True Barn Find: 1973 Chevrolet Convertible Corvette
This 1973 Chevrolet Corvette has been left in storage for the past 15 years. As we have heard in the past, it was running when it was locked up in storage. I doubt you want to try to turn the key without draining the gas tank and checking the engine. This Corvette is located in Royse City, Texas which is just east of Dallas. The car is listed for sale here on Facebook Marketplace and the seller is asking $20,000. That is a pretty penny to pay for a nonrunning C3 but this is a convertible and it is black on black.
The ad for this Corvette only shows three pictures. The seller says the interior needs to be refurbished but I think that it is going to need more than that. The odometer reads 80,000 miles but there is no mention of the engine size or condition. Chevrolet offered three V8 engines to Corvette buyers in 1973. The L48 350 cubic inch V8 engine was the base motor that year and was rated at 190 horsepower. The L82 350 cubic inch V8 engine replaced the LT-1 option from the prior year and was rated at 250 horsepower. The big block option was the LS-4 454 cubic inch V8 engine and it produced 275 horsepower.
There were 30,464 Corvettes built in 1973. Many enthusiasts prefer this year because it is the only C3 with a soft front urethane front bumper and the small blade chrome rear bumper. Chevrolet improved the Corvette in 1973 and made it more comfortable with radial tires, underhood insulation and rubber body bushings. The base price for a Corvette in 1973 was 5,561. From some of the research I have done Code 900 Tuxedo Black is a rare color for C3 Corvettes. I found some websites that stated that it had to be special ordered in 1973. With that being said, this would be a special car. I wish there were more pictures and a better description of the drivetrain and any deterioration that would need immediate attention.
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Comments
Would have been nice if they just opened the garage doors and rolled it out for some real pictures of the car. No telling what you have here.
For that kind of money they could have at least washed it.
might as well wash it with the windows down what would be the difference at this point! I guess when the windows go down the price goes up!
In the collector world its advised not to wash a Barn Find car.
So in the collector world. It might not even have a motor and they would give a big price for it. Not knowing. In the real world people want to see and hear it run and drive. $20,000 knowing it will need alot of parts replaced and cost. If he thinks a reason person would give it. He has a long wait.Might as well close the door and forget about it for awhile. I,d want to drive it and try it out.Plus check it out really good.. Some people have more money . Then they know what to do with. Before I would give his price. I,d feel much better giving it to help kids who really need help. No impress people.A child health is more important then a dirty old vett that won,t start up on first crank. To many people want to put on the dog and they are in debt way over their head.
They are on a fishing expedition. They’ve probably been told over and over by people that have never seen the car or know what they are talking about that old Corvettes are worth a lot of money so they think their old Corvette is worth a lot of money. They will either have a reality check and put some effort into selling the car, including researching its value, or get upset that everyone is “trying to rip them off”, which will cause them to put the car back into hiding.
Steve R
At least it looks cool from the back
Where are all these damned barns?
Way to much, you will have mucho moola in rebuilding a 20k car
For $20,000a person can find one running in alot better shape and please. Wash it. It would help the looks of the car alot.This was the last year of the chrome bumpers. I liked that and when they stopped it. Started making the cheaper and cheaper looking. I could have bought a running vet for $4,500 the other day and all it needed was a paint job. This saler better check with reality of what all it would cost .To just put it in running –safe condition.
Johnny, is it still for sale, where do you live?
Guys. Guys. Guys. If this is a factory black car, it’s a COPO. Corvette didn’t offer black paint from 70-76. $15,000 sounds more realistic but if in fact it is a COPO, you got a rare shark. Good luck
The 1973 Corvette is my favorite year for style. My Boss at one job owned a 1973 with the base 350. Rode with him to a Bloomington Gold. Loved it. A co-worker at that same job had a 69 427 4 speed manual. I got to drive it briefly and badly. Still would take the 73.
No information, does it have air? Power windows, 20,000 is too much without answering some questions
VERY overpriced. Appears to be a base engine car, as it has neither L-82 nor 454 badges…and I can’t see any holes where they could have been removed from. So while it is a convertible, it doesn’t rum and seems to need a lot done to it. One could easily sink twenty to thirty thousand into a car like this, beyond the purchase price, only to wind up with a thirty thousand dollar car… Hm…
$30,000? I’d say more like $25,000 But then again, I prefer 69-72 C3’s 73’s always seemed like the confused year. LOL Neither rubber or chrome.
$20,000 will buy you a pretty nice driver 71-72 This thing needs way too much work and money into it. I’d say the seller is watching way too many big auctions on cable. LOL Try $8500-$11,000
I own a 73 4 speed coupe I paid $10.000 for in 2015. Very nice 79,000 mile car that needed suspension rebuild and carpet. All the stupid stuff that broke three years into ownership like interior lights, wipers and headlamp vaccum worked and still does. As mentioned here a comment about a 69 427 car and how it drove in contrast to a 73 is on the money. I had a 71 454 coupe in 1976. My now almost 50 year old 73 rides far better. My research shows only 30 73s left St Louis painted black. And there were no hood emblems denoting L82 in 73. Only 454. This money pit is way overpriced.
Clean it up, cut the asking price in half, and you’ve got a possibility.
That is, if the frame and birdcage aren’t mushy.