pdx-vette

I believe the 1980-82 Corvette is one of the most beautiful vehicles ever manufactured.

When I read reviews or road tests of them (new or old), the subject always arises of their lack of speed & performance. I feel there's a consensus among auto enthusiasts, that by late in the C3 model run, the Vette had undergone a metamorphosis from a sports car to a grand touring car... even this definition may be reverential.
I think it started returning to its sports car roots in the latter half of the '80's.

Herein lies my conundrum. I'm passionate about the magnificence of the aforementioned late C3, but I want something that'll be a blast to drive, which draws me to a C4.

So I ask you owners of stock late C3 Vettes, why do you prefer your vehicle over an early C3 or C4, that would provide better speed & performance?

JohnRogers

Yeah people want to know!

I don't own a late C3, never owned any C3. I did own a 1996 LT-4 six-speed manual...I think they all were. I loved my last of the C4 Vettes but I want a late C3 even knowing engines are weak. The Dodge Lil Express Truck was faster in 1979 than the Corvette. Why do I want one? The C3 is sexy, some of it is nostalgia, it is a simpler machine than the C4 a bit more raw. I want a driver, late C3 is affordable so you can drive the doors off of it. Unlike a numbers matching Chrome Bumper car.

So yes owners of late C3 what is the attraction?

tonak

I have a 79 and love it. The engine is anything but weak

Easy Mike

Because it's mine. (1980 L-82)

I'm not sure of the purpose of your post. You either want one of these cars, or you don't. If you want an 80-82, you have to take them for what they are.

The13Bats

This one will be all over the place, every mullet will have their own correct "opinion" including me. ( but my views are only correct for me.... )
I have a 69 "chromie" and I drive the doors off it..so, not all chromies are the shelf toys of ego trippers...some are driven as they were meant to be.
While the 80-82's do have their fans I believe they are in general the least popular of the c3's

I owned two 81 corvettes put over 100K on one and a lot of other years including a 86 c4 now I personally saw the end of the c3 as the end of the corvette, the c4 was a gm afterthought it didn't even look to me as good as a trans am, when a c4 is just a used car a c3 is a classis...was my 86 faster than my 81's? yes, in stock form but I never leave any car stock..so moot point.

Performance is something that can be hopped up on any car but I will not start with a c4 if I like the look of any c3 better...to take it further IF I had to keep it use it as I use my 69 I would not want a brand new corvette either, I just happen to like the c3 shark bodies best. not just looks the whole package deal.

You really have no issue, do not settle if you dig c4 best buy c4 if you dig c3 best buy it...

You ask what is the "thrill" factor of the late c3's...same as all c3's....It's a Corvette.

69Pman

Yes, the later C3's were oriented more towards styling and creature comfort of the generation than performance. As a result, you can own one today, especially in the current market, for a very reasonable price.
As for performance, you can always yank the original motor out and replace it with a performance sbc. Just store the original components.
Bottom line; if you love the later C3's then get one. I highly doubt the performance non-factor will matter all that much, especially if you're looking for a nice driver.

Brack c

LOL...here we go ....

My .02 ,
You answered your own question with your first sentence .

It is , imo , one of the sharpest vette body styles . The lines are awesome .
Is my 82 crossfire fast ? Nope 200HP , plus a few mods , arent going to win me any races . But that's not I bought it for . It looks great , it drives great , starts every time , gets great gas mileage , can cruise all day long at 75-80 with no problems .
Bottom line , it's the car that said , you need me .

74modified

Why do people like them? Because they do. Why do some people like air cooled VWs? Because they do.
If you think it is the best looking thing ever, but dont like the performance - change it, or buy one that has been upgraded. Otherwise, buy the C4 you like.

The13Bats

And it's "Crossfire" which is wicked coolness....

qwank

nothing that $4,000 for a crate engine swap can't fix

JohnRogers

Car and Driver's take on the 1980 Corvette, May 1980.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...ad-test-review

Like the 1979 review they bemoan Corvette's lack of competition for GM's poor motivation to improve the car.

The13Bats

I was thinking about that, as the c3 progressed performance did drop but that wasnt because gm wanted it that started with epa, gov rules, and the gas crunch etc...styling, again laws made things happen with plastic bumpers, if not for laws how long would have all the car companies held onto chrome bumpers?

I do not however see or recall any big difference in creature comfort to say my 72 69 76 or 81's
In fact besides seats what did gm really change in the vein of comfort?
The ac system was the same, oooh maybe cruise control...

kanvasman

I think it's like this, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. No offense, but if you have to explain why somethign is beautiful to someone, they just will not get it. I've got a 78, probably the least desireable of the C3s. But it's mine, and when I get done doing things that I want to it, it will really be mine. That's what is COOL. Aside from the fact that I have a OLD CORVETTE in the garage, life doesn't get any more satisfying that that.

madam

I am going to attempt to put into words what these cars do to me.

I owned my first C3 in 1982, it was a yellow 75, I was 24 years of age. It was fun and it felt fast but not by todays modern muscle standards and it certainly looked exotic and fast. That car was only seven years old and they were all over the place. I sold it 8 yrs later to go all in another hobby.

