1976 Corvette

The Corvette's hold on the public was such that its 1969 sales record was decisively smashed in 1976, despite the convertible's demise and few changes made to the remaining coupe. Dealers moved 46,558 Corvettes before closing the books on model year 1976, a reflection of the recovering economy and shrinking competition in the Corvette's price/performance class.

Style-wise, the veteran Shark looked nicer than ever for 1976. The faux air-extractor vents vanished from the rear deck, rear bumper trim was slightly altered, and a new four-spoke sport steering wheel arrived, though the latter irked some diehard fans because it was borrowed from the subcompact Vega GT.

To the delight of speed freaks, however, horsepower ratings began climbing again on slightly higher compression, again courtesy of the catalytic converter. The L48 gained 15 horses for a total of 180; the L82 went up to 210 bhp. Modified induction also helped. Both engines breathed through an intake that was now in front of and above the radiator instead of at the cowl near the windshield. The change was made to remedy the noise of air being gulped in so close to the passenger compartment. To increase rigidity and reduce heat seepage from the hotter-running engines, a steel subsection was added to the forward body structure.

Unfortunately, Chevrolet had no answer for the sharp inflation that had plagued consumers since the 1973-74 energy crisis, except to pass along the higher costs. Though the base price of the 1976 model was $7,604.85, a full complement of options and the usual ancillary charges could put it just over $10,000 as delivered. Enthusiast magazines' opinions remained tepid at best. Still, though prices were rising and the Shark may have been aging, there was still nothing else quite like the Corvette. There were certainly far fewer Detroit performance cars of any kind by 1976, which was a definite factor in the car's renewed sales strength.

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:

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

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1976 Corvette Specifications

Despite no convertibles and few other changes, Corvette sales rose another 21 percent for 1976 to 46,558 units, breaking the '69 record at last. Here are the specifications for the 1976 Corvette:

Vehicle Specifications
Coupe
Wheelbase, inches
98.0
Length, inches
185.2
Width, inches
69.0
Track, inches
front: 58.7 rear: 59.4
Height, inches
47.9
Curb weight, pounds
3,608

Mechanical Specifications (2-door 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
3.08:1 (auto) 3.36:1 (manual)

Engine Specifications

Type ohv V-8
ohv V-8
Displacement, liters/cubic inch
5.7/350 5.7/350
Bore X stroke, inches 4.00 X 3.48 4.00 X 3.48
Fuel management
1 X 4-bbl. 1 X 4-bbl.
Horsepower @ rpm
180 @ 4,000
210 @ 5,200
Torque @ rpm, pound-foot
270 @ 2,400
255 @ 3,600

Published Performance Numbers

Acceleration180 hp, 4-speed manual
210 hp, 4-speed manual
0-60 mph, second
6.8
6.8
0-100 mph, second
20.2
19.5
1/4-mile, second
15.4 @ 91.5
15.3 @ 92.1

Vehicle Production and Base Prices

Car Type
Production Price
2-door coupe
46,558 $7604.85

Options and Production

Option Production Price
Custom Interior Trim
36,762

$164.00

Power Windows
38,700
$107.00
Rear Window Defogger
24,960
$78.00
Air Conditioning
40,787
$523.00
Optional Rear Axle Ratio
1,371
$12.00
Gymkhana Suspension
5,368
$35.00
Power Brakes
46,558
$59.00
210 hp Engine
5,720
$481.00
4-Speed Manual Transmission, close ratio
2,088
$0.00
Turbo Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission
36,625
$0.00
Tilt-Telescopic Steering Column
41,797
$95.00
Power Steering
46,385
$151.00
White Stripe Steel Belted Tires, GR70 X 15
3,992 $37.00
White Letter Steel Belted Tires, GR70 X 15
39,923 $51.00
AM/FM Radio, stereo
34,272
$281.00
AM/FM Radio
11,083 $187.00
Heavy Duty Battery
25,909
$16.00
Map Light (on rearview mirror)
35,361
$10.00
California Emission Test
3,527
$50.00
Aluminum Wheels
6,253
$299.00

Color Choices and Production

Color Choice
Production
Classic White
10,674
Bright Blue
3,268
Mahogany
4,182
Buckskin
2,954
Orange Flame
4,073
Silver
6,934
Dark Green
2,038
Bright Yellow
3,389
Dark Brown
4,447
Red
4,590

Learn about other Corvettes in this generation:

1968 Corvette
1969 Corvette 1970 Corvette
1971 Corvette 1972 Corvette
1974 Corvette 1975 Corvette 1976 Corvette
1977 Corvette


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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