My Wife and I have always been car people. We've owned several outside of the scope of the HAMB, but one thing we really like is Corvettes. We have had a couple of C4's, good for what they are, but too much electronic stuff to please me. After a couple of years without having a car for herself, she got the bug and started looking for something. I wanted us to get a C1 or C2, but prices were prohibitive. She was looking at another C4 when I ran up on this C3. 1982 Collector Edition, one of only around 6000 built. One thing that I really liked was the rear glass is a hatch like the C4, they only put that on these C3's. A few messages, hooked up the trailer and went to Hendersonville TN and got it. Three owner, paint was about 10 years old, car was supposedly sitting in po's carport. Tires were new, but date coded 10 years ago, sticker in windshield for oil change had only 500 miles in that 10 years! Got it for less than a lot of basic Vettes the same model. Since getting it home, have changed injectors on the cross fire, new tires, new door panels, new stereo, new heater core, all new hoses and belts, starting to put the stripe kit from Pheonix Graphics on. It's a strong runner for a smog motor. Not 100% stock, but close.
I like those 82 collector cars. Hatchback rear glass, crazy color keyed interior, bronzed t-tops, throwback knockoffs and that nasty crossfire injector. Awesomeness.
When you drive or ride in one of these you know you are in a vintage sports car. Awesome, love the fades in the stripes! my Chrysler has one of the hatch laches in it. It is one of the few latches that are both electric solenoid and has a cable operated feature too. I used it when I shaved my key lock.
I really like it, too. The last of the C3 body style,and not a red or yellow or blue you’re going to park beside at a cruise in. But they get you on the specific parts, the door panels were nearly twice the cost of a standard Vette. The stripe kit was $1500 delivered to my door, and has every pinstripe to restore it, and you have to cut each one off a backer sheet. Time consuming, but worth it in the long run to have something different. I suspect from what I’ve read every Chevy dealer had the option to get one, so they seem to be spaced apart even though you see several for sale. It’s a fun car to just get in and go. With 60,000 miles on it, it’s got enough miles on it you don’t have to worry about keeping them low, but it’s not worn out, either. A lot of them popping up for sale are extremely low mileage that wealthy investors stuck in storage until later in hopes of huge profits. I’m no purist, I like to drive my stuff! It’s no good sitting around to just be looked at, if I wanted that I’d get a picture.
No, it’s a 350/210 or 220 hp, depending on who you believe. I think 305’s were only used in California a couple of years?
Love the C3. My 17 year old daughter and I are Corvette nuts. We've had numerous C4s, including the one I wish I'd kept, a '96 Lt4 car. Then she wanted a C3. I thought lower horsepower, late 70s- sure. The rag we wound up with has been a project now for three years and has a '69 350 with double hump heads. Does a bit more than the factory 180 horse smog machine.. and quickie painted for senior pics. Then, since hers wasn't done for her to drive daily, she parked the daily Miata and "borrowed" my C5. Tuesday when she walks across the stage to get her high school diploma, it'll become hers too. Me- I'm looking for a chrome bumper C3 or a specific color combo '82- the two tone blue or the two tone silver/claret red.
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