Driving The 1974 Chevrolet Corvette - (POV Binaural Audio) 

I prefer the earlier stingrays with the chrome bumpers and more power, but this is still a beauty.

When I was maybe 6-7, my dad had a 1978 Corvette hardtop when it was new. Boy am I having some happy memories. Thanks Tedward.

A family friend loaned me his 1974 Corvette with 350 and 4 speed manual for me to drive to my 1979 Senior Prom. I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was much more interested in the car than the date!

I remember my grandma telling me that back in the early 70s she had an Olds Cutlass 442 W-30 and she used to street race the younger kids with it. She said she always wanted a corvette but never bought one because it didn’t have back seats. Lol I think the C2 Corvette is the prettiest imo, but the C3 is slick as well.

The high beams switch on the floor like that was common for a lot of cars of this era. That 350 sounds great!

7:53 - I disagree. Completely unpopular opinion in today's 0-60 time obsession, but I think below 7 seconds 0-60 is a fast car.

Bro, this car looks better than any American car that year, ie mustang, camaro, and most cars from 74 until 2024. Truthbetold.

C3s are one of my favorite generations of 'Vette. Just love the lines.

Actually, the last year for the chrome front bumpers on the C3 was '72, not '73. That plastic front end showed up for the 1973 MY, not '74 The '73 is unique as it retained the old chrome rear bumpers while picking up the new front end to meet new front bumper standards So they are very easy to spot. New rear bumper standard went into effect for the '74 model years and thus the pretty fibreglass back end also went away on the C3 that MY.

The actual power drop wasn't all that much. They just changed the power ratings from Gross HP to Net HP.

Great video and beautiful car. One small correction, the 4 speed manual did not have an overdrive. Fourth gear was 1:1 just like third on the Automatic.

People chose the 454 engine in 1974 as it was the last year for it in the Corvette and it handled the a/c power loss better. Plus the extra torque feeling

These cars are probably one of the select few cars that actually look good with sidepipes.

More of the 70's cars, please!

Currently restoring my grandpa's 76 with my cousin. Having the small block and all of the emissions junk is unfortunate, but I still love the car nonetheless.

Yikes, I owned a '74 convertible. At theme it was a lot of fun as a cruiser. The convertible had a little cowl shake. The shifter and clutch were hard work. Still fun to watch. Thanks for the memory Tedward!!

If you are willing to take on the project of putting new vacuum hoses and seals in the canisters for the headlight system, the doors will go up at the same time and fairly quickly.

My granddad a 74 with sidepipes in candy apple red. I remember the warnings to take big steps getting in and out so you didn't fry your leg.

I had a 74 t-top. Hipo 350/turbo 400. Big cam, headers and electronic ignition. More than double hp than stock. Very fast with amazing launch. Everyone wanted to race, got irritating. Rode like a tractor with a bucket of rocks for a seat.

Oh man this is bringing me back - I was 8 when my dad bought an '89 brand new and I immediately knew I wanted one. Fast forward to age 21 and I bought a cheap '77 - it was a fixer upper but it was my car through my 20's. Seeing the interior in this video brings me back to my black beauty. I sold the car in my 30's but now I drive my dad's '89 ... full circle, in a way. These cars mean something to people. Love it.

I still think this was the most beautiful body style of the Corvette.

Growing my Uncle had ‘70 stingray. For me these are the quintessential American car. Everything from the sound it makes when you start it up to the smell of the carbureted unfiltered fuel is just perfect.

I’ve always known 73 and later C3s aren’t powerful/fast, I’m looking to get one someday.. they look great and seem like a cool cruiser!

I remember when all cars had the Hi-Beam switch on the floor. Been on the floor since the 1920s-late 70s.

One of my Dad’s best friends had 74 Corvette Stingray convertible in which he had the pleasure of driving. His exact words were when he was finished “It’s got power it’s pretty fast.”

I had a white/red 1974 Coupe. Loved it ! Miss that Corvette....

Neat coming across this video as my ‘74 Vette (red, t-top) is parked in the garage right now. Fun car and surprisingly inexpensive to own and drive. Had it thirty years now.

