1974 Corvette | HowStuffWorks

The 1974 Corvette was part of a dismal year for motorists in general and auto enthusiasts in particular. This was the year the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in the Middle East turned off its pipelines and touched off a global energy crisis. Gas prices soared as dwindling supplies had motorists waiting in long lines at the pumps; some areas even had to resort to rationing. Suddenly, big, heavy, and fuel-thirsty cars seemed out of step with the times. Fortunately, the oil embargo didn't last long, though its effects continue to be felt to this day.

Though the 1974 Corvette was much less fiery than it had been, sales kept climbing back toward the '69 record, this year totaling 37,502.

In many ways, 1974 was the end of an era for the Corvette. Engines, for example, would henceforth be tuned to run only on unleaded gas -- aided by the industry's wholesale switch to catalytic converters for 1975. Genuine dual exhausts would give way to separate manifolds routed to a single catalytic converter, then on to separate pipes and mufflers. What's more, this was also the last year for the Corvette's big-block V-8.

Elsewhere, it was the same old story: detail changes, most for the better. The market's growing preference for performance automatic transmissions yielded a sturdier Turbo-Hydra-Matic designated M40. Shoulder belts, a fixture since the 1971 Corvette, were combined with the lap belts into a single three-point harness, and the inertia-reel setup was changed somewhat. The rearview mirror became wider; radiator efficiency improved; the burglar alarm switch was moved from the rear of the car to the left front fender; and the power steering pump was made more durable via the use of magnets, added to attract fluid debris.

New for 1974 was one of the all-time bargains in Corvette performance packages: the RPO FE7 Gymkhana Suspension, which cost a mere seven bucks. FE7 was little more than higher-rate springs and firmer, specially calibrated shocks -- the tried-and-true formula used since the mid-Sixties in Chevy's popular F41 package -- but it improved handling all out of proportion to its paltry price. The F41 itself, which had begun with the Z06 racing option back in 1963, was still around in RPO Z07 and included heavy-duty brakes.

The Feds decreed rear "five-mph" bumpers on all 1974 cars. Corvette complied with a smart new rear-end cap covered in the same body-color plastic as the nose.

The 1974 Corvette defied industry sales trends by selling at or near its best-ever levels at a time when it should have done anything but, given the higher cost of gasoline and insurance, the sagging economy, and emasculated powertrains. Sales were up again on the year, hitting 37,502 units. Though the energy crisis would put a temporary damper on racing activities in 1974, things were more or less back to normal on the nation's tracks the following year, and the Corvette would continue to shine in SCCA competition throughout the remainder of the Seventies.

Learn about other Corvettes in this generation:

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1974 Corvette Specifications

The 1974 Corvette featured a "taillift" for a fresh look that also complied with a new federal rule for "five-mph" rear bumpers. Otherwise, most of the changes for this year's model were in the details. Here are the specifications for the 1974 Corvette:

Mechanical Specifications (2-door convertible/coupe)

Suspension
front: Independent; upper and lower A-arms, coil springs, tubular hydraulic shock absorbers, antiroll bar
rear: Independent, lateral leaf springs, struts, U-joint halfshafts, trailing arms, tubular hydraulic shock absorbers

Wheels/Tires
8 X 15

Brakes
front: 11.75-inch disc
rear: 11.75-inch disc

Transmission
3-speed Hydra-Matic
4-speed manual

Standard axle ratio
3.36:1

Included with the 1974 Corvette was a new Gymkhana Suspension with stiffer springs and front stabilizer.

Engine Specifications

Vehicle Production and Base Prices

Options and Production

Color Choices (production numbers not available)

Looking for more information on Corvettes and other cars? See:

• Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.

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