C3 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Part 3 of 3 (1978 to 1982)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ก.พ. 2021
- Lyle at C&S Corvettes and the Corvette Parts Center in Sarasota Florida completes his three part series on finding the "sweet spot" when shopping for a C3 Corvette. Part thtree covers 1978 to 1982 Corvettes.
www.CorvettePartsCenter.com - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
I had a '69 and '74 and loved them. I'm 70 now and drive a '80 L82 and it is wonderful.
I drive a C5. That model and the C3 1980 model define the very best of the Corvette designs imo
To me, the C3 Corvette is hands down the best looking Corvette ever produced. The sleek curves, sharp lines oh yeah! 💪
My favourite years for sure, especially the 80-82 with that killer front end.
Missed a few things - 1982 was the lowest Production year since 1973. 1978-1982 had steel floor pans. 1982- there were fewer two tone cars then there were Special Edition cars. And finally, by 1981 all Corvettes had moved to the Bowling Green KY plant. IMO- the 1982 is the desired car, it was the last of the sexy C3s, and only just under 14k were built.
had a 76 and a 81. The 81 was very nice and a 4 speed
I have an '81 carboreted with 4spd and an '82 "Collectors Edition" with only 24,000 carfax verified miles on it. Love them both!!
Thanks for the video.....
Are they reliable? Easy to work on and diagnose? Im really between the c3 and c5. C3 because looks amazing and i can later put a engine in and keep it for the rest of my life, easy to work on and cheap, the c5 only for power and speed. Dont care much to keep that car longer than 250k miles. But the c3? Ima put a new engine in everytime it breaks down
I'm doing a 81 C3 with a 500hp SBC 388 stroker and TH350 that is built to handle it. Some TLC and wow a car that can perform with modern sports cars.
The 79 is for me the perfect c3. Great interior, no spoilers, pure lines
I got one it’s so nice
@@dawsonbryant6152 nice and looks great but it's needs a upgraded ls motor to really make it greater
@@hondamancl450 I’m building a ls2
On the Pace Car, the original Plan was to match the 1953 production of 300 cars. When their dealership network went nuts over how they would be distributed, they upped it to 6502 cars, which was one per dealer.
My favourite is the 1980 L82 for all the same reasons you described.
Nice and concise , thank you
Got a 78 silver anniversary in August. Love it
I have had one since 1978! Custom ordered from the dealer in Napa. It took 9 months to get it because they set them aside to make the Pace cars...
I have a 78 L82 silver edition. I love it so much.
Some of the best looking cars on the road even today is the C3 Corvette!! Thanks for this review
Awesome review thank you for all this information 🙂
Loved my '82 but can't believe that you didn't mention the biggest difference of these model years, unless I didn't hear you, the bubble back, great for trips.
These are great Lyle. It would be awesome if your production team ever has the time to re-cut these series with some photo overlays of the specific cars, and details you so passionately talk about. Either way, great videos and always great content.
A quick way that you can tell is look at the wheel well space between the tire iand body just visually
On a 79 visually the space between the tire in body and do the same on the 80 and you can see there’s less clearance.
Very informative thank you,no mucking around straight to the point,no mincing or mixing words just saying it like it is!love it!Thanks again mate We’ll Done!
The chrome bumper cars are by far the best C3’s. Most performance best looks and most valuable.
Lyle, you are SO knowledgeable! Thanks!
Im 26 looking to buy my first c3 and keeping it for the rest of my life.
i had a 1978 anniversary car man i miss that car
I love this channel
I enjoyed this review, lots of great information, thank you.
I love 1982 Kaitlyn Kieu😊
Amazing videos. Such great info
great info, I enjoyed the series. Thanks!!!
Thanks for another straight to the point video! You cover all the bases on these cars....
Great video dude! Thanks for making it!
Love my 82 finally got it to where it needed to be. Cool video.
The music was playing and he hadn't mentioned the opening rear hatch on the '82 special editions...and I was like "he's not going to mention that?"
Has anyone ever told you that you're full of it. I mean the good stuff. This is a very good 3 part series. A lot of good info as always. Love your videos. I hope you can keep them coming. Thanks!