Being unfamiliar with these, that slick and elegant steering adjustment was quite a surprise. (thinking about it, my second car was built in 1994 and had no 2 way adjustable steering wheel)

I've always loved the C3, such a great looking car, but I like how my C5 drives. And the large space under the rear hatch of the C5 is nice also.

I had a 74 L82. Took out the stock engine and put in a race built sb 400 destroked with the 350 crank. Went 133 mph in 3rd and 160mph in 4th with 3:55 stock rear gear at 7000 rpm. Stock M22 rock crusher. They got the cats in 1975. Thats what killed them power wise.

Nice car I have owned a 2 1974 I presently own a 1975 convertible 4- speed I love the C3 rubber bumper cars

I have been waiting for this one! I just purchased a 1979 C3 corvette two weekends ago. Perfect timing man!

i honestly feel the C3 corvette is a car that actually benefitted from the crash bumpers. To me the paint matched front and rear bumper looks su much better than the older chrome ones. My favorite year of the c3 is 1980. Its gutless and only came with the 3 speed auto but they added the front air dam and the rear ducktale wing and it just looks so good.

My mom had one exactly like this when I was a kid. Loved that car. I used to take it out as a teenager and cruise West Colfax in Lakewood CO.

I had a 74 L82 convertible with an automatic just like the one in your video and a 1974 Coup with a 4-speed and a crate motor that was built oh what fun it was fast. Thanks for taking me down memory lane

Always liked the rear on this model.

Thanks for the ride along! Interesting, enjoyed your review. The 454 you were mentioning was maybe 220 hp. and was heavy to say the least. Taking a curve at any more then 45 you could feel it wanting to go its own way. compearable to a 396 Camaro with no power steering. They were a real work out. But the fun of rolling down the road was so cool back then. Look forward to more reviews CHEERS

LOL, loved that TPB reference! Cyrus blasting the same song every time in his Corvette is hilarious.

My buddy owns a 79 Corvette not a sting ray but it also does the lurch when you put it in drive I got to drive it for few hours on day was a fun experience

I have a '74 L82 auto coupe. The hipo 350 is actually pretty fast...i have other fast cars new and old and the L82 keeps up. Engine is stock but the turbo 400 has had a performance build and the car will bust the rears and get sideways on the 1-2 shift. '73-74 were basically the same car...same body and engines... except for that rear bumper...this vid car actually has a '76-77 rear cap as the corvette lettering is inset on a '75 like a '74. The blue on blue is exceptionally good looking

Prettiest looking Corvette imo.

I had a 74, silver with oyster interior, automatic. It ran like a 2 seater Buick. I've owned every series except a c1 and c8. The 74 was the worst performer of them all. But, it was a very comfortable car to drive on the highway. A little ungainly around town, bigger than it needed to be.

Great review, beautiful car. Funny how so many people go on and on about the lack of power these cars had. In reality, there really wasn't that much of a difference in performance between a 1968 Corvette with the base engine and later third-gen Corvettes with the base engine. Sure, compared to the big block cars, performance was diminished, but most Corvettes sold were with the base engines.

Now you have to eventually bring us your dad's 454 ;)

Cool car but 4 speed manual would be so much better 🤤

The C3 model years were 1968-82.

My dream car this is such a cool thing to say. Thanks Tedward!

Very nice. Very smooth drive

My dad had one of these in white with a tan interior. Same year too and everything. Unfortunately he sold it many years before I was born so I never got to experience it but he told me it was a fun car to drive and he always had his coworkers, maybe a girl or two, etc. wanting to go for rides in the thing. He said it was the most attention he ever got in a car, next to his 1982 Trans Am

I liked this so much that I had to come back to hit "like" when my auto play went to the next video. 😄

I got the red ‘72 with the 454 and the 4 speed… such a great car

C3 ran from 1968 to 1982. Chrome bumper cars 1968 to 1972. 1967 was the last of the "midyear" C2 Corvettes.

Aviators sunglasses for sure can’t resist

Purcased a stock '74 manual in 2011, very easy and inexpencive to upgrade with dual exhaust and 4 barrel carb brought the L82 to life. And oddly better gas mileage !? lol. 42,000 on OD when I picked it up now 175,000 so fun and relable daily driver as well.

