Original pics of my 73 LS4

[William M.]

I have all the original paperwork for my 73 LS4 coupe. I was very lucky to track down the original owner and have been speaking to him about his experiences with the car. He factory ordered a loaded big block vette as his first new car and took delivery on his 23rd birthday. He was thrilled to learn that the car today is still very much like it was 36 years ago, being a survivor that acheived a Top Flight on it's first attempt in September. I e-mailed him many pictures of his former pride and joy. In return, he was kind enough to send me 4 Polaroid pictures he kept from when the car was brand new!

[Chris E.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

JACKPOT!!!!!!!!! Very cool stuff.

[William M.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

36 years apart:

[Robert R.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

William,
Great photos then and now.
There is something to be said about a Corvette looking very classy with whitewalls.

Bob

[William M.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

William,
Great photos then and now.
There is something to be said about a Corvette looking very classy with whitewalls.

Bob

I sure wish they were available as a repro, but Coker et al say they don't have enough of a market for '73 and up radials

[Robert R.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

All we can do is be patient as our turn for '73 and up cars start to get the spotlight.

[William M.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

All we can do is be patient as our turn for '73 and up cars start to get the spotlight.

True. The economy isn't helping them develop low volume products at this point either.

[Robert R.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

Couldn't help noticing the Iowa plates on the original owners pix. Did you find your car there or had it made its way East to you first?

[William M.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

I bought the car a year ago from Conte's Corvettes in Vineland, NJ. Amazingly, they sold the car 3 times in a row. A binder with all the original documents had passed from owner to owner, so I had the original owner's name. The car was originally purchased in West Union, Iowa.

After extensive research on the internet, I found a person with the same name living in Texas. I noticed that it said he graduated from the University of Iowa! I figured this could be my man. Sure enough, I called him and he turned out to be very nice and very willing to talk about his time with the car.

It was his first new car and he went down to the local Chevy dealer and placed his ordered for a loaded big block coupe. 3 months later, on his 23rd birthday, he took delivery. He had the car until 1984 and put less than 2000 miles on it. A local kid had been bugging him for a few years to sell it, and he finally gave in for what seemed to be a lot of money for a '73 back then ... $14,000.

The 2nd owner used it as a daily driver. The original owner eventually moved to Omaha and really regretted selling his vette. One day he was walking a car show and saw a car that looked just like his. He asked the owner and he told him he'd bought it from some young guy in West Union, Iowa. The original owner went home and came back with all the original paperwork. The VIN matched! He could tell the 3rd owner was a real vette guy, so he gave him all the documentation.

Until I called him the other day, the original owner hadn't known the whereabouts of the car since the mid 1980's. He was happy to know it had been preserved so well and was in the hands of someone who would strive to keep it original. I explained what a NCRS Top Flight meant and he was very proud of his old ride!

[George C.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

This is why we all LOVE Corvettes.Save the Wave. >George

[Steve B.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

Congrats, I love cars with ownership history from new.

[William M.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

Congrats, I love cars with ownership history from new.

I have to admit, it was a different feeling the first time I got back in the car after speaking with the original owner. I felt like I was part of history!

[Robert R.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

It really was good fortune for the other owners not to make the car "better" while they owned it.
Have you shared your recent photos with the original owner?
It just might make him want to get back in to owning another one again.

BTW - as far as '73s go, to me they do not get the respect it should.
As far as styling, this model year should be compared as the refinement of the Stingray cars the same way the '67 is to the earlier Sting Rays.
..just my 2 cents.

[William M.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

It really was good fortune for the other owners not to make the car "better" while they owned it.
Have you shared your recent photos with the original owner?
It just might make him want to get back in to owning another one again.

BTW - as far as '73s go, to me they do not get the respect it should.
As far as styling, this model year should be compared as the refinement of the Stingray cars the same way the '67 is to the earlier Sting Rays.
..just my 2 cents.

Yes, I did e-mail the original owner a whole bunch of pictures. He really got a kick out of seeing his first car 36 years later.
I absolutely agree with your comment about the '73 being the ultimate refinement of shark styling. Larry Shinoda agreed also, saying 73's came closest to the style he originally envisioned.

[David H.]

Re: Original pics of my 73 LS4

Very nice post and beautiful car! '73 was a great year!