My father had a 78' Silver Anni he bought in 79 when I was 8 yrs old.. I just happened upon a super mint 78" Silver Anni, automatic. Not an L-82 car but the current owner (2nd) put a ZZ4 crate motor in iit about 10 years ago. Car has 49700 original documented miles. Motor only has 3500miles on it. Garage stored it's whole life. Interior is great, drivers seat barely worn in. Original paint looks great!. No rust underneath except a bit on exhaust. Older couple in their 70's bought it from Barrett Jackson in early 2000s nowselling it for $24000 cdn. (it's not advertised, local car, I know the guy) Needs tires, and something wrong with power steering. He just put a pile of new parts and pump in it, I noticed it still leaking from hoses. (It steers fine). I've been pulling my hair out for 2 weeks on whether or not to buy it. Drives and rides nice, definately faster than a stock 78'. Not sure if my emotional attachment to it is worth the investment.
The power steering issue is probably the result of a poor installation or faulty part. Nothing that can't be remedied easily. These cars are all about emotional attachment--they are uncomfortable, lack any storage space and get horrible gas mileage. If this is your "forever" car, buy it and enjoy the journey. It will always have needs, so you need to be financially prepared to take care of it--not unlike a child--but beyond that, it is a singular experience to own a machine that becomes part of your family, not just transportation. Lyle
I had an 81 and a half (Silver and blue twotone paint). The first corvette with a carbon fiber rear spring. With a computer compatible cam and better heads it ran in the mid 14's. Oh, I ditched the computer quadrajet for a 76 Olds quadrajet that I tuned with an O2 sensor guage. One other thing unique about that, it had cloth seats. I liked and drove the car a lot for about 10 years. I got rid of it in 2002. I now have an 01 C5, entirely stock. Thanks for another interesting Friday Podcast.
Nice story, interesting!
@@dukeman7595 Thanks,
Very nice video. I have a 64, 76 & 82 with crossfire. All are awesome cars. My wife loves driving the 76 mostly for her own reasons. Enjoy any corvette that you may own.
Many great points. I have an 81 and a "new" 82. Now that I have my CE 82. Not sure I will be keeping my 81. As a ASE Master tech I could keep the CCC 81 working great. 21mpg no problem. Great car. I have the brown and tan. Love it but might be time to sell it. The 82 is great. I have everything fixed except for the working hatchback. I have to find a way to make new hindges for it.
Great car I think mine was appraised at about $41K. Ues I have a couple things to tighten up, But 100% original but for taking out the 8-Track player.
Anyhow, nice video great advise. I found this by looking for something else...
"No computers" has become more important to me since My 2007 Lincoln Towncar blew two computer modules that controlled almost every electronic option. Had to take it to the dealership as they are the only ones who sell the new modules and also they are the only ones who program them. Very expensive repair.
Great info thanks matey
I was always a fan of odd colors and odd color combinations. For 1980, almost bought the silver exterior with oyster leather, L82 and loaded. Common sense dictated this car is nowhere close to use in winter driving. Next one was the silver green in and out in 1982 along with the two tone blue paint option. Both nice looking Corvettes too.
I'm not a fan of those more "modern"-looking gauges on the later C3s. A big selling point for me is the dual "scope" speedo and tach like those on my 76, but I do like the front spoiler and the seats a whole lot. =)
Pro tip: Showing pictures of theses design changes during the video would be very helpful.
Lyle, thanks for the advice. I was torn about whether to keep mine or not! I am the original owner of a 1978 Silver Anniversary Edition that I had custom ordered (options) through my Uncle who worked at the Chevy dealer in Napa at the time. I ordered every option there was except for a trailer hitch (who want to tow anything with a special edition Vette?) I ordered it in Dec of '77, but it wasn't delivered until Sept '78. I was told it was delayed due to the Pace car which took priority early in '78 so the Silver Eds sat on the side. I remember the Pace car at that dealer... who was asking $100k and thought he was going to get it, but it never sold LOL. Anyway, I have kept it all this time (a CA car) but haven't really driven it for probably 25 years, so my purpose today was to seek advise about what concerns to look for if I wanted to start using it again and followed a couple of your videos. I figure it's paid for (actually twice - I went through a later marriage and divorce, and bought it back from myself) so maybe I should be using it. Any other advise is welcome! Again thanks for the advise videos!!!
IMO..... a 78 is NOT going to ever be worth a lot of currency. They were lookers.. not fast.
Good story though! Original owner cars and stories are always very cool.
IMO... keep and restore all original parts. Take pictures of everything to prove the before and after.