The early 70's Corvette body style is my favorite. Always wanted an orange one since I was a young teen. Yep, that's a lotto dream car for me.

When I was young from 22-30 I had a 70,75and 78 ,I sold them and now at 65 and retired I'm about to buy a 74 .When you're a Corvette man you never stop being one.

Dude they're mad fun, awesome video! I'd let you take my '70 C3 for a spin but I got to work on the brakes... ☠ The 4 speeds are literally monsters though.

that cut at 7:05 made me think you were really about to pull out in front of a truck

In the 70s the 383 stroker swap was common on those years of low hp vettes. Lighter than a big block and more power.

@6:55 the 4 speed manual wouldn't have had an overdrive gear either. Fourth gear would be 1:1.

That is a 1976 bumper cover. The 1975 had recessed individual letters "corvette" logo

3rd gear is 1:1 but not really. Torque converter doesn't lock so it always slips. It slips more when the fluid is warm. When you first start on a cold morning you'll need, say 2200 rpm to maintain 60 but as you continue on your journey and fluid warms, that goes up to maybe 2400 to maintain the same speed. It's why in the old days they claimed autos were less efficient. And they were.

First model year of the C3 is 1968; you said '67 a couple of times (of course, model years started in the fall of the year before).

The C3 Corvette will always be my favorite because of its curvy swooping lines and pop-up headlights.

The 74 was the first year of urethane bumpers. It is the only year that is devoid of the black bumperettes that came on the 75, 76, & 77. This specimen clearly has a 75-style rear bumper.....which really makes it very "UN-74".

Gorgeous Colour

Nice vetted dude. Really like the blue paint on it. My dad had a white 78 with t tops. I have a black 94 lt1 with 6 speed. Love corvettes, so fun to drive.

I think they ran from 1968. Cool video, as always!

My dad had a 71' when I was a kid. Great car. Wish I could afford one today

4th gear in a the muncie boxes was also 1:1 The Single rear leaf spring didn't Negatively affect handling, it had a combined function of the ARB and springs. the base 350's were comparable to the 911T in 1969 Road and track did a comparison from 69 vette, 911T XKE and a 280SL

I like the nice back view off of the side mirrors.

C1 and C3 are the most beautiful classic Corvettes made, in my opinion.

Seems that a lot of people are fooled by the listed power output of those years, what a lot of people dont know is in 1972 federal law made it so car manufacturers had to stop rating their cars with "gross HP" or horse power measured from the fly wheel, instead, they had to switch over to "net HP" or horse power measured from the back wheels with a dyno, which obviously decreased HP ratings, not to say emissions didn't play a huge part because obviously they did, just not as much as most people think. For example, a 1977 L82 vette has about 210 HP listed, but motortrend actually tested that very model for its HP and came back with 315 HP because they measured from the flywheel, still not an outrageously fast car but a lot more than most people give them credit for.

I have a yellow 1972 Corvette Stingray 350 4-speed black leather interior T-tops pop out back window luggage rack with side pipes chrome bumpers front and back.... original owner was my grandfather passed down to my dad then passed down to me .And she is absolutely beautiful. Three generations Oh the stories I could tell you that involved that Stingray.... She still looks good pops taking care of her just like you would have.

real stuff

Everyone here seems hung up on original power. Who cares what the original power WAS. Few old cars have the original engine untouched. This car would be an excellent candidate for a 383 stroker like the one in my pic. AFR Aluminum heads, edelbrock intake, voodoo roller cam, headers. Makes about 450hp and 470 trq.

My Dad bought a '74 when I was a kid. It had the L82 engine so a bit more than the base, but still not enough for good burnouts. It was fast on the highway though. I remember back then my Dad's friend bought a beautiful white Trans Am with blue screaming chicken/graphics that stole the '74'C3's coolness thunder and then the final nail in the coffin was the spy photos of the sleek new C4 that were getting leaked. Once the C4 came out I just couldn't see the '74 in a modern light and was embarrassed to ride in it becaused it seemed so over the top by comparison. Things are different today and I love them, but this what I thought about as a 10 year old kid. Now in comparison my dad was offered for $6000 but couldn't afford a '69 Vette convertible with a 427, 4 speed, and in Orange of all things. What a car and that would have maintained it's cool factor back in the day by virtue alone of having the mystical 427. Big blocks tend to do that, lol.

