Please help solve an argument
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2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
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Please help solve an argument
New to this site, thanks in advance for the help.
A cowroker of ours just purchased a 1984 Corvette. It is a basket case.
He said it is a prototype model and is worth big bucks. Specifically he says he has #437 of 500 ever made.
I'm calling BS on this one cause I researched and found only 44 prototypes were ever made and none of them were sold to the public. I've called a few Corvette restoration shops and classic dealers and they said NO WAY!.
Can anyone confirm his claims or is he full of it??????????
A cowroker of ours just purchased a 1984 Corvette. It is a basket case.
He said it is a prototype model and is worth big bucks. Specifically he says he has #437 of 500 ever made.
I'm calling BS on this one cause I researched and found only 44 prototypes were ever made and none of them were sold to the public. I've called a few Corvette restoration shops and classic dealers and they said NO WAY!.
Can anyone confirm his claims or is he full of it??????????
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Sussex,Wi
2023 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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Don't know about any prototypes for '84, because '84 was a production model.
Now, if this person said '83, that's a different story.
The Corvette museum has one of the very rare '83s on it's floor,
and for some reason I recall seeing in this forum there are only 2 of them.
Of course, I may be completely wrong (won't be the first or last time)
Now, if this person said '83, that's a different story.
The Corvette museum has one of the very rare '83s on it's floor,
and for some reason I recall seeing in this forum there are only 2 of them.
Of course, I may be completely wrong (won't be the first or last time)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,284
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From: Jacksonville, FL
St. Jude Donor '08 thru '26
I know GM destroyed all of the prototype ZR-1's.....or at least they tried to destroy all of them...some did escape to be restored because they were not too badly damaged...mostly the ones left at Lotus. As a matter of SOP I believe GM crushes them and if they don't that's because GM keeps them in their own storage/meuseum facility. I believe it the corp's policy to never let one go for sale to the public. I don't think even the board members are allowed to keep them any longer...like Harley Earl did with the Wildcat concept car...they took that one back after he died I think?
Maybe he has an low production #.....that's cool but prototype or test mule I doubt it very much. JMHO.
Maybe he has an low production #.....that's cool but prototype or test mule I doubt it very much. JMHO.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,753
Likes: 9
From: Louisiana
Originally Posted by touringmike
Don't know about any prototypes for '84, because '84 was a production model.
Now, if this person said '83, that's a different story.
The Corvette museum has one of the very rare '83s on it's floor,
and for some reason I recall seeing in this forum there are only 2 of them.
Of course, I may be completely wrong (won't be the first or last time)
Now, if this person said '83, that's a different story.
The Corvette museum has one of the very rare '83s on it's floor,
and for some reason I recall seeing in this forum there are only 2 of them.
Of course, I may be completely wrong (won't be the first or last time)
I don't recall any 84 being "special". As mike said, I only know of one 83 corvette in existence "Corvette museum". I haven't heard of the other one Mike is refering too. Now if by some crazy chance he has the other 83, this would be the most expensive vette ever IMO. As of now the 84 is probably the cheapest vette you can find.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 483
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From: Hurricane Alley FLorida
If he had a 1983 he would have something. The 83's were basically the prototype for the 84 model. I think 45 or 50 1983 models were made, but they had so many suspension and steering problems GM never went into production until they solved the problems and did not start public production until the 84 model. Therfore no 1983 Corvettes, the only one left and not crushed is in the Corvette Museum to my knowledge.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Originally Posted by tomtom72
I know GM destroyed all of the prototype ZR-1's.....or at least they tried to destroy all of them...some did escape to be restored because they were not too badly damaged...mostly the ones left at Lotus. As a matter of SOP I believe GM crushes them and if they don't that's because GM keeps them in their own storage/meuseum facility. I believe it the corp's policy to never let one go for sale to the public. I don't think even the board members are allowed to keep them any longer...like Harley Earl did with the Wildcat concept car...they took that one back after he died I think?
Maybe he has an low production #.....that's cool but prototype or test mule I doubt it very much. JMHO.
Maybe he has an low production #.....that's cool but prototype or test mule I doubt it very much. JMHO.
As to prototypes, frankly, everyone gets/lets one out sometimes. Recall the prototype for Corvettes was called CERV 1. One of those got out as well as a CERV 2 I believe. Could be wrong on the latter.
I also recall there was a bit of a "controversy" shall we call it, about a dozen years ago when GM was trying to buy back a certain CERV vehicle, and there was supposedly only one in existence and then one appeared in Houston at a Corvette shop. That made two. I visited that shop and saw something, but couldn't guarantee its authenticity. So they are out there, it's just a case of are they real or memorex. Some are real.
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Race Director
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From: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
Originally Posted by qbzonk
He said it is a prototype model and is worth big bucks. Specifically he says he has #437 of 500 ever made.
Can anyone confirm his claims or is he full of it??????????
Can anyone confirm his claims or is he full of it??????????
1. They made more than 500 1984 Corvettes.
2. No manufacturer makes 500 "prototypes".
Someone here can look in the Black Book and verify just how many '84's were made.
You can bet this guy who says his Vette is worth big bucks didn't actually pay big bucks for it...which should tell you (and him) something.
I.e. in the world of Corvettes, they pretty much sell for what they are worth....you don't find many "For sale: 1963 Chevrolet. $500 OBO" that turns out to be a split-window coupe, not in real life.
Larry
code5coupe
Last edited by rocco16; Jun 2, 2006 at 10:26 AM.
Race Director
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From: Kingman AZ
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There were 51,547 1984 Corvettes sold to the public. Maybe he has a "one of 500" optioned car. For instance there were only 410 1984 Corvettes sold with RPO Code #G92, Performance Axle Ratio. Upon future resale this might make an interesting footnote but probably would not bring in much extra money.
We need more details.
We need more details.
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Aloha Oregon
This must be the same guy that told me that the C4 had an option for a third seat.
Seriously, though. I have never heard of any company making 500 prototypes. If it takes 500 iterations to get something right I don't think I would buy it
Seriously, though. I have never heard of any company making 500 prototypes. If it takes 500 iterations to get something right I don't think I would buy it
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,475
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From: Austin TX
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by qbzonk
New to this site, thanks in advance for the help.
A cowroker of ours just purchased a 1984 Corvette. It is a basket case.
He said it is a prototype model and is worth big bucks. Specifically he says he has #437 of 500 ever made.
I'm calling BS on this one cause I researched and found only 44 prototypes were ever made and none of them were sold to the public. I've called a few Corvette restoration shops and classic dealers and they said NO WAY!.
Can anyone confirm his claims or is he full of it??????????
A cowroker of ours just purchased a 1984 Corvette. It is a basket case.
He said it is a prototype model and is worth big bucks. Specifically he says he has #437 of 500 ever made.
I'm calling BS on this one cause I researched and found only 44 prototypes were ever made and none of them were sold to the public. I've called a few Corvette restoration shops and classic dealers and they said NO WAY!.
Can anyone confirm his claims or is he full of it??????????
Yes, I agree, it's BS.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
I worked for a Buick NASCAR race team in 1984 and we could order anything we wanted from them at the time. One of the guys wanted a Buick Regal "body in white" for personal use to make a drag car out of and they sent us a proving ground car instead. This would have been a prototype and the thing I remember most about it was it had a ton of miles on it, was full of desert sand and had no serial number ID plate. I remember we used it to drive to lunch in for a while until the transmission gave out one day.