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Last updated: 2008 September 29.

1973 January GM Design Staff begins work on adding a body to the experimental 4-rotor rotary-engined Corvette. [47.60] [580.262] In Henry Haga's design studio under direction of Chuck Jordan, design work begins on a future Corvette body. [580.262] February 3 At the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida, the Daytona 24 Hours race is held. Finishing 2nd in GT +2000 class and 3rd overall is the Dave Heinz #5 Corvette driven by Dave Heinz, Dana English, and Bob McClure. This is Corvette's best overall finish at this race to date. Bob Baechle, Roger Pierce, and Alex Davidson race the Weaver Chevrolet #64 Corvette but do not finish the race. Don Yenko and Robert R. Johnson race the John Greenwood #49 Corvette but do not finish the race. John Greenwood races the John Greenwood #48 Corvette but do not finish the race. Jerry Thompson and Ike Knupp race the Murray Racing #34 Corvette but do not finish the race. Tony DeLorenzo and Maurice Carter race the Troy Promotions Inc. #11 Corvette but do not finish the race. [212.12] [263.280] [423] [580.241] March 17 The National Broadcasting Company airs the pilot episode of The Magician airs on TV in the USA. The lead character drives a white 1973 Corvette coupe. [747] March 24 In Sebring, Florida, the 12 Hours of Sebring race is held, round two of the Endurance Triple Crown. Finishing 3rd in IMSA GT +2500 class, 3rd overall, is the John Greenwood #50 Corvette, driven by Ron Grable, John Greenwood, and Michael Brockman. This is the best ever overall finish for a Corvette at Sebring to date. Finishing 5th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 11th overall, is the Phil Currin #99 Corvette, driven by Phil Currin, Danny Fortin, and Bill Johnson. Finishing 6th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 16th overall, is the Leldon Blackwell #94 Corvette, driven by Wilbur Pickett and Bill Bean. Finishing 7th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 17th overall, is the George Garcia #41 Corvette, driven by George Garcia and Vic Shinn. Placing 8th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 19th overall, is the John Greenwood Racing #49 Corvette, driven by Jim Greendyke and Robert Johnson. The car is not running at the finish. Finishing 9th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 21st overall, is the Sebring Racing #61 Corvette, driven by Scott Chapman, John McLaren, and Bill Hood. Finishing 10th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 24th overall, is the Sebring Racing #47 Corvette, driven by Terry Keller, Robert Gray, and Neil Potter. Placing 11th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 28th overall, is the Performance Associates #3 Corvette, driven by Dick Bauer, Jim DeStefano, and Nick Engels. The car is not running at the finish. Finishing 13th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 38th overall, is the Ansley Racing Enterprises #97 Corvette, driven by Tony Ansley, Ron Connelly, and Steve Avera. Placing 15th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 42th overall, is the WGB Niagara Wines #69 Corvette, driven by Ron Goldleaf and John Tunstall. The car is not running at the finish. Placing 16th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 47th overall, is the Troy Promotions #11 Corvette, driven by Tony DeLorenzo and Steve Durst. The car is not running at the finish due to engine failure about halfway through the race. Finishing 17th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 49th overall, is the Race Enterprise & Developments #5 Corvette, driven by David Heinz and Jerry Thompson. Placing 18th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 50th overall, is the John Greenwood Racing #48 Corvette, driven by John Greenwood and Don Yenko. The car is not running at the finish due to engine failure. Placing 19th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 51st overall, is the Pironell Racing #40 Corvette, driven by Tom Nell, Rich Dagiel, and Joseph Pirotta. The car is not running at the finish due to engine failure. Placing 20th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 57th overall, is the Murray Racing Team #34 Corvette, driven by Ike Knupp and Bob Tullius. The car is not running at the finish due to engine failure. Placing 22nd in IMSA GT +2500 class, 59th overall, is the Jeff Stevens Racing #62 Corvette, driven by Jef Stevens and Peter Sherman. The car is not running at the finish due to engine failure. Placing 23rd in IMSA GT +2500 class, 64th overall, is the Iroquois Racing #54 Corvette, driven by William Schumacher and Rick Hay. The car is not running at the finish. Placing 24th in IMSA GT +2500 class, 71st overall, is the Alex Davidson #6 Corvette, driven by Alex Davidson. The car is not running at the