When we bought our 82 from VanBortels, there was a 1982 CE for sale. We looked at it and we were surprised to see it didn't have a hatch. I thought all CEs had the rear hatch. It's not listed on the VanBortel web site anymore. Any ideas?

 

I was under the impression the hatch was a ce trademark part of the ce package so perhaps a special order if possible or owner converted or wrecked car

 

All 82 Collectors came with the glass hatch rear. If it didn't have one, then it was changed at some point in the past, or it was a regular 82, dressed up like an 82.

 

 

Maybe one of the previous owners changed it to get rid of air or water leaks.

 

I feel so naive my mind goes to things like wrecks or po mods,
Never did it dawn on me someone would try to fake a ce, but that got me thinking people do fake things like l88s and the 78 pace car why not a ce, well, arent ces only big money when super low miles and or super pristine, isnt a drive ce no big deal, dont get me wrong i find the ce a stunning end to the c3 line, a really beautiful car but i would suspect a person in the market for a ce would know the hatch is a must and run like hell from one with out it, seems if fake it will be hard to find that mark,

 

I'll follow up with VanBortels who had the car. They have sold the car and since taken the pictures off their web site

 

I'm going to check with VanBortels. They have sold the car and taken pictures off their web site.

 

Too late to check this one out but keep in mind 82 collector editions have their own VIN.
I THINK the sixth digit in the VIN is a 0(zero) as opposed to an 8.

 

Yep.

 

I checked with Matt at VanBortels and the car I saw was just a coupe with the two-tone paint option. We were buying our 1982 Vette at the time and were a little excited. Between the excitement and the memory of the 75-year old guy, I made a mistake in what we saw. That car is still on the VanBortel Corvette web site.

 

Your observation does raise in intersting question though, where DOES an 82CE owner get new rear glass if theirs is broken ????

 

Makes me glad I decided not to get a CE, but I bet glass for any of these later C3s isn't cheap.

 

Here are a couple photos of the real deal. The first photo is on a drive my Wife and I were able to do on New Years Eve outside of Chicago, and the second photo is up on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado outside of Estes Park. I Love my CE! -The hatchback is absolutely fabulous, as any of you who own later Corvettes know. It is a back saver when loading luggage or T-Tops.

I don't know how it would be financially reasonable to convert a "regular" Corvette to a CE, the paint alone would be $8,000.00, the decal kit is $1,200.00, the leather interior and all ancillary stuff like carpet, consoles, instrument panels, etc, would probably be near $5,000.00 with labor, and those wheels were $1,600.00 to purchase back then, you can't even find them anywhere now except on e-bay for outlandish prices.

As far as investment value, the CE cost right at $26,000.00 new, and Corvette magazine right now places it, in show condition, at $27,000.00, although it is one of the later C3's to continually rise in value in the last three years.

I found mine in NJ 2 years ago with only 3,340 original miles on it, with original bill of sale, window sticker, dealer computer order sheet, owner's manual, and other documents. I will never sell it. My Daughter is a Physician, and I have already told her that it is hers when I leave. I think it is a good Doctor car!

 

We must remember there was a little 'frenzy' happening when the CE's first came out. With a $22,500 MSRP, many were marked up in the hope of a 'scoop'. (like the initial Pace-cars)

There was a $4500 price diff between a base 82 and the CE.

Back in 82, it didn't cost $4000 to paint a vette. (decals either!)

 

The '82 CE back hatch is not reproduced so the only way to replace it is to buy one from an existing '82 CE. There is usually a used hatch on eBay for around $2000. You can replace it with non-opening back glass if you have to for less than 1/2 the price.

 

First part is correct...second part not so much.

YOU CANNOT replace the rear hatch on an 82 CE with a 78-82 fixed back 'bubbleback'.

THE TWO PIECES OF GLASS ARE DIFFERENT SIZES..

The CE hatch is not the same. My glass guy (amongst the best in the SW) said to me verbatim..." good luck on even finding a reasonable bubbleback" let alone a CE hatch. there are absolutely none avail NOS at any priice. Your only chance is 'salvage'.

 

Ecklers sold the Cars & Concepts kit for quite some time before they ran out. I saw these kits new and used at swaps. I would imagine someone looking for parts should check the swaps... they occasionally show up still. Probably a better route than hoping for salvage.

 

That would be a hell of an idea, until L-46man pointed out that it can't be replaced. Only reason I had agreed with that assumption, is because my dad's ALWAYS leaked. I don't believe he ever got it to stop, and even if he did it didn't matter. The tops still leaked. It wasn't old at that time either, it was around 85-86 or so (see avatar for pic).


Another CE parts car. Luckily my dad has one. His bodyman, who worked on Corvettes for many years, said 4-5 years ago, that it was about a $3000 glass! Maybe that was before they were a little more readily available on ebay though.

What's SOOOOOO "special" about the paint, that they would charge so much? I really do not see my dad spending anywhere near that kind of money to paint a car (TWICE!!), nor could he afford it. Granted, you're speaking in modern currency values. Both of the times it was repainted, were prior to 1989/1990, I believe.

In '86, my dad pick up his CE for around $6000 . . . sorta. His boss owned it, gave my dad a bonus on paperwork, gave my dad the car, and pocketed the cash. My dad never actually touched the money. His was nowhere near as nice as your's though. I mean, when it was new, then sure, but my dad didn't come into possession of it until after it went for a swim. Some moron drove it into a bayou. My dad did buy the decal kit in 86, but don't know what he paid. They have never been put onto the car. The last time the car was painted though, his body man laid out all of the pinstripes by hand with masking tape, and painted them on, and for much cheaper. The cost of paint + pints of Taaka. It is missing some of the stripes though, the ones on the mirrors, and around the glass, if memory serves.

I can't believe they wanted $1600 for those wheels. I mean I guess when they were in production, and for a few years after building the last CE. I don't really find them to be a very good looking style. They needed something complex to match all the stripes, so I guess they needed something, but not my taste.

 

I think the ce wheels were a flashback to an early c3 wheel option,

Vectors, turbines, whatever one calls that style wheel to me they are a very good looking wheel on a c3,

I have my fond memories of riding to daytona in the rear of a ce, then cruising the beach all day, sitting on rear deck with the glass closed to my lap, legs in the rear, i was 6 foot 2...lol

Sadly not long after that the car with likely less than 20k miles was parked and left to ruin, i heard it was sold a few years ago as a basketcase parts car.