Category: C3 Corvettes

Although its arrival was anticipated by consumers and critics alike, there were virtually no physical or mechanical changes made to the 1972 Corvette from the previous year.  In fact, the most dramatic “changes” made to the current model year involved items that were no longer available to prospective owners when ordering a new Corvette.

Pricing: $5,533.00 (Coupe), $5,296.00 (Convertible)

Engine options: 350ci – 200HP Engine (standard), 350ci – 255HP Engine, 454ci – 270HP Engine (n/a in California)

Transmission: 4-speed manual (standard), 4-speed manual (optional), 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic (optional)

Top speed: 

Units Produced: 27,004

Available Colors: Sunflower Yellow, Pewter Silver, Bryar Blue, Elkhart Green, Classic White, Mille Maglia Red, Targa Blue, Ontario Orange, Steel Cities Gray, War Bonnet Yellow

Highlights of the year:

Previously, consumers looking to purchase a Corvette had had the option of including the 454 cubic inch big block LS-6 either on its own or as part of RPO ZR2, but because of incredibly poor sales numbers the previous year (only 188 Corvettes with the LS6 engine and a meager 12 Corvettes equipped with RPO ZR2 were sold), GM felt that the eradication of the engine was a necessity.  To that end, only three engines were listed for the Corvette in 1972, which made it the smallest selection since the 1956 model.

All of the engines offered in 1972 suffered a loss in power because of the mandatory inclusion of emissions-lowering tuning that year.  Furthermore, as was becoming common amongst all automotive manufacturers, GM was now measuring engine outputs in the new SAE “net” measure for the 1972 model year.  The choice to use the net numbers instead of the “gross” horsepower measurements was the result of power losses caused by mandatory equipment such as the water pump, alternator, power steering pump, mufflers, and air cleaner.  While the ratings were universally lower, they were also more realistic.

The base engine, designated ZQ-3, was rated at a conservative 200 brake horsepower.  The LT-1 was rated at 255 horsepower and the LS-5 was rated only slightly higher at 270 horsepower.

Beyond the realignment of GM’s engine program, there were virtually no other notable changes made to the 1972 Corvette with the following exceptions: For 1972, the fiber-optic light monitoring system was dropped and an all-new center console was designed to take its place.

Additionally, Chevrolet standardized the horn-honking burglar alarm, which was now included on every new model.  The alarm system could be armed and disarmed via a lock cylinder at the rear of the car

While there were virtually no appearance changes to the 1972 Corvette, the model year did mark the “end of an era” for the third-generation Corvette.  It would be the last model year to feature both front and rear chrome bumpers, a bright egg-crate grill, side-fender grills (later models do have functional vents and some have vent trim), and a removable rear-window (this last had been a standard feature from 1968-1972.

Photos of the 1972 Corvette:

 

Sources:

https://www.corvsport.com/1972-c3-corvette/
https://www.corvsport.com/1972-c3-corvette-image-gallery/

The 1971 Chevy Corvette remains one of the least changed models in design (when compared to the preceding model year) in the Corvette’s entire production history.

The United Auto Workers (UAW) labor dispute that occurred in May 1969, which had caused the 1969 model year to run over by two months,  had also shorted production of the 1970 Corvette by over four months.

Because of this, it was decided by Chevrolet management that they should treat the 1971 model year as an extension of the 1970 line, which meant that the Corvette – for better or worse – would remain essentially unaltered between the two model years

Pricing: $5,496.00 (Coupe), $5,259.00 (Convertible)

Engine options: 350cim – 270HP Engine (standard), 350ci – 330HP Engine, 454ci – 365HP Engine, 454ci – 425HP Engine

Transmission: 3-speed manual (standard), 4-speed manual (optional), 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic (optional)

Top speed: 152mph

Units Produced: 21,801

Available Colors: Nevada Silver, Sunflower Yellow, Classic White, Mille Miglia Red, Mulsanne Blue, Bridgehampton Blue, Brands Hatch Green, Ontario Orange, Steel Cities Gray, War Bonnet Yellow

Highlights of the year: 

The 1971 Corvette’s arrival also came in conjunction with a flurry of new federal regulations that forced manufacturers to reassess the types of cars they were producing.

