1972 Corvette
In 1972, performance was being muted as engines bore the full brunt of emissions-lowering tuning. And the 1972 Corvette was no exception.
Ragtop demand was waning by 1972, and Corvette's
convertible was no exception. This 1972 wears optional whitewall tires,
also starting to fall from favor among Corvette buyers.
There were also fewer engines offered for the 1972 Corvette, the casualty being the top-rated LS6 big block. The LT1 small block eased from 275 net bhp to 255 in this, its final year. At least it could finally be ordered with air conditioning. Chevy engineers had been reluctant to offer this combination, fearing the LT1's high revving ability would pull the A/C belts off their pulleys; to help counter this tendency, tachometers on cars so equipped were redlined at 5,600 rpm rather than 6,500 rpm.
The Corvette's center console was redesigned for 1972
to eliminate distracting fiber-optic light monitors.
At that year's 24 Hours of Daytona, Tony DeLorenzo and Don Yenko scored another GT victory for the Corvette while finishing a surprising fourth overall. John Greenwood took his Corvette on to LeMans, where he qualified faster than any other GT contender. Unfortunately a blown engine during the race (he was leading the class at the time) forced him out of the running.
Learn about other Corvettes in this generation:
| 1968 Corvette | 1969 Corvette | 1970 Corvette |
| 1971 Corvette | 1972 Corvette | 1973 Corvette |
| 1974 Corvette | 1975 Corvette | 1976 Corvette |
| 1977 Corvette | | |
Looking for more information on Corvettes and other cars? See:
- Corvettes: Learn about the history behind each model year and see Corvette photographs.
- Corvette Specifications: Get key specifications, engine and transmission types, prices, and production totals.
- Corvette Museum: The National Corvette Museum draws Corvette lovers from all over the world. Learn more about the museum.
- Corvette Pictures: Find pictures of the hottest classic and current-year Corvettes.
- Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
- Consumer Guide Corvette Reviews: Considering a Corvette purchase? See what Consumer Guide has to say.
1972 Corvette Specifications
Fewer engine options and lower horsepower due to emissions restrictions marked the less-powerful yet still good-looking sports car. Here are the specifications for the 1972 Corvette:
| Vehicle Specifications | Convertible | Coupe |
| Wheelbase, inches | 98.0 | 98.0 |
| Length, inches | 182.5 | 182.5 |
| Width, inches | 69.0 | 69.0 |
| Track, inches | front: 58.7 rear: 59.4 | front: 58.7 rear: 59.4 |
| Height, inches | 47.9 | 47.9 |
| Curb weight, pounds | 3,593 | 3,593 |
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
| Type | ohv V-8 | ohv V-8 | ohv V-8 |
| Displacement, liters/cubic inch | 5.7/350 | 5.7/350 | 7.4/454 |
| Bore X stroke, inches | 4.00 X 3.48 | 4.00 X 3.48 | 4.25 X 4.00 |
| Fuel management | 1 X 4-bbl. | 1 X 4-bbl. | 1 X 4-bbl. |
| Horsepower @ rpm | 200 @ 4,400 | 255 @ 5,600 | 270 @ 4,000 |
| Torque @ rpm, pound-foot | 300 @ 2,800 | 280 @ 4,000 | 390 @ 3,200 |
Published Performance Numbers
| Acceleration | 200 hp, 4-speed manual | 255 hp, 4-speed manual | 270 hp, 4-speed manual |
| 0-60 mph, second | 8.5 | 6.8 | 6.9 |
| 0-100 mph, second | NA | NA | NA |
| 1/4-mile, second @ mph | 15.2 @ 83 | 14.1 @ 93 | 14.3 @ 92 |
(Source: Motor Trend)
Vehicle Production and Base Prices
| Car Type | Production | Price |
| 2-door coupe | 20,496 | $5,533.00 |
| 2-door convertible | 6,508 | $5, 296.00 |
Options and Production
| Option | Production | Price |
| Custom Interior Trim | 8,709 | $158.00 |
| Three Point Seat Belts | 17,693 | $0.00 |
| Power Windows | 9,495 | $85.35 |
| Custom Shoulder Belts (std w/coupe) | 749 | $42.15 |
| Auxiliary Hardtop | 2,646 | $273.85 |
| Vinyl Covering | 811 | $158.00 |
| Rear Window Defroster | 2,221 | $42.15 |
| Air Conditioning | 17,011 | $464.50 |
| Optional Rear Axle Ratio | 1,986 | $12.65 |
| Power Brakes | 18,770 | $47.40 |
| Air Injections Reactor | 3,912 | $0.00 |
| 270 hp Engine (NA California) | 3,913 | $294.90 |
| 255 hp Engine | 1,741 | $483.45 |
| 4-Speed Manual Transmission, close ratio | 1,638 | $0.00 |
| Turbo Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission | 14,543 | $0.00 |
| Tilt-Telescopic Steering Column | 12,992 | $84.30 |
| Power Steering | 23,794 | $115.90 |
| Deluxe Wheel Covers | 3,593 | $63.20 |
| White Stripe Tires, F70 X 15 nylon | 6,666 | $30.35 |
| White Letter Tires, F70 X 15 nylon | 16,623 | $43.65 |
| Heavy Duty Battery (std w/LS5) | 2,969 | $15.80 |
| AM/FM Radio | 19,480 | $178.00 |
| AM/FM Radio, stereo | 7,189 | $283.35 |
| California Emission Test | 1,967 | $15.80 |
| Special Purpose Lt1 Engine Package | 20 | $1,010.05 |
Color Choices and Production
| Color Choice | Production |
| Sunflower Yellow | 1,543 |
| Bryar Blue | 1,617 |
| Classic White | 2,763 |
| Targa Blue | 3,198 |
| Steel Cities Gray | 2,346 |
| Pewter Silver | 1,372 |
| Elkhart Green | 4,200 |
| Mille Miglia Red | 2,478 |
| Ontario Orange | 4,891 |
| War Bonnet Yellow | 2,550 |
Learn about other Corvettes in this generation:
| 1968 Corvette | 1969 Corvette | 1970 Corvette |
| 1971 Corvette | 1972 Corvette | 1973 Corvette |
| 1974 Corvette | 1975 Corvette | 1976 Corvette |
| 1977 Corvette | | |
Looking for more information on Corvettes and other cars? See:
- Corvettes: Learn about the history behind each model year and see Corvette photographs.
- Corvette Specifications: Get key specifications, engine and transmission types, prices, and production totals.
- Corvette Museum: The National Corvette Museum draws Corvette lovers from all over the world. Learn more about the museum.
- Corvette Pictures: Find pictures of the hottest classic and current-year Corvettes.
- Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
- Consumer Guide Corvette Reviews: Considering a Corvette purchase? See what Consumer Guide has to say.
