C3 Question
Willcox
Willcox
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
The 78-79 rear mounts to a crossmember, that's bolted to the frame. The 80-82 rear end has the crossmember, as part of the rear end, eliminating the need for the separate crossmember. The 78-79 rear end crossmember, will not attach to an 80-82 rear, without a lot of modification to the frame.
The trans crossmember is also different, but unless your using a dual exhaust system, the 80-82 trans crossmember will work just find.
The 77's look like the 78-82's, but are slightly longer and shaped differently at the bottom, to meet the older style dash.
The 78-79 rear mounts to a crossmember, that's bolted to the frame. The 80-82 rear end has the crossmember, as part of the rear end, eliminating the need for the separate crossmember. The 78-79 rear end crossmember, will not attach to an 80-82 rear, without a lot of modification to the frame.
The trans crossmember is also different, but unless your using a dual exhaust system, the 80-82 trans crossmember will work just find.
The 78-82 pillar posts are all interchangeable too. It's the 77 posts that are different. All 78-82 right hand moldings, carried the same part number. The part number changed in 82, for the left side molding, but I think the difference had something to do with the opening for the VIN plate, not the overall length of the molding.
The 77's look like the 78-82's, but are slightly longer and shaped differently at the bottom, to meet the older style dash.

I wanted to know where the changes were so today I pulled down some old originals and the AIM's.
The 77 was the odd man out cut different on the bottom. The 1978-1982 right hand was the same, the 1978-1980 left was the same, and the 1981-1982 are the same as the 1978-1980 with the exception of a very much larger opening cut for the s/n.
14011807 LH 466700 RH 81-82
466699 LH 466700 RH 78-82




