In addition to the Federally-sanctioned mandates on reducing exhaust emission outputs, Edward Cole (who was now president of General Motors) had decreed that all 1971 GM cars would be capable of running on fuel with a Research Octane Number (RON) no higher than 91 Octane

According to Cole’s calculations, this octane rating was low enough for the fuel companies to begin marketing the lead-free regular gasoline needed to avoid fouling catalytic “reactors” (known as converters today) that were going to be required automobile engines.  This reduction in fuel octane rating would translate into a reduction in engine compression (now just 8.5:1) and horsepower (a mere 270 bhp in the stock 350 engine.)

Somewhat surprisingly, these sanctioned emissions and fuel requirement changes didn’t only impact Corvette’s base engine. To the contrary, a notable reduction in compression – and power – was seen on almost all of the engines offered in the 1971 Corvette.  The solid lifter, small block LT1 engine, which had boasted 370 horsepower in 1969, was now rated at a more modest 330 horsepower with a 9.0:1 compression ratio.  The big-block engines also received the same treatment.  The LS5 454 cubic inch big-block came equipped with 365 horsepower at 4800 rpm, and a new aluminum-head big-block engine identified as the LS6 was rated at 425 horsepower at 5600 rpm.  Given the output numbers of these engines, there were few who would argue that the 1971 Corvette was weak, although most would agree that it was a far cry from the Corvettes that emerged in the unregulated era of muscle car performance.

According to Cole’s calculations, this octane rating was low enough for the fuel companies to begin marketing the lead-free regular gasoline needed to avoid fouling catalytic “reactors” (known as converters today) that were going to be required automobile engines.  This reduction in fuel octane rating would translate into a reduction in engine compression (now just 8.5:1) and horsepower (a mere 270 bhp in the stock 350 engine.)

Somewhat surprisingly, these sanctioned emissions and fuel requirement changes didn’t only impact Corvette’s base engine.  To the contrary, a notable reduction in compression – and power – was seen on almost all of the engines offered in the 1971 Corvette.  The solid lifter, small block LT1 engine, which had boasted 370 horsepower in 1969, was now rated at a more modest 330 horsepower with a 9.0:1 compression ratio.  The big-block engines also received the same treatment.  The LS5 454 cubic inch big-block came equipped with 365 horsepower at 4800 rpm, and a new aluminum-head big-block engine identified as the LS6 was rated at 425 horsepower at 5600 rpm.  Given the output numbers of these engines, there were few who would argue that the 1971 Corvette was weak, although most would agree that it was a far cry from the Corvettes that emerged in the unregulated era of muscle car performance.

Because of Cole’s far-reaching directive, Chevrolet engineers had only a matter of weeks rather than months to adjust all of their engines – and not just those for the Corvette.  Because of this, very few changes were made to the 1971 Corvette – other than those made to the engines.

With production now recovered from the UAW strike, sales of the 1971 Corvette improved, resulting in a total of 21,801 Corvettes sold for that model year, with the coupe taking a 2 to 1 sales lead over the convertible – a result which many believed was the result of the C3’s introduction of T-tops in 1969.  Prior to that point, Corvette convertibles had actually dominated sales, but starting in 1969, more coupes than convertibles were sold with each model year that passed.

In 1971, the result was total coupes to just 7,121 convertibles – a fact that GM would take under serious consideration in the years to come, and also a fact that would lead to a shocking, and some consider controversial decision for the 1976 model year.

