NCRS Top-Flight 1973 Chevrolet Corvette 454/270

This 1973 Chevrolet Corvette coupe is an NCRS National Top Flight and Bloomington Gold award-winning car. Finished in orange over a saddle vinyl interior it underwent a full nut-and-bolt restoration and is powered by a matching-numbers 454ci V8 engine paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission.  Having spent most of its life from new in California, the odometer shows just 26k miles which are believed to be original by the seller, who has owned the car for 13 years.  Equipment includes removable T-top panels, pop-up headlamps, and a cowl induction system.  This Corvette is now offered with a clean Illinois title in the seller’s name. 

Finished in Ontario Orange, the car underwent a Concours level restoration to the original condition. The 1973 model year was the first year of the urethane front bumper for the Corvette, replacing the one-piece chrome bumper from previous years, however, the rear still features a split chrome bumper.  Features include pop-up headlights integrated into the front end, chrome rocker moldings, and removable T-top panels for the roof.  

Factory 15” steel wheels feature RPO P02 Deluxe Spoke wheel covers and are wrapped in white-letter Goodyear radial tires.  The car comes with 3 different sets of wheels in total, the original P02 deluxe wheel covers, an OEM set of Rallye wheels and a reproduction set of Rallyes. Stopping power is provided by power disc brakes on all four corners.

The interior features saddle vinyl bucket seats which were reupholstered during the restoration. The door panels, dash, and center console are finished in a lighter shade of tan, with optional woodgrain veneer trim pieces. Brown carpeting features matching floormats with an embroidered "Stingray" script. Additional features include a factory tilt steering column and air conditioning.

Instrumentation includes a 160-mph speedometer and a 7k-rpm tachometer. Additional analog gauges for fuel level, water temperature, oil pressure, and voltage are located in the center of the dash along with an analog clock. Controls for the air conditioning and heating system are located in the center console, just above the shift lever for the automatic transmission, while an original style radio is fitted just above the center gauges.  The five-digit odometer shows 26k miles, which are believed original by the seller. 3k of which have been added in their 13 years of ownership.   

The matching-numbers 454ci “LS4” V8 engine is original to the car and was factory rated at 270 horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque. The drivetrain was rebuilt at the time of restoration and there are full records available. The most recent service was in August 2020, which included an oil and coolant change. A 3-speed automatic transmission transfers power to a frame-anchored rear differential with independent suspension.

The car has been shown and judged at multiple Corvette events earning Gold honors at Bloomington Gold in Indianapolis, IN as well as National Top Flight honors from the National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) scoring 960 out of 1000 possible points. Included in the sale are photos and documentation of the vehicle’s restoration process, spare OEM trim pieces and the awards received.