daily driver. The gauges are
all original and fully functional, and there's a factory AM/FM
stereo fitted in the center stack, just ahead of the controls for
the factory A/C and the 4-speed shifter. It also includes a
tilt/telescope steering column, power windows, and power steering
and brakes, making it a performance car that also feels quite
luxurious. The storage area behind the seats is sized for a few
bags on an overnight trip or to hold the removable T-tops, which
seal up very well, by the way.
The LS4 454 cubic inch V8 was rated at a fairly stout (by 1973
standards anyway) 275 horsepower and 385 pounds of torque, but
those numbers were now measured under the SAE net standard, which
slashed figures across the board, but not performance. This is the
original, numbers-matching engine and retains all of its stock
equipment including the ram-air air cleaner that was part of the
LS4's upgrades. There's Chevy Orange paint on the block, a big
4-barrel carburetor, and a stock ignition system with proper
shielding, so it runs and looks right. The aforementioned Muncie
4-speed manual transmission is the engine's travelling partner, and
the sucker sounds fantastic through the dual exhaust with proper
mufflers and rectangular tips. Showing signs of careful maintenance
and clean living, the chassis is quite original and solid, showing
no signs of distress or neglect and quite a few new components.
Correct Rally wheels wear 235/70/15 white-letter radials that have
a lot of life left in them.
This is the last of the chrome-bumper Sting Rays with no needs,
gorgeous paint, and wonderful road manners. The big V8 is a great
combination of performance and good road manners and the price is
certainly right. Call today!
