Back in the mid-1970s, the automotive industry was struggling to meet new federal regulations.
The Corvette was a victim of those tough new rules, and the once-mighty performer was relegated to cruiser status.
One area where cars like this 1974 Corvette Stingray weren’t lacking, however, is in the looks department.
Fast forward 50 years, though, and it’s possible to enjoy driving a beautiful car while putting those performance worries in the rearview mirror – thanks to the many modern upgrades now available.
This dark red Stingray restomod up for sale on Corvette Forum in the San Jose, California area is a prime example.
While some might balk at paying the asking price of $32,000 for a mid-’70s Corvette, before you reach an opinion, first take a look at all the improvements that have been made to this car.
First, the stock 350 engine has been replaced with a stroker 383 that should pump out way more horsepower than the stock L48 predecessor’s 195. That new engine is also connected to a six-speed manual transmission with a heavy duty clutch, and an aluminum radiator with manual and electric fans keep it running cool.
Other mechanical improvements include rack and pinion power steering, drilled/slotted power disc brakes on all four wheels, fiberglass rear leaf spring, and much more. We really like the new Centerline wheels inside larger, more aggressive-looking tires with a nice tread pattern.
Inside, the car has been tastefully updated, with tan leather seats and other parts sourced from a ’77 Corvette. The owner also installed Autometer gauges and a Kenwood stereo with 6×9 speakers.
After all that work, the car “runs and drives great,” according to the seller, adding there is now “plenty of power” and the car is “happy to cruise on the highway at 80 mph.”
He says it sounds “amazing” with a “true” dual exhaust and Magnaflow mufflers.
We’re assuming the dark red paint has been redone at some point, though we’re not for sure. Nonetheless, it’s described in the listing as being in “very good condition” with only a few imperfections – a couple of chips in the paint on the T-tops and a few paint cracks around the Corvette emblem on the rear bumper. “Not a major issue in my mind,” the seller believes, “and [something that] could easily be fixed with some touch-up paint.”
With C2 restomods going for a lot more bucks than this, we believe this updated ’74 offers a lot of car for the money. What say you?
Source:
Corvette Forum
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I like it!!!
Not sure I would call this a resto-mod. For one thing, it’s carbureted. It looks more like a collection of random later model C3 parts, all cobbled together, from the rear bumper, to the seats, to the steering wheel, etc. Not saying it’s a bad build per se, just an unusual choice.
Kind of a litemod, but for that price, I’d be interested. Where is it?
@Kevin.B
It is located in San Jose, CA
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