As for a restoration... it all comes down to how far you want to go. Just get it driving? A show quality resto? Or maybe a resto-mod?
If I were in your shoes I'd either carefully go 100% restoration. Or... resto-mod w/a LS swap, 4L60E, and the needed supporting mods. (likely would be worth more than a 100% resto)
I love my 1980 🚗🇺🇸
Scooped a 76 with the l82 and 3 speed automatic. Stock drive train, I believe, except for the two-four barrel carburetors of which only half of the carburetor is set to run for more manageable power. Should I tweak the carburetor to 100% power or no?
So, I own a 1981 and a 1979 Corvette and couldn’t be happier. The 81 has the best looking body of all the Corvettes in my personal opinion… It’s what I dreamed of when I was a kid graduating in 1977. When I saw this 1981 in black for sale, I knew that if it was in reasonable condition, I had to have it. That was three years ago, it now sports a holly sniper EFI, instead of a carburetor as I live in Colorado at 7500 feet… Altitude changes a lot here. The original “computer“, Had all the wires cut before I bought the car
Why the Holly vs the FiTech?
@@wydopnthrtl At the time that I was setting this up, The Holley sniper was the only rig that I knew about. It was a few years after I purchased the sniper that I started seeing other manufacturers releasing EFI carburetors in my Summit catalogs.
@@dethjonescustoms1167 Ah ok.
I used to be able to tune a holley carb well back in the day. But even with a wideband, now-a-days fuel injection is so much easier to live with as the seasons change and when I go on long drives.
I'm bidding on a 78 now.. if I get it, its going to get one of those FI kits.
@@wydopnthrtl Yeah, my big issue with regular carbs was my altitude. Any driving around here is pretty much above 6000 feet and re-jetting carbs would only make sense to me if I was racing. The 81 is just a touring car for us and EFI just made more sense. You won't be disappointed once you get it set up...
A question if you don't mind from turtle but the xlrv cadillac i love to drive and love the vette but the caddy in a vette body and it has the Northstar engine so asking would go the route of the caddy
What about the rear window change..fins gone to a round window..crazy heat inside.
I like how you said the 1980 looked really low to the ground, well actually if you didn’t know that the reason why it looked really low to the ground is because it was a full inch lower factory than a 79 model. Starting in 1980 the first year..
I wasn't aware of that! I always thought that the lower chin on the 80-82 cars was the reason! Thank you for the knowledge! Lyle
Im here in tampa florida looking for one to fix up with my 12 year old. Im guessing 1980 is the year to choose. Thank you!
Nice...
Greed dominated Chevy in the C3 Corvette. They knew they all would be sold so why try. Still The C3 in my view, the best looking American Car ever. They lost their soul after 82. I've owned 3 C3's (2 1980's including a 4 speed I traded for a new 85. Dumb Move) plus an 87 Convertible. As slow as the 80 & 81 "Coke Bottle Vettes were/are still love em and all their problems.
80 L82 with a TKK 5spd swap. ❤❤
I'm so torn between the lines and simplicity of the c3 and the performance and ability to daily use a c4 I wish I could test drive each of them ! It sucks when you want to own older cars and you can't just ride to the dealer and test drive something
Get a C5 and don't look back 😉
The rear glass opened on the 82' like a hatchback also. Did the 78' silver anniversary come in any other colors because mine is red with all the silver anniversary badges all over it. It doesn't look re sprayed at all.
Hey Jacob! All 1978 Corvettes had the special 25th Anniversary Emblems, but only the two-tone silver was the Anniversary Edition. Lyle
The only 82 that had a lifting glass was the 82 Collectors Edition
Thank you Lyle! Love the details.
Was looking at a 81 survivor with only 16k and then saw your video. If that computer goes bad, can it be replaced by a third party piece? Or bypass that computer and get it back to just carbonated? Or will it turn to a nice yard decoration?
In your opinion, do you think c3 1980 will also increase in value as in 5-10years, or that’s only valid for specific model years?
Thank you!
You can always convert to regular carburation without much difficulty if needs be. There isn't anything that would require the car to become yard art. :) As far as value goes, I would anticipate that those cars will appreciate over the next decade--at least until they legislate the gas engine out of existence. Lyle
@@cscorvetteify thank you Lyle.
How much will it cost to convert back to regular carburetor?
