I can't find the numbers anywhere and know somebody here would at least have a link. I only ask because 4 speeds seem to be hard to find in C3's. I have a 79 L82 High Output 4 speed, red on doeskin.

I've heard that this combination may be as rare as 7 or 8 % of production, is this true?

 

They made 53,807 Corvettes in 79.

4 speeds= 4,062
L82= 14,516
Red= 6,707

No numbers available as to how many were equipped with your interior color. No way of knowing how many were equipped with your options combined. It is a relatively rare car with some desirable options.

 

They made 53,807 Corvettes in 79.

4 speeds= 4,062
L82= 14,516
Red= 6,707

No numbers available as to how many were equipped with your interior color. No way of knowing how many were equipped with your options combined. It is a relatively rare car with some desirable options.

 

Actually, there were 12,353 cars built with a 4-speed manual in 79

8,291 with M20 (L48 & L82) and 4,062 with M21 (L82 only)

so at least 4,062 L82s had the 4-speed; the unknown is how many of
the M20 cars had the L82. If you guess and say about 3,000, then that
puts your L82/4-spd cars at 7,062 or about 13.1%. If you know you
have the M21, then that works out to about 7.5%. Either way, the
later 4-speed cars are fairly rare.

 

Actually there were 12,343 units with the four-speed. The figure of 4,062 is for the optional MM4 close-ratio four-speed.

 

It's a small matter granted, but the NCRS guide says

M20 - 8,291
M21 - 4,062

for a total unless my calculator is wrong of 12,353

Is one of these numbers wrong?


MM4 was the RPO for the "standard" tranny, which would not have been
the close ratio on either engine. Think it was the 2.85 low Saginaw used
only on the L48. The close ratio RPO was M21 through 1979.

 

Nice car, but probably not as rare as you'd like. Lots of 79s; lots of four speeds; lots of L-82s. The red/oyster combination not only looks good, it was popular.

You could do a regression on the numbers in the Blackbook, but that would only give you a best guesstimate.

Cruise and enjoy.

 

Sweet, thanks.

What the heck is M20 & M21? Does that have to do with the higher output 225 horse?

 

UHHH BOY...............thats My Daughters Michele She's 20 & Marie She's 21

<<<<<<< TRANSMISSIONS >>>>>>

 

[QUOTE=thats My Daughters Michele She's 20 & Marie She's 21[/B] QUOTE]

Sweet. Tell them to come down to Tampa for the weekend

I'd never heard those terms before, of course I just bought my Vette about two weeks ago. How can you tell the difference?

 

Rarity isn't the only thing here. Desirability is a factor in determining the value of a car as well. In the Corvette world I don't really believe a red '79 4-speed is any more desireable than another '79. A nice car, but I wouldn't consider it a rarity. Another example I read about was I believe a '56 issue. In '56 Chevy offered pink in Corvette. Sounds odd, but for tht era pretty cool really. Unfortunately no one ever ordered the pink Corvette. A guy had written to a Bloomington Gold column asking that if he painted his '56 that Chevy pink would it be highly valuable, being the only one? The BG response: Probably not. 1-The records show none were ever produced. 2-The reason none were produced was probably because no one wanted it, thus not desirable. The point here is beyond rarity, the car should have a uniqueness or a certain desirability. If the public thought the '63 split window was ugly, then '63 split windows might be worth little, but they were kind of cool and unique making them more desirable. There are tons of unique cars out there e.g. Nash Metro, but collectors aren't flocking to them. Now the up side to that is that when I go to car shows, I love the unique. I was at a show where the guy next to me had a Nash Metro, and while it was a bit geeky, it was cool because barely anyone restores those! That is what makes this hobby fascinating......there are so many varities of cars and I kind of love them all!

 

Thanks gliot. My car is extremely desirable to me which is what matters here. As for the rarity question, it is simply out of curiosity after hearing a friend talking about it.

 

Hoosier,

Knowledge is power. You've got the Corvette. Now start becoming Corvette literate and begin assembling your Corvette library. Order a reproduction owner's manual for your car if it did not come with an original. Order the assembly instruction manual (AIM) for '79. There are dozens of good Corvette reference/history books. Start buying and reading them. Check eBay. Lots of used Corvette book buys on eBay.

 

like was said- Cruise and enjoy!

 

In the general scheme of things, the higher horsepower cars with 4-speeds are worth the most. You can look at any value chart and see that so don't understand the comment that a 4-spd is no more desirable than any other 79. This one is an L82 on top of being a 4-spd and is also Red, which many buyers consider the best color so i think you've got it about as good as it gets in 79. Maybe not rare, but pretty desirable as far as 79s go.

M20 and M21 are the RPOs (Regular Production Option) codes for the transmissions.

M20 - Wide Ratio 4-spd
M21 - Close Ratio 4-spd

 

Well Easy Mike, the AIM just came in the mail yesterday and the owners manual came two days before. I am starting to build that library, but was curious in the meantime which is why I came on here. Perhaps I won't next time.

Thanks wfo76. How do I determine which one mine is between M20 & M21? I know it's the higher output 225 horse, did that make a difference when they decided which tranny to put in?

 

I'm sure Mike was not putting you off and telling you to RTFM ....
Read The F-in Manual. No ... rather suggesting that there is much
to know and learn that cannot be all answered in the forum.
You seem interested in your vette ... he was only pointing you in the right direction.

From Corvette Restoration Guide (by Prince):
... the car's production code and assembly date, are stamped into
the main case on the driver-side flange adjacent to where the tail
housing attaches.
In the production code, the first letter is "W" to indicate
Borg-Warner. The next letter indicates the month. (A=Jan ...)
The month code is followed by one or two numbers denoting the day.
Next comes a single number to indicate the year. And finally,
the last number indicates whether the transmission is a close- or
wide-ratio unit.
For example, a code of "WG2791" translates to a Borg-Warner
four-speed , built on July 27, 1979. The final "1" indicates that it is
a wide-ratio unit.


Stuff like that is much more easy to read from a book than to ask on the net.
(lots of typing for me).

Oh yeah ... might also be a tag or stamp on the tranny that references
the wide-ratio as "UH" code and close-ratio as "UK" code. I'm not sure
where to look for this exactly, as I am more familiar with TH400s, which
have a metal tag riveted to the side with the code.

 

This chart makes it easy. Looks like the last number "1" is for production line.

http://fiedlerh.home.att.net/BW.htm

 

I knew I could get a link. karol, NHvette, thank you!

 

What does the L-82 or L-??? MEAN????