Photos of the 1971 Corvette:

 

Sources:

https://www.corvsport.com/1971-c3-corvette/
https://www.corvsport.com/1971-c3-corvette-image-gallery/

The arrival of the 1970 Corvette happened somewhat later than was typical in the automotive manufacturing industry, due in part to the incredible sales backlog that had occurred during the 1969 model year and also due in part to the UAW (United Workers) strike, which delayed the new Corvette from reaching showrooms until February.  Along with the Camaro and the Pontiac Firebird, DeLorean believed that prolonging production of the earlier models into the winter of 1969-70 would help Chevrolet make up ground on an order backlog that had occurred in part because of the two-month automotive workers strike at GM plants early in 1969. It was because of this extension that the 1969 Corvette had set record sales numbers for the model year.

On November 7, 1969, Chevrolet manufactured its 250,000th Corvette since production of the sports car had begun on June 30, 1953.  Although technically the model should have been a 1970 Corvette, it was still recognized as a 1969 model because of the aforementioned production extension. Interestingly, the 1970 Corvette’s arrival would come at a time when, despite the Corvette’s incredible popularity, it was simultaneously falling under increasing scrutiny for its general lack of overall production value and build quality.

Pricing: $5,192.00 (Coupe), $4,849.00 (Convertible)

Engine options: 350ci – 300HP Engine (standard),  350ci – 370HP Engine, 454ci – 390HP Engine

Transmission: 3-speed manual (standard), 4-speed manual (optional), 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic (optional)

Top speed: 144mph

Units produced: 17,316

Available colours: Classic White, Monza Red, Marlboro Maroon, Mulsanne Blue, Bridgehampton Blue, Donnybrooke Green, Daytona Yellow, Cortez Silver, Ontario Orange, Laguna Gray, Corvette Bronze

Highlights of the year:

The 1970 Corvette actually made its formal debut in late February and introduced the world to a number of small, but improved design styling touches.  These design changes, which had been introduced on a show car known simply as the Aero Coupe, had included many elements which suggested that the designers were looking to move away from Corvette’s current role as a pure sports car (the ZL-1 notwithstanding) and more towards the blended role of becoming a Luxury Sportscar.

The Aero Coupe had featured an egg-crate patterned grille, matching louvers along the fenders (which replaced the four gills of the 1968 and 1969 model years), and more deeply flared wheel house introduced to reduce the severity of the bodyside tuck-under, which had been discovered as being susceptible to stone damage.

Mechanically, there were many carryovers from the previous model year.  The small-block engine lineup remained the same at the two lower power ratings (300 horsepower and 350 horsepower respectively). However, GM did introduce a new solid-lifter, small block engine that they designated the LT-1.

Corvettes equipped with this engine received a special hood dome surrounded by striping and “LT-1” lettering.  While these markings were certainly a differentiator between which engine a particular Corvette was built with, it was also readily obvious to anyone who heard the unique rumble from the exhaust pipes and the tapping of its mechanical lifters that they were in the presence of an LT-1 engine.

The numbers that the LT-1 engine produced were impressive, and certainly consistent with the performance expectations that individuals like Zora Arkus-Duntov had for the Corvette.

The LT-1 equipped Corvettes could manage a quarter-mile run in just 14.2 seconds with a top speed of 102 miles per hour, indicating that GM’s published ratings of 370 BHP (brake horsepower) at 6,000rpm and 380lb/ft of torque at 4,000rpm were both on the conservative side.

Of course, many racers looking to utilize the performance and handling aspects of the Corvette were not going to invest their money into a small-block, despite the performance numbers it was capable of producing.

Serious racers knew that, if they were able to sort through the options presented to them, they should have been able to assemble a race car that would rival anything on the track.   While earlier Corvettes were capable of being equipped with such options as the ZL-1, (which featured a setup that included the 427 cubic inch L88 engine,) the 1970 offerings were a little harder to come by.

