The 1973 Corvette Collector
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- I asked John point-blank, "Why do you own so many 1973 C3 Corvettes?" He replied, "I only have three because I can't save them all."
The moment I spoke with John on the phone, I knew we were going to get along. We had so many things in common when it came to Corvettes, it was surreal.
We both grew up in the 1970s and the moment we saw a C3 it became a mission of sorts to own at least one.
He beat me by a handful of years getting the first one. He owned his first C3 at thirteen. I bought mine at nineteen. He's a perfectionist and so am I. I've owned six C3s over the years, he's owned probably sixty.
Okay, I have a ways to go but you get the idea.
And he only buys Corvettes with manual transmissions!
I contacted John since he had a Craigslist listing for his 1976 Corvette Stingray, and after a few text messages and a phone call, I made an appointment to drive down to Orlando to have a look.
The '76 is a low-mile beauty that drives like a new C3 Corvette. I made a video about it, of course.
But the '73s made such an impression I asked him to share the story with my subscribers, and he does so in this video.
Unfortunately, the white '73 was not present since it is stored at a different location. You can only store so many cars in a two-car garage while still having a little bit of room to wrench on one.
By the way, John does ALL the work on his cars, with the help of his son. And he even paints them! And after seeing his finished Elkhart Green '73, I can assure you the finish is flawless.
Well, the guy was a Bloomington Gold judge for almost two decades, and he's been a contributor to the Corvette Black Book (read the credits and you'll see him listed there).
Did I mention he's a perfectionist?
Anyway, a super nice guy living and enjoying the Corvette lifestyle.
Thank you for watching! 🙂👍🏻
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CORVETTE PRODUCTS (sponsored)
- 76 Vette Assembly Manual: amzn.to/2GBuHrd
- 68-82 Corvette Manual: amzn.to/3devEEW
- How to Restore Corvette: amzn.to/35B6L0R
- 68-82 Vette Resto Guide: amzn.to/2QvvIGQ
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DISCLAIMER: Even though I like to wrench on Corvettes and most of my videos are of a how-to nature, I am not responsible nor liable should you decide to follow my musings on the subject.
The repairs and other work I do are for my own benefit and entertainment, and even though my videos may sound and appear to give technical how-to advice, that's not my intention.
Working on a vehicle is inherently dangerous. If you're not confident, qualified, or lack the tools to do the job correctly and safely, hire a licensed mechanic.
#corvettec3 #c3 #c3corvette
I grew up in St. Louis. When I was 12 (1972) my Scout Troop took the tour of the Corvette plant. It was like witnessing a cross between a Miss America and a Playboy centerfold! Head-to-toe, these ladies lined up, different colors, down the assembly line. The dream cars nearly every boy my age wanted.
OMG. Touring the St. Louis Corvette plant back in the day as a kid. I’m sure in hindsight you wish you had a smart phone at the time. Lol. Awesome memories, I’m sure. Thank you for sharing 🙏🏼😊👍🏻
@@76vette That was very close to- if not the very same day that your '73's were born! It was in October, during little league football season, and we went on a Friday evening. I remember telling the guys on the team the next morning before our game. And it was so cool hearing my friends circled around me saying "Cool!", and "Wow"! We always saw the next years' 'Vettes before anybody. The next year, however was a shock. It was late August, like Labor Day week and we had a practice game against the ABC League over in St. Ann. Outside the fence a new 74 drove by... "What did they do to it?!" I yelled. "What are you talking about?" One kid said. And BOTH TEAMS looked at this White Vette go past us on the other side of the outfield fence. Tbere were some "cool!" exclamations. And then thefe was most of us in disapproval of the duck-tailed rear bumper cover. I thought it was ugly, a real let down. My thinking of late has been, that if I can find a really good deal on a 78 or 79, I'll have a 68-73 rear clip installed, while installing the 73 bumper cover...those two rubber stops on the 75-79's always made the car "buck-toothed" ro me. Preferrably a non-numbers car, and do a Gymkhana, a Borgeson PS unit. And as for the engine, well, maybe a 26B Mazda rotary engine! Do something radical! There's a bazillion 78's and 79's!
