jc76

just bought a 73 numbers matching, blue grn, drk saddle from first owner, engine was took apart in 1981 has sit in garage since. I have looked at a lot of 68-73 and never seen one with these options.. L-82, a/c, 4spd, man windows, man steering, man brakes, non tilt/telescope. does anyone have one like this or seen one?

Alan 71

Hi jc,
I guess I'm a little surprised by the lack of p/s, but not really surprised at all by no p/w, p/b/ or t/t.
I think those options became more popular as the Corvette 'image' changed as the 70s went on.
Regards,
Alan

early shark

It is unusual by 1973 to see Corvettes NOT ordered with a myriad of options. I would say that your combination is very unusual.

jc76

ya, I would call it a downhill change

gbvette62

I don't think it sounds all that uncommon, for a 40 year old car. Things were a lot different then, and most cars didn't have any where near the level of equipment that today's cars have.

In 79, I bought a used 74 L-82, 4 speed, coupe. It had air, power steering and the AM/FM mono radio. No windows, PB, tilt, leather, defroster, etc., the car didn't even have white lettered tires. I know this because the original unused blackwall Firestone 500 spare, was still in the tub.

Power steering had become pretty common by 1973, but still about 10% of 73's, didn't come with steering. Power steering (and brakes), didn't become standard equipment, until 1973.

gq82

Then theirs my 71 with PS, PB, PW, AC, Auto, tilt/tel, Alarm, AM/FM Stereo, Vinyl Hardtop & shoulder belts in a convertible...try taking my car through NCRS OPS.

Blue73Shark

My L-82 is the same except I have p/s & p/b.
Fran

Easy Mike

The only options you list are the L-82 and the factory air. Everything else was included in the base price of the car. The M20 4 speed was standard; if you have the M21, it was optional.

You have a 73 which was ordered without a long options list.

Mike Ward

Exactly- but if you add this car to the registry, the calculator will tell you that it's a very very common config.

7T1vette

The original owner wanted a 'bare-bones', quick C3 which wasn't a complete 'gas-guzzler'. And, he lived in a hot area of the country. [I'm guessing SoCal, AZ, NM or TX.

stevelischynsky

The mind set in 1973 was different.

We came from the 60's where power steering was a luxury. Same with power brakes. These were extra cost items. Not too many cars had PW either.

In Canada, AC was a totally ridicules, money burning option.

Drivers wing mirror was just beginning to be a standard item. Up till then, the wing mirror was a store bought add-on that found it's way mounted on the top of the fender anywhere from the headlight, back to the drivers door. The right hand wing mirror wasn't even dreamed.

Disc brakes was a rarity found only on expensive sports cars.

I don't miss those days.

Steve L
73 coupe since new

73bobc

My 73 came with an L82 and 4 speed thats it

Tom73

What is unique is having a/c but no power options (ps, pb, pw).

Tom...

jc76

ya, thats what I thought I seen a 72 no options like this but no a/c

Iceaxe

I ordered a similarly equipped Z-28 in 73. It was pretty much a basic Camaro with the Z-28 option and AC. I ordered it that way because that was all the money I had to buy a car. There were other options I wanted, I just didn't have the coin as it was my first new car.

hwcoop

I have a 73 Blue/Green, 4 spd L82, with am/fm mono. Sure a lot easier working on this car , as my dad use to say "less stuff to break!"

jc76

kick ***, a twin! I see the fan blade is different less blades, no a/c?


thanks for the responses everyone

Jordan73

I recently bought a 1973 L82 coupe and it has power steering and brakes and that's it. No a/c, manual windows and locks, no tilt or telescopic, just a 4 speed.

My old school dad said the same thing, "Less things to break"!!

7T1vette

Back in "the day", many Corvette buyers didn't want all those accessories adding weight or draining power from the engine. And, in reality, there wasn't that much 'power' in them to start. The L-82 was a nice engine; but after 1971, not much REAL POWER was there to be had. The big blocks took over that role because of their inherent torque production...but, they were also gas-guzzlers.