To me the 69 427 in all its iterations was the epitome of the C3

Instant sub for the trailer park boys reference!

Wow! 75 Corvettes only had 179hp!!!

I had a 1976 black on black black T-top Corvette automatic in Los Angeles just a few months ago. I have never gotten so much attention from a car in my life and I've had plenty. I found it to be fun to drive and very comfortable just thirsty. Buyer exported it to Italy. I missed that car.

I had an all original 74 454 20 years ago and the steering wheel is either 75 or 76 on yours and unsplit trunk panels seems to be the same.

That was my first car but it is the convertable tripple black and i got my license in it . The instructor was in awwwwe telling me storys about his fun with one the hole time I will never forget i said to him what u want me to do he said i dont care just drive !.... I love that car so much that i still have it and drive it every year .....Its like my back to the past portal

Part of the reason a C3 Vette drives like a pickup truck is because the C3 _is_ body on frame and used coil springs, and was the last Vette to be traditionally body-on-frame before they switched to the perimeter frame and transverse monoleaf spring on the C4 Vette. Doesn't make it any less exciting though, I love C3 Vettes.

The top is down, on the black Corvette, and it's fly 'cause it's sittin' on Daytons......

If the car isn't "fast" you can't really blame the TH350 trans! If you had around 400 HP the automatic would scoot the car through the quarter mile in around 12 seconds and chances are would NOT be faster with 4 speed - ya the 4 speed is more fun.

it goes down one at the time, because your vacuum actuators has bad leak. They go up and down at same time just like any other cars if they are maintained (or repaired)

Same car Don Johnson drove in Miami Vice - just with a different body kit.

Most likely the headlight actuators need to be rebuilt. If everything is right with them (reference TheCorvetteBen's videos) both headlights will come up at the same time and pretty quickly at that.

Currently have a chance at a matching numbers stingray with a wide body kit I’m trying to get my hands on

My dad has a 77 and it has the old school interior they changed them after 79

Looks like someone bypassed the seat belt interlock system, 1974 only on ALL cars sold in USA.

Know what you mean. 68’ to 72’ vette is the way to go….for a c3

if that's a 74 - the bumper is wrong. That's a 1975 bumper

And one last comment, 73 was a one year only of painted front bumper and chrome rear ones.

Man, the play in that steering ...

C3 started in 68' not 67'. A teacher in my school in 5th grade bought a brand new 68' which was a big deal then. He was giving us kids rides around the block after school as we were walking home and he was leaving for the day. And no "Parental Approval" was not needed as would be today. In fact most school teachers today would driving a Honda Accord or Toyota Camrey and think its cool.

I have wanted a C3 for years.

I had a brown/tan '76 (last Stingray for a while). 5 speed and L48 180 HP about 30K miles all original. Paid around $7300. It didn't feel slow but that was 1983 and new cars were dogs. I loved the whine and solid mechanical feel and sounds of the transmission. None of my 4 cyl cars sounded or felt like that! It felt like a real machine and not a sewing machine. I quickly learned they aren't simply Chevys when I had to buy parts. Low brake pedal was calipers leaking. Rear end clunked after driving, needed new fluid and some additive for posi. A friend sold me his motorcycle and I was hooked and now didn't drive the Corvette. I should have sold it but it stayed in the garage while my car in the driveway. For decades. I finally sold it in 2015 for a real cheap price via a Corvette website. I felt bad and thought it would be a nightmare. Guy bought it after talking to me and had it trucked 1000 miles to him. He cleaned and fixed it up and later about doubled his money (not sure what he put into it). i figured it would be a leaky mess sitting so long. Next guy painted it, etc and lost money! Don't know it's whereabouts now. It wasn't for me but I had some fun. As some say, the best day is when you get a Corvette and another when you sell a Corvette. Maybe true for other toys too!

That passenger window was flying!