1971 Corvette Pricing, Factory Options, & Colors

Base Corvette Sport Coupe (19437)

• The base price of the 1971 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe without any optional equipment.
• A 350 cubic inch, 270 horsepower engine, 4-speed wide ratio manual transmission, vinyl interior trim, and T-tops were included in the base price.

Base Corvette Convertible (19467)

• The base price of the 1971 Corvette Convertible without any optional equipment.
• A 350 cubic inch, 270 horsepower engine, 4-speed wide ratio manual transmission, vinyl interior trim, and a convertible top  were included in the base price.

Custom Interior ( — )

• Optional interior trim upgrade that included a number of custom modifications to the base interior.
• The custom interior trim includes leather seat trim, wood-grain accents and carpet trim on door panels, wood-grain accents on the console, and cut-pile carpeting.

Power Windows (A31)

• Factory installed power driver and passenger windows.

Custom Shoulder Belts (A85)

• An addition to the standard lap safety belt that crosses over the shoulder for added safety.
• The shoulder belts option were included with all Corvette coupes at no additional charge.  The option was also available on the Corvette convertible, but at an additional cost.

Auxiliary Hardtop (for convertibles) (C07)

• An optional hard-top that could be installed in lieu of the convertible top.

Vinyl Covering (for Auxiliary Hardtop) (C08)

• This option provided an external vinyl liner application to the auxiliary hardtop
• The vinyl covering provided a faux convertible top appearance even when the hardtop was mounted on the car.

Rear Window Defroster (C50)

• An optional rear window forced air defroster.
• This option was not available to consumers when RPO ZR1 or ZR2 was ordered.

Air Conditioning (C60)

• Factory installed air-conditioning.
• Heater integrated, manually controlled by knobs on instrument control panel that operate bowden cables to activate various doors/ducts and switches to operate system.
• System includes evaporator, blower, condenser, receiver-dehydrator, refrigerant (freon) tank, air intake assembly and duct assembly for both systems.
• Optional Rear Axle Ratio  (ZQ1) – Rear axle ratio selection.

Power Brakes (J50)

• Vacuum power assisted brakes; includes dual circuit master cylinder.

454ci, 365hp Engine (LS5)

• Optional high-output, big-block V-8 engine.

454ci, 425hp Engine (LS6)

• Optional high-output, big-block V-8 engine.
• The 454 cubic inch LS6 engine with 425 horsepower with a detuned version of 1970’s planned but canceled 460 horsepower LS7 engine.
• The LS6 engine was designed to run on low-lead fuel.
• The LS6 featured aluminum heads and could be ordered with an automatic transmission, although not when combined with the ZR2 package.

350ci, 330hp Engine (LT1)

• Optional higher-output, small block V-8 engine.

4-Speed Manual Transmission, Close Ratio (M21)

• A close ratio version of the M20 Muncie 4-speed manual transmission.
• The gear ratios for the RPO M21 Close Ratio 4-Speed Manual Transmission are: 1st Gear – 2.20:1, 2nd Gear – 1.64:1, 3rd Gear – 1.28:1, 4th Gear – 1.0:1 (Direct).

4-Speed Manual Trans, Close Ratio, Heavy Duty (M22)

• A heavy-duty version of the Close Ratio Manual Transmission.
• This heavy duty transmission came equipped with a fine spline input shaft, a larger diameter output shaft and gear teeth that utilized reduced helix angles.  It was equipped with the following gear ratios: 1st Gear – 2.20:1, 2nd Gear – 1.64:1, 3rd Gear – 1.27:1, and 4th Gear – 1.00:1.

Turbo Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission (M40)

• An optional, three-speed automatic transmission.
• The Turbo Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission consisted of a 3-element hydraulic torque converter and compound planetary gear set.  It was equipped with the following gear ratios: 1st Gear – 2.48:1, 2nd Gear – 1.48:1, and 3rd Gear – 1.00:1.
• The M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission was a no-cost option with the base 350 cubic inch, 270 horsepower engine, but cost $100.35 when ordered with the LS5 or LS6 engine option.
• It was not available with the LT1, ZR1 or ZR2 options.

Tilt Telescopic Steering Column (N37)

• An optional, adjustable steering column and tilt-angle adjustable steering wheel.
• The Telescopic Steering Column changes the drivers distance from the steering wheel by literally telescoping the steering wheel closer to or further away from the vehicle operator.

