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1974 Chevrolet Corvette Getting Its First Wash in Years Is Incredibly Satisfying

1974 wasn't a fantastic year for the Chevrolet Corvette. Hit by the Oil Crisis and government restrictions, the sports car lost the massive power figures it came with in the early 1970s. While the 454-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) big-block was detuned from 460 to 270 horsepower, the 350-cubic-inch (5.7-liter) small-block went down to 195 horses. But it was a hot-looking sports car.
1974 Chevrolet Corvette gets first wash in years 7 photos
Photo: WD Detailing/YouTube
1974 Chevrolet Corvette gets first wash in years1974 Chevrolet Corvette gets first wash in years1974 Chevrolet Corvette gets first wash in years1974 Chevrolet Corvette gets first wash in years1974 Chevrolet Corvette gets first wash in years1974 Chevrolet Corvette gets first wash in years
With a sharper nose, a forward-slanted rear fascia, and devoid of old-school, chrome bumpers, the 1974 Corvette was a notable departure from its predecessor. It felt modern and Chevy took a new step toward turning the Corvette from a muscle car into a grand tourer.

And enthusiasts embraced the new design. Sales went up by about 25% compared to 1973 and continued to climb, reaching more than 53,000 units in 1979. Come 2022 and the mid-to-late-1970s Corvette is not a hot item among collectors, so many examples are either rotting away in junkyards or spending their retirement years in barns.

This 1974 is one of those examples that no longer sees action on public roads. Kept in storage for 15 years, it was brought back to life with a full detailing two years ago. But it still didn't get a second chance at life, so it just gathered dust over these couple of years.

Luckily, it was dragged out of the barn again for a much-deserved wash and polish. And unlike the first time it was cleaned, it also got a thorough refresh inside the cabin and under the hood. The result? Well, let's just say that it looks like a car you can successfully auction at a high-profile classic car event.

On top of that, it rocks a spectacular purple paint. And that's what makes this Corvette a bit of a mystery because Chevrolet did not offer this hue back in 1974. The color palette that year included white, silver, gray, blue, green, orange, yellow, red, and brown. So is this a special-order color? Is it a respray? My bet is on the latter. And whoever repaint this Corvette did a fantastic job.

And yeah, it's very close to Mopar's Plum Crazy and makes me wish this Chevy would not go back into storage. This thing needs to be driven for years to come. But until that happens, watch it become a Concours-winning piece in the video below.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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