This may seem like an obvious question, because many people own their favorite C3 model year, but let's find out why....

What is your favorite C3 model year and why? (It doesn't have to be the year you currently own).

-Adam Wartell
NCM Lifetime Member #1222
Founder: C3 Vette Registry 
C4 Vette Registry, C6 Vette Registry

My first Vette, now owned by JB79:

I'll start.

1979.  Because it is the first Corvette model year I was exposed to as a child. I also really like the seats in the later C3s compared to the earlier C3s. And I like the fastback window instead of the flat one of the earlier years.

Sadly, however, I hate the build quality of that year. It holds the record for the highest number of Corvettes built in one model year. Thus, the build quality suffered.

-Adam Wartell
NCM Lifetime Member #1222
Founder: C3 Vette Registry 
C4 Vette Registry, C6 Vette Registry

My first Vette, now owned by JB79:

For me it is the year 1974 I own. Several firsts and only features with this year. A few last of also.

   

DanT

1973 for me. Not necessarily because that's what I own but I like the front end style and then keeping the prior rear end style. Plus it turned out to be a one-year only style which made it unique. I was never enamored with the '74 to '79 rear end styling. The '80-'82 style tended to bring back the original style and would be acceptable. I thought it went well with the hatchback window look.

I thought the '69 factory side exhaust set off the C3 from all of the other sports cars. Unfortunately the advent of cats pretty much did away with that possibility from the factory.

1973 L-82 4 spd

1970 LT-1 convertible.  The extra horsepower over the other available small blocks and the handling made it the best all around Corvette.  It wouldn't out run a big block in a straight line but put on a road course it would run circles around a big block.  While still available in MYs '71 and '72 the performance began to fade as the Fed jumped in.

Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!

Well, I didn't see this QOD till I passed by other entries. I'm partial to the 72', mine. The egg crates, dual chrome bumpers, last year, 4 speed, roadster, very different color, many things happened in 72 for me personally. I love it, the body shape is mesmerizing. 

Click on image for full view

72 or possibly a 73.

72=last year for chrome bumpers front and rear and no fiber optics.

73=still chrome on the rear, no vacuum wiper door and the beginning of quieting the interior noise.  Was Zora's favorite year.

1969 or 70. The 68 first year bugs worked out, but still hadn't started drifting away from what it was imagined to be at the beginning. And minimal smog related equipment.

Definitely the 69 I own. The only year of factory side exhaust. Also partial to the second year of the series. Had a few issues from the factory, but not bad. 

69. still one of the best looking I've seen. 

My favorite year was the 73, nice front end look with smooth lines, plastic grills, single side vents and no vac/ electric wipers.  I still Like the chrome rear bumpers and Square exhausts.  I currently have a 70 convertible, but prefer the 73 style and flow of the design on the 73 convertible!

The  biggest improvement was the wiper door delete!  The 73 has the best rear end treatment and last of high performance engines and a lot of smooth lines.  Love the little bubble cowl on the hood and improved sound deadening, better seat belts and the best of the old and newer features!   Add a later model HEI ignition and a few little improvements from later models and it’s probably the best all around good looking, good performing combo of all the C3s! 

I like all the C3s …… and each year has its pluses and minuses! My 70 Conv with some later model upgrades is hard to beat, but a 73 is probably the best overall! 

68-71 fiber optics were a cool feature, 👍 but a real PITA to maintain replace or restore👎🏻👎🏻

the 68-71 wiper door and hidden wipers is also very cool feature, 👍 had a nice low hood and looked great, 👍 but also a PITA to maintain and was a GM design failure! 👎🏻👎🏻

68-72 the metal grills and side vents look good  👍 but deteriorate quickly and are heavy and expensive to replace!  👎🏻👎🏻 Metal trim parts on a fiberglass car along with heavy metal headlight assembly’s were another design “feature” from GM! 👎🏻👎🏻

The 68 has so many unique features it makes it a PITA to restore, unique seats, door panels, outside door handles, dash and console panels, 7” rims, 327 engine, ignition on the dash, many other transition parts and trim.  PITA To restore and maintain. 👎🏻👎🏻 But the 68-69 side gills look great!👍

the 77 has a lot of unique features also, steering column, steering wheel, console and first year for radial ac compressor and Blue engine color, but the starting of the C3 to be a more sophisticated car 👍

74 was last year for  tach drive distributors, mechanical tach and points, unique rear end with split rear bumper 👍👎🏻

the 80 305 was unique, ran well for a 305, but only year for unique California engine👎🏻

the 73-74 seat belt interlock was a design failure 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

love my 82, another one year model with one engine option with cross fire and 700R4  trans, quiet, smooth and economical too!  Great driver! 👍👍

Each year has its positive ❤️ featuresand negative  👎🏻👎🏻 features but they are all good solid cars that  we made to be driven!❤️❤️

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I like the 1982 CE because of the 1 year only opening rear hatch, the one year only aluminum rims, the one year only tinted T-Tops, the 2 year only fuel injected motor, and the custom leather interior. Also the overdrive transmission. These cars are cheap and extremely under rated. A real C3 bargain for a 41 year old car. It’s still easy to find them in excellent shape also.

I have always loved the C3's with chrome front and rear bumpers -- so 72 or older for me.

I'm going to say 1978, not just because that's what we have!

Values of '78s always seem down on others, for reasons I never understand.   To me, it was the first year of a "proper interior" with things like a Glovebox etc.  It was also the first year of the "fastback" rear, which not only gave genuine luggage space, but also, in my opinion, looked better and, seems to be more in keeping with what people like Shinoda and Co were aiming for with their C3 design studies.  

I get, shall we say, frustrated by the "chrome bumper or nothing" line of thought as again, I think the soft bumper cars are more what the prototypes were aiming at.  And, I think GM deserves more credit than it gets for the look that it had , in effect, imposed on it by federal regulations.    As an Englishman I am only too aware of the abominations that were hung onto the front and back of Britains favourite sportscar, the MGB (and also the Midget), not to mention the park-benches added to Jaguars, Porsches etc.

So, yep, 78 for me😄👍

For me it is the I 1974 I own. Several firsts and only features with this year, also a few of the last offered.  I'm also finding it has one or two year only parts which makes repair or replacement interesting. 

My favourite has to be my "78 Silver Anniversary L82"--the year I met my wife of 42 years! ...plus I love the styling of both.

I would have to say a black 1981 Coupe, 4 speed. It's got great appeal.

My favorite C3 would be a 1970 with a factory installed LS7 454/560hp.

The 1970 b/c I graduated high school in 1970 and always lusted after a Corvette, plus there is no record the factory ever installed a LS7 even though it was listed as available, that would make it a one-of-one model.

I've always loved the 78 pace car, or the silver anniversary editions.  Those were the models I started my search for, when I ultimately decided to purchase a (rough/project car) 1979 C3.  I didn't wind up w/one, but have shown mine next to them @ a few car shows since starting the restoration in 2020.  I still want one someday, but am very happy w/mine and seeing her slow journey back to her "High School Figure".  I'll never sell the 79, but as soon as I'm able I'll provide a sibling-C3 for this one in the garage...as they're easy to become addicted to.  They're all C3's, but every year/model has unique qualities that you can easily fall in love with!  From chrome bumper cars, to the plastic-fantastic's, big blocks to small blocks, pace cars, silver anniversary & collector editions, Convertible & T-Tops, L88 to L82's, numbers matching to resto-mods...they're all desirable in their own ways.