Almost from its start, 1973 was a year full of both great accomplishments and even greater controversies.\u00a0 Technological feats, including the launch of Skylab and the Mariner Programs, the opening of the Sydney Opera House, and the start of the Alaska Pipeline all announced to the world that we were capable of reaching farther \u2013 of doing more.\u00a0 At the same time, it saw the start of the Watergate scandal, an event that would gain international notoriety given advances in technology that allowed television media to beam its signals around the globe\u00a0 – an event that was ushered in, ironically, by Elvis Presley, whose second concert from Hawaii became the first worldwide telecast \u2013 and an event watched by more people than the Apollo moon landings.\u00a0 Perhaps most significant of all, it saw the end of the United States involvement in the Vietnam War with the signing of the Paris Peace Accords.<\/p>\n

While not as notable as the new front end, the 1973 Corvette received a number of other design and safety enhancements that followed the mantra of \u201cform follows function,\u201d (a statement that would become synonymous with the Corvette throughout this and all future generations.)\u00a0 The rear window, which had been removable on earlier models of the\u00a0<\/span>C3 Corvette<\/a><\/span>, was now fixed in place.\u00a0 A benefit of this design change was that it provided an additional two-inches of rear storage space due to the removal of the rear window storage shelf.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Another enhancement that was implemented \u2013 this time at the direction of a Federal mandate – was the introduction of a longitudinal steel beam in each door to help protect occupants in side impacts.\u00a0 Inside the Corvette’s doors, the heavy fluted steel beams were installed, extending from the door hinges to the lock plates.\u00a0 A design that had been pioneered by\u00a0<\/span>General Motors<\/a><\/span>, the beams tied together the body’s steel \u201cbirdcage\u201d, and provided an improved method of safely protecting the car’s occupants from injury.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n

Still another performance enhancement that was included (though not Federally mandated) was the introduction of standard radial-ply tires.\u00a0 By using radial-ply tires, engineers were able to achieve longer tread wear, better wet-weather grip, and added stability when operating the Corvette at speed.\u00a0 At the same time, there was a tradeoff for using radial-ply tires.\u00a0 For one, the new Corvette demonstrated longer stopping distances despite the fact that the 1973 Corvette’s braking system went unchanged from the previous year.\u00a0 Additionally, the new radial-ply tires had lower lateral-G figures on the skidpad, and were rated to operate a maximum speed of just 120 miles per hour.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

An option to consumers, the Corvette’s new tires could now be mated to new wheels that would follow the dual \u201cform and function\u201d philosophy.\u00a0 The wheel’s \u201cform\u201d was revised to include an all-new design that was patterned directly from the XP-882 mid-engine Corvette prototype.\u00a0 They featured an eight-inch rim width,\u00a0 a deep-dish section, and eight cooling vents (instead of the ten vents on the experimental car’s original wheels.) The design was considered striking and more sophisticated by many Corvette enthusiasts than those seen on the earlier\u00a0<\/span>C3<\/a><\/span>‘s.\u00a0 \u201cFunction\u201d was enhanced by the use of aluminum as the component material, which aided in reducing Corvette’s curb weight by eight pounds per wheel (or 40 pounds per car)<\/span><\/p>\n

without compromising structural strength.\u00a0 Available to consumers as\u00a0<\/span>RPO YJ8<\/a><\/span>, only 4 sets of wheels (5 wheels per set), were ordered in 1973, although it is rumored that\u00a0<\/span>Chevrolet<\/a><\/span>\u00a0manufactured a total of 800 sets in all. \u00a0 Early in their production run, Chevrolet rejected the wheels for porosity issues, and recalled the wheels that had been released.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other design changes to the 1973 Corvette were more successfully introduced and implemented that help to further enhance the overall quality of the car.\u00a0 For one, the body mounts were changed to include a rubber\/steel design that helped eliminate annoying vibrations experienced during various driving conditions.\u00a0 The mounts, which actually utilized a rubber mount encased in a steel sleeve, provided additional cushioning without a loss in rigidity \u2013 helping Corvette to maintain a lower level of body roll while improving the ride experience for the car’s occupants.\u00a0 Up front, the problem-prone pop-up wiper panel was replaced by a single rear-hood extension.\u00a0 Elsewhere, engine noise was reduced by adding extra sound\u00a0dampening insulation in strategic areas throughout the car.\u00a0 Some of this sound deadening material \u2013 specifically an asphalt based compound –\u00a0 was sprayed on to several inner body panels.\u00a0 Additionally, a new, sound-dampening pad was installed under the Corvette’s hood. Inside the cockpit of the car, thicker carpeting and heavier mats were installed in the dash, console and the rear quarters.\u00a0 As a result of this additional damping material,\u00a0<\/span>Chevrolet<\/a><\/span>\u00a0ads that year claimed a forty percent reduction in cabin noise levels.<\/span><\/p>\n

While concerns about engine noise were certainly addressed, concerns about engine performance continued to linger.\u00a0 For the 1973 model year, federal regulations again emasculated the performance capabilities of every Corvette engine, including the optional upgrades.\u00a0 For the first time since\u00a0<\/span>1956<\/a><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>Chevrolet<\/a><\/span>\u00a0did not offer a mechanical-lifter engine in the Corvette line.\u00a0 Instead, a choice of three hydraulic lifted units were available.\u00a0 The base 350 engine (RPO L48), which came standard with the 1973 Corvette, offered consumers a relatively unimpressive output at 190 horsepower.\u00a0 An optional, uprated small block (L82) was also offered with an engine output rating of 250 horsepower.\u00a0 Lastly, a single optional 454 big block (LS4) was offered, producing an engine output of 270 horsepower.\u00a0 Although all three of these engine outputs was diminished from previous years, they did not deter the Corvette from running a quarter-mile time in the mid-15-second range, which was comparable to many of the European cars that were being built at that time \u2013 including the Porsche 911E and the DeTomaso Pantera.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n

Given the changes in the design, and despite the steadily decreasing power of the engines being offered in all versions of the Corvette, the sales numbers for the 1973 model year actually improved over previous years.\u00a0 In all,\u00a0<\/span>Chevrolet<\/a><\/span>\u00a0sold 30,464 Corvettes in 1973, with more than 80% (or 25,521) of those sold being coupes.\u00a0 Prices increased only slightly for 1973, with a base coupe selling for $5,561.50 and a convertible selling for $5,398.50.\u00a0 Interestingly, 4,000 serial numbers were never used\/built during the 1973 model year.\u00a0 The last 1973 Corvette’s serial number ended with 34,464, although total production of the 1973 Corvette only totaled 30,464 units.\u00a0 The unused VIN numbers \u2013 24,001 thru 28,000 \u2013 were later identified.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During its first six years of development, the\u00a0<\/span>C3 Corvette<\/a><\/span>\u00a0had been transformed from the apogee of high performance represented by the ZL-1 in\u00a0<\/span>1968<\/a><\/span>\u00a0to a vehicle more recognized for its higher level of luxury, as portrayed in the 1973 model.\u00a0 While these extremes made many enthusiasts and critics alike begin to debate what kind of car the Corvette should be, it was this same debate that had fueled the continuation of the Corvette since its introduction in\u00a0<\/span>1953<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"