LS4 454ci Big Block, GREAT CONDITION, #'s Match, Yellow/Black, PRICED TO SELL!!

….

Please call Matt directly at 513-708-1468 with any questions about this car.

Seven Hills Motorcars is proud to offer this numbers matching 1973 big block Corvette Stingray Coupe in fantastic condition with the high performance LS4 454ci engine and only 76,659 original miles. This Corvette looks great, runs well, and is a nice driver. It is finished the beautiful and highly desirable color combination of Yellow (952) over Black Leather (404). This is also the correct and original color scheme as verified by the codes on the trim tag, which is pictured in this ad.

Besides the correct paint and trim codes, this Corvette is "Numbers Matching" meaning the engine and transmission in the car are the correct and original units that were installed in the car new at the factory in St. Louis in November of 1972. The last six digits of the VIN, 404249, are stamped on the engine pad, which is pictured in this ad, and the engine is original to the car. The transmission is also original with the last six digits of the VIN stamped on the main case and pictured.

Thankfully, this Stingray comes with the original factory build sheet that is pictured in this ad which also verifies it is a true LS4 big block and all of the other desirable options like air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, power windows, and tilt wheel. Additionally, this car is verified as an original 454ci LS4 in a number of ways. First, on the engine pad is stamped “CWR.” This suffix code denotes an LS4 with an automatic transmission, which is correct for this car. The car is also confirmed as an original and authentic LS4 by the fifth digit of the VIN. Only the LS4 Corvettes with have a “Z” in this spot like this car does, a base motor L48 car will always have an “J” in the fifth digit of the VIN for 1973 and the L82 small block will have a “T.”

We have this car priced to sell and are offering an excellent opportunity to own a very desirable Corvette Stingray at an unbeatable value. The high performance big block models like this LS4 draw a great premium over the standard Corvettes. One could easily buy this car now and sell it for more than the purchase price in years to come as the market on early C3 Corvettes is very hot right now and on the rise, this is especially true for the 1973 model year as it was a one year only body style. Please peruse all of the photos, video, numbers, and other information below to get a true sense of how nice this Corvette really is.

As a side note, this Corvette is not a dealer auction vehicle. We hand pick each car after careful inspection. Our Corvettes come from owners who expect their car to go to someone that will give the vehicle the same care and attention as they did. We invite and encourage you to examine the car in person or have the car inspected. Please take the time to scrutinize each picture. We photograph each vehicle to the greatest extent so you can feel confident about your purchase. If you have a question about the Corvette, just give us a call.

Model Description

The 1973 Corvette was truly the end of an era. 1973 was the last year to feature a chrome bumper and is considered by some to be the last year of truly classic Corvettes. Model years after were more at the mercy of insurance companies, fuel prices, and emission concerns, 1973 is considered the last "good" year by many enthusiasts. The 1973 model year is also considered a special and different year for Corvette enthusiasts as it was the only model to have chrome in the back and a rubber bumper in the front. It is representative of the transition Corvette was making at the time. As in investment, the 1973 will always have an advantage and out perform other years because of its precedence as the end of a a very great period for Corvette and muscle cars as a whole.

Exterior

The Yellow (952) exterior is in driver condition. As one can see in the photos, the finish has nice gloss. The wheels and center caps are in excellent condition with a brilliant finish and no curb rash. The raised white letter tires are brand new and are correctly sized 225/70R15. The chrome and other brightwork looks excellent with no pitting. There are no major blemishes that have been intentionally excluded from the photos. There is some small spots and tiny imperfections around car that were too small to show up in photos, but nothing that is really noticeable from about five or ten feet away. The paint does have some spots and orange peel and would probably benefit from some wet sanding. We have done our best to accurately photograph the car, but it would be best if any perspective buyer looks at the car in person to get a true sense of the quality. As one can see in the many photos and video of the underside this car is very clean underneath and has NO RUST ISSUES at all. The frame is totally solid around the "key hole" area in front of the rear tire and we have seen no evident of corrosion around the windshield or “birdcage” area, which are the most common spots for rust on a C3 Corvette. We have included specific photos of the areas most prone to rust to show how nice this car looks.

Window Date Codes

Please note that almost of the glass on this Corvette, both "Astro Ventilation" door windows and the rear window, are all date coded and original as each piece predates the car's body build date of October 6, 1972 (C06). Original glass is a good indication that this car has had no major accident history and never sustained significant damage.

Interior

The Black Leather (404) interior of the Corvette is in outstanding condition. The gauge faces are crips and clean and the lenses are clear. The seats are in great shape with not holes or split seams, there is just a small amount of wear in the typical are on the bolster where the driver gets in and out. The carpet also looks great with no stains, rips, or holes. This includes the rear carpet, which is often neglected. The dash is in great shape with no cracks, fading, or sun damage. The door panels are also in nice condition overall. Please note that both seat belts work and retract properly. This is a common problem on C3 Corvettes and an issue many buyers do not think to check. The car still has an original radio; most importantly the dash has never been cut or modified for an aftermarket installation, but the radio does not work. This Corvette has never been smoked in; there are no burns marks and no aroma of cigarettes.

Corvette interiors from this era are not known to wear well and the excellent condition of this interior is a huge testament to the meticulous care and attention this car has received throughout its life and another great verification of the low original mileage. The interior looks just as good in person as it does in the photos.

Mechanical

This Corvette seems to be in good mechanical condition. The original numbers matching LS4 engine starts every time. This Stingray drives well and feels good on the road and at highway speeds. In the video below one can observe the car accelerating on the highway up to about 70mph, shifting through all the gears, braking to stoplight, and going through some curves. Please note that there are no strange noises or vibrations and the car performs quite well overall. The brakes are responsive and do not pull to one side or the other. Also, the engine compartment is beautifully clean, detailed, and correct as one can see in the photos.