I have 73 with 60k miles and only use NOS parts I love hearing when people keep them original…your collection is beautiful
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
I have a 73 454 4 speed and now I'm looking for another 73
Elkhart green looks so good on corvettes. Nice job keeping the dream alive.
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
Great collection!! Congratulations! I am from Madrid, Spain. I would like to buy a C3 1973 maybe gold color. Any advice? I am very new in this world.
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
Beautiful restoration! Love those wheels, in my opinion they are the only acceptable wheels to put on a C3 besides the factory wheels. 👍🏻
💯%. Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
Those are American racing vector 2 Wheels. My brother has the 9 and 1/2 in wide version on his Corvette.
We share the love of those wheels, i have the same staggered wheels . What has been you preferred method of cleaning this style? , yours looks so clean.
The C3 - pure art on 4 wheels.
one day I to will own one, but I'm aging Fast. Really Love the tires you Chose~
Bought a73 in January of74 then drove it to Michigan from marathon fl & back nice car
Beautiful corvettes Sir and I also nice, your son is your everything. Your a good Dad❤️👍🏽🇺🇸😉
I like it is of my family Louie Chevrolet and any Chevrolet is of my family that is all I own
Love the passion,I had a 74 350 L48 automatic T top,when I was younger,it was a lot of fun.I wanted a 68 or 69 convertible 4speed ,hopefully big block, I finally got a 71 454 4 speed,convertible,never, I mean I have never been happier! My advice,get the car you really want!
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
Thanks for the '73 video. I have only ever owned on corvette and it is a 1973. It looked fast on the lot in 1986 with 40,000 mi and I had enough money to make a bad decision. I still own it and it has 73,000mi currently and runs like a top! For any Vette people out there, I would love to know of anyone keeping a 1973 data base of how many are still on the road. If anyone keeps track....my VIN is 1Z37T3S406577. When I bought it, it did not have the original engine and I eventually found this out when I had the engine pulled two years ago and rebuilt. Turns out it is a 350hp engine out of a 1971 El Camino! I am pretty sure I have the original transmission. Otherwise, all gauges work and the car can be a daily driver.
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
Finally, someone other than myself who lives 73s. I own a silver 4 speed coupe. Beautiful cars sir. 73s are much under appreciated, but I can tell you my 73 rides so much better than the 71 454 coupe I owned in 1976. Thank you for this great video.
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
Hello, I truly enjoyed watching your video and how well you take care of your Corvettes. I too own a 1973 big block coupe in Classic White be with M21 and power windows. Mine was a one owner car that I bought with 8,900 miles and it currently has 10,500 miles. I had been following this car on Autotrader and it was an estate sale. By the time I got to the family they had sold it to a dealer. Four years later while shopping at a dealer I fell upon it and I immediately purchased it. I love this car and everything about it. It's a joy to drive. I am glad I found a kindred spirit that enjoys the 1973 vintage as much as I do. Best regards, André
I love the green 💚
You gotta gem
Nice collection! I had a white 73 4 speed, it's original color was blue/green, I may trade for it back but it will probably cost me my dodge demon, I'm undecided at the moment, I have a red 79 Corvette at the moment.
This ‘73 is one sweet C3 Corvette. Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
Absolutely gorgeous collection. I am contemplating a ‘74 big block myself.
Yeah i was born 1973 i love your channel
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
I had a 72.I think they were nicer looking with the egg crates in the front fenders and the chrome front bumper.They rode rougher though
My favorite were the 68-69 shark gill design. Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
Why did you stop driving the big block car daily? I'm looking to buy a big block 73 and am curious... Thanks!
Absolutely beautiful. I sure wish I could afford one of those.