Power Steering (N40)

• Hydraulically assisted power steering.
• This option was not available to consumers when the RPO ZR1  was ordered.

Deluxe Wheel Covers (P02)

• Optional deluxe wheel covers.
• This option was not available to consumers when the RPO ZR1  was ordered.
• White Stripe Tires, F70 x 15, nylon (PT7) – Standard size tires with a special 3/8″  wide white sidewall stripes.

White Letter Tires, F70x 15, nylon (PU9)

• Standard size tires with a special 3/8″  wide white sidewall letters.

Heavy Duty Battery (T60)

• An optional, heavy-duty battery which provided additional cranking amps.
• While available as an option on any 1971 Corvette, the Heavy Duty Battery came standard with the LS5 and LS6 equipped Corvettes.

Alarm System (UA6)

• A factory installed alarm system.
• When activated, the alarm system would trigger the horn to sound in a repetitive pattern of short bursts.

AM-FM Radio (U69)

• A standard/stock dealer installed Corvette radio for model years 1968-1971.
• The radio broadcast only a mono signal.

AM-FM Radio, Stereo (U79)

• An optional dealer installed Corvette radio for model years 1968-1971.
• This radio option provided a true stereo signal.
• This radio featured green lettering.
• This option was not available to consumers when the RPO ZR1  was ordered.

Special Purpose Engine Package (ZR1)

• Optional performance and handling upgrade.
• RPO ZR1 included the 350 cubic inch, 330 horsepower LT1 engine, a 4-Speed, Close Ratio, Heavy Duty Manual Transmission (M22),  heavy-duty power brakes, transistor ignition, special aluminum radiator, and special springs, shocks, and front & rear stabilizer bars.
• When the ZR1 option was ordered, the following options were not available on the 1971 Corvette: Power
• Windows (A31), Rear Window Defroster (C50), Air Conditioning (C60), Power Steering (N40), Deluxe Wheel Covers (P02), Alarm System (UA6), AM-FM Radio (U69), AM-FM Radio, stereo (U79).
• ZR1’s came equipped with metal fan shrouds.

Special Purpose Engine Package (ZR2)

• Optional performance and handling upgrade.
• RPO ZR2 included the 454 cubic inch, 425 horsepower LS6 engine, a 4-Speed, Close Ratio, Heavy Duty Manual Transmission (M22),  heavy-duty power brakes, transistor ignition, special aluminum radiator, and special springs, shocks, and front & rear stabilizer bars.
• When the ZR2 option was ordered, the following options were not available on the 1971 Corvette: Power Windows (A31), Rear Window Defroster (C50), Air Conditioning (C60), Power Steering (N40), Deluxe Wheel Covers (P02), Alarm System (UA6), AM-FM Radio (U69), AM-FM Radio, stereo (U79).

Notes

The 1971 Corvette was one of the least changed in appearance from a previous model year.  A labor dispute in 1969 caused production of the 1969 Corvette to run long, shortening normal 1970 production by over four months.  As a result, Chevrolet treated the 1971 production year as an extension of the shortened 1970 production run.

Another reason that the 1971 Corvette was virtually unchanged in appearance was because of an edict by General Motors to reduce octane requirements for 1971 engines.  Because of this directive, Chevrolet engineers focused their efforts on redesigning engines instead of modifying the current Corvette design.

1971 engines were actually de-tuned variants of their 1970 counterparts.  The intent behind General Motors’ engine octane reduction initiative to 91 octane (research) was to give oil companies phase-in time for the unleaded fuels that were required on vehicles equipped with catalytic converters (including the Corvette.)

Production specifications called for amber parking light lenses, but most 1971 Corvettes had clear lenses with amber bulbs as they did in 1970.

The fuel filler door hardware was redesigned in 1971 for easier access.
Seating pleats ran fore and aft for vinyl seats and for most leather seats, although later production 1971 leather seats had pleats running side to side.

The 1971 Corvette was the last model year to feature the fiber-optic light monitoring system, although some of the late model 1971’s were actually missing the fiber optics.  The elimination of this feature allowed for the inclusion of the anti-theft system as standard equipment in the 1972 Corvette the following year.