Photo: Craigslist
From 1973 to 1983, the Malaise Era hampered down V8-engined ponies, muscle, and sports car in the United States because the government wanted cleaner and more efficient cars. It all started with the oil crisis, and as a consequence of that fateful event, the catalytic converter was mandated for the 1975 model year.
Early cats were so bad that the 1977 Corvette with the 350-cubic-inch engine cranked out 180 horsepower. Like this particular ‘Vette, to be more precise, and the biggest tragedy of it all is that the 350 was one of the most potent engines of its day. On the upside, C3s from the Malaise Era can be had on the cheap right now.
Listed on Craigslist for $3,000 with a clean title, the black-painted Corvette “has been sitting a few years.” The owner says that it runs, yet it does need a new battery and gasoline in order to move under its own steam. “The car is complete” according to the ad, though complete doesn’t mean that it’s street-able or fun to drive.
The seller, however, does have a point by mentioning its potential as a project car. Look beyond the flat tires, missing Cor from the Corvette emblem at the rear, and the thrashed seats, and you can clearly tell that this baby wants to be restomodded with an LS, a TH350, coilovers, better brakes, and drag radials out back.
Even the original 350 can be taken to adequate levels of performance with a little tender loving care in the guise of new heads, pistons, a hotter camshaft, electronic fuel injection, maybe even a stroker kit to 383 cubic inches (6.3 liters). As it is, the original mill shows 81,010 miles (130,373 kilometers) on the odometer.
Looking at the pictures uploaded on Craigslist, one has to wonder about the frame’s condition. Sitting so close to the ground for so many years translates to corrosion, but thankfully, the aftermarket has replacement chassis for every budget.
Listed on Craigslist for $3,000 with a clean title, the black-painted Corvette “has been sitting a few years.” The owner says that it runs, yet it does need a new battery and gasoline in order to move under its own steam. “The car is complete” according to the ad, though complete doesn’t mean that it’s street-able or fun to drive.
The seller, however, does have a point by mentioning its potential as a project car. Look beyond the flat tires, missing Cor from the Corvette emblem at the rear, and the thrashed seats, and you can clearly tell that this baby wants to be restomodded with an LS, a TH350, coilovers, better brakes, and drag radials out back.
Even the original 350 can be taken to adequate levels of performance with a little tender loving care in the guise of new heads, pistons, a hotter camshaft, electronic fuel injection, maybe even a stroker kit to 383 cubic inches (6.3 liters). As it is, the original mill shows 81,010 miles (130,373 kilometers) on the odometer.
Looking at the pictures uploaded on Craigslist, one has to wonder about the frame’s condition. Sitting so close to the ground for so many years translates to corrosion, but thankfully, the aftermarket has replacement chassis for every budget.
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