1973 - 1974 started Corvette's transformation from muscle to touring sports car. Chevrolet advertised "We gave it radials, a quieter ride, guard beams and a nose job." Redesigned body mounts and radial tires did improve Corvette's ride, and interior sound levels were reduced by 40%. The chrome rear bumper was retained from the previous year however the chrome blade front bumper was dropped for the federally required 5 mph (8.0 km/h) standard for a light-weight front bumper system with inner transverse tubing attached to the frame and two Omark-bolts and an injection-molded urethane bumper cover. This urethane nose was chosen over another Chevy alternative, a more protruding version of the previous metal bumper. The new urethane bumper assembly added thirty-five pounds to the front end. Two 350 cu in (5.7 L) small block engines were available. The base L-48 engine produced 190 hp (142 kW). The L-82 was introduced as the optional high performance small-block engine and delivered 250 hp (186 kW). The new hydraulic lifter motor featured a forged steel crankshaft, running in a four-bolt main block, with special rods, impact extruded pistons, a higher lift camshaft attached to special heads with larger valves running at a higher 9:1 compression, also included were finned aluminum valve covers to help dissipate heat. The L-82 was designed to come on strong at higher RPM. and ordered with nearly 20% of the cars. For 1974, a new rear bumper system replaced the squared tail and chrome rear bumper blades were introduced in 1968 with a trim, tapering urethane cover carrying the integrated license plate holder and recesses for the trademark round taillights. On the underside sat a box-section aluminum impact bar on two Omark-bolt slider brackets similar to the system used in the nose which enabled the Corvette to pass federal five-mph impact tests at the rear as well as the front. The new rear design was quite aesthetically pleasing and more modern than the 60's shape that it replaced, a majority of enthusiasts embraced the new design. For the 1974 model, only, casting limitations required left and right bumper covers with a vertical center seam. An anti-theft alarm key activator was moved from the rear panel to the front left fender. Tailpipes were turned downward as the new bumper cover eliminated the tailpipe extensions.
This car is an excellent example with no issues. Everything is completely original with the exception with one repaint. It has 41,650 original miles. The blue interior is near perfect with little signs of wear. The undercarriage is as clean as we have seen and obviously has seen no inclement weather. It is matching numbers and loaded with options including power steering, power brakes, power windows, automatic transmission, AM/FM stereo, tilt wheel and positraction. It is a delight to drive and will make a great addition to any collection.
