C3 General General C3 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

C8 style vs C3

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 8, 2020 | 10:06 PM
  #1  
TRT SR's Avatar
TRT SR
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,017
Likes: 229
From: Bay City Michigan
Default C8 style vs C3

I love all Corvettes, each one has a unique style. Maybe it’s just me but I was wishing for more on the new C8 . Not in the performance area , it does more than cars costing three times as much. The front end just leaves me wanting more...I know the rear engine cars have greater cooling demands ...but in my opinion it is lacking style/ impact that others have. Our C3s had cooling needs too, being a bottom feeder but GM got it done...40 years ago! My 71 that I had and now the 81 have the look that just makes you stare..if they could put our front end on?? Lol .
Reply
Old Dec 8, 2020 | 10:39 PM
  #2  
fastimes's Avatar
fastimes
Burning Brakes
Supporting Lifetime
 
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,031
Likes: 465
From: Henderson, NV
St. Jude Donor '19-'20-'21-'22
Default





Reply
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 12:57 AM
  #3  
SEVNT6's Avatar
SEVNT6
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
Active Streak: 120 Days
Liked
Top Answer: 5
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,038
Likes: 3,344
From: Omaha NE
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Default

I agree on performance. Bang for the buck? I wish I could sign up!
And handling must be nuts. I've owned a '94 MR2 for almost 20 years....
It's the back I have a problem with. Camaro anyone?


Reply
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 09:32 AM
  #4  
Jack605's Avatar
Jack605
Burning Brakes
Supporting Lifetime
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 997
Likes: 210
From: Schaumburg IL
Default C8

The C8 does not have the sexy curves of the front fenders, Now the C7 has the curves. Love both my 69 and 14.

Jack
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 09:53 AM
  #5  
SVASSH's Avatar
SVASSH
Racer
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 293
Likes: 107
From: Highland Village, TX
St. Jude Donor '21
Default

I think it (C8) will evolve over the next 3-5 years and the styling will be improved. From a C3 perspective the 68 (while I love it) is rather plain looking compared to how it evolved thru 82.
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 10:13 AM
  #6  
TRT SR's Avatar
TRT SR
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,017
Likes: 229
From: Bay City Michigan
Default

They must have designed the front end to cool the future Z06 with a hot running twin turbo V8? Not sure though how Mclaren does it with their TT setup doing the job with a better looking front
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 10:46 AM
  #7  
Hopper12's Avatar
Hopper12
Melting Slicks
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 5
 
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,788
Likes: 2,334
From: Central UT
Default

First, I agree that C3s are drop dead gorgeous. I was first drawn to corvettes by the C7 (bought a '15 Z51 and a '17 GS). Then we just happened on a solid '72 roadster for sale in front of a very rural home in south/central Utah while we were traveling. Wife said turn around and look at it. I did, it was super solid, bought it, and picked it up a week later. Then I wanted a bb and found a '68 427/435 in CA. Worked with the owner for about a year (great guy, and a CF member) and we eventually worked a deal. Really like that car a lot and am enjoying going thru most everything - - going through mechanical areas last winter and this winter is a nice covid relief.

On the C8s, we've seen only one - a few weeks ago. I think they are such a huge engineering feat and, for the $, they can't be beat. The side profile of a C8, IMO, is spot on. The front is good. The rear, IMO, not so much - - needs some work and I too think it will evolve. We're waiting on the Z variant of the C8 and we may sell the GS and get one - - if it will hold enough luggage for our long road trips together.

And I also want to say that I'm thankful for all the helpful members of this forum who help me learn the nuances of these cool C3s. Thanks, Paul



Don't we have a great hobby?! GS; CT6-V; and 'The Beast'.
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 04:00 PM
  #8  
stingr69's Avatar
stingr69
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,503
Likes: 1,511
From: Little Rock AR
Default

I like the C8 but not enough to buy one. It does a lot of things very well, but it is missing the soul of a classic Corvette. The C8 is objectively a "better" car but I just don't need it.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-5

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-6

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-7

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 05:53 PM
  #9  
Shovels and Vettes's Avatar
Shovels and Vettes
Le Mans Master
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 9,063
Likes: 2,736
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Default

C3 Corvette is a beautiful and sexy machine.....a C8 is not. Fact.
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 06:05 PM
  #10  
fake's Avatar
fake
Safety Car
15 Year Member
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,549
Likes: 343
From: Glastonbury CT
Default

Nothing like a C3 , that C8 has a lot of catching up to do!
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 06:39 PM
  #11  
drwet's Avatar
drwet
Melting Slicks
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,233
Likes: 657
From: Thunder Bay
Default

I always seem to like the older Corvettes better than the new ones. In the 70's I liked the midyears better than the C3s. These days I like the C3s and C6s more than the C7s and C8s. (IMHO '84-'04 was a bit of low point for the Corvette.) While I certainly appreciate the C8 for the technological marvel it is, not to mention how much of a bargain it is, it might be a while before the looks grow on me to the point where I would buy one. Not to mention the fact that it doesn't have enough pedals.
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 06:57 PM
  #12  
cv67's Avatar
cv67
Team Owner
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Default

From the rear wheels back the C8 is horrible....i doubt they redesign it, most gens they carry the same pieces through the yrs.
Too bad, rest of it looks dynamite.
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 07:19 PM
  #13  
righthanddrive's Avatar
righthanddrive
Pro
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 578
Likes: 107
From: colo
Default

The C3's are plain sexy looking . In my opinion the C8 is the second worst body style they have produced ( C4 is worse Looks a lot like Camaros). It may outperform most anything else, but how many people actually track their cars on a regular basis. Hopefully the engineers will realize this .