For the 1970 model year, Chevrolet introduced a big block 427 that was stroked out to a full 4.00 inches and 454 cubic inches.  It was the first time that the stroke had been increased since the engine had been introduced in its more conservative iteration – a 396 cubic-inch big block – in 1965.  While the arrival of the 454 was considered by some to be in response to Corvettes increasing presence on the racetrack, the truth is actually more intriguing.  The added cubic inches in the Corvette were actually the byproduct of Chevy’s need to expand the engine’s size to counterbalance the loss of performance in its regular passenger cars due to the mandatory reductions in exhaust emissions as required by state and federal laws.

Still, there was the question of how racers could build a serious track car by using the right combination of production codes.   The aforementioned L88 and ZL1 options were even offered for 1970 (though Chevy continued to sell Can-Am engines to bona fide race teams).  Instead, GM announced that it would be offering two big-block options: RPO LS5 and LS7.  The LS5 would come equipped with hydraulic lifters, 10.25:1 compression, a single, four-barrel carburetor, and was rated at 390 bhp (at 4,800 rpm) with a massive 500lbs/ft of torque.

The 1970 Corvette was one of the first cars during John DeLorean’s tenure as President of General Motors to fall prey to a new pricing plan that took advantage of the car’s unprecedented popularity.  DeLorean contested that since each year’s production quota was usually spoken for, and secured by concrete dealer and buyer orders (usually in as early as March or April), that it seemed reasonable that General Motors should actually increase the price of the Corvette more substantially than it had in the previous year – and that is exactly what happened.

The 1970 model year would mark the end for the big-block, high-power Corvettes as they had been known up to this point.  A number of factors played into this decision, including skyrocketing insurance rates and a large decline in the sale of sports cars, but the largest contributing factor was a decision made by GM President Ed Cole’s desire to eliminate low-volume options.  Further, he dictated that all engines would be required to be able to run on 91-octane fuel, a decision that was made because of the anticipation of the ever-tightening emission regulations that would govern future automotive production.

Photos of the 1970 Corvette:

Sources:

https://www.corvsport.com/1970-c3-corvette/

https://www.corvsport.com/1970-c3-corvette-image-gallery/

The 1969 Chevy Corvette arrived on the coattails of critics who had been anything but kind to the inaugural C3 Corvette just the year before. Although the overall tone of the critics was marginally more positive by the end of the 1968 model year, GM recognized that there was still a way to go to fully win over the same people who were so quick to tear the Corvette apart.
Still, critics had appreciated some of the design changes that had been made in the third-generation Corvette over the earlier C2’s, even though the second-generation Corvettes had been so well-loved and so widely received. For one, the 1968 Corvette had featured stiffer springs, and been fitted with wider wheels that had improved handling. For another, Chevrolet had made the right decision to replace the old Powerglide automatic transmission with the vastly superior Turbo Hydra-Matic.

Pricing: $4,781.00 (Coupe), $4,438.00 (Convertible)

Engine options: 350ci – 300HP Engine (standard),  350ci – 350HP Engine, 427ci – 390HP Engine, 427ci – 400HP Engine, 427ci – 430HP Engine, 427ci – 435HP Engine

Transmission: 3-speed manual (standard), 4-speed manual (optional), 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic (optional)

Top speed: 126mph

Units produced: 38,762

Available colors: Tuxedo Black, Can-Am White, Monza Red, LeMans Blue, Riverside Gold, Fathom Green, Daytona Yellow, Cortez Silver, Burgundy, Monaco Orange

Highlights of the year:

The exterior alterations were mostly minor, with one obvious exception – the return of the Stingray designation (now one word instead of the former “Sting Ray” found on Second-Generation Corvettes) over the car’s front-fender louvers. The all-welded, 5-cross member, ladder-type, the steel-reinforced frame was “stiffened” in an effort to reduce body shake and vibration. The exterior door handles were changed from the conventional door grip with thumb button to a single-piece door lever that was depressed as the door was gripped during opening.

