1970 Corvette

Description

The C3 Chevrolet Corvette debuted in 1968 and lasted until 1982.

1970 Corvettes had a new silver egg-crate grill with larger, rectangular signal lights. The signal lights had clear lenses and amber bulbs. The front fender louvers were changed to one large opening with a matching egg-crate style grill.

The rear edge of the wheel well openings, both front and back, now had built-in fender flares to better cover the eight inch wide tires and to protect against stone chips. Exhaust pipe tips at the rear of the car were now rectangular.

The seats were redesigned and were taller with built-in headrests and shoulder belts.

The base 350 engine remained the same and was still rated at 300 horsepower and 300 foot-pounds of torque. 1970 was the first year of the original LT1 engine with 350 cu in displacement, 370 hp, and 380 ft-lbs of torque. The 427 was gone, and so were the L88 and ZL1 engine options. The 427 was replaced with a 454 cubic inch Chevy big block, rated at 390 hp and 500 ft-lbs of torque (LS5), or 465 hp and 490 ft-lbs of torque (LS7). Reportedly, no LS7 Vettes were sold.

1970 would mark the highest rated horsepower and torque ratings for any Corvette until the 2006 Z06.

1970 Corvette Key Differences

1970 and 1971 Corvettes had front signal lights with clear lenses which set them apart from 1972 Vettes which had amber lenses.

'70 and '71 Vettes are virtually identical but can be differentiated by the chrome trim strip surrounding the front grill. In 1970, only one screw is visible from the front, unlike 1971, when three screws are visible.

Another difference is the engine specifications plaque mounted on the central console. 1970's Corvettes have 10.25 or higher compression ratios, while 1971's have 9.0 or lower compression ratios.

Similar Years

1970 to 1972 Corvettes are very similar and have the same egg-crate front grill and side louvers, the same rectangular front signal lights, and the same chrome bumpers front and rear.

How to Identify a 1970 Corvette

1970 C3 Chevy Corvette

• C3 Corvette body style (1968-82)
• Corvette coupe shown

1970 Corvette Side Louvers

• The side fender louvers were changed to an egg-crate design which matched the new grill (1970-72)
• The "Stingray" emblem was still above the louvers (1969-76)

1970 Corvette Grill

• The grill was now a silver metal egg-crate design (1970-72)
• Front signal lights were rectangular and larger than the old ones (1970-72)
• The chrome trim strip surrounding the grill was held on by only one screw visible from the front (the others were from behind). On the bottom part of the strip, there are no visible screws, unlike 1971, when two screws on the bottom are visible (1970)
• The chrome front bumper continued (1968-72)

1970 Corvette Signal Light

• The rectangular signal lights had a clear lens with an amber bulb (1970-71)

1970 Corvette Fender Flares

• For 1970, small fender flares were added to the bottom edges of the wheel-well openings to cover the wide tires (1970-82)

1970 Corvette Exhaust Tip

• The exhaust pipe tips exiting under the rear bumpers were now rectangular instead of round (1970-73)

1970 Corvette Seats

• The seats were redesigned and were taller with built-in headrests (1970-77)

1970 Corvette Door Handle

• The door handle and lock, changed for 1969, remained the same (1969-82)

1970 Corvette Roof Panels

• Removable T-Top roof panels were standard (1968-82)

1970 Corvette Rear Window

• The coupe rear window was flat and vertical (1968-77)
• The rear window was removable and could be stored behind the seats on a storage tray (1968-72)

1970 Corvette Dash

• The dash remained unchanged from the previous year

1970 Corvette Console Plaque

• A plaque mounted on the center console indicated the engine specs (1969-76)
• Compression ratios of 10.25 or higher indicate a 1969 or 1970 Corvette (1969-70)
• Fiber optic lamp monitors were also in the center console (1968-71)

1970 Corvette Front Flags Emblem

• The front crossed-flags flags emblem continued unaltered (1968-72)

1970 Corvette Tail lights

• The tail lights kept the design of the previous year with one red light, and one red & white light on each side (1969-82

1970 Corvette Rear Bumper

• Chrome rear bumpers, one on each side, did not change (1968-72)

1970 Corvette Standard Hood

• The standard hood for Vettes with 350 engines was smooth with a slightly raised center section (1968-72)

1970 454 Corvette Hood

• The hood for cars equipped with a 454 engine had a raised power bulge with air vents (1968-72)
• "454" emblems were mounted on the side of the bulge

1970 Corvette Fuel Filler Door

• The design of the fuel filler door on the rear deck continued unchanged (1968-73)

1970 Corvette Headlights

• Hidden headlights were the same for all C3 Corvettes (1968-82)

1970 Corvette Wheel

• Corvettes came standard with slotted steel rims with outer chrome trim rings and chrome center caps (1968-82)

More 1970 Corvette Pictures

For more photos of vintage 1970 Corvettes, visit the C3 Corvette Image Gallery at the Muscle Car Jungle.

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