What are the odds?
 

Hi everyone, I am new here... wandered in because I am looking to buy a driveable C3 and fix it up. I even have two gearhead friends lined up to help me with a "work for beer" program.

Although I am scanning the paper and online listings for any good deal on a C3, I would really like to find a 1974 convertible with a 350 and a manual trans. And as long as I am wishing, the Gymkhana option too. I think it's a needle in a haystack though... is there any place where I could find out just how many of this year and combination were built?

RE: What are the odds?
 

Hi and welcome to the forum.
Conv. production = 5,474.
Gymkhana suspension = 550lb front spring with 23.8 mm stalilizer.
rear spring = 304lb, which is a bit rough for a street car, but than can be bought. PG.

RE: What are the odds?
 

Right, and I see there were less than 4000 manuals built, but is there any way to know how many were both manual and convertible?

RE: What are the odds?
 

Hi Backstop and welcome. My figures show that about 34% of the '74s had 4-spd trannys so if the split is even for coupes and roadsters, then you could say about a third of the roadsters were manuals.

RE: What are the odds?
 

well as pg said there were 5,474 convertibles built. There were 3,494 manual transmissions built. As for the Gymkhama suspension there were only 1,905 built. (I got these numbrs from the Corvette Black Book)Well unfortunately there is no specifics on how many convertibles were built with the 4 speed or Gymkhama suspension but looking at the number the chances look slim to find one

RE: What are the odds?
 

yeah, so I guess that means I should just take what I can afford,and hope to hit the lotto later on. "Not quite the right vette" is a darn sight better than "no corvette" right?!

RE: What are the odds?
 

Right and you can always do it the way you want later. That's why it's important to get a good base Corvette to start with. :)

RE: What are the odds?
 

Replacing the suspension is fairly simple... sticking a Gymkhana under a stock C3 should be a no-brainer. Unless you are building up a show quality restoration, I wouldn't worry about what suspension pieces came in it originally. Finding the trans you want is fairly easy, and ALOT harder to swap out. My $.03 would be to find yourself a decent manual convertible and then get the ride you want out of it.

For fun, I ran a search on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1974-...em180204354436
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1969-...em170184847677
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1975-...em150206299556

bill.

RE: What are the odds?
 

Hi, that first car looks great, I put that much milage on in 1 year. Did they just drive 15 miles to church and back each week?
Forget the second car, can you say money pit!
Third one's not bad for 8 to 10 grand, to much as is.
Thanks for sharing the info. PG.

RE: What are the odds?
 

Agree on the second one. How could it be ready to paint with all of that 'glass missing under the front end? Also the 350/350 didn't come with a Holley carb or alum. intake.