1980 Corvette modification?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 180
Likes: 64
From: Humboldt, Saskatchewan
1980 Corvette modification?
Right now my Vette is completely stock. The guy who assessed the value for insurance asked if I was going to "wake up the engine." I said I wasn't sure as I thought re-sale would be better without mods (more market: some will want stock and some will want to do their own mods). Any thoughts?
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,614
Likes: 347
From: No Where USA
I bought an 80 vette, the one before it was a 99. So the 80 lacked in power. I put a 383 into it with an Edelbrock top end kit. I am sure it will keep up with my old 99 now. At under 200 HP it is a little slow.
I never buy a vette with resale in mind. I am not in it to make money off of it. If you wanted to make money from it you bought the wrong year. I always liked that body style and when I bought the car I knew I would modify it. I left everything else stock appearing.
In the end it is your car to enjoy.
I never buy a vette with resale in mind. I am not in it to make money off of it. If you wanted to make money from it you bought the wrong year. I always liked that body style and when I bought the car I knew I would modify it. I left everything else stock appearing.
In the end it is your car to enjoy.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 180
Likes: 64
From: Humboldt, Saskatchewan
I guess I should explain that I bought the car because I could afford it but really want a C6 Grand Sport. I am hoping to get my money out of it, or close, in about 3 years.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 180
Likes: 64
From: Humboldt, Saskatchewan
I bought an 80 vette, the one before it was a 99. So the 80 lacked in power. I put a 383 into it with an Edelbrock top end kit. I am sure it will keep up with my old 99 now. At under 200 HP it is a little slow.
I never buy a vette with resale in mind. I am not in it to make money off of it. If you wanted to make money from it you bought the wrong year. I always liked that body style and when I bought the car I knew I would modify it. I left everything else stock appearing.
In the end it is your car to enjoy.
I never buy a vette with resale in mind. I am not in it to make money off of it. If you wanted to make money from it you bought the wrong year. I always liked that body style and when I bought the car I knew I would modify it. I left everything else stock appearing.
In the end it is your car to enjoy.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 174
Likes: 3
From: Charlotte NC
In 20 years it may be worth more all original. If you want to enjoy it make it your own. I put a 383 stroker, VBP suspension, upgraded the brakes and put a vintage air AC in it. It is my toy and I have a lot fun with it.
If you are worried about resale leave it alone and put it storage for a couple of decades.
If you are worried about resale leave it alone and put it storage for a couple of decades.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 323
Likes: 9
This is my take, 80-82s are my favorite, I believe as far as looks go, they are perfect, love the stock rims, combined with the old school white letter tires...beautiful.
As far as performance...well, they are not too fast stock. I bought one last year and would have had no issues paying more money for the right car. If it is modified I want it to look professionally done, otherwise I'm not really interested.
There is a gorgeous black 81 for sale on our forum that has a crate engine installed and its around 400 hp. I would have bought that car if I had that kind of money in the budget.
So I guess it depends on the person, I do not think performance modifications hurt the value of a Corvette, for me at least, as long as it doesn't look like bubba installed them.
As far as performance...well, they are not too fast stock. I bought one last year and would have had no issues paying more money for the right car. If it is modified I want it to look professionally done, otherwise I'm not really interested.
There is a gorgeous black 81 for sale on our forum that has a crate engine installed and its around 400 hp. I would have bought that car if I had that kind of money in the budget.
So I guess it depends on the person, I do not think performance modifications hurt the value of a Corvette, for me at least, as long as it doesn't look like bubba installed them.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 987
Likes: 7
From: Surrey British Columbia
Next to the '60, the '80 is my favourite Vette. I owned a brand new one back in the day; I have a second one undergoing a resto-mod. An '80 is not an investment. It's kinda like a four-wheeled money pit. Guys own 80's because they're either affordable, they have a strong sentimental attachment to it, or they think it's one cool looking machine. Nobody buys an '80 with the intent of turning it around and making a decent dollar off of it. I'll never recover the cost of my restoration, much to my wife's chagrin. The owning and driving is the only thing that matters to me.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 78
Likes: 1
Next to the '60, the '80 is my favourite Vette. Guys own 80's because they're either affordable, they have a strong sentimental attachment to it, or they think it's one cool looking machine. Nobody buys an '80 with the intent of turning it around and making a decent dollar off of it. The owning and driving is the only thing that matters.
Last edited by Sharky II; Jan 18, 2014 at 07:18 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 180
Likes: 64
From: Humboldt, Saskatchewan
How about people's thoughts on this: my rad leaks a bit and I'm thinking of just changing it out. If I'm "waking up the engine" should I be worried about cooling capacity? I was thinking headers before doing something like heads and/or a cam.
Reason I ask is because when I was 20 the bank bought me a '67 Camaro with a 327. I put in a 350 LT1 and had overheating problems that I didn't have with the 327.
Reason I ask is because when I was 20 the bank bought me a '67 Camaro with a 327. I put in a 350 LT1 and had overheating problems that I didn't have with the 327.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 956
Likes: 86
From: McDonough Georgia
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,614
Likes: 347
From: No Where USA
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 32
Likes: 3
vintage ac
In 20 years it may be worth more all original. If you want to enjoy it make it your own. I put a 383 stroker, VBP suspension, upgraded the brakes and put a vintage air AC in it. It is my toy and I have a lot fun with it.
If you are worried about resale leave it alone and put it storage for a couple of decades.
If you are worried about resale leave it alone and put it storage for a couple of decades.
thanx
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,217
Likes: 784
From: Fort Myers Beach Florida
My seventh Corvette was an '81 coupe. What a pig! I previously had several C3's from the sixties and one C4. They all went like hell but the 81 was such a dog I parted with it in short time. Sure I could have invested big bucks in a new motor and had a car worth much less when it was done. Seemed easier to just buy a C5, no regrets
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,663
Likes: 162
From: columbia city in
if that's not the year vette that you want to keep then its a stepping stone to the next one ,leave it alone .but.......if you make it the way you like it you may keep it .changing heads and cam are easy things to put back to stock .you might also want to think about gears .car is still stock.but does run better.