Your car is cleaner than The Board of Health, John! SANO!!!
i like the 73 front bumper, will it fit on the 75-77? or the 74 rear fit on the 75-77?
lucky guy having some nice machines , too bad fuel prices limit the fun these days
I believe that style front bumper only fits 1973-1974 Corvettes. The 74-79 rear bumpers are interchangeable, I think, but the original’74 bumper cover was 2-pieces and unique to that model year. Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
@@76vette thanks and the reason would be the lack of the bumper pads they added . no function at all probably.
maybe its a little different mounting system underneath… thanks good channel n website u have…
Yes, they added bumperettes to the 75-on bumpers (front and rear) so the covers had to be modified accordingly. They were required by federal mandates for safety standards by the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966. Also, the fiberglass noses of the 73-74 models had a straight line between bumper cover and body, while 75-79 models had a recess. 😊👍🏻
I have the same car but with black leather
Thank you for watching! 😎👍🏻
Stock wheels better. jmo
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
Who would you recommend as having done an inspection video to check for bird cage corrosion?
I’m sorry but I’m not sure I understand your question.
If you want me to recommend someone to do a birdcage inspection for you, I don’t know where you live and really don’t have anyone I could recommend.
If you’re looking for someone near you, I suggest asking for recommendations from members of the Corvette Forum.
I hope that helps.
@@76vette No, is there a UA-cam or other source who can, step by step, tell you what panels to remove to check for this? Or if doing a pre buy inspection, what tell tell signs would be obvious?
@@crawford323 I am sure you can find several videos about C3 birdcage inspection by searching google and UA-cam.
I published a video about checking the door pillar body mounts ua-cam.com/video/UgHNsFUInio/v-deo.html but I recommend you also check the windshield frame and areas around the wiper cowl. Another anchor point for the birdcage is accessible by removing inspection plates in front of the rear wheels, plus the rearmost body mounts while you have the rear wheels off.
Lastly, it’s a good idea to inspect the frame to ensure it’s rust free.
I am pretty sure a Corvette Ben has posted videos about inspecting C3 birdcages so you may want to check his channel. 😊👍🏻
Very nice video on your 73 collection. I have a white L82 with an automatic and black vinyl interior. My dream 73 is a white 454 convertible with 4speed, black interior, and A/C. Thanks for the video. Jim.
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
I was 8 years old when this car was new but even then I had a thing for this Vette. I just loved the new nose and the chrome bumpers in the rear.
Then as I grew older and became more of a car nut it only got worse. I was in the grocery store with mom and I saw a book, Corvette Summer. I begged my mom to buy it for me and she did. I had never read a paperback but that wild custom Vette on the cover had me.
In reading the book, that Vette was a 73 before they made that ugly custom. Now as a 13 year old that car was a beauty.
Fast forward five years and I am moving into my dorm and I meet my roommate a guy named Hank. After we got moved in we went downstairs to go to Wal Mart and he offered to drive, his car, a hugger orange 73 Corvette with a 454 and a 4 speed!
Me and Hank got to be fast friends and I got to drive that Vette a lot that year.
There was a Monagram 1/24th scale model that I must have built five times.
The 73 will always be my favorite C3.
Hi Jose, and thank you for sharing that awesome chronicle. All the best 😊👍🏻
I have a 73 454 corvette Elkhart green too nice car!
Man that green big block is beautiful! Love those wheels I can remember around the mid to late 70’s those wheels were popular. I believe the where called victors? Doesn’t the General Lee run those?
“Turbine” wheels were very popular back then and still attractive, IMO.
The General Lee had Vectors, but I think these were called Cyclones. Then there was another similar design with more spokes.
What size are these wheels?
I’m pretty sure they’re 15x8s.
Nice video do you ever sell any of your Corvetts? I just started looking for a nice driver. Thank you Brian Wilson
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
Living the dream. 😎
But does the clock work?
Far more advanced than modern car designs in simplicity and durability.
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
I love that color. Maybe some day. Great video.
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
I love the '73 'vettes too!
Half-and-half Vettes. Love ‘em 😊👍🏻
So beautiful.
Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
Interested in a 1972 corvette?
I’m always interested in C3 Corvettes. Thank you for watching! 😊👍🏻
@@76vette I’m selling my 72 corvette if you’re really interested I can send you a video or pictures.
diy76vette@gmail.com