The wipers work as do the exterior lights, interior lights, dash lights, and power windows; even the key buzzer still works. Detailed items like the “Door Ajar” light work. The blower for the heater and a/c works on all speeds. The entire vacuum system for the headlights works. The vacuum system also correctly from both of the respective switches on the dash and the override switch under the column. The entire operation from both switches can be viewed in the video. All of the gauges work with the obvious exception of the clock. As with many older carbureted cars this Stingray is cold blooded. It would benefit from some tuning and carburetor adjustments. The heater core has been bypassed. There is an occasional squeaky belt. We believe that the car sat for a period of time before we acquired it and we have only driven it a few miles. The previous owner completed a good amount of service to the car, but there still may be some items that need to be addressed so we would suggest again that any perspective buyer look at the car in person if possible. The a/c compressor will click on, but it makes noise so the a/c will need service. It is still a pleasure it is to drive this car, especially with the extra power from the LS4 and the T-Tops out on a beautiful day.

Overall Condition

Overall, this 1973 LS4 Corvette Stingray looks nice and is in good driver condition. The beautiful original color combination, the high performance 454ci engine, and the great extent to which the numbers match make this Stingray especially important and very hard to duplicate. Numbers matching is extremely important in Corvette pricing, especially for rare and high performance examples like this Corvette, and as one can see, this car is quite correct. There are photos in this ad of the VIN stamp on the engine block, suffix code, engine assembly date, transmission date, and transmission VIN stamp. The LS4 big block engine draws a great premium over the standard Corvette. This Stingray is a solid investment for a collector. One could easily enjoy this vehicle for several years and sell it for more than the purchase price with minimal effort.

Other sellers are not taking the time to show the car is in such great detail to give you all of the numbers, options, photos, and video. As stated above, numbers matching is extremely important in Corvette pricing, especially for an exceptional example like this car, and will become even more important as time passes and this car becomes older and even more rare. This information is very valuable and important for pricing. Any perspective buyer, for any of our vehicles or from other sellers, should ask for all the numbers and information before he or she makes a purchase.

Thank you for looking and please do not hesitate to email or call with any questions.

As a licensed and registered dealer in The State of Ohio we are required to collect sales tax for residents of Ohio with a rate based on the buyer's county. Additionally, Ohio has a special sales tax relationship with buyers who are going to register their car in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, or South Carolina so we are also required to collect sales tax. Please keep in mind the you will not be paying additional tax and you will not be taxed twice. Buyers from those states will simply pay of portion of their sales tax to Ohio and they will then be credited with that amount when they transfer the title in their home state. Buyers from all other states will not owe any sales tax to The State of Ohio. For all buyers, including residents of Ohio, all other states, and all other countries, we are required to collect necessary paperwork and have the current title transferred in the buyer's name and address. This process takes two days at the Ohio BMV and any buyer should expect to receive their title within 30 days of purchase, although it is usually closer to one week to receive the title once we receive the returned paperwork.

item
number
description

VIN
1Z37Z3S404429
The first digit, "1," indicated the Chevrolet division of GM.  The "Z" is the series, Corvette.  The "37" is the body style, coupe.  The fifth digit is the engine, Z, correct for an 454 car.  The sixth digit, "3," indicates the model year, 1973.  The "S" is the plant where the car was produced, St. Louis.  The last five digits are a sequence number so this is the 4,429th Corvette made for 1973.

Body Build Date
C06
"C" corresponds to October and "06" is the sixth day of the month meaning this Corvette's body build date is November 6th, 1972.

Engine Code
T0925
"T" means the engine was build in the Tonawanda, New York.  The "09" is the ninth month of year and the "25" is the twenty fifth day of the month meaning the engine was assembled on September 25th, 1972.  This is correct as it precedes the build date of the car.

Suffix Code
CWR
This means the motor was intended for a 1973 454ci Corvette with an automatic transmission, which is correct for this car.

Engine VIN Stamp
404249
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 404249, are stamped on the engine pad and pictured below, meaning this engine is original to this car.

Engine Block Casting Number
3999289
The engine block has the correct 3999289 casting number for a 1973 454 Corvette.

Engine Block Casting Date
I 11 72
"I" is September, "11" is the eleventh day of the month, and "72" is the last digits of the calendar year so the engine block was cast on September 11th, 1972. 

Intake Manifold Casting Number
353015
The intake manifold has the correct 353015 casting number for a 1973 454 Corvette

Intake Manifold Casting Date
I 22 72
"I" is September, "22" is the twenty second day of the month, and "72" is the last digits of the calendar year so the engine block was cast on September 22nd, 1972. 

Transmission Date Code
73-CS
"73" represents the model year 1973, "C" denotes the chevrolet division, and "S" means it was for a 454ci Corvette.

Transmission VIN Stamping
404249
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 404249, are stamped on the transmission and pictured below, meaning this transmission is original to this car.

Driver's Window
UY
"U" denotes the month July, and "Y" denotes the year 1972, meaning this window was made in July of 1972.

Passenger Window
UY
"U" denotes the month July, and "Y" denotes the year 1972, meaning this window was made in July of 1972.

Rear Window
UY
"U" denotes the month July, and "Y" denotes the year 1972, meaning this window was made in July of 1972.

exterior color code

952
Yellow

interior color code

404
Black

 

 

 

 

 

 

rpo code
description

1YZ37
Corvette Sport Coupe

A31
Power Windows

C60
Air Conditioning

J50
Power Brakes

LS4
454ci V8 Engine

M40
Automatic Transmission

N37
Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column

N40
Power Steering

QRZ
White Letter Tires

U58
AM-FM Radio, Stereo