Hi folks! I want you to teach me something today about C3's. Not anything in great detail, but share with me some general knowledge.

Example, "the last year for chrome bumpers was......."

Think of me as this, I know only 2 things about Corvettes,
1. They are made in Bowling Green, KY. (about 45 minutes from here, but they weren't always made there)
AND
2. I want a C3.

So, if you want to share some trivia, facts, stories, stats, general knowledge, I am ready to learn.

Thanks,
Coltc.
:thumbs:

 

Hi Colt! Here's a tidbit for you on how to discern the difference between an L48 and an L82 engine ('78 Vettes):

The L48 was the base engine rated @ 185 horsepower (the 5th digit in the V.I.N. # will be an "L"). The L48 California emission version was rated @ 175 horsepower. The L82 was the optional engine rated @ 220 horsepower ( the 5th in the V.I.N. # will be a "4"). To be sure you have the original block, check the pad at the front of block, passenger side in front of the head. The last 5 digits should match the last 5 digits of your V.I.N. #. Also stamped on the block is a 3 digit alpha #. CHW & CLM are L48 blocks. CMR & CMS are L82 blocks. CLR & CLS are the California emission version of the L48's.

This was shared with me by a forum member. Get a current copy of the Corvette Deluxe Black Book '53-'03. (any larger bookstore) It's chock full of the info you want! Keep dreaming of that C3! Bev


[Modified by five-boy-mom, 12:03 PM 12/18/2002]

 

1- They're getting too expensive
2- They do just about everything based upon brute force

 

1. They are money pits
2. They will never be fast enough
3. Something is bound to break
4. They are never "finished"
_______________________________
1. Off the charts on the cool scale
2. Attention getters
3. Greatest hobby around
4. Pride in Accomplishment & satisfaction high
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Eddie :cheers:


[Modified by Silvr77, 7:01 AM 12/18/2002]

 

I think we are giving him all the wrong answers. I think he really wants to know some differences.
The C3 started in 68 and ran until 82 with many different body styles.
The chrome bumpers ran from 68 until 73.
The 73 model had chrome bumpers on the rear and a rubber nose.
68 to 72 had chrome front and rear.
The 68 and 69 model had gill slits on the front quarters.
The 70 to 72 had the eggcrate style louvers in the front quarters.
The 68 had a push button to open the door at the point where you would put the key to open the door.
The 70 model had clear marker lights in the front grill. 68 and 69 had round markers in the grills.
71 and 72 had yellow marker light in the front grills.
The 68 does not have STINGRAY script on the front quarters.
The 69 to 73s did have STINGRAY emblems.

I believe that all of that I have stated is correct. Hopefully some others will chime in where I left off and finish the education.


[Modified by Eddie 96, 5:13 PM 12/18/2002]

 

Few more things,
The '69 had chrome inserts in the gills (only model for this and IMO the coolest "looks" feature)
68 had no glove box (haha, glovebox, more like glovepocket)
68 was last year to have ignition in dash, 69 is on steering column
68 was last year for the 327
69 was last year for the 427
(I may be a year off on this one but...) 72 was last year for the bigblock but there were actually a few 73 bigblocks....this is correct, isn't it??? And you'll always run into someone that says, "yeah, it's a 73 but it's one of them special bigblock 73's....uuuhhuuuu, sure, and you've got 3 ZL-1's too, right? Well, OK, some of them aren't lying but a lot are.

Questions:
What year did the rear go to a hatchback? 76?
What year C3's had the removeable rear glass?

 

The first year for the corvette was 1953. They were hand made in Flynt, Michigan.
Then in 54, the St. Louis plant was the birthing place until 1981, when half of the 81's were made at St. Louis and half at BG.

Chrome bumpers ceased in 1972 for the front and 73 for the rear, due to requirements for impact standards.


Tshort, the big blocks ran until 74. LT 1 till 72. The bubble glass started in 78. The removable flat glass stopped in 72.

There are alot more interesting facts. Just keep reading.

And go on a tour in BG, heck if I lived in KY, I would go at least once a month, you are bound to get picked to crank a new C-5 on the line at least once. :)


[Modified by 71,454,4spd, 9:19 AM 12/18/2002]


[Modified by 71,454,4spd, 9:21 AM 12/18/2002]

 

Some comments w/o agreeing w/ all posts above.

68-77 are similiar. no glovebox. See 77Facts on my website. 68-72 had removeable rear glass.
78-82 had the fastback, 82 CE the hatchback


74 was the last yr. for the factory optional BB.

BB optional all years!

:cool:

Did a writeup on Stingray which I could post.

 

Engines by year w/ RPO, displacement, and power output with some notes
*Note - 1968-1971 GROSS hp; 1972-1982 NET hp*

1968
ZQ3 327/300
L79 327/350
L36 427/390
L68 427/400 (tripower, hydraulic cam)
L71 427/435 (tripower, solid lifter cam)
L89 427/435 (tripower, solid lifter cam, aluminum heads)
L88 427/430 (more like 550!)

1969
ZQ3 350/300
L46 350/350
L36 427/390
L68 427/400 (tripower, hydraulic cam)
L71 427/435 (tripower, solid lifter cam)
L89 427/435 (tripower, solid lifter cam, aluminum heads)
L88 427/430 (more like 550!)
ZL1 427/430 (L88 w/aluminum block)

1970
ZQ3 350/300
L46 350/350 (hydraulic cam)
LT1 350/370 (solid lifter cam)
LS5 454/390 (500 ft/lb of torque - highest factory rating ever)
*LS7 454/460 (on option sheet but cancelled with 0 deliveries)

1971 - compression lowered across board
L48 350/270
LT1 350/330 (compression down from 11:1 to 9:1)
LS5 454/365
LS6 454/425 (last of the solid lifter BBs - 9:1 compression)

1972 - New net ratings - actual changes to engines from 1971 very minor if any
L48 350/200
LT1 350/255
LS5 454/270

1973
L48 350/190
L82 350/250
LS4 454/275

1974
L48 350/195
L82 350/250
LS4 454/270 (last of the BBs)

1975 - first year of catalytic converter/y-pipe - no other changes from '74 engines
L48 350/165
L82 350/205

1976
L48 350/180
L82 350/210

1977
L48 350/180
L82 350/210

1978
L48 350/185
L82 350/220

1979
L48 350/195
L82 350/225

1980
L48 350/190
L82 350/230 (last year for higher compression optional L82s)

1981
L81 350/190

1982
L83 350/200

 

So then did they stop making some big blocks half way through 74? Or were there a few 75's with BB's in them? Or have I been lied to a few times?

 

NO factory 1975 BBs. You have been lied to :yesnod:

 

Colt

In 1975 the Feds required cats in the exhaust that eliminated the Big Block from Corvettes forever. Chevy could get the 454 to pass the clean air emissions, but could not make a cat that would last 50,000 miles, as required by the law.

1974 was the last year for big blocks.

Terry

 

68's are more nightmarish to restore correctly than any other C3 :D

 

And here's another nugget regarding engine RPOs. For 1972 only there is no L48 engine option. It is the Corvette Base Engine when, as you'd expect, installed in a Corvette. Again, this was for only 1972. If the same engine went into a 1972 Nova, it was the L48. When installed in 1973 and later Corvettes, it was the L48 just as it was in 1971 when it was first introduced. Strange that the L48 name skipped a year. Look it up.

 

Black Corvettes were not available from 1970-1976. There were a few special (COPO) ones, so no rule seems absolute in Corvette land. :D

 

I did not know that. :cool: