Greg88

As I just mentioned in a previous post, my 84 year old father now lives with my wife and me. He has a 2003 Corvette that has the 50th Anniversary badging on it. My father says when he bought the Vette new back in 2003, it was on the dealer's showroom floor. Supposedly, the badges were stolen off the car at the Chevy dealer so my father bought some replacement badges and put them on himself.
So, here are my questions: Besides badging, is there anything different about a 50th Anniversary Corvette when compared to other 2003 Corvettes? Aren't all 2003 Corvettes called 50th Anniversary? If there is a difference, what is it? How do I prove or disprove it is a 50th Anniversary Edition?

allred

Very easy..............all Corvettes manufactured in 2003 were 50th Anniversary models, and came in a choice of Torch Red, Black, Quicksilver, White, Electron Blue, Spiral Gray and Millenium Yellow. They had 50th anniversary logo on the key fobs, on the speedometer and Tachometer faces, on the hood and deck lid.

Then there were the 50th Anniversary EDITIONS. They came at a $5,000 premium and were a special Anniversary Red, with shale interior, and all were equipped with F55 magnetic ride control, special wheels, 50th Anniversary stitching on the seat headrests and 50th anniversary logos on the key fobs, speedometer, tachometer, hood and deck lid........and on the sides of the front fenders.

So if your car is a dark metallic red with a shale interior it's a "true" Anniversary Edition, if it is any other color it is a Anniversary Year model.

You could also look at the RPO code sticker on the inside lid of the glove box, if there is a 1SA or 1SB it is a regular Anniversary year, if it has a 1SC it is a Anniversary Edition.


There were 11,632 Anniversary Editions made.
There were 24,246 Anniversary year models made.



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CQRT

Greg88

Thanks for the detailed response! Very helpful. Based on the information you provided, my Dad's C5 is NOT the 50th Anniversary Edition. His is black with no special markings in the interior. Also, I know the shocks are not the magnetic types.

As a side note, the Corvette was born the same year I was (1953).

Mastertvtech

As stated above the quickest way is to look at the speedo/tach. The Corvette logo should have the "50" in the center of it.

momo20

the 03 Z06 has Z06 and no sign of a 50th anywhere on the inside of the car

Vetteman Jack

Interesting about the speedo on the Z06 - my EB coupe has the 50th symbol on the instrument cluster.

ALLEGRO

In just a few words: YES, it is an anniversary edition, much like that of the 40th and so on, but unique in many ways.

oldschoolvette

They are nice cars I have a 1SC vert. Good luck

Loby 1

Great post.

cor28vettes

Editions were hot sellers, even at $5K for the option. But not a collector item by any means because one out of three 2003 was an Edition. I had one myself. I also had the 03 Z, which has some 50th badging, but is a 50th Anniv emphasizing the Z06. So yes, the 50th year is special. But so is the 04 CE, which GM was smart enough to introduce as an option for the last year C5.

I see it all the time, owners are advertising their 03's as Editions when they obviously don't have one. They are either ignorant of what they own, and/or are attempting to get extra value credit for that option, which they don't have. Then they'll justify it by stating correctly that the car says 50th Anniversary all over.

Caution: that paint will cost you if U ever need repaint of any part of the car. The painter will have to blend it beyond a fender or door lets just say. Much the same as many special paints these days. The Edition was an industry forerunner for this type of paint. Remember the tsunami in Japan a few years ago? That town was the supplier for the special paint, called Xirallic crystal.

The 2003 Corvette was included in Car and Driver's 10best cars in its Jan 2003 issue. Total production was 35,469 incl Coupes, Verts & Z06, all of which were 50th Anniv cars.


more on '03 Editions
www.corvettemuseum.org/specs/2003/index.shtml

allred

Link to excellent color brochure from the time with model options and details.

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...3_brochure.pdf



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cor28vettes

but on the front & back exterior yes

cor28vettes

All C5's have the C5 symbol in miniature on the Speedo and Tach except Z06, which has the Z06 symbol on tach, C5 on speedo.