finish due to engine failure. [79.72] [224.81] [348] [423] [580.241] [585.100] April The design of a future Corvette body is altered to suit the XP-882 chassis with 4-rotor engine. [580.262] A 3/8 scale model in clay of the body for the 4-rotor Corvette prototype undergoes aerodynamic tests in California's GALCIT wind tunnel. The coefficient of drag is measured at 0.325. [47.60] [580.262] April 15 At the Road Atlanta raceway in Gainsville, Georgia, the Trans-Am 500 race is held, part of the SCCA Trans-American Championship series. Finishing 3rd is the Jim Robbins Co. Corvette, driven by J. Marshall Robbins. In 20th place, but not finishing the race, is the Pironell Racing Corvette, driven by Joe Pirrotta and Richard Dagiel. In 25th place, but not finishing the race, is the Budd Corvette, driven by Tony DeLorenzo. [248] (March 15 [423]) April 21 At the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida, the three-hour Daytona Continental race is held. Finishing 2nd in GTO class and 2nd overall is the Race Enterprise & Developments #5 Corvette driven by Dave Heinz. Finishing 4th in GTO class and 4th overall is the Leldon Blackwell #94 Corvette driven by Bill Bean and Wilbur Pickett. Finishing 6th in GTO class and 7th overall is the John Greenwood Racing #48 Corvette driven by John Greenwood. Finishing 9th overall is the Phil Currin #99 Corvette driven by Phil Currin. Finishing 16th overall is the ALTO Racing? #83 Corvette driven by Bob Farrell and Lou D'Amico. Finishing 18th overall is the #19 Corvette driven by Lamar Mann. Finishing 25th overall is the Performance Associates #3 Corvette driven by Dick Bauer. Finishing 42nd overall is the #38 Corvette driven by Terry Wolters. Placing 49th overall is the #41 Corvette driven by Vic Shinn. Placing 54th overall is the Jeff Stevens Racing #62 Corvette driven by Jef Stevens. [104.151] [423] May 5 At the Lime Rock Park raceway in Lime Rock, Connecticut, the Schaefer Trans-Am 500 is held, part of the SCCA Trans-American Championship series. Finishing 5th is the Jim Robbins Co. Corvette, driven by J. Marshall Robbins and Jerry Thompson. Finishing 10th is the Widener College Corvette, driven by Dick Bauer and Bob Tullius. In 19th place, but not finishing the race, is the Greenwood/Briggs #48 Corvette, driven by John Greenwood. In 20th place, but not finishing the race, is a Corvette driven by Ron Goldleaf and John Tonstall. In 31st place, but not finishing the race, is The Budd Corvette, driven by Tony DeLorenzo. [214.105] [248] [423] June 9 In Le Mans, France, the 24 Hours of Le Mans race is held, over two days. Finishing 1st in GT 5000+ class and 12th overall is the Greder Racing Team #30 Corvette driven by Henri Greder and Marie-Claude Beaumont. Finishing 2nd in GT 5000+ class and 18th overall is the Ecurie Léopard #69 Corvette driven by Jean-Claude Aubriet and Depnic. John Greenwood and Bob Johnson race the John Greenwood #29 Corvette until the engine fails. [42.99] [309.25] [423] June The final shape of the experimental mid-engined Corvette is approved. [48.38] Eckler Industries opens its Corvette Parts division in Titusville, Florida. [316.37] June 16 At the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Course, in Watkins Glen, New York, the Trans-Am 500 race is held, part of the SCCA Trans-American Championship series. Finishing 3rd is the Greenwood Racing #48 Corvette, driven by John Greenwood and Bob Johnson. John Greenwood sets a race lap record of 99.737 MPH. Finishing 4th is the Jim Robbins Co. Corvette, driven by J. Marshall Robbins and Jerry Thompson. Finishing 15th is the Kepler Enterprises Corvette, driven by Fred Kepler and John Orr. Finishing 19th is the Ron Weaver Corvette, driven by Ron Weaver. In 25th place, but not finishing the race, is the Michael Oleyar Corvette, driven by Michael Oleyar. In 30th place, but not finishing the race, is The Widener College Corvette, driven by Dick Bauer. In 38th place, but not finishing the race, is the Stafford Racing Corvette, driven by Randy Stafford. [214.105] [248] [423] June At the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, Illinois, the first Bloomington Corvette Corral is held. About 1500 people attend the one-day show. 112 Corvettes are entered. 