Today we discuss one of my favorite big Chevys, the 1973 model. Why this one? Well, as with many things most folks remember fondly, it’s connected to my childhood. More specifically, the first James Bond movie with Sir Roger Moore, Live and Let Die.
In the ’80s, when I was a kid, most of the ’60s and ’70s Bond films played on TV on a regular basis. In addition, we had a VCR, and among the first tapes my parents bought were—you guessed it—James Bond movies. I watched 1973’s Live and Let Die all the time. If it aired on TBS or one of the other regular-cable channels, I’d watch it again—even though we had the tape.
“But what, Klockau,” you may ask, “does that have to do with the price of coffee in Omaha or ’73 full-size Impalas?” Ah, because the big 1973 Chevrolet was all over that film. Set mostly in the U.S., it seemed every scene in Live and Let Die had a brand new Bel Air, Impala, or Caprice—whether taxi, police car, or civilian.
And since Live and Let Die is in the top three of my favorite 007 movies (the boat chase is my all-time favorite Bond film scene), I got lots of exposure to 1973 Chevys. From Bond’s landing in New York, when he is picked up in an unmarked Bel Air pillared sedan (with ensuing Corvorado mirror-mounted poison dart mayhem), to the police chase through the Louisiana bayous, they were absolutely everywhere.
Whenever I see a ’73 Chevy, I remember Live and Let Die and smile. That car never fails to take me back. And so it happened that I attended the annual car show in Sterling, Illinois on May 4 and found this Dark Red Metallic ’73—in amazingly tidy shape!
I must admit that, though there were many compelling cars at the show other than this Impala, I kept coming back to it, over and over.
Oh sure, the first time I spotted the car, several folks were chatting in front of it, so I did have to go back. But even after I got more photos than I needed, I came back again … and again.
And while I did not get to meet the owner, I did get a chance to talk to his father, who related that he has a bunch of full-size ’70s GM cars. He generally buys and sells them, but if he finds a really nice one, he keeps it, like this one. The reason it looks so nice is that it only has 37,000 miles on it. Wow.
Under the hood was a 350 V-8. All 1973 Chevrolet Impalas and Caprices were V-8s, and all V-8s came standard with the Turbo Hydra-matic automatic transmission. But Bel Airs could be had with the 250 cubic-inch six—and you could get the six with a three-on-the-tree manual transmission. Bet there weren’t many of those!
1973 was the first year the Bel Air was the base full-size Chevrolet; the Biscayne had made its last appearance for 1972. As mentioned previously, the standard (and only) six-cylinder engine was the 250. The standard V-8 was a two-barrel 350.
Optional V-8s included a four-barrel 350, two-barrel 400, and for maximum thrust, the Turbo-Jet four-barrel 454 V-8. Coupe, sedan, pillarless sedan, Custom coupe, and wagon models were all available within the Impala series. If you wanted a convertible, you had to splurge for a $4345 Caprice—the sole version that year.
Today’s featured car, the $3752 Impala four-door sedan, was the most popular full-size Chevrolet of 1973: 190,536 were built.
Other Impala models were the $3769 Sport coupe, $3836 Custom coupe (with more formal roof and concave rear window), $3822 Sport sedan (four-door, hardtop roof), $4119 two-seat wagon, and $4233 three-seat wagon.
Bel Airs came only as a four-door sedan or two- and three-seat station wagons. Most expensive models of the year were the aforementioned $4345 Caprice convertible and the three-seat Caprice Estate wagon, at $4496.
All told, 941,104 full-size Chevrolets were built in 1973. No wonder Live and Let Die featured so many.
The ’73 brochure said, “New Impala. The great American value. Again. Impala comes through again with more value per dollar than ever before. With the roominess. With the ride quality. With the comfort features found only on cars priced considerably more.”
It continued: “Which shouldn’t come as any surprise. Impala has been America’s most popular car year after year, and the undisputed leader in its field when it comes to resale value.”
And this car even had the optional AM/FM stereo (as can be seen via the extra speaker on top of the instrument panel, and which my friend Jim Smith clued me in on), with an integrated 8-track tape player. As the Chevrolet tag lines said at the time, “Building a better way to see the USA.” And what could be better than listening to Carly Simon sing “You’re So Vain” or Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock” through your brand new Impala’s stereo system?
Carole King? Surely Carly Simon singing Your so vain..
Such different times, classy cars, classy music…
If by Carole King you mean Carly Simon… I don’t think Carole ever sang that.
Who do YOU think that song is about?
A big Chevy sedan…a beautiful car, what’s not to love! Those were the days….
