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EVery section here says that....64, 84, 97-99 06 etc. BS
These are old enough if people kept up on them and remained sorted out they are all good
Id love to have a 75 in my garage vs no C3 at all. With roads full of generic "all look the same" chitboxes a C3 stands out like a sore thumb, supercool in my book.
This is the key statement from your post. If you like the look of the '75, and IF it is in great shape, it might be the perfect C3 for you. 2 major differences from earlier C3's - the front & rear bumpers and the exhaust (1975 was the first year for catalytic converters and metal floors.) If these are of no concern for you, then go for the '75. Honestly, based on your post, look for the car in the absolute best shape - you'll get the C3 experience without the hassles of constant repair. Just keep in mind, even a '75 is still a 45 year old car - there will be ongoing repair issues, same for any car of that age.
No metal floors in a '75. Those showed up in 1976.
maybe in 1975 it was considered the worse Vette because of the exhaust and Catalytic Converter robbed even more power than previous years ? It took all manufacturors (not just GM) a slow learning curve to get the power back and still meet EPA emissions .
Now go look at that 75 real good , take bunches of pictures and report back , a good Vette is a good Vette and I don't care what year it is
Originally Posted by Sir Keith
The '75 made that silly '10 Worst' list for the simple reason that the base L-48 had the lowest horsepower rating of any C3. New industry-wide emissions regulations sapped the power of all new cars in 1975, and the '75 Vette was no exception. A smog pump, a primitive catalytic converter, an exhaust system that looked like dual pipes but was not, these and other factors robbed the power of the '75 Corvette. But was the performance really all that different from the cars that followed? Not so much. And as for the cosmetics, I think that the '75 was and is the prettiest of any of the rubber-bumper C3's, bar none. So if you like the car, don't let other people's opinions dissuade you, and most of all, have fun!
Agreed. And a 75 Corvette is still a small block Chevy, very easy to upgrade. I have owned a '75 convertible for over 28 years now. Originally an L-48/4speed car. True duals, new cam, carb tuned by Lars woke it up nicely. Then rebuilt the motor with aluminum heads, roller cam, carb retuned by Lars, swapped to a Tremec 5 speed. Woke it up even more.
Now, 496 cubic inch big block Chevy, custom 3x2 Tripower port injected EFI, Tremec T-56 Magnum, 12 bolt rear built by Gary Ramadei. 81 seats for comfort, 81 rear bumper just because I like it. From 165 hp at the crank stock to 413 hp at the rear wheels.
Agreed; they are not significantly different, but there are a few minor differences- that awful seam that bisects the rear bumper in the '74, the lack of cabin vents on the rear deck in the '76...
I know the minute differences in year to year. My point was, there’s no valid reason to pick out the ‘75 as a “bad” year. It’s the same essential car as the year before and year after.
Id think most cats from 76 would have been changed out by now. Modern cats are so much better so dont run away from one cause of an old exhaust piece. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
Agreed; they are not significantly different, but there are a few minor differences- that awful seam that bisects the rear bumper in the '74, the lack of cabin vents on the rear deck in the '76...
Okay so much has been made of the little crack in the two pieces of the back bumper. I personally love it! It is the 2nd DEAD GIVE-AWAY on spotting a 74. The other being the lack of the black bumperettes. While the 73 has basically the same bumperette-less nose cap, NOBODY would ever mistake a 73 and a 74.
Hmmm! let's see, given the choice of a horrifically fitted factory hood or dreaded door gaps at the front of the doors (factory), or rippled bumper caps, the little tight fitting seam between the bumpers is inconsequential.
That said....thanks all for the really nice 'mid-years' pictures ,74-77's GREAT CARS ALL!
I just went through this about a year ago or so. I always wanted a Corvette, but life happens, and that comes with responsibility, Finally, as an old fart, I was able to pull the trigger on a 76. I picked it up for 9K and have sunk about 4 or 5K into it: new front and rear bumpers, shocks, Borgesen steering box, and a real steering wheel. It came with a mild cam, dual exhaust, and FiTech EFI. The car is in very nice shape (10 ft. paint job), original interior in great shape, and seems to run quite well. Not fast, but not quite the dog it was when it left the factory. I did not get hung up on the numbers matching thing, negative reviews about the 76, resale value, or any of that other stuff. I finally have a Corvette that I love to drive, and of which I am proud.I think that is the bottom line. Do you like the car? Does it make you happy when you are in it? Do you walk out to the garage to look at it? Could I afford to do this? If you can answer "Yes", to those types of questions, everyone else can take a flying f*** at a rolling doughnut. Just my .02.