@@harelrintzler7286 Around $750 parts and labor
@@cscorvetteify Thank you!
Hey Lyle- I’m a new subscriber to your channel and have a newbie question, and all of y’all are welcome to chime in. I’m considering buying a C3, 1979 or 80 (pre-electronics). I planned on having a new motor & tranny (manual) installed and figured that would make it PRACTICALLY a new car. It would be my daily driver and long road tripper. Some have said that is fantasy and that I’d be spending half the time fixing stuff. That those cars were built with parts designed to withstand pressures of the 190 HP motors. Dropping a 300 HP motor in creates all kinds of problems. Talk about buzz killers. Would that be my reality?
I’ve watched your video where you said plan on spending $1000 per year on maintenance. Does that hold true for C3’s or would that be a better monthly expense?😂 Thank you.
If you drop in a 300hp V8 and a good manual transmission, you should be ok. Remember, these cars had 400hp and more in the late 60's / early 70's, so the bones of the car can certainly handle it. The issue tends to be more with the age of the bushings, bearings and universal joints than with their design limits. The majority of issues on a C3 tend to be non-drivetrain related (other than leaks)--most of the issues are with components constantly wearing out from age...power steering system, cooling, hvac, etc.. The only way to get the desired result of having practically a new car is to either refresh everything while you are doing the powertrain changeover OR buy a car that has everything done already (fully mechanically restored) and paying the premium knowing that it will save you time, money and frustration later on down the road. Lyle
Thank you very much@@cscorvetteify
@@cscorvetteify ok now I have a few more questions…but you knew I would right?😂
As for motors, the 383 Stroker seems to be popular. You’ve also mentioned the LS motors. Are there any others you’d recommend?
Also I’ve seen videos on replacing the carbs with FI. Sounds like a good idea especially since finding carb mechanics is getting harder. What do you think?
Can you recommend a certain manual transmission too?
I have a 1981 and it's great for me. I've tried to research it, but maybe you can help. Why are the 77 to 82 models not considered stingrays?
This is the best explanation that I have found: I was looking at the Corvette Museum Corvette Timeline and saw that Bill Mitchell, Head of GM styling beginning 1958, resigned from GM in July 1977. I also dug up a quote from Mr. Mitchell saying, "I don't know how the Stingray got to be two words." Interesting enough Zora Arkus-Duntov who became Chief Engineer of Corvettes in 1968 resigned January 1975.
Anyway, apparently GM stopped putting the Stingray name on the corvette because Bill Mitchell was no longer there. Apparently, nobody else at GM liked the idea of naming it anything other than Corvette.
Now I know. Thank you for the help
👍
If you had to pick a c3 which would it be & y?
1969 or 1970. all day long. :) Lyle
A 69-72 "chrome bumper" will always hold value.
IMO a 73-75 is second best at its pre-cat.
76-82 is up to you.
Which corvette is better for everyday daily driving?
The C5, hands down. Daily driving a C3 of any kind is a tough proposition due to the age of the cars, unless you have a second car you can shift to when service needs arise on the Vette. DO NOT make a C3 your only car--that leads to so many problems! Lyle
@@cscorvetteify what if the C3 is restored/restomod? Then? Like it’s very much new, I’m kinda fan of the C3 and planning to buy one by next year.
@@kunjomani it is still an old car. Perfect for weekend trips and cruising, but as someone who has driven a 1973 Corvette everyday for a year at one point, I really don't recommend it as your only car.
C5 Z06 here... it's a garage queen but it would be very easy to live with everyday. All conditions except snow is no problem.
Isn’t the 78 the most valuable since it’s the 25th anniversary model ?!
Depends upon the condition of the car. a '78 pace car that needs paint and suspension work isn't as valuable as a clean, "needs nothing" 1978 base coupe or a 1980 in the same nice condition. Lyle
What is the computer he is talking about for the 81 and 82?
2 very different systems, I own an 81, this used Computer Control Command, which controlled shifting points, air to fuel mix, spark timing, and engine load. 1982 used a new L83 Crossfire V8, I’m not sure what computer system it used, reliability is spotty
80-82 still so sexy. 💯👌😍
rip out the wires and out a carb on ithem
only undiference no power
I'm looking for a older model corvette that's been totally redone if anyone out there knows where one is.
1977-1981
faulk31539@gmail.com
My 79is fr sale in Calif. White new engine 14000-