Another nice thing about C3s is you can actually work on them.
Reply
Old Dec 9, 2020 | 09:02 PM
  #14  
M A Fry's Avatar
M A Fry
Burning Brakes
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 103
From: Brisbane Queensland
Default

Not 3 years ago everyone was bitching about the rear end of the C7! Now it's the C8's turn. The problem that I see is that everyone wants to live in the past and not move on.
Well sorry people, in a few years a lot of us baby boomers will have dropped of the perch and the next gen corvette will be in showrooms and the cycle will continue. The old saying
comes to mind - you can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please everybody all of the time. GET OVER IT, IT IS WHAT IT IS, LIKE IT OR LUMP IT!
Reply
Old Dec 10, 2020 | 07:18 AM
  #15  
terrys6t8roadster's Avatar
terrys6t8roadster
Melting Slicks
10 Year Member
 
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,192
Likes: 343
From: Allenton Wisconsin
Default

When l was in high school one of my teachers had a white mid-year that l used to drool over, then in my senior year l had a chance to get a 62, but pop said that l'd kill myself. Then at about 40 l finally got my first vette the 6t8 about the same time my boss got his C4 which was a dream to drive, then the C5s arrived with a lot of styling cues from previous generations and with some slight styling cues it morphed into the C6s that let me down with the elimination of the hideaway headlights. Now comes the all new C7 with its sharp lines and superb performance and all the creature comforts in the world only to be surpassed by the C8 with the rear engine configuration. I haven't seen one up close yet but from the pictures l've seen l'm impressed and for a nicely equipped one at 80k [not that l can afford one]. So the styling isn't as nice as a 458 Italia but it isn't costing 450k either. T
Reply
Old Dec 10, 2020 | 08:48 AM
  #16  
Eric P's Avatar
Eric P
Drifting
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 498
Default

if the C8 didn't run good it would be a tough sale
Reply
Old Dec 10, 2020 | 08:58 AM
  #17  
rob62's Avatar
rob62
Safety Car
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,794
Likes: 1,904
Default

The styling of the C8 is very very disappointing to me.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To C8 style vs C3

Old Dec 10, 2020 | 09:44 AM
  #18  
walleyfisher's Avatar
walleyfisher
Race Director
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 10,691
Likes: 2,251
From: north of Chicago
2025 C2 of the Year ('64-'66) Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C4 of the Year Finalist- Modified
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C7 of the Year Winner -- Modified
2020 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Default


My '74 at my local Chebby dealer back in Aug.

Last edited by walleyfisher; Dec 10, 2020 at 10:57 AM.
Reply
Old Dec 10, 2020 | 09:53 AM
  #19  
ZAKsPop's Avatar
ZAKsPop
Drifting
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,312
Likes: 156
From: Richmond Texas
Default

Originally Posted by SVASSH
I think it (C8) will evolve over the next 3-5 years and the styling will be improved. From a C3 perspective the 68 (while I love it) is rather plain looking compared to how it evolved thru 82.
I feel the exact opposite. I think the early C3 is much better looking than later ones. However the 80-82 were an improvement over the late 70's models.
Reply
Old Dec 10, 2020 | 10:29 AM
  #20  
Shovels and Vettes's Avatar
Shovels and Vettes
Le Mans Master
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 9,063
Likes: 2,736
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Default

Look.....we can make jokes about this, like I did, but the reality is, just like food, its an individual taste. There is no right or wrong. I think the C8 works good for modern "Transformer" kid types as well as people having a circle jerk over a "mid-engine". For me, the car is ruined by the mid engine, and the C7 is the last in the line of beautiful cars. The C8 short front end, and long big fat *** all for the sake of the mid engine is not my definition of good looking. I like C3 - C7 Corvette BECAUSE of the long front hood. Plus,.....no manual transmission in the C8 is a deal breaker for me. I will stick with my 77 and 69 Corvettes......! Again....no right or wrong.
Reply



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:12 PM.

story-0
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

Slideshow: The 5 best and 5 most overrated Corvette track packages ever.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:46:45


VIEW MORE
story-1
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

Slideshow: Every 2027 Corvette engine explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:16:31


VIEW MORE
story-2
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-08 19:53:43


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-6
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-8
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE