Quick history lesson wanted
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 762
Likes: 2
From: Foley, AL
Quick history lesson wanted
Good morning all.
I am sitting here wondering about how/why the C4 has a missing year. I know that some of you are rolling your eyes on this one, thinking "newbie"! Yes, very new.
Tell me about the following things:
1. The reason Corvette left St. Louis and came to Bowling Green. Why was BG so attractive?
2. Why is there no '83? A myth I heard was that was the year of the "move", but I read somewhere that was in '81 or '82?
Ok, pencil and paper ready to take notes.
FIRE AWAY!
Have a great day!
colt
I am sitting here wondering about how/why the C4 has a missing year. I know that some of you are rolling your eyes on this one, thinking "newbie"! Yes, very new.
Tell me about the following things:
1. The reason Corvette left St. Louis and came to Bowling Green. Why was BG so attractive?
2. Why is there no '83? A myth I heard was that was the year of the "move", but I read somewhere that was in '81 or '82?
Ok, pencil and paper ready to take notes.
FIRE AWAY!
Have a great day!
colt
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 57,805
Likes: 23
From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
The move was in '81.
The '83 didn't make it due to many reasons, main reason being to **** me off. The '83 passed all '84 federal regulations so for some reason they decided to skip the '83 model year and started building the '84 in March of '83. In other words they took too damn long developing it, much like the '97 C5 which was due in 1993(or '92, I forget exactly).
There were some '83's built and the one complete one sits in the NCM in Bowling Green.
The '83 didn't make it due to many reasons, main reason being to **** me off. The '83 passed all '84 federal regulations so for some reason they decided to skip the '83 model year and started building the '84 in March of '83. In other words they took too damn long developing it, much like the '97 C5 which was due in 1993(or '92, I forget exactly).
There were some '83's built and the one complete one sits in the NCM in Bowling Green.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 483
Likes: 0
From: Hurricane Alley FLorida
There were 47 83's built, the only survivor sits at the museum in Bowling Green. They were pilot cars that cost over half mil each to build, but could'nt get the tooling done in time to mass produce. No one was sold to the public.
Check http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2000...ry/83/83p1.asp
Check http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2000...ry/83/83p1.asp
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,235
Likes: 1
From: Sterling Va
Ok the C4 Corvette was ready for sale in March of 83, since Corvettes typically are released in October of the previous year, it would have been a very short model year. Like Mr Mojo said the car did pass all 84 requirements, and rather than going through the expense of recertification they just skipped that year. and had a long run for 84, which is why the 84 is the best selling year ever. They made I think 43 1983 Corvettes for testing, but none were made availiable to the public. All have been destroyed (as far as we know) only one remains and it is in the National Corvette Museum.
Bowling Green was a new State of the art facility that GM bought from Chrysler corporation.
The move to bowling green took place in june of 81, but production at St louis continued until August of 81, so for two months Corvettes were made at two plants. There is a diff between them, the St Louis cars were painted with Laquer paint, and the Bowling green cars were painted with the new Base coat/clear coat paint.
Bowling Green was a new State of the art facility that GM bought from Chrysler corporation.
The move to bowling green took place in june of 81, but production at St louis continued until August of 81, so for two months Corvettes were made at two plants. There is a diff between them, the St Louis cars were painted with Laquer paint, and the Bowling green cars were painted with the new Base coat/clear coat paint.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
For a great history book, check out Dave McClellan's "Corvette From the Inside". His time as an employee of GM working on the Corvette team.
Very interesting.
The actual reason wasn't so much as "development delays" as it was "quality control problems".
Very interesting.
The actual reason wasn't so much as "development delays" as it was "quality control problems".
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