I bet GM has an original unrestored '83 lurking in the sub-basement's basement of their Proving Grounds. ;) It's the Area 51 of cars.

 

I'm calling :bs also. Why would you do that to a car if there were only 2 made. I heard that 3 were made. 2 got destroyed and 1 is in the museum.

 

Sent email - I love driving people :crazy: Let's all send him one. :thumbs:

 

In regards to the proclaimed 1983 custom Vette, obviously this is at best a 1982 model made by GM but customized with knock-off Greenwood body panels. The body style you see is based on the 1978 Greenwood Turbo GT. Both American Custom Industries (ACI) and Eckler's sold these body parts (hood, fenders, rear wing) which were originally Greenwood designed. Greenwood, ACI and Eckler's all built cars from brand new stock Corvettes. Because of this they were actually considered manufacturers and could "reserialize" a car as a later model. This car wasn't built by the Greenwoods, so it was either ACI or Eckler's. The rear end is typical of the 1980-1981 Duntov Turbo which was designed by ACI. However, the recessed quad headlights smacks of a typical Eckler's installation. It's a toss-up as to which of the two companies built the car, but my guess would be ACI. Also, because the 1983 model (C4) didn't become available until 1984, ACI/Eckler's wouldn't have known this when this car was built (probably late 1981 or early 1982). As a "manufacturer", ACI or Eckler's just built this as a "1983" model, not knowing that the real '83 model would be a completely different body style. So as far as the owner of this car is concerned, he may actually have a "1983" custom built Corvette. It just isn't a GM-built 1983 Corvette. To learn more about Greenwood Corvettes, please visit: http://www.greenwoodcorvettes.com


[Modified by sharkwood, 3:24 PM 7/18/2003]


[Modified by sharkwood, 3:26 PM 7/18/2003]

 

That is a cool website - thanks for posting that. :thumbs:

 

sharkwood, i would agree with almost everything you said there, except, the introduction of the c-4 as a whole new body style did not sneak up on anybody. the c-3 was 14 years old and even by early '82 there were plenty of spy photos that showed a body style not far off from what was soon to be released as the c-4. if someone did manage to title the car as an '83, it may have either just been pure coincidence or a stroke of good luck that they were able to title it as an '83 corvette before the release of the actual '84 in march of 1983.
that in itself brings up an interesting subject. could two companies release two completely different cars marketed as the same model (and effectively the same manufacturer) simultaneously while declaring them different model years? hmmm, interesting...

 

No! He is full of doo doo that is all after market fiberglass. There is or was a car like that here in Indiana because i met the gal that owned one just like it. 1983's any that were made have always been owned by G.M. and never sold. The guy that responded about the one at the museum is right. And they would have to be a C-4 not a C-3.

 

Sharkwood:
Thank you for your response. You first responded so kindly to an earlier email that I sent you about my Vette so I thought I try again. As a Greenwood fan I thought I would give you a heads up on this topic. Thanks For the Info....

:seeya :rofl:

 

Clutchdust, you're undoubtedly right about the C4 body style not being a surprise to anyone, especially major "tuners" and customizers like Greenwood, ACI and Eckler's. I suppose I speculated a bit too much as to what these "manufacturers" knew about the next generation. Point being, it really didn't matter what was to come. These companies had "license to (re)build" Corvettes and sell them as newer models than what they started with. In defense of the owner of this car in question, he/she may very well have "official" documentation that his car is an '83 model from ACI or Eckler's. He/she will be hard pressed, though, to produce OFFICIAL GM paperwork proclaiming such.

 

the body kit looks to be the ecklers turbo II kit, although it's kind of hard to spot with that funky paint. The give-away is the gills behind the front wheel, I think only the Ecklers kit had those.

 

1983 Spy Photo from the June, 1981 Car & Driver with a note written by Dave McLellan after a speech to local Society of Automotive Engineers section.



1983 A model year that was never sold to the public shown below with proposed standard wheels never released.







[Modified by kewlbrz, 11:51 AM 7/20/2003]

 

take a look at those wheels in the proto, they're 16" versions of the C3 alu wheels.

Here's an 82 proto for the 83 corvette:


and here's a couple more (again those wheels!) I'd love to have some of those wheels, they'd be excellent on a C3 stock kind of looks, smaller sidewalls.







[Modified by Twin_Turbo, 12:55 PM 7/20/2003]

 

There is here in New Zealand a vette with a build date and decal to prove it on the drivers door of 02/83. it has a very low vin, first week of production.
It is however a C4 vette not a C3.
I believe these are quite common but still referred to as a 84 or C4.

 

An '83 vette is either an early C4 prototype or a C3 (1982 model) made in 1983. This a 1982 model made in 1983. Point being, if the 1983 Vette was made, it would of been a C4, the C4 started a year late. Due to engineering issues and/or the building of Bowling Green plant, forget which one.

 

I have 82# 24904 of a little more than 25000 built. Mine has a build date of 7/82 I think, So, no 82's were built in 83.

 

Its my understanding that nearly all corvettes are built primarly the year before the indicated model year and some during the following year.

The factory doesnt switch over to new models until summertime.

For example 2003 corvettes were built mostly in 02. But they just recently stopped building them, and started building the 04's.

So I am sure there were many 82's built in 83.

 

[QUOTE]1983 Spy Photo from the June, 1981 Car & Driver with a note written by Dave McLellan after a speech to local Society of Automotive Engineers section.



Thankfully the designers at GM put down the pipe they were smokin out of, could you imagine that as the C4?
:U :U :U

 

I think it's the same car as in the other pics, just camouflaged.

 

Yes, many 2003 are built in mid to late 02.

No, a model doesn't carry over into the next year, or else you would have 2003 being built in 02, 03, and 04. :)

I agree with Twin Turbo on this one, 82 production should have stopped in November or December of 82. Maybe someone with a black book can verify.


[Modified by LAvetteman, 2:43 PM 7/21/2003]

 

Your right I meant to say a model year is built from the previous year forward into its model year of production. I confused myself. haha. Thus making it unique that an 82 was built on into 83. (even tho its still an 82 model year).



[Modified by kewlbrz, 2:59 PM 7/21/2003]