Like the 1968 Corvette before it, the 1969 Corvette also featured a number of standard body features – the most obvious being the same corrosion-proof fiberglass body that had been a trademark of the Corvette since Harley Earl envisioned used FRP (Fiber-Reinforced Plastic)/fiberglass on the 1953 prototype. It also featured steel-reinforced body sills, door hinge pillars, and lock pillars, plus lateral steel cross-member integrating front pillars.

The coupe also featured supporting members that enclosed the passenger compartment with protective steel framing. All of this structural steel was specifically laid out to ensure that the occupants of the Corvette were well protected, even when the drivers were “exposed”. The Corvette convertible added the additional amenity of a fold-down top that stowed away beneath a double-locking, spring-loaded cover panel

Beyond those referenced above, the 1969 Corvette featured an extensive array of additional safety features specifically designed to protect both the occupants of the car as well as the car itself. In the event that the Corvette were to be involved in a collision, engineers had equipped the new Sting Ray with an energy-absorbing steering column, seat and shoulder belt restraints, an energy-absorbing instrument panel, padded sun visors and a reduced-glare instrument panel for improved visibility during night driving. To protect the car when its occupants were absent, an anti-theft ignition system was installed featuring anti-theft steering and transmission locks, and an anti-theft ignition key warning buzzer that would sound whenever the keys were left in the ignition cylinder.

While aesthetics and safety were being improved upon by the Corvette’s body designers, its mechanical engineers were likewise making alterations to the car’s engine and drivetrain assemblies. While some of these changes were directed by the aforementioned feedback that Chevrolet had received on the 1968 model, many others were the direct result of the federally mandated emissions control standards that had been introduced the previous model year.

Corvette could accelerate from zero to sixty in less than six seconds and could manage a quarter-mile in under fourteen seconds.

Despite these impressive performance numbers (for its time), there were two new performance options for 1969 that further improved Corvette’s performance.

The first was an entirely new big-block engine option which was even more powerful than anything that had come before it. Designed RPO ZL1, this production option fitted the 1969 Corvette with an all-aluminum 427C.I. engine block that featured dry-sump lubrication and weighed 100 pounds less than the L-88 engine.
This ultra-high-performance 427C.I. engine was developed by McLaren for use in the SCCA’s Canadian-American Challenge Cup Series racing and was rated somewhere between 560 and 585 brake horsepower, although the rating was denoted as the 430-bhp rating as the L88 engine
It’s very evolution skirted on violating the AMA (Automobile Manufacturers Association) racing ban that Chevrolet had openly participated in since 1957

The second performance option that was developed was listed as an option in 1969, though it did not become available until 1970 as a direct result of development and manufacturing problems.
Zora Duntov, who had always been a proponent of extracting horsepower out of any engine, had returned to work on the small-block, and the result was a special solid-lifter version of the new, 350 cubic inch engine.
The engine, which was listed as RPO LT1, was the genesis of Duntov’s longtime goal of minimizing weight in a performance car that continuously grew heavier with every new creature comfort that was added to its design. Unlike other small block engines, the LT1 had more radical cam overlap.

Despite the improvements that were made to the 1969 Corvette, some critics continued to take issue with the Stingrays “dismal build quality, styling eccentricities, and overall lack of finesse.”

However, the criticisms did nothing to deter consumers from purchasing it. In 1969, sales took a vertical leap, increasing by more than 10,000 units to a total of 38,762 Corvettes sold that year.
Of those sold, 22,129 were coupes, which had a base price of $4,781. The convertibles, on the other hand, accounted for 16,633 units with a base price of $4,438.

It was a Corvette sales record that would not be topped again until 1976, although some argue that the only reason that the 1969’s sales numbers were as high as they were was the result of a UAW (United Auto Workers) strike which forced a two-month extension of the 1969 production run into the start of the 1970 model year.

Photos of the 1969 Corvette:

 

Sources:
https://www.corvsport.com/1969-c3-corvette/

https://www.corvsport.com/1969-c3-corvette-gallery/

https://co.pinterest.com/pin/6614730684070336/