A $1M COPO '73 Corvette Claims Low-Mileage Survivor Status, Runs on the Wrong Tires

The universe of collectible automobiles has seen (one) too many occasions where a seemingly ordinary car is overpriced manyfold just because. We have one more for you: a 1973 special-order Chevrolet, a COPO Corvette, if we are to take the seller's word for it, with 14,000 miles (22,500 km) on the clock.

Around 30 bowtie All-American sportscars came out through a Central Office Production Order that year, and only four had a black exterior and a four-speed. Three black and one tan interiors were the customers' requests for the special Corvettes.

The rumor mill leads us to believe that only one black-on-black survived to see the 2023 light of day - If so, this car could be a one-of-its-kind survivor. If that's the case, then this automobile is the same one starring in a short video from 2019 (see it at the end of this story).

Granted, it has been restored – and the undercarriage photos demonstrate this – but it retains the original L-82 V8, M21 close-ratio manual four-speed gearbox, and 3.36 rear. The original buyer must have wanted his Corvette to stand out from everything else on the road and luxurious comfort to tear up the highway in style.

Four-season air-conditioning was the single most expensive optional extra installed on this Corvette - $425. For comparison, the Turbo-Fire Special 350 CID (5.7-liter) V8 (better known by its street name of L-82) cost $299. The AM/FM radio was another luxury creature comfort choice – just $23 less than the powerplant!

The driver wanted power – both under the hood and at the wheel: power brakes, power steering (with tilt-telescopic column), and power windows shook off an extra $232. Add the custom black interior and unique exterior Tuxedo Black hue (not available in the 1973 Corvette catalog). The grand total sums up to $7,236. By contrast, the MSRP for a standard Corvette was $5,561.

If we are to convert that seven grand (and change) into 2023 values, this COPO Corvette's price would be $48,369.89. However, the seller asks 20 times that number – a perfect example of liberty of commerce.

The trick is to convince someone to come up with the money and pour it in. The car has a history of expensive change of hands – in august 2020, for example, the Corvette was sold for half the current asking price - a now-bargain-looking $500,000.

One particular detail in the description of that selling ad stands out. The dealership notes that, at that moment, the right-side window was "inoperable," and the tilt-away headlights did not come up. Otherwise, the car ran and drove flawlessly. Since the mileage hasn't changed in between 2020 and today, we could assume it still does.

And still, someone paid half a million bucks for the car – which had received a Top Flight Award certification in late 2007, thanks to previous ownership restoration works. In 2008, the car changed hands again – the sum is unknown – and over $90,000 were invested by the new proprietor in further refurbishment.

The automobile was ordered through one out-of-the-ordinary dealership: Hory Chevrolet in Larchmont, New York (the badge is still on the back). If it doesn't ring a bell, please note that the selling office belonged to Bill Kolb, Jr. The man is a legend in automotive circles. Ironically, his fame is closely tied to Ford, not the arch-rivals GM.

Bill Kolb was a great salesman; at one point, he was the no. 1 selling dealer for Shelby automobiles on the East Coast. Between 1962 and 1967, Kolb sold around 800 Shelbys. When he switched to Chevrolet, his fame followed along, so when he put in a COPO for a '73 Corvette, GM accepted.

Bill Kolb confirmed the story of this COPO Chevrolet in 2020 for the then-selling dealership, and the consistent documents folder accompanying the car backs this otherwise romantic tale. The following papers are claimed to be all original: window sticker, owner's manual, new car warranty, maintenance schedule, firestone pamphlet, consumer information, emissions control systems, Corvette owner's card, and first-owner registrations and title.

One detail strongly interferes with the originality theme: the redline tires are not consistent with the period - the rubbers had been offered on Corvettes only until 1969. This COPO' Vette looks stunning with those thin red stripes on the black tires, but it's still a million-dollar mishap.

Also, the state of the headlamps and passenger window is unclear. Still, a curious spirit can ask the seller about the details. Although appraised as "mint condition," the photos taken in 2020 reveal some minor imperfections on the paint – nothing serious unless we factor in the seven-figure price tag.

A collector's gold nugget, this 1973 Corvette COPO is both intriguing and alarming. After all, it has a million-dollar question to answer (should any deep-pocketed potential buyers home their attention to this hypnotizing vehicle).