20 vendor spaces are filled. (The show's name is later changed to Bloomington Gold.) [131.77] [167.65] [169.36] [212.B6] [316.18] [325.4] (1972 [103]) June 27 The film Live and Let Die is released to theaters in the US. A recent Corvette appears, with fenders like those of an Eldorado car. [528.19] [584] (month unknown) Bob Patterson buys Grand Sport Corvette #003 from Mike Golas and Allen Foster. [3.53] [106.8] [112.82] [142.77] [322.40] (1975 [332.87] [358.45] [574.38]) AMT releases model kit #K-426 1973 Corvette convertible, in white plastic. [336.21] AMT releases model kit #T-420 1973 Corvette T-Top, in white plastic. [336.21] MPC releases model kit #1-7306 1972 Corvette convertible, in white plastic. The kit includes a Wankel rotary engine. [336.21] MPC releases model kit #1-7305 1972 Corvette T-Top, in white plastic. The kit includes a Wankel rotary engine. [336.21] MPC releases the 1/20-scale model kit #1-7330 1973 Corvette T-Top, in white plastic. [335.39] July Warner Bros. Pictures releases the film Cleopatra Jones to theaters in the USA. A customized black and silver 1973 Corvette is used in the film. [751] July 15 At the Sanair International raceway in St. Pie de Bagot, Quebec, the Molson Trans-Am race is held, part of the SCCA Trans-American Championship series. Finishing 3rd is the Jim Robbins Co. Corvette, driven by J. Marshall Robbins and Jerry Thompson. In 25th place, but not finishing the race, is the Weaver Corvette, driven by Ron Weaver. In 27th place, but not finishing the race, is The Widener College Corvette, driven by Dick Bauer. [248] [423] July Production of 1973 model Corvettes ends. [148.60] July 28 At the Road America raceway in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the Road America Trans-Am race, part of the SCCA Trans-American series. Finishing 1st is the Greenwood Racing #48 Corvette, driven by John Greenwood. Finishing 9th is the My Brother's Place Corvette, driven by Daniel Scott and Frank Reimann. Finishing 13th is the Bresee Chevytown Corvette, driven by Alex Davidson. Finishing 22nd is the Corvette Unlimited Corvette, driven by Don Hager and Thomas Simpson. In 31st place, but not finishing the race, is the Abex - Jim Robbins Co. Corvette, driven by Jerry Thompson and J. Marshall Robbins. In 34th place, but not finishing the race, is the Pironell Racing Corvette, driven by Joe Pirrotta. [214.105] [248] [423] (month unknown) Fred Kepler sells a 1968 L88 Corvette to Joe Searles. The car was raced at Sebring in 1968 as car No. 3. [147.22] Richard Fortier purchases the 1956 SR-2 originally built for Harlow Curtice. Fortier puts the car on display at the Sloan Museum in Flint, Michigan. [315.44] Bill Mitchell builds the Aerovette show car, based on the XP-882. It features 350-420-hp 4-rotor Wankel engine, and gull-wing doors. [42.90] [176.45] [236.71] (1974 [86.45]) August 11 MCA/Universal Pictures releases the film American Graffiti to theaters in the USA. A 1961 Corvette sits outside a 1950s diner. A used car lot has three Corvettes for sale. [785] August Jon Blanchette begins restoration of Jack Ingle's EX-122 1953 Corvette (VIN #002). [359.21] [697.48] August 19 At the Edmonton International Speedway, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, the Edmonton Trans-Am race is held, part of the SCCA Trans-American Championship series. Finishing 1st is the Greenwood Racing #48 Corvette, driven by John Greenwood. Finishing 3rd is the Abex - Jim Robbins Co. Corvette, driven by Jerry Thompson and J. Marshall Robbins. Finishing 9th is the Rowe Corvette, driven by Doug Rowe and Peter Bride. In 15th place, but not finishing the race, is the Stark Enterprises Corvette, driven by Rick Stark. In 17th place, but not finishing the race, is the Automotive Enterprises Corvette, driven by Rich Sloma. [214.105] [248] [423] August Production of 1974 model Corvettes begins. [148.62] September 13 In Frankfurt, Germany, the 45th German Motor Show is held. General Motors show the Corvette 2-Rotor (project XP-987GT), with a 399-ci 180-hp two-rotor RC2-266 rotary engine, red exterior steel body, and leather interior. [5.167] [45.34] [104.139] [203.9] [320.36] [542.55] [580.259] [774.102] October 2 The National Broadcasting Company airs the first regular episode of The Magician on TV in the USA. Episode title is "The Manhunter". The lead character drives a white 1973 Corvette coupe in each episode of the show. [748] October 4 In Paris, France, the Paris Salon automobile show is held. General Motors premieres the 390-ci mid-engined Corvette Four-Rotor show car. It features a 390-ci rotary engine built by Zora Arkus-Duntov, body styling with gullwing doors designed by Bill Mitchell. The car is the former XP-882, with the four-rotor engine in place of the V-8. The Corvette Two-Rotor show car is also shown. [5.169] [90] [117.55] [147] [158.32] [454.157] [542.56] [580.262] [774.102] October 17 The Corvette Two-Rotor and Four-Rotor prototypes go on display at the London Automotive Show. [117.55] (month unknown) At the Road Atlanta raceway in Braselton, Georgia, the Champion Spark Plug Road Racing Classic final races of the SCCA Club Racing series are held. Finishing 1st in B Production class is Bill Jobe, driving a Corvette. A driver of a Corvette is B-Stock Solo II champion. A driver of a Corvette is B-Prepared Solo II champion. [3.125] [42.100] [394.4,13] Fred Kepler sells his 1968 Corvette L88 to Joe Searles. This is the Sunoco Corvette that won GT class at Sebring in 1968. [327.39]