Corvette was advertised as "America's only true production sports car."
- After the demise of the big-block 454-cid, the 350-cid (5.7-liter) small-block engine remained alone to power all corvettes for the next ten years.
- Two V-8s were offered this year
- The L48 (base engine) had 180 hp (up 9% from 1975).
- The L82 (optional engine) produced 210 hp. It had special heads with larger valves, impact-extruded pistons, and finned aluminum rocker covers
- The standard V-8 was linked to a lighter automatic transmission: the Turbo Hydra-Matic 350, which was supposed to improve shifting at wide-open throttle.
- The optional V-8 kept the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400, but with a revised torque converter
- A wide-range four-speed manual gearbox (with 2.64:1 first gear ratio) was standard and a close-ratio version was available at no extra cost.
- A new Carburetor Outside Air Induction system moved intake from the cowl to above the radiator.
- The convertible was dropped this year, so only the Stingray coupe remained.
- It had the removable roof panels.
- A partial steel underbody replaced the customary fiberglass, to add strength and improve shielding from exhaust system heat.
- A new one-piece bar Corvette nameplate was on the rear, between twin-unit tail lamps (which were inset in the bumper cover).
- Of the 10 body colors, eight were Corvette exclusives:
- White
- Silver
- Bright Blue
- Dark Green
- Mahogany
- Bright Yellow
- Buckskin
- Dark Brown
- Orange Flame
- Red
- Corvettes had side marker lights with reflectors, parking lamps that went on with the head lamps, lane-change turn signals and two-speed wiper/washers.
- Inside was a new, smaller-diameter four-spoke sport steering wheel with crossed-flags medallion, which actually came from the Chevrolet Vega subcompact.
- Not everyone appreciated its lowly origin, so it lasted only this year.
- A grained vinyl-trimmed instrument panel (with stitched seams) held a 160-mph speedometer with trip odometer and 7,000-rpm electronic tachometer.
- A key lock in the left front fender set the anti-theft alarm.
- Corvettes had fully-independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes.
- Wide GR7O SBR tires rode 15 x 8-inch wheels.
- A total of 5,368 Corvettes had the FE7 Gymkhana suspension installed; 5,720 came with the L82 V-8; and 2,088 had the M21 four-speed close ratio manual gearbox.
- Cast-aluminum wheels were a new option, and were installed on 6,253 cars.
- Standard equipment included
- bumper guards
- flush retracting headlamps
- Soft-Ray tinted glass
- Hide-A-Way wipers
- wide-view day/night mirror
- center console with lighter and ashtray.
- Behind the seat-backs were three carpeted storage compartments.
- Bucket seats had textured-vinyl or leather upholstery and deep-pleated saddle-stitching.
- Interior leather trim was now available in seven colors, while vinyl was available in four colors.
V.I.N. NUMBERS
- The serial number [Vehicle Identification Number -- VIN] was stamped on a plate on the inner vertical surface of the left windshield pillar visible through the windshield.
- Serial numbers ranged from 1Z37*6S400001 to 1Z37*6S446558
| Position |
Character |
Description |
| 1 |
1 |
Chevrolet Division |
| 2 |
Z |
Corvette |
| 3&4 |
37 |
coupe |
| 5 |
* |
Engine type where * is replaced by the following
- L = ZQ3 350-cid V8, 180-hp, 4-barrel
- X = L82 350-cid V8, 210-hp, 4-barrel
|
| 6 |
6 |
1976 |
| 7 |
S |
Assembled in St. Louis, MO |
| 8 to 13 |
400001 to 446558 |
production sequence |
- Engine serial number began 0001001
- Corvette engines have the last six digits of the VIN stamped on the block just ahead of the cylinder head on the right-hand side combined with a three-letter engine code suffix
- Also cast into the top rear of the block is a four-symbol code indicating when the engine was built
- The first letter of the date code shows the month the block was cast
- The one or two numbers shows the month
- The last digit shows the year
- Engine suffixes:
| Code |
Engine |
Horsepower |
Compression |
Transmission |
Fuel Supply |
| CHC |
350-cid |
210-hp V-8 |
9.0:1 |
manual |
four-barrel carburetor |
| CKC |
350-cid |
210-hp V-8 |
9.0:1 |
automatic |
four-barrel carburetor |
| CKW |
350-cid |
180-hp V-8 |
8.5:1 |
manual |
four-barrel carburetor |
| CKX |
350-cid |
180-hp V-8 |
8.5:1 |
automatic |
four-barrel carburetor |
| CLS |
350-cid |
180-hp V-8 |
8.5:1 |
automatic |
four-barrel carburetor |
- The body number plate was located on the engine side of the cowl.
- The Fisher Body Style Number 76-1YZ37 identifies a Corvette Stingray coupe
- The body number is the production serial number of the body.
- The trim number indicates the interior trim color and material.
