new member, just bought 73

[goertz]

hi all, my name is Chad, and over the weekend I purchased a 1973 Stingray. Kind of an impulse purchase, but seems to have worked out really well. it has 101,000 documented miles, all #'s match, 190 hp 350, auto, ac, power windows, original am/fm. The car is all original, right down to the paint. the paint could use some help, but the interior is as perfect as you can get. it's green with saddle interior. everything works, and it seems like a very solid car. I paid $9700 for it, which seems like a decent deal. are there any particular things to look out for on these years cars, and does that seem like a good price? thanks!

 

[waterboy1976]

First of all...welcome to CAC!!!!!! Secondly........gotta love 73's........congrats and enjoy......


Rob

 

[steelblue75]

Welcome, & enjoy the vette""

 

[Daryllawman]

Hello Chad and welcome to the Corvette Action Center....Congrats on the C-3.....great body style.....Enjoy !!

 

[goertz]

thank you all, i look forward to learning all about these cars, and having fun behind the wheel!

 

[red70vette]

It is probably a little late to be asking these questions. You are supposed to be looking for problems BEFORE you purchase the car. Well here is hoping you didn't get screwed. Fiberglass cars do rust.

1. Rust-you are in the rust belt. Look at the area in front of the rear wheels this is known as the rear kick up and is prone to rust and could cause your car to break in half. Check this area and where it goes up and over the rear wheels. Tap it with a small hammer or poke it with a screwdriver and hope you can't poke a hole in it.
2. Rust in the birdcage. Remove all the interior trim from around the windshield and look for rust. Also remove the kick panels inside the passenger and driver doors and check there also. Very, very, very expensive repair.
3. If your barke calipers leak they need to be rebuild the car is unsafe to drive until they are rebuilt.
4. If ythe car has 101,000 miles on it and the interior is perfect it is not the original interior. That is not a bad thing.
5. If the spedo doesn't work it probably has a lot more than 101,000 miles. Remember this car is 30+ years old and was driven for a good part of that time. Documentation is only as good as the guy who made it up.

With all that said good luck and welcome to the CAC and the Corvette lifestyle. Enjoy your car you will learn a lot, get your hands very dirty and if the bankbook holds up have a blast. This and other Corvette forums will provide you with a wealth of information all of which was learned from experience.

If you want to know what you should have done check out these websites:
http://www.corvette-101.com/
http://www.c3sharktank.com/tech2/tech2.html

 

[goertz]

It is probably a little late to be asking these questions. You are supposed to be looking for problems BEFORE you purchase the car. Well here is hoping you didn't get screwed. Fiberglass cars do rust.

1. Rust-you are in the rust belt. Look at the area in front of the rear wheels this is known as the rear kick up and is prone to rust and could cause your car to break in half. Check this area and where it goes up and over the rear wheels. Tap it with a small hammer or poke it with a screwdriver and hope you can't poke a hole in it.
2. Rust in the birdcage. Remove all the interior trim from around the windshield and look for rust. Also remove the kick panels inside the passenger and driver doors and check there also. Very, very, very expensive repair.
3. If your barke calipers leak they need to be rebuild the car is unsafe to drive until they are rebuilt.
4. If ythe car has 101,000 miles on it and the interior is perfect it is not the original interior. That is not a bad thing.
5. If the spedo doesn't work it probably has a lot more than 101,000 miles. Remember this car is 30+ years old and was driven for a good part of that time. Documentation is only as good as the guy who made it up.

With all that said good luck and welcome to the CAC and the Corvette lifestyle. Enjoy your car you will learn a lot, get your hands very dirty and if the bankbook holds up have a blast. This and other Corvette forums will provide you with a wealth of information all of which was learned from experience.

If you want to know what you should have done check out these websites:
http://www.corvette-101.com/
http://www.c3sharktank.com/tech2/tech2.html

We're not really in the rust belt here. The state of CO does not use salt on the roads during winter. We use sand. Of course the interior is not "perfect" but it is awfully close. It is original. It's just as nice as the interior in my 1999 Trans Am, shows very minor wear. The speedo works great, not sure what was meant there? No rust at all on the undercarriage or frame. Haven't pulled interior panels, but no rust in the kick up area. The car was obviously well cared for, and garaged at all times. I'll check out the other areas mentioned, and make sure all is well.

 

[vett boy]

Welcome-I don't think you payed to much ,seams in line with that year and milage.Best of all who cars as long as you enjoy.Have fun!!

 

[Vinn]

Sounds like an excellent deal on a great car to me. Best of luck with it! Post some pictures if you have time, too.

