1972 Corvette Specifications

1972 options, quantities and original prices

• A 350 cubic inch, 200 hp engine and a 4-speed manual transmission were included in the base price.
• 1972 is the first year horsepower was quoted in net figures only, which is why a 1972 looks so much weaker on paper than a mechanically similar 1971.
• The anti-theft alarm, an option in earlier years, was included in the base price for 1972.
• This was the only year the 1970 to 1972 LT-1 could be combined with air conditioning. Around 240 were built that way, and they used the base engine's 5600 rpm tachometer rather than the 6500 rpm unit.

1972 engine identification codes

The engine suffix code is stamped on the front of the block, on the pad ahead of the passenger-side cylinder head. Read it together with the VIN to confirm an engine belongs with the car.

Casting and component numbers

• Block: 3970010 (350ci 200 and 255 hp), 3970014 (350ci, late production), 3999289 (454ci 270 hp).
• Cylinder head: 3973487 (350ci 200 and 255 hp), 3998916 (350ci 255 hp), 3998993 (350ci 200 hp), 3999241 (454ci 270 hp).
• Alternator: 1100950 (350ci), 1100543 (454ci), 1100544 on all cars with air conditioning.

The full casting number breakdown per engine, including intake and exhaust manifolds, is on the casting number page, and the carburetor numbers are on the carburetor page.

1972 VIN range

1972 Corvettes ran from 1Z37K2S500001 through 1Z37K2S527004, all built at St. Louis. 1972 is the first C3 year with the 1Z VIN format. For convertibles the third digit is a 6, giving 1Z67. The fifth digit is the engine: K for the 350 at 200 hp, L for the 350 at 255 hp, W for the 454 at 270 hp. The VIN decoder breaks down each position, and the build date decoder works out roughly when in the year a car was assembled.

1972 production by month

1972 colors

• Paint quantities do not always add up to total production, because some cars were built with non-standard paint or left in primer only.
• Which interior trims went with which paint is set out in full on the exterior and interior combination page, along with the trim codes.

1972 axle ratios

The axle code is stamped on the differential carrier housing. The full list for every year is on the axle code page.

What changed for 1972

• Last Corvette with front and rear chrome bumpers, the bright egg-crate grille and the side fender grilles.
• Last year for the removable rear window offered since 1968.
• The fibre-optic light monitoring system was dropped.
• Last year for RPO LT1 and RPO ZR1 in this generation.

What the manual covers

The 1972 book runs 163 pages and includes the General Motors 1972 VIN system chart, which is useful well beyond the Corvette, along with the usual specification, lubrication and body sections.

For part numbers and exploded illustrations rather than specifications, the parts manuals are the companion set. Other model years are on the specification manuals page.