People frequently ask us about what’s hot and what cars they should buy as an investment. While we typically discourage people from thinking of old cars as investments, we will note that the 1970-73 Corvette is on our “buy and hold” list right this moment. Their advantages are many, including plenty of horsepower and the good looks of the early chrome bumper cars, plus they’re extremely drivable and easy to live with. For many years they’ve been extremely affordable, which often makes people overlook them. Well, prices are on the move and we can’t seem to keep early ‘70s C3s in stock, signaling a shift in the market. So if you’ve been looking for a hobby car, maybe something to play with on weekends that won’t cost a fortune to buy or own, and something with plenty of style and yes, some investment potential, we urge you to take a good, close look at this beautiful 1972 Corvette coupe.

Coming out of long-term ownership with a very finicky guy, this is the kind of car you want to own. Whenever something wasn’t working, it got fixed. When something didn’t seem right, it was addressed. The result is a car that runs and drives superbly, looks like a million bucks, and offers a long list of options including cold factory A/C, power windows, and a leather interior, making it very easy to live with. Remarkably, Elkhart Green was the second most popular color in 1972 (first was Ontario Orange) and given the upscale look on the car today, it remains extremely appealing. It’s a bold green but elegant, not brash, and it suits the dramatic curves of the Stingray just fine, letting the shape do all the talking. 1972 Corvettes were little changed, but it’s worth noting that this is the final year for a chrome front bumper, one of the defining styling cues of the third-gen ‘Vette. Things just weren’t the same when they switched to urethane. Fit and finish on this car are very good, particularly as far as Corvettes go, and the important stuff is right: headlights sit flush, doors swing closed with a nice THUNK, and when it was repainted, all the usual factory flaws were erased. The only notable issue is that the windshield wiper door—always problematic on these cars—doesn’t quite sit flush when closed, but that’s a pretty minor complaint. The lone modifications are the side pipes and the back-up lights tucked into the former exhaust outlets in back, which are actually Impala units that fit like they were born there.

Code 421 Saddle leather is how this car was ordered, and that’s what’s in the car today. Newer seat covers make it look crisp and fresh, but we believe everything else is original and in great shape. It’s easy to get comfortable in the C3’s interior and the view over that hood is still a treat 40 years later. This particular car is loaded up with options, including the aforementioned A/C (just serviced and fully functional), power windows, a tilt steering column, plus power steering and brakes. Big, easy-to-read gauges look great and they are all fully operational except the clock, which isn’t surprising. A later AM/FM/cassette stereo provides the music and uses original-style knobs for an OEM look. It also includes removable T-tops and rear window, giving a true open-air experience that later cars just can’t match. The rear cargo area is reasonably spacious for two people and their overnight bags, so road trips in this car can be a lot of fun.

Originally equipped with the base 350 cubic inch V8 making 200 horsepower, the engine is a later GM crate motor rated at 350 horsepower, a significant boost. The original, numbers-matching engine is available to the new owner, so if you do wish to take it back to factory spec, that’s an option. However, once you drive this car as it is, you probably won’t want to give up almost 40% of your horsepower. The crate engine wears an original air cleaner and finned valve covers, plus factory accessories, carburetor, and ignition, so it looks correct—without checking the numbers, nobody will know this isn’t the original engine. Recently tuned, it runs superbly, starting easily with a nice V8 burble from the side pipes, and on the road it pulls heroically in any gear. You’ll note there’s a lot of new gear under the hood, including the A/C compressor, and on the road this car has exactly zero bad habits. It stays cool in traffic, it loafs along on the highway, and is still a threat in the stoplight grand prix. If you want a runner, this is a great choice.

The stout small block is backed by the original, numbers-matching 4-speed manual gearbox which racks through the gears like all Muncies—precise but heavy. Treat it gently and it’ll work OK, but what it really wants is to be driven hard and then the car really starts to dance. Out back there are comfortable 3.08 gears, so it’s comfortable on the highway with the A/C blasting and the warmed-over engine has plenty of guts to feel punchy on the street. The undercarriage hasn’t been restored but you can see that this car has never lived in a wintry climate and remains clean and dry. The side pipes give you plenty of room to work underneath and it has been recently augmented with new shocks, so it rides and handles as well as any C3 we’ve driven. The critical areas of the birdcage and the kick-ups ahead of the rear wheels are completely solid without any issues, so no fears of rust or rot in those important spots. 15-inch Rally wheels were the only choice in 1972, with these wrapped in fat 225/70/15 Firestone radials with lots of life left in them.

These cars get everything right: affordable, fun to drive, and still a show-stopper on the street. Good early C3s are still wonderful cars to own with plentiful parts support and modern performance that doesn’t feel five decades old. That’s why we like them so much and why we recommend cars like this to our clients. Get in, have fun, and ride the wave as these cars gain in popularity over the coming years. Call now!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.