Vince

 

[Chiller]

Welcome aboard and good luck with your new "Toy".
Chiller

 

[srs244]

Sounds like an excellent deal on a great car to me. Best of luck with it! Post some pictures if you have time, too.

Vince

sounds like a good deal price-wise based on the going rate down here in south florida (i guess it's all those hot bods on south beach that continue to drive up the prices here, lol). when i was looking around, before i bought my pace car, most of the early 70's sharks in what i would consider not to be in as good a condition as you described were a thousand to many thousands higher. hope you enjoy your vette.
steve

 

[JJS]

I think the HP rating was much higher than 190 for the '73. I thought it was more like 255hp, but I could be wrong.

 

[BobZ06]

The 190 HP rating is correct for the L48 in '73. I think the L82 was 255.

 

[JJS]

The 190 HP rating is correct for the L48 in '73. I think the L82 was 255.

Wow! I never realized there was that much of a difference (hp) between these two motors....Actually, I didn't know both motors were available in '73...ya learn something new everyday on this board. Forgive me for passing along bad information, but thank you for setting things straight!

-John

 

[racingundertaker]

Welcome, Chad! Congrats on your 1973 Vette. I did the same thing you did, and bought my 1973 Vette about 2 years ago because it just caught my eye. I thought I did my homework on the car, but that was before I found this website. It is amazing how much info is out there about these cars. It seems like I read something new everyday. I paid about the same $$ that you did, and my car sounds about the same as far as condition, and miles go. Mine is fire engine red......and I just love driving it. Enjoy your new ride.......and don't hesitate to email or ask any questions you might have about your car on this forum.

 

[goertz]

sounds great, thanks for all the help guys. i washed it last night, and crawled under it to look around and see what i really got. the frame and all metal parts are excellent, almost insignificant surface rust on the frame, nothing that wouldn't be on a car from So Cal, so i feel pretty lucky all the way around. everything looks original, right down to the alternator, but i haven't had a chance to look for those kind of #'s on the internet. if anyone has a link where that info lives, i'd like to see it. not that i really care if the waterpump is the original unit, but it's nice to know. having lots of fun driving the car around, and even though the original paint is "fair" at best, it gets lots of looks and comments, especially from young, hot girls. I took my 3 year old son out Sunday for lunch, we pulled up to a pizza place, and the girls working inside who were about 18-20 came out and said "we just love your car, we were drooling when we saw it pull up!" Now that's what I expect as a Corvette owner!

 

[JJS]

the original paint is "fair" at best, it gets lots of looks and comments, especially from young, hot girls. I took my 3 year old son out Sunday for lunch, we pulled up to a pizza place, and the girls working inside who were about 18-20 came out and said "we just love your car, we were drooling when we saw it pull up!" Now that's what I expect as a Corvette owner!

Ah yes, get used to it! Recently, a VERY young girl let me pull out at an intersection that could only be described as "wild," around 5:00 PM. It was the night I got my sticker....Anyway, the look on her face when she saw the car was as if her daddy had just given her the keys to it! She lit right up.

I got on the highway and a couple of minutes later, I see her car coming up on me. When they got right next to me, she, and her girlfriend began blowing kisses at me (well, the car)! It was a riot!

My wife laughed her ass off when I told her the story. These girls couln't have been more than 20! It amazes me how many of the younger girls are really into these cars that were built before they were born.....I'm 49 by the way.

 

[goertz]

Ah yes, get used to it! Recently, a VERY young girl let me pull out at an intersection that could only be described as "wild," around 5:00 PM. It was the night I got my sticker....Anyway, the look on her face when she saw the car was as if her daddy had just given her the keys to it! She lit right up.

I got on the highway and a couple of minutes later, I see her car coming up on me. When they got right next to me, she, and her girlfriend began blowing kisses at me (well, the car)! It was a riot!

My wife laughed her ass off when I told her the story. These girls couln't have been more than 20! It amazes me how many of the younger girls are really into these cars that were built before they were born.....I'm 49 by the way.

i'm lucky, only 30, so i could have pulled it off! don't know why i didn't though, perhaps it was the shock of realizing the effect of the shark on the younger girls. next time i'll be more prepared!

 

[tx73vette]

Hello Chad and welcome to the world of Vettes especially the 73 here is a web site that you might find helpful. Its dedicated to the 73 vette.. Tom has done a really great job on this site.. If you have any questions just e-mail me anytime...
Check out the site..

http://1973-corvette.com/

 

[Koop]

Sounds like a good fun car for not a ton of money!

Enjoy it they are a blast.