Hey Guys,

I have the opportunity to get some books for a 1980 Corvette (C3 in general, actually). But I need some clarification before I commit to buying a book.

I am looking to get a repair manual as I am sure at some point I will need to do repairs on the C3. So my question is out of the 4 manuals listed below, which should I get?

1) Repair manual (like Haynes or Chilton)
2) Factory Assembly Manual
3) Factory Service Manual
4) Shop Manual

I have looked up all of these and they all have different covers and give a slightly different description of what they include. It is my understanding that an Assembly Manual is the most detailed you can get, with the most explosive pictures and being the most actuate. But I didn't know if buying a repair manual would be redundant or supplemental. Or if the Assembly, Service and shop manual were all the same thing. Basically, I need help understanding the differences.

Thanks.

 

You really need both the AIM (assembly manual) and the chassis service manual (also referred to as a shop manual).

I have both the Haynes and Chilton, can't remember the last time I looked at either one.

 

What about the Corvette parts Interchange manual?

 

1980 Corvette Shop Manual (Genuine GM) - General large component repair (engine, carburator, electrical, etc). Get the Shop Manual SPECIFIC for your year car - better than the generic 1968-1982 manuals.

1980 Unit Repair Manual (Genuine GM) - small component repair.

1980 Wiring Diagram (Genuine GM) - IDs wire colors, circuit numbers, connections. (Often available from the vendor selling the Shop Manual or from NCRS / Also some vendors sell a year specific wiring diagram that is physically much larger and hence easier to trace.)

The 1953-1982 Corvette Parts and Illustration Catalog is also useful with replacement part numbers and "exploded" parts diagrams. Available on ebay as paper and download as multiple LARGE pdfs.

FREE from General Motors is a data kit (pdf) of information/specifications supplied to the dealer and the automobile manufacturing association by General Motors. It is available from GM archives at:


http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-h...tion-kits.html


Click on the link, scroll down to "Corvette" and click on "show", select (click) the year you want, accept the usage agreement, and a pdf with a lot of useful information will download.

Also available from the Heritage center (Corvette 1977 and forward) is a copy of the shipper document containing build date, dealer, regular production options (RPO) codes, etc for YOUR SPECIFIC VIN. Thus if your tank sticker is lost or deteriorated, you can get the information that details how it was originally optioned.

 

I did some searching on ebay.

As for the shop manual...I found this CD that has a lot of things in it. Would anyone suggest this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/170704346875...#ht_5079wt_949

As for buying the book seperate, I found a few options for the assembly manual. Does anyone know if there are differences between the ones I listed below? Or quality of the reprint?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/140612424069...9#ht_660wt_949

This one looks like generic, but the description says specific to the year (1980). So opinions on this would be great.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/350498684866...#ht_1321wt_949

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360386515258...ht_2037wt_1182

Thank you for your help.

 

The paper AIM copies all seem to be from the same source - none stand out in quality from the others IMO. Sometimes the quality of a page is poor (usually the one you need) and the CD version is helpful as you can easily expand on your computer's screen. I have the cd version from WILCOX (CF vendor) and it is OK, BTW have not seen complaints about the quality of other vendor's cd, so take your pick. Having BOTH paper and electronic versions is nice.

No knowledge of the ebay cd, it looks interesting.

 

Well I was thinking if I can get the book in digital format, I would just print the pages I needed while working on stuff. And maybe over time I would have it printed. But I wasn't planning on getting an electric copy and a hard copy.

 

All AIMs are model year specific.

Most chassis service manuals are model year specific, but that can vary.

Chilton, Haynes, etc, are generic and try to cover several model years. They are handy at times, but are much too general for other applications.

The format you buy is up to you. I have AIMs on CD; I have AIMs in paper. I prefer the hard copy paper versions. You can take a hard copy AIM out to the shop with you. Drop it and no real harm done.

Take your laptop to the garage, drop it, and you'll wish you had a paper AIM.

 

first
You can expect to get several manuals, so which to get first. A repair manual has info. on repair incl. wiring diagrams in Haynes.
The AIM is model year specific & last after you have a C3 year.

"... I would just print page I needed while working on stuff."
Yes that would work for the AIM. There are a lot of pages so if a printed version is wanted then get it.


The first Corvette books I got after buying the 77 was the 1977 Chevrolet Wiring Diagrams & the first one I saw for Torque specs.

 

It seems these manuals are a important topic suddenly. A new thread was just created asking about the same type of thing.

For those of you reading this thread, you may want to check out this thread too.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...y-manuals.html