1982 4 Speed?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Connecticut
1982 4 Speed?
I just read this on a web site
Is this true?
If so... what the hell was GM smoking?
"For the first time since 1955 no stick shifts were available in the Corvette. They all came with a new 4 speed automatic with overdrive."
Im surprised they sold any.
Is this true?
If so... what the hell was GM smoking?
"For the first time since 1955 no stick shifts were available in the Corvette. They all came with a new 4 speed automatic with overdrive."
Im surprised they sold any.
Last edited by Bob Onit; Sep 27, 2006 at 08:01 AM.
Le Mans Master
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21
Originally Posted by Bob Onit
I just read this on a web site
Is this true?
If so... what the hell was GM smoking?
"For the first time since 1955 no stick shifts were available in the Corvette. They all came with a new 4 speed automatic with overdrive."
Im surprised they sold any.
Is this true?
If so... what the hell was GM smoking?
"For the first time since 1955 no stick shifts were available in the Corvette. They all came with a new 4 speed automatic with overdrive."
Im surprised they sold any.
Larry
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
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From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by lebvette
if I win the Plub. Clearing House Sweepstakes(I'm a finnalist) I'll have a 5 or 6 speed. To me, a vette should be a stick shift.
Larry
Larry
Seriously... I agree
I cant imagine owning a sport car without a standard shift....Thats where all the fun is.
No offense to the Automatic people but I would not own a V8 Muscle car ( I realize the L-48 is not exactly muscle) with an aoutmatic.
Im surprised that GM sold any 82's....
What were the thinking?
Safety Car
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From: Carbondale Pa.
Dunno, maybe emission problems, computer compatability issues,,, any ideas,,,,,anyone? Betcha TT would know, he's the 82 expert. I am working on (if I can find the ambition an 82 that WILL be a B/W Super T 10 when finished) Peace,,,Moosie 
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
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From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by gq82
IMHO, the 82 was/is not a sports car nor is it a muscle car....it's a cruiser. I had one and liked it a lot. 
It's still a Corvette
I cant believe GM diddn't offer a standard.....:
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St. Jude Donor '16
Originally Posted by gq82
IMHO, the 82 was/is not a sports car nor is it a muscle car....it's a cruiser. I had one and liked it a lot.
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '11, '16-'17
Originally Posted by Bob Onit
I cant believe GM diddn't offer a standard.....:
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Begining in 1975,you could not buy a new Corvette in California with a stick shift for example.....that emission criteria together with market demands in late 70's-80's dictated move to more automatic's by GM....public was demanding more "luxury" comfort options,as well....
Safety Car
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From: AnyTown NJ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by The_Dude
Dark period for American automobiles. Are there any cars available in '82 that were desireable?
All I know is for the time I owned mine I really enjoyed it and when it came time to sell the first guy to look at it bought it for full asking price which was over 20K....and that was 5 yrs ago.
Safety Car
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From: AnyTown NJ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by Mark_Milner
They only sold 25,000 compared to 41,000 in '81. The people spoke.
Last edited by gq82; Sep 27, 2006 at 12:31 PM.
Safety Car
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St. Jude Donor '12-'13
Starting in about 1975 the automatics outsold the sticks, and at one point very few sticks were sold which is why GM made the decision. the Corvette had grown from a performance car to a country club sports car....
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From: Connecticut, USA
3 of my 4 vettes were 4 speeds. The 72 is a TH400 that I built with the B&M street Strip options. It shifts much quicker and firmer but I too prefer a 4 speed. I thought about changing it over during the recent restoration but since it was the original tranny and drivetrain I didn't.
Since driving the car again I have come to like the TH400 and I'm glad I didn't change it out. Maybe a taller 1st gear from TCI would have been nice though!
Since driving the car again I have come to like the TH400 and I'm glad I didn't change it out. Maybe a taller 1st gear from TCI would have been nice though!
Team Owner
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Originally Posted by Bob Onit
... what the hell was GM smoking?...
BTW: the same engine and tranny combination for '82 also met the '83 fed/state standards and was used in the '84 C4s.
Melting Slicks
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From: Madison Alabama
Originally Posted by Mark_Milner
They only sold 25,000 compared to 41,000 in '81. The people spoke.
Here is the rest of the story...
Take a closer look at the numbers; only 5,726 cars in 1980 and 5,757 cars in 1981 were 4-speeds...11,00 cars out of 80,000! If one assumes the 4-speed cars were built by "demand" then yes, the people spoke as less than 15% of production for 1980/81 were ordered with 4-speeds. Supply and demand rules, I don't blame GM for dropping the 4-speed option.
Also look at HP rating. 1980 ranged from 230 for the L-82 (only 5,069 made with no 4-speed avail if you checked the L-82 option) to 180 for the CA only 305 version. The base model was 190 HP. In 1981 the only option was the 190 HP model.
The 1982 bumped the HP to 200 but the real seat of the pants number is the torque figure - a whopping 285 Ft lbs of torque...that's a big number for the time and can be attributed to the "new" automatic transmission the 700R4.
The 1982 vette with its early fuel injection and decent factory gearing is an impressive set up for its day, quick off the line with 285 ft lb of torque. Also consider they will turn 26+ MPG while cruising at 70 MPH turning 2,000 RPM.
Last edited by 2TONE82; Sep 27, 2006 at 01:04 PM.
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St. Jude Donor '11, '16-'17
Originally Posted by gq82
Well the 82 vette had FI for the first time since 1965, had for the first time a 4sp auto w/od, had a hatchback that could open (CE), a very refined ride and an increase in hp over the previous year. I think 82 was a turning point in the right direction for corvettes.
All I know is for the time I owned mine I really enjoyed it and when it came time to sell the first guy to look at it bought it for full asking price which was over 20K....and that was 5 yrs ago.
All I know is for the time I owned mine I really enjoyed it and when it came time to sell the first guy to look at it bought it for full asking price which was over 20K....and that was 5 yrs ago.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
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From: Connecticut
All valid points but excluding any emissions issues (which Im sure they could have overcome as they had so many years in the past) I still dont understand why it was not offered as an option
Many people will not buy a Corvette with an automatic transmission, myself included
If I were looking to buy a brand new Corvette in 1982 it would have never happened as I would not have gone with the auto
Curious as to how many they would have sold if the 4 speed was indeed an option.
As far as the brand new C4 in 1984....... new look, suspension ect:
Im guessing people just plain "wanted one" so they took what was offered.
Many people will not buy a Corvette with an automatic transmission, myself included
If I were looking to buy a brand new Corvette in 1982 it would have never happened as I would not have gone with the auto
Curious as to how many they would have sold if the 4 speed was indeed an option.
As far as the brand new C4 in 1984....... new look, suspension ect:
Im guessing people just plain "wanted one" so they took what was offered.
Safety Car
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From: AnyTown NJ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Originally Posted by Bob Onit
As far as the brand new C4 in 1984....... new look, suspension ect:
Im guessing people just plain "wanted one" so they took what was offered.
Im guessing people just plain "wanted one" so they took what was offered.
Safety Car
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From: FL
Originally Posted by gq82
I think the "people" were waiting for the new 83/84 model which sold over 51,000 with the same drivetrain.
After 1956, 1972 was the first year that more automatics were built than manuals, so it wasn't the automatic-only that was the sole reason. I'm sure it had some impact, but not the only.
Also, something happened in Nov. 1981, as there were less than 30 Corvettes built. Only 564 in Oct. 81, and the production was not consistent from month to month after that.