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We have all suffered through that phase where we wanted a particular project car and ended up grabbing the first grubby example we could at a price that should have been seen as a sign of impending doom. Or, we have seen a car down on its luck about to be junked, butchered, or parted out, and purchased just to save it. Well, this 1973 Chevrolet Corvette is the automotive equivalent of the Bat Signal shining into the clouds for situations like this. At the low end of its value and in a condition that could charitably be called “rough,” this Corvette desperately needs a good home and someone to bring it back to its glory. Is this mild custom fresh out of thirty years of storage a bargain at the $3,750 asking price or a down payment on years of misery and bankruptcy?
As usual for a Craigslist ad, the seller is a little short on details. We are told that this 1973 Chevrolet Corvette is all original from front to back and has just 78,000 miles on the odometer. It is currently a non-running project car that has a “Burt Reynolds color scheme.” Yes, that is in the ad. The additional statement that it has been sitting around for thirty years goes a long way toward explaining its rather moldy and rough condition.
Despite what we see at first glance, there may be some cautious cause for optimism for this Corvette. First off, 1973 is one of those odd transitional years for Corvettes. The front end was changed to a more crash-resistant design to satisfy Federal regulations. Gone was the brutish but handsome chrome front end that the car had worn since its 1968 redesign. Chrome bumpers were still out back in 1973, but would be gone a year later. Values for 1973 Corvettes are down in comparison to earlier years for this reason. However, they do sell for more than the 1975-1976 Corvettes that follow them. 1973s are also unusual enough to attract attention at car shows for those Corvette fans who know what they are looking at.
Speaking of shows, this car has the look of an early 1970s mild show car. The very dark brown (maybe black?) paint with contrasting gold is not a factory color combination. The gold may have been painted over the original color and the mag wheels are certainly not stock either. Yet the combination is oddly pleasing and eye-catching in its way. Too bad you can’t polish this car’s finish back to acceptability. When you look closer at the rest of the car, you see such positives as good chrome, and vinyl seats that may spiff up enough to be presentable after a lot of mold and mildew cleaner, and a general absence of the butchery that many of these Corvettes endured back then at the hands of neighborhood-level George Barris wannabe customizers.
Above is a picture of the engine compartment. While there are problems such as a busted fan shroud and some non-standard equipment, chances are that this is the original engine. Looking as close as possible to the plate on the center console, this is likely the mid-range 350 cubic inch V-8 with 250 horsepower. The car is equipped with an automatic transmission and power brakes, and it likely has power steering as well. I do not believe it was originally equipped with air conditioning. If any readers can tell despite the obvious lack of a compressor, please let us know in the comments.
Make no mistake. A lot of folding money will need to be parted with to make this car as nice as it was back in the day. A new nose will be needed along with a back glass. Add to that the incredible number of parts and pieces that you inevitably need to replace on a car like this. Still, this forlorn Corvette has a certain charm to it that makes it hard to walk away from. Hopefully, one of our readers will take pity on it and cart it home for some much-needed TLC.
If you are short on seed money to start a Corvette project, but long on ambition and optimism, then this 1973 Chevrolet Corvette may be your starting point. This former 1970s mild custom is fresh out of a rather challenging long-term storage situation and can be yours for just $3,750. It is currently for sale on Craigslist in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
