New to Site: Interested in 73 and 74 Chevelles

by PDXLSX Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:17 pm

Hi everyone,

I have a few questions about the 73 & 74 cars. Are the front ends interchangeable between the years? Can I put a Laguna nose on a Malibu and vise versa? Can you take the round tail light panel from a 73 and install it on a 74? How much does one of these cars weigh in stock form with a small block?

Any information is helpful.

Thanks,

-Avery

by BlackChevelleSS Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:27 pm

Yep pretty much swap any laguna or chevelle/ malibu front end with all the correct parts 73-77

Dont know the the rear panel, its welded in so it would be a pita to swap

by bitterfitter Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:51 pm

The 73 rear light panel does not swap over easily. I was like you and thought about it once. Then I did the search for info and found it is much more than the tail panel and trunk lid. The cars were actually built differently. The fronts will swap over pretty easy though.

by switchbiker Wed Mar 05, 2014 12:14 am

I believe they are listed at 3680 lbs. no fuel for the SBC model.

by Joe73 Wed Mar 05, 2014 7:10 am

My title says my 73 ss weighs 3662. But is no ps ac.

by Limey SE Wed Mar 05, 2014 12:17 pm

mine is listed as 3980 wit PS and A/C

by dynchel Wed Mar 05, 2014 2:16 pm

BlackChevelleSS wrote:Yep pretty much swap any laguna or chevelle/ malibu front end with all the correct parts 73-77

Dont know the the rear panel, its welded in so it would be a pita to swap

Also the fuel fill goes through the bumper on '73's, so you would need a gas tank, bumper, bumper brackets (you would be on your own to mount is as the rear frame is different) deck lid for a '74 should be the same (but I'm not 100% sure)

by Wallyuph Wed Mar 05, 2014 2:48 pm

Rear quarters are longer on 73's plus side marker lights are in a different location. When I bought new qtrs they say fits 73-77 they really only fit 74-77.
My 73 has a metal piece between rear bumper and tail pan not plastic stuff like 74-77's have. No 5 mile per hour bumper shocks on 73's just solid mount to frame. Some one told me the back rear main window is different also on 73 but I was just told that not confirmed. someone here may know about this one.

by driveit Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:29 pm

I think the window is the same, but everything else seems accurate.

by chevellelaguna Wed Mar 05, 2014 4:43 pm

73 is round tail light only, if you like that style, you can't make a 74 rear look like a 73. The back glass on all 2 door 73-77 Chevelle malibus are the same (all 4 door 73-77 back glass are the same)the rear glass is not interchangeable between 2 and 4 door cars.

by Wallyuph Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:04 pm

chevellelaguna wrote:73 is round tail light only, if you like that style, you can't make a 74 rear look like a 73. The back glass on all 2 door 73-77 Chevelle malibus are the same (all 4 door 73-77 back glass are the same)the rear glass is not interchangeable between 2 and 4 door cars.

Thank you so there was some truth to it. It was 2 door vs 4 doors.

by chevellelaguna Wed Mar 05, 2014 9:31 pm

I'm old and I sometimes forget where I am, someone clarify 73 and 74 trunk lids.....same? different?

by dynchel Wed Mar 05, 2014 9:34 pm

Same.

by bigredlaguna Thu Mar 06, 2014 1:45 am

chevellelaguna wrote:I'm old and I sometimes forget where I am, someone clarify 73 and 74 trunk lids.....same? different?

Different. The latches are in different places. They look the same externally.

by dynchel Thu Mar 06, 2014 8:22 am

bigredlaguna wrote:
chevellelaguna wrote:I'm old and I sometimes forget where I am, someone clarify 73 and 74 trunk lids.....same? different?

Different. The latches are in different places. They look the same externally.

I didn't know that, I always assumed they were the same.

by Wallyuph Thu Mar 06, 2014 9:56 am

Just look at it this way 73 is a odd duck No wonder I have one.Ha

by PDXLSX Mon Mar 17, 2014 10:47 pm

Thanks for all the info guys. I am still looking at both years. I like the round tail lights, but I don't hate the 74 rear end. There was a 73 Malibu for sale for $500. The windshield was blown out, but the car was complete. The car hadn't ran for 15 years, but that was okay. I showed up with a trailer to buy the car, cash in hand, but the older gentleman couldn't find the keys or the title that he was supposed to have. With the steering locked and everything else considered, I backed out. I will continue my search.

I just finished a 55 Chevy for my dad. Everyone I talk to here in Oregon thinks I'm crazy for wanting a 73 Chevelle. ha ha. Maybe I am.

by driveit Mon Mar 17, 2014 11:22 pm

I don't think your crazy. I wouldn't trade my 74 for any other model. Love it.

by bitterfitter Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:04 am

I started with a 1973 that I found locally for $900. It was complete but had sat for many years unprotected. It had like 20,000 orig. miles and still wore it's original 1973 license plate. I started working on the car when I came across the 1974 that I am working on now. This car has many options including the CA1 skyroof, so I switched gears and began to save this car. It became obvious that the 1973 was very soft in most of the metal areas, so I used it as a donor for what was left and then parted the rest to my neighbor for parts for his stock car. Everyone was happy and the car got used right down to the last bolt. My '74 is now just waiting on warner weather to get its new paint and a re assembly.

by dynchel Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:09 am

'73/'74 are my two favorite years for chevelles (and Monte Carlos for that matter) I really like the small grille on the '73, but prefer the bumper on the '74. As for the rear I think I like the '73 rear end a little more, than the '74.

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