I have a '77 Vette now, but I had an '81. When I buy a second Vette, it will be another '81--they're super for long trips just for the extra storage space.

I just came back from a 5 day road trip and I was nonplussed that the model I took with me brought so much stuff that I didn't have room to take off the t-tops (no luggage rack.) In the mountains no less. Why a nude artistic model needed to bring so many clothes is beyond me...

Sorry, no images--I'll get in trouble with the forum--again.

 

Just like everything else in life that you love, it's all a matter of personal preferrence. I just happen to love the 80-82 body style.

****see sig for pics****

 

Here's a pic of mine

 

I have to believe the 80-82 will pick up in value, how much and when are the who-knows part. There were alot built and they're the "newest" of the bunch, so they're the most abundant and therefore least expensive. Also by the time those years rolled around there weren't alot of options so the majority of the cars built were practically the same aside from color. It's not like in the days where there were 6 engine and tranny combinations and you therefore had a small number of certain combinations that make them "rare."

Anyway, I love my 80 and I think I'll keep her even when she becomes worth more money.

 

I bought a 81 knowing that they were "lame". I had a 383 built localy for it. It's not lame anymore.

 

I've had my 80 since 1983. I've always preferred the 60's coupes, early 70's chrome bumper cars or the more areo 80 to 82. At the ime my finances allowed me to purchase the 80 L82.

With a few tweaks the engine was respectable so I worked on the chassis with the first major mod being the VBP front transverse speing in the early 90's and this really improved handling. for the next decade the car wasn't driven too much and mods were minor.

Starting a couple of years ago my wife and I decided to push a head and set the car up for track days, open road racing etc... The chasiss is a dated design but still fun.

So far the car has the following:

-ZZ4 motor replaced antiquated L82 (old heads and old cam design)
-OMP seats (tough to get low enough in the C3)
-Autopower roll bar I installed this week
-rear coil over kit that I made myself
- changed from auto to Doug Nash 5 speed (hydraulic clutch, aluminum flywheel, kevlar clutch)
-putting Wilwood calipers on front
- 17 x 10 fronts and 18 x 12 rears from CCM wheels
- fender flares to fit new wheels and tires. Trying to have them removable and not look bad.

My thoughts are that the car will never be worth a lot so we're turning into a vehicle to have fun with.

Dave

 

Hi Glen,

Thanks for the kind words regarding our last race.

We have been racing in the Texas Muscle Car Challenge, you can check them out at www.tmccc.org It's a well organized series where the local car clubs get together about once per month to race at the local tracks. The Cowtown Mopar Club is in first place but the Lone Star Corvette club is gaining. We need more racers so you local guys please step up to the plate! You don't have to be a member to race, but if you are interested in joining, check out www.lonestarcorvette.com
The last race was at Texas Raceway, "Fastest Little Track in Texas" in Kennedale Texas. www.texasraceway.com

The next race is at Texas Motorplex in Ennis TX. on Oct 23 It’s a really nice ¼ mi track where they hold the NHRA Fall Nationals.

 

with them all, love my '82

 

Mutter, grumble, curse..... dark days of the abyss? Bah! OK, check out the important thing of power to weight ratio. And cry The early 70's had lots of power (ignoring BB's & power being measured gross) & once smog controls hit, ALL C3's were lumbered with low power, not just 80-82. The figures in the books say that the low point was 165hp ('75? '76?) & power started climbing slowly after this. As I remember, the 80 had 190hp & the '81 had 195hp as stock. The heaviest C3 was the '79 & in '80 GM started to put the C3 on a diet, with some substantial (for a factory effort) weight savings occuring in '81. So how is it that people can say the 80-82 C3's were the dark days of performance when they had more power (slightly) & less weight than those immediately preceeding them? In '81 the composite rear spring appeared & this does give a much nicer ride than steel leaf springs. '81 also saw general use of a computer to control timing & carb primaries, which seems to handle small engine tweaks OK, gives fairly good economy & is fine (until it goes wrong, like any computer!). It also only had one engine option (L81) which seems to be the same as the base L48 of the 70's models. '82 got an OD tranny (no manual trans available???) & crossfire injection (but I don't know anything about it). '80 was the last year to use a "normal" Q-jet & HEI (ignoring the Calif models) & I can't see why the '80 should be slagged off as worse than a '79 L48, a '78 L48, etc as it's got the same engine configurations, chassis, brakes, etc, etc, & just has a different body style (which looks better IMHO, especially in black). Also, the front of the 80-82 models gives a lot more downforce at speed than earlier models &, allegedly, pushes 50% more air through the rad, reducing the cooling problems of earlier C3's. They also look
What we really need in this post is Dep! Where is Dep? This is a post on the buggy bumper models, lets get some heated discussions going
'80 - '82 aren't cheap here!

 

Take a look at mine!

 

..... can't wait for race-results from "Waco Willie's" all-concrete/no expansion-joint Texas Motorplex, the first of the 'true' modern super-strips:
(that's a subtle 'hint' to post them HERE!!! )


..... you DO know that the Fall Nationals have been rescheduled for October 6-9 due to Rita?

 

Yep, I do know. They were originally scheduled for this weekend. Four of my buddies and I have tickets for the front row, south side, right at the starting line. It does make sense they rescheduled because it is supposed to rain all weekend and there are no hotel rooms to be had.

I'll post the TMCCC results, hopefully we can keep our streak going!

 

I've never been to "the Plex" myself, but a former co-worker was there the day that Eddie Hill became "the Four-Father" in April of 1988.


Last week, BERNADETTE and I attended the 21st Keystone Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, in Reading, Pa., and I posted a few pictures in "Off-Topic" last week that some of my C3-brethren may've missed:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...post1552113220

Enjoy!

 

Here are a few more pix of late-C3s I have laying around, taken at various Shows in the last year:

 

I really like my '80 I built it up the way GM should have done it in the first place

 

GM would be proud moterhead . that is one good looking vette.nice stance ,good selection on the wheels looks good, and it is bad to the bone. you should be proud. I am having a hard time trying to get off this forum I seem to be loosing a lot of garage time and I have not even figured out how this site works. murray

 

Maybe a little instruction on this C3 forum is needed. It works like this. You keep checking the forum twice a day and before long you have spent all your life’s savings your kids collage funds and then you will have a full understanding of this forum, plus really fine Corvette.

 

80-82's are so cool

 

Tallboy, that pic is my new wallpaper.

 

Thanks!
One day, I am going to get new bumpers! Like that front spoiler you have