I'm now 56, I bought a red 76 L48 100k miles, my second C3. It was complete and very driveable. It burned oil and leaked about everything. I decided to make it mine and make it good. I am now well on my way to that goal. I turned that tired L48 into a beautiful 383 stroker, headers, 2200 stall converter, new radiator, rebuilt entire front suspension, added rear sway bar, shocks, composite rear spring, all new u-joints and shiny things like front and rear emblems, new mirrors, stroker hood emblem, ect. I still have less than 10k in the car (did all labor myself).

This car does somethng to me. There are kids, 18 -28 yrs old who have never seen a cars like these. There are way fewer on the road today and I'm gonna say its rare when you do see one. That makes it special. When I start that thing up It's almost like it says to me "Drive me somewhere and let people see me again", and I do. These cars are a beautiful example of style and design. Striking. Yes as a previous post mentioned they are raw. Thats what I like in a sports car. Are they practicle, no. Good for long comfortable trips, no. But I don't care thats what the 50K trucks or cars are for.

Sorry for ranting or sounding obsessive here but I love em.

doorgunner

Herein lies my conundrum. I'm passionate about the magnificence of the aforementioned late C3, but I want something that'll be a blast to drive, which draws me to a C4.

"I'm passionate about this beautiful woman who would love to be with me, but I'm also interested in a plain-Jane who lifts weights".

69Pman

Hah I see what you're saying.
I guess what would be more accurate to say is that the later C3's had the creature comforts and its options list get a bit upgraded than the chrome bumper years. Cruise control, seats changed and in '81/'82 you could get power seats, power door locks, and the power options became more prevalent later on than at the start of the C3 era and some standard. '81 and '82 had AC and power windows become standard. When the industry is taking a hit in the performance area they tend to focus on the interior and exterior of the cars. I guess that makes sense

gbvette62

In the late 70's, the automakers were doing all they could just to keep up with the ever changing and stricter Federal, safety, emission and recently added fuel mileage regulations. Forget trying to improve the performance of the Corvette (or any other car), it was all they could do just to maintain the car's level performance each year. They also didn't really need to improve the Corvette's performance, as there really wasn't much available with better performance.

As far as being a sports or grand touring car, I still considered them sports cars. Sports cars aren't necessarily about brute performance and straight line speed. Handling is as important in a sports car, as acceleration, if not more so. The 80-82 Corvettes were probably the best handling Corvette built up till that time, especially when equipped with the optional 255/60 tires and/or Gymkhana Suspension.

Your comparing 2 different animals here. The 80-82's are riding on a frame and suspension introduced in 1963. The 84 up cars are riding on 20 year newer suspension technology, and also benefit from the performance gains attainable through the use of fuel injection and computers.

I love my 81, partly because we bought it new. It didn't have the acceleration of some other Corvettes I'd owned, but at the time, not many of it's contemporaries could keep up with it. It was the first new Corvette I'd ever bought, and I got attached to it, so I kept it.

Do I prefer it to a 69 427/435 or a 70 LT-1, no I'd have to be nuts too. I do prefer it to a 75-79 though. Compared to base motor 75-79's, the performance is about the same, but the 81 is quieter, handles better, gets tolerable gas mileage, has better air conditioning, more comfort features, and in my view, is better looking.

I have no love for the 84-90 Corvettes. They could produce great skid pad numbers, but they're terrible riding cars, and are difficult to get in and out of (at least my age, 60 ). The 92-96 cars, with the LT-1, adjustable ride, better dash and seats, and cleaner lines, are light years ahead of the 84-90's. I like the 92-96's some, but don't have any desire to own one. The 84-96's are about the only Corvettes that I can say that I really have no interest in ever owning.

ClassicGlass63

This sounds like one of those posts that might have an alternative point.

This kind of twisted question can be asked about a lot of cars.
For instance, the newest Corvette I have ever owned was a 73. Most have been early C3's and a few mid years. That is a C2 for you new guys.

Truth is I wonder makes someone want a C4 over almost anything out there. If the original question in this post was not asked, Io would never consider posting my opinion.

Because it is just my opinion. Why would you guys care about my opinion unless it was going to help out in some way.

How about we just just people own what they want to own, or own what they can afford, in some cases, and not try to make it sound like think one car or person is better than another.

I happen to like horsepower. I was lucky enough to get into the hobby when real old brute horsepower was still in my price range. So, that is what I own.

Let's just enjoy our cars and forget what makes each person like their car.

Enough said on the subject..............

The13Bats

Did you close down the thread?

chiefttp

My two cents, as others have said it is a breathtakingly beautiful car period. From any angle it's hard to beat in my opinion. The performance does suck, my wife's SUV and my son's Jeep can beat it! Hell my daily driver base 6 cylinder Mustang has 115 more horsepower than my 81! But whenever I get in that car people wave, kids point at it, and women and girls seem to be compelled to tell me how much they love the looks etc..for many people it's the car they think about when somebody says Corvette. I'd love to own a C-2, but I also remember when I was driving to NYC every week to attend college, and the Chevy Dealer in Freehold NJ had a line of 10 or 12 Vettes of all colors at the front of the lot, thinking that maybe one day, if I kept my nose clean and worked hard I'd own one!
I also remember when the C-4 was unveiled, everyone was dazzled by the technology, but a lot of folks were very underwhelmed by the styling. It's grown on me since, but one of the car mags at the time posted a letter from a guy who commented on the C-4 styling saying,
"when my girlfriend see's a C-3 her nipples get hard, That doesn't happen with the C-4"