As traditional muscle car enthusiasts, we tend to focus much of our attention on one specific period in Chevrolet’s long and storied history: 1955 through 1972. To many of us, those were the golden years when the best Chevys were made and the bowtie division could do no wrong. There is certainly truth to that sentiment, especially from an aftermarket standpoint, as, over 50 years later, the desire for those cars is still so strong that owners can get pretty much any part they need. But in the grand scheme of our favorite brand, there are so many interesting milestones and innovations outside of that window that it would be a real shame not to broaden our scope.
Building A Better Way To See The USA?
By 1973, Chevrolet’s lineup of quintessential American metal had lost much of its muscle car luster. Once again reduced to more of an appearance package, the epic Super Sport trim was on life support. The big-block 454 had become a shadow of itself, and essentially every car in the lineup was being restyled in the name of sensibility instead of swagger. This evolution of the automotive market and, subsequently, the Chevrolet division caused many enthusiasts to overlook the most significant event of 1973: the introduction of a brand new Chevelle.
Chevelle Laguna Type S-3 advertisement.
While the 1973 line was the freshest Chevelle in almost a decade, the playbook was familiar and proven. The Chevelle family would once again aim sedans, coupes, and wagons at the meat of the mid-size market. The Malibu trim would once again cover pedestrian offerings, while the new for 1973 Laguna would serve as a line-topping performance coupe.
Based on GM’s trusty A-Body architecture, the new Chevelle featured an all-new perimeter frame with improved suspension geometry, increased suspension travel, and standard power front disc brakes. Better door beam structure and roof pillars improved safety, and added fuel capacity made road trips easier. Additionally, since Detroit was slowly switching to selling luxury instead of performance, Chevelle now featured niceties like a power moonroof, swiveling Strato Bucket seats, and stylish urethane-faced Turbine I wheels.
The Death Of Super Sport
In 1974, the line-topping Chevelle Laguna became the Laguna Type S-3, and the top luxury Chevelle, the Super Sport, was renamed Malibu Classic. By this point, Lagunas were easily identified by their urethane fascias, specific trim, and standard Colonnade coupe bodystyle. Despite the power sap our beloved V8s suffered in the mid-1970s, Chevrolet still brought their A-game. The Laguna could be outfitted with a two-barrel 350, two and four-barrel small-block 400s, and, for the 1974 model year, a four-barrel 454. While the 350 and 400 made do with Turbo-Hydramatic 3-speeds, the big-block 454 could be optioned with a row-it-yourself 4-speed. Naturally, as Chevrolet’s mainstream performance offering, the Laguna Type S-3 was well equipped, with a tuned suspension and standard vinyl roof complementing familiar Chevrolet Rally Wheels and distinct opera-style quarter windows.
Underappreciated NASCAR Super Star
Here’s where perception and reality begin to split. Despite its relative absence from the show circuit and the enthusiast scene, the Laguna was a massive success in the performance arena. Not only did the car offer Chevrolet buyers a stylish, distinctive, and sporty option for the streets, it also dominated NASCAR competition to the point that it was eventually banned.
Chevelle Laguna Stock Car at the Richard Childress Racing Museum.
In just five seasons on the NASCAR Cup circuit, the Laguna racked up 53 wins, three drivers’ championships, and four manufacturers’ championships, with legendary driver Cale Yarborough leading the charge at Junior Johnson & Associates. Additionally, the car’s aero nose and fastback glass were direct predecessors to the highly competitive Monte Carlo Aerocoupes that would dominate the sport in the 1980s. To curb the Laguna’s dominance, NASCAR instituted mandatory restrictor plates. Then, in 1977, they reclassified the Laguna Type S-3 as a limited edition model, making it ineligible for competition in the 1978 season.
Perhaps the real reason Lagunas seem to be few and far between is that Chevy assembled just 108,815 units of the car throughout the third-generation Chevelle’s entire production run. Additionally, we’re sure many of those have, over the years, been used up as race cars at countless local tracks running weekly Limited and Street Stock series. The next time you’re at an event and a Laguna shows up, be sure to take in the significance of that cool piece of Chevrolet performance history!
