Fly2LoW

I notice that '73 is more desirable than '74? Is that just because of the chrome bumper or because of anything else? I notice that the value on the market is quite different, too.

I am a newbie, bare with me :) :smash:

Tom73

The 73 is a unique body style with its rubber nose and chrome bumper rear. Something like the 63 split window coupe was unique. Bu the 73 and 74 are very close to being the same car outside of the rear. With the depressed values of the 74 it is one of the best values for the $ out there :)

tom...

Fly2LoW

What causes the value depression, though? Something about the car that people don't like?

What about the 4-sp manual? Is it desirable or a turndown?


[Modified by Fly2LoW, 9:16 PM 2/24/2003]

73 LS-4

Basically I think the back end is the price difference. I think most find the 68-73 rear design more desireable, and it was the last vette with any large amount of chrome on it. Other then that they are very close to the same power wise (5hp more on the 73 LS-4, but all others engines where the same). Of course you get about the same price jump if not more from 73 to 72 for a front chrome bumper and engines about the same power output.

:cheers:
Pat Kunz

Crash Dummy

The '74 was the trial & error vette for the next 7-8 years and HP ratings dropped to the bottom for the last BBC and the L-48 was a sorry 195HP. The split rear bumper is also not popular as it cannot be painted in one piece on the car. Then again the last owner of this vette did it and the flex over years is splitting it at the seams. I really think the '74-'75 verts are real classic looks though.

Tom73

It was the last of the non-serious smog cars. The BBC had the same HP as the '72 LS5. The L82 was the same HP as the 73 L82 and only 5 HP off of the previous LT1. The L48 was up 5 HP over the 73 L48 and was only down 5 HP from the 72 base engine. I would not call it the trial & error vette :) It was the last of a line, the last BBC, the last dual exhaust, the last without a cat converter.

tom...

Crash Dummy

Tom73...

My mistake. You are correct. I really thought my '73 had something like 235HP. What I am probably remembering is torque on the base plate as didn't Chevrolet discontinue HP to torque somewhere in these years on these plates? My vette is off to mechanic-land or I would go out there and look. There was a steep drop of from '71 to '72 for the stock L-48 engine from 270HP to 200HP. And 190HP for '73 does appear to be the lowest in the years we are talking about.

Tom73

Yep, there was a huge drop from '71 to '72 but it was not a HP drop. They changed the HP rating systems. It had been a Gross HP rating in '71 and earlier. In 72 and later they went to a Net HP rating. There was another HP drop, that was real HP, from 70 to 71 when they dropped the compression getting ready for unleaded gas. Take the LT1 of 70, rated at 370 Gross HP. In 71 the compresson droped from 11:1 down to 9:1 and it was rated at 330 Gross HP. Same engine except for the compression. Then in 72, due to a rating change, it was down to 255 Net HP, again for basicly the same engine.

tom...

Russ Bellinis

Only partly correct. In California, it was the first year for the catalytic converter. In addition, when the state government exempted cars 25 years old or older from biannual smog inspections, that meant 1973 and earlier were exempted, but 1974 models still needed the biannual inspections. In addition the law also said that cars built after 1973 would have to be 30 years old before they would be exempt from those inspections. The result is that the 1973 Vette has been exempt from those inspections for the last 4 years. The 1974 will not be exempt in California until 2004. Until it is actually exempt from inspection, you can't put a big block in one and get it past the visual inspection in California, because G.M. in their wisdom have never made the big block smog legal for a car. They are smog legal as light truck engines, but not cars. All hope is not lost for smog cars. In California any smog legal engine used in any G.M. car can be used in any other G.M. car as long as the engine is the same year as the car or newer. If newer, it needs all of the same smog equipment that came with the newer engine. You can't put in a 96 Ls1 with a carburetor, but you can build your '74 model to ZO6 specs if you want to. I guess this got a bit long, but I think too some extent the value of cars in California may influence their value in other parts of the country. I don't know how it compares, but I wonder how many of each year's production of Vettes are first sold in California compared to other states? Back in the early 70's I spent one year in Buffalo, N.Y., one winter in Minneapolis, Mn., and one year in Syracuse, N.Y. I was only in Minnesota for the winter, but I was in Syracuse and Buffalo for one summer each. I did not see as many Corvettes in all three of those years combined as I used to see in my high school student parking lot every day.


[Modified by Russ Bellinis, 6:43 AM 2/25/2003]

Tom73

Nope, sorry, but cat converters did not come along until '75 - for All 50 states. The calif emission cars were rated the same as the Federal cars.

The '74 was available with the LS4 454ci engine option in Calif as well as the other 49.

The exemptions you mention are modern day issues, they had nothing to do with the 73 and 74 or any other Vettes back then.

tom...

Fly2LoW

Basically, I want to get a turnkey car in good condition under $10k if possible. I am looking toward the options I can get. '74 cars are smog exempt in CA as of Jan 1. Hence, I am stickint with '68-'74 cars. I am not crazy about chromes; so, chromes don't have any values for me except that they will make my car more desirable whe the time to sell the car comes.

BTW, is 4-sp manual more desireable or a no-no?

hunt4cleanair

Most desired options to include on your shopping list:

HP motors
Convertible
4 speeds
A/C

Ganey

Desirable. Both 74 & 73 are very good choices & both rear treatments are very good. HP & performance is no problem w/ some changes.

It doesn't get more serious :eek: when new cars (73) have trouble passing GM driveability standards!!! :eek: 73 & 74 were so loaded w/ smog equip. that this was the case & is well known. GM pushed for converters & looked forward to it.

73-74 have a lot of + , but that is not 1 !!!
Both 73 & 74 REC.!



[Modified by Ganey, 2:20 PM 2/25/2003]

Alwyn678

There is not that much a difference between the two car's prices Especially the verts which tend to be a bit more expensive. I would think that there is a much greater difference between the 72 and the 73 all-chrome vs 50/50 being the all chrome would be more expensive. Personally I like them all :cheers:


[Modified by Alwyn678, 9:36 AM 2/25/2003]

Russ Bellinis

The only cars in Ca. that are smog exempt are those built before 1966. The 1967-1974 models as of next Jan. 1 are only exempt from biannual smog inspections. If the police have a road side smog test station set up, they can pull anyone in to check smog at anytime, and you must be able to pass or risk being sighted, unless your vehicle is old enough (pre 1966) to not require any smog control equipment. Most people running the pre 1973 cars have removed the smog equipment and are gambling that they won't get caught. So far it has been a pretty safe gamble, but the cars are not smog exempt.

1LE

There were several "first " and "Last" for the 74 model. First year for the soft front and rear bumpers, First year to not offer wheel covers.First year to offer Gymkhana suspension. last year for the big block. last year for dual exhaust,non catalytic converter system. last year for points distributor.

Chinaski

don't forget that '74's have unique stop and backup lamps

joe73vette

To answer your original question, it's the "curse of the 4's". The 54, 64, 74, and 84 vettes are the lowest valued of their generation for various reasons. 94 could be too, but they are too new for specific aspects to override the effect of age differences. Joe

ricketyray

Pretty sure 74 is the only year with the split rear rubber bumper.... That would make it unique. :)

Toy4Two

Gotta luv those 74's!!! :cool: :cheers:

But I'll trade anyday for a 70 72 big block! :yesnod: