bigfella70

Hi folks

Recently joined on here from the UK and currently seeking a C3 (wanted ad placed for 80-82).

I'm happy to consider all versions / specs from those years and to help with the choose just seeking views on transmission choices.

I do like a manual car and have been drawn to them during my search. I've had a trans-am before with the 700 R4 auto which was great with the lockup mode. Relaxed cruising and one of my potential journeys would be down through Europe to Spain where we have a holiday home. 1600 miles door to door so a high top gear ratio would be good for that.

The earlier auto would probably be fine also but just seeking thoughts and experience. Does the manual and earlier auto give relaxed enough top gear for a decent motorway journey ?

How are the manuals to live with, I do lean towards them as I like shifting my own gears !!

Metalhead140

An auto corvette is heresy... just my opinion! Don't own any slushboxes and don't ever plan to, even my wifes daily is a stick shift. If you want to drive it hard, manual is much more fun. My '79 has a 3.36 rear end, and I found it happy enough cruising around our highway speed limits here (110km/h, 65mph), but I am used to driving older cars. I am putting in a 5 speed now, but more because I'm concerned about breaking the 4 speed behind my new engine than any other reason, the overdrive is just a bonus.

tokim

I like driving the car..the 4 spd allows me to do this.

Alan 71

Hi 70,
They made Corvettes with automatic transmissions?????????????
Regards,
Alan

bigfella70

Lol you guys are confirming my thoughts that a manual is the way to go here !!!

Rotonda

Much comes down to individual preference. Which ever you choose, I would suggest that you consider substituting a later model transmission - either a 4 speed automatic with appropriate convertor or a 5 or 6 speed tranny. While the original transmissions will provide adequate acceleration, trips with them are wearing (unless you go to 3.08 or higher differential which then cuts into acceleration).

Easy Mike

I agree. 100% personal choice.

bj1k

Buy what you like but be advised that if you want to sell it the 4 speed will sell quicker. A Corvette is a sports car and they are supposed to be fun to drive , not just a grocery getter.

TheSkunkWorks

Yes, the choice is a personal one. That said, IMHO the difference between a Corvette with a manual box vs. with an auto is that of a sportscar vs. a sporty one. FWIW, all of the Corvettes I've owned have been sticks, including my '78 that I converted over to manual long ago (big blocked it too). Wouldn't have it any other way. YMMV

lowbuck72

Nowadays, new cars are almost all automatics, even most Corvettes and even 50% of new Miatas. People need that right hand to work their phones. On the other hand, classic sports cars (and any car as far as I'm concerned) were made to be driven, ie. shifted, I wouldn't have it any other way. I was talking to a smart *** friend of mine and I asked "what's it like driving one of those new CVT's"?
He answered."Duuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhh".

LT1M21Vette

64roadster

My '81 is an automatic and I'm ok with that, for now. But I have converted my '64 from Powerglide to 4-speed and love rowing through the gears.

joewill

1. if you want an 80-82.. only about 10% of them are manuals ( zero 82's are manuals) so a 4-speed will be hard to find in those years
2. I disagree that a 4-speed is easier to sell.. as new younger people enter our hobby, they don't know how to shift and will buy the auto. sure all of us geezers want a 4-speed.. but I will have to sell my car to a geezer, a dwindling population, the new kids want to have autos.

jr73

Sure shifting is all fun and games until you spill your beer

Metalhead140

Not sure I agree. Certainly, lots of younger people don't know how to drive stick, but how many of those are interested in buying a 40 year old car? I would think any younger person likely to buy an old Corvette can drive a manual box (or if not would be keen to learn). It's not a Corolla! I'm 30 by the way, which at least here in Aus definitely puts me among the younger owners in a C3.

bigfella70

I think the way I'm going is towards a manual. My daily driver is a 2002 L322 Range Rover. Auto transmission suits these just fine. Last year I sourced a lovely Jaguar Xk (2006) but couldn't love it because it was an auto, modern car and just like driving a lower faster L322 Rangey !

I am visualising a 1980 4 speed Vette at the moment ;-))

oldgto

I guess I`m the odd man out on this one, but one of the things that drew me to our 71 coupe was the automatic.
Basic no frills 270 horse roll up window no AC automatic.
I had plenty of fun ripping gears and burning rubber with my Pontiacs when I was a kid. Now that I`m getting a little older.... with all the things that go with it (arthritis, back aches, etc. ...) I`m much more interested in just a peaceful sight-seeing cruise in something that`s easy to drive, with decent mileage.
And NOTHING beats the looks of a classic Corvette. So this way, I get it ALL!

3JsVette

That's a great choice but it may not be to easy to find.
Good luck in your search and since they are rare check out your potential candidates thoroughly. Buy with your head not your heart. After the bliss wears off you don't want to discover you have a money pit on your hands.

diehrd

An auto is infinitely better then a stick in today's driving environment . I run a fairly powerful 1980 and I can eat a doughnut , have coffee and if need be manually select any gear if i choose to , I could even use paddle shifters on the steering wheel for a level of cool a c-3 never dreamed of ..

But to sit at a light or wait for a train and to move in stop and go traffic the auto wins hands down and if you are into quick like me the auto is better at the 1/4 mile to .

grancuda

Autos are great, you can buy them cheap. Then get an American Powertrains 5 speed TKO set-up just like if I would have bought a 4 speed car.

That's my plan for the '69 I have.