- The ten 1976 Corvette exterior colors were:
- 10 = Classic White
- 13 = Silver
- 22 = Bright Blue
- 33 = Dark Green (however Dark Green was originally supposed to be code 39)
- 37 = Mahogany
- 56 = Bright Yellow
- 64 = Buckskin
- 69 = Dark Brown
- 70 = Orange Flame
- 72 = Red
- Upholstery Codes
| Color |
Vinyl Upholstery |
Leather Upholstery |
| Black |
19V |
192 |
| Firethorn |
71V |
712 |
| Buckskin |
64V |
642 |
| White |
15V |
112 |
| Smoked Gray |
|
152 |
| Dark Brown |
|
692 |
| Blue-Green |
|
322 |
IDENTIFICATION
| Model No. |
Body/Style No. |
Body Type |
Factory Price |
Shipping Weight |
Production Total |
| 1Y |
Z37 |
2-dr. Sport Coupe - 2 passenger
|
$7605 |
3445 |
46,558 |
ENGINE
| Feature |
Standard Engine (RPO L48) |
Optional Engine (RPO L82) |
| Type | V-8, Overhead valve |
| Block | Cast iron block |
| Displacement |
350 cid (5.7 liters) |
350 cid (5.7 liters) |
| Bore & Stroke |
4.00 x 3.48" |
4.00 x 3.48" |
| Compression ratio |
8.5:1 |
9.0:1 |
| Brake horsepower |
180 @ 4000 |
210 @ 5200 |
| Torque |
270 lb-ft @ 2400 |
255 lb-ft @ 3600 |
| Main bearing | five |
| Valve lifters | hydraulic |
| Fuel supply |
Rochester M4MC |
Rochester M4MC |
TRANSMISSION
- Standard Manual Transmission
- four-speed fully-synchronized
- floor-mounted gear shifter
- gear ratios
- 1st = 2.64:1
- 2nd = 1.75:1
- 3rd = 1.34:1
- 4th = 1.00:1
- Rev = 2.55:1
- Final drive ratio: 3.36:1 with L48 and 3.55:1 with L82
- Optional Manual Transmission
- close ratio four-speed fully-synchronized
- floor-mounted gear shifter
- gear ratios
- 1st = 2.43:1
- 2nd = 1.61:1
- 3rd = 1.23:1
- 4th = 1.00:1
- Rev = 2.35:1
- Final drive ratio: 3.55:1 or 3.70:1
- Automatic Transmission
- Three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic
- floor-mounted gear shifter
- gear ratios
- 1st = 2.48:1
- 2nd = 1.48:1
- 3rd = 1.00:1
- Rev = 2.08:1
- Final drive ratio: 3.08:1 with L48 and 3.36:1 with L82
CHASSIS
| Feature |
Coupe |
| Wheelbase |
98 inches (2.489 m) |
| Overall length |
185.2 inches (4.704 m) |
| Overall width |
69.0 inches (1.753 m) |
| Overall height |
48 inches (1.219 m) |
| Ground Clearance |
4.5 inches (11.4 cm) |
| Front tread |
58.7 inches (1.491 m) |
| Rear tread |
59.5 inches (1.511 m) |
| Tires |
GR70 x 15 |
| Positraction |
standard |
| Steering |
recirculating ball |
| Front suspension |
Independent, unequal-length control arms with ball joints, coil springs, and stabilizer bar |
| Rear suspension |
Independent, trailing link, transverse semi-elliptic leaf springs |
| Brakes |
Hydraulic, vented four wheel discs; 11.75-inch diameter, single calipers |
| Ignition |
HEI electronic |
| Body construction |
Separate fiberglass body and box-type ladder frame with cross-members |
| Fuel tank |
18 US Gal (15 Imp Gal) (68 liters) |
OPTIONS
| RPO |
Custom interior trim |
$164 |
| RPO A31 |
Electric power windows |
$107 |
| RPO C49 |
Rear window defogger |
$78 |
| RPO C08 |
Vinyl covered auxiliary hardtop |
$350 |
| RPO C60 |
Air conditioning |
$523 |
| RPO FE7 |
Gymkhana suspension |
$35 |
| RPO G81 |
Positraction rear axle, all ratios |
$13 |
| RPO J50 |
Power brakes |
$59 |
| RPO L82 |
350-cid 210-hp V-8 |
$481 |
| RPO M21 |
Four-speed close-ratio manual transmission |
no-cost option |
| RPO M40 |
Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic transmission |
no-cost option |
| RPO N37 |
Tilt-telescopic steering wheel |
$95 |
| RPO N40 |
Power steering |
$151 |
| RPO QRM |
White stripe nylon steel-belted radial tires GR7O x 15 |
$37 |
| RPO QRZ |
GR7O x 15 raised-white-letter steel-belted radial tires |
$51 |
| RPO U58 |
AM-FM stereo radio |
$281 |
| RPO U69 |
AM-FM radio |
$187 |
| RPO UA1 |
Heavy-duty battery |
$16 |
| RPO UF1 |
Map light |
$10 |
| RPO YJ8 |
Aluminum wheels |
$299 |
