1983 Corvette

[MyOtherCar]

Here's a comment/question: My Chevy Corvette history book says there were 43 1983 Corvettes built when production was stopped due to quality problems. I believe one of those '83 models is in the Museum. Anyone have a clue what happened to the remaining ones? I suppose they were to be scrapped but you know, that doesn't always happen. Look at the '88 Olds Cutlass Pace Cars (convertible replicas), 14 (approx) of them made it out to the market. Was just wondering.....

 

[82ColEd]

DOnt know about you but my knowledge was so far that 1982 was the last year for the C3, and only one (1) 1983 was made. As an experimental pre-C4 (the white one in BG Museum).. I dont know of any other 83's.. :confused

 

[MyOtherCar]

Just so you know, I too was of the thought that there was only one produced. But my reference, This Old Corvette states in the History According to Chevrolet that 43 were manufactured. Hence my question.

 

[c4cruiser]

I don't think that production of MY 1983 cars stopped only because of quality reasons. There were engineering issues that pushed the target production date back to where the actual production would not have begun until after 1983.

Federal regulations defines the model year of a car by engine emissions certification rules that state that the model year can contain only one January 1 in the certifying year. Because certification had been done in 1982, GM would have had to re-certify for 1984 and that would cost a ton of money. So the decision was made to call it an 1984 car.

GM released the car for sale in CA in January of 1983 as an 1984 model. There is some great information and stories in Dave McLellan's book Corvette From The Inside about the whole story of the C4 and how it came to be.

Of all the 43 pre-production cars, all but the one in the NCM were destroyed. Some were destroyed after different types of testing (crash tests for example) and the rest were crushed or dismantled. At one point, there was a rear bumper cover from one of the 1983 cars hanging over a door into the plant. All of the 43 cars had a VIN digit of the letter "D" in the 10th position that identified them as 1983 models.

 

[Tuna]

You can even get a 1983 Corvette Broucher from the NCM.
It's hard to tell the difference between the 83 and the 84 broucher but for one page which has the original intended 15" wheel depicted near the back. The 83 in the NCM has a pair of the original 15" wheels mounted on one side. Pretty neat.

 

[paulie]

I remember reading about the 83 at the NCM and I thought it said that not all of the cars were crushed. It said something like the ones that remained were turned over as 84's. Could this be bogus? heh

 

[c4cruiser]

You can even get a 1983 Corvette Broucher from the NCM.
It's hard to tell the difference between the 83 and the 83 broucher but for one page which has the original intended 15" wheel depicted near the back. The 83 in the NCM has a pair of the original 15" wheels mounted on one side. Pretty neat.

Another thing that Dave McLellan mentioned in his book was that they decided to go with a Z-rated tire over the 15" wheel offerings. Originally, the 16" wheel was to be part of the Z51 package, but they decided that the base car had too much potential to outdrive any available H-rated 15" tire.

All of the other 42 cars were accounted for. The may have been used for further testing later in the year but as far as making them 84's, GM would have had to issue a different VIN (10th digit would chnge to an "E"). And none of them ever got into the hands of the public.

 

[NevadaJim]

Over the years there has been a lot of dispute over exactly how many '83s were actually produced before production was shut down -- the number ranges between 40 and 50 something. The one thing that remains consistant is more then 1 was built and all but the one at the museum were distroyed.

According to some books/articles, there were several reasons for stopping production, the primary of which was so that engineers could focus on the new C4 design and technology and all the equipment could be retooled. Chevy felt they would lose more money continuing the production of the '83 versus stopping production and coming out with the new design.

Regardless of the real reasons (not saying these are), there are lots of myths about the '83, all of which just bring more mystic to the Corvette

 

[vetteboy86]

Here is some gee wizz info for you all. My father was born in 1953, which was the first model year for corvette. I was born in 1983, the only year, there wasn't a production model. I guess neither of us will get to own the model year for which we were born.


Craig

 

[rrubel]

According to some books/articles, there were several reasons for stopping production, the primary of which was so that engineers could focus on the new C4 design and technology and all the equipment could be retooled. Chevy felt they would lose more money continuing the production of the '83 versus stopping production and coming out with the new design.

Um, the 83 model *was* a C4. Chevy ran the 82 model a little long and started the 84 model a little early, but the 83 looked exactly like the 84 - same wheels and everything.

The other posts about why the 83 was held back are correct.

I did pick up one of the 83 brochures while at the NCM... if anyone's got any questions about options and such, I'll look them up.
[RICHR]

 

[My Prozac]

I read in "Corvette" by Lyons and Kats that the other 83's had been destroyed, and/or taken apart, but most important NONE were sold and the one remaining is in the museum.

 

[NevadaJim]

Um, the 83 model *was* a C4. Chevy ran the 82 model a little long and started the 84 model a little early, but the 83 looked exactly like the 84 - same wheels and everything.

The other posts about why the 83 was held back are correct.

I did pick up one of the 83 brochures while at the NCM... if anyone's got any questions about options and such, I'll look them up.
[RICHR]

Yes it was technically a 'C4', I have been to the NCM, done some reading and talked to the folks out there. However, according to what I've been able to pick up, a lot of the inner/mechanical workings of the car were based on late 70's technology. Soon after production started vast leaps in computer and other technologies lead Chevy to stop production in favor of integrating the newer technologies. Again, I never said was all fact, just some of what I've read and been told (by supposed Corvette experts).

 

[PLRX]

Corvette 101

Officially, There were no 1983 Corvettes. There were forty seven 1983 Corvettes made but none were ever sold. The National Corvette Museum has the only 1983 known at this time. Corvette plant in Bowling Green, KY closed in October of 1982 to begin retooling for the 1984 Corvette. Production began in January of 1983 and the press received their first view of the 1984 Corvette in January of 1983. In February, the first production 1984 Corvettes were sold to the public. In March of 1983, the 1984 Corvette officially went on sale in the United States, except for California and a month later, in April, the 1984 Corvette went on sale in California. By October of 1983, the plant was in full speed production.

Hope this helps
Check this link.....
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/2000/january/83/83p1.asp

 

[MyOtherCar]

I don't think that production of MY 1983 cars stopped only because of quality reasons. There were engineering issues that pushed the target production date back to where the actual production would not have begun until after 1983.

Federal regulations defines the model year of a car by engine emissions certification rules that state that the model year can contain only one January 1 in the certifying year. Because certification had been done in 1982, GM would have had to re-certify for 1984 and that would cost a ton of money. So the decision was made to call it an 1984 car.

GM released the car for sale in CA in January of 1983 as an 1984 model. There is some great information and stories in Dave McLellan's book Corvette From The Inside about the whole story of the C4 and how it came to be.

Of all the 43 pre-production cars, all but the one in the NCM were destroyed. Some were destroyed after different types of testing (crash tests for example) and the rest were crushed or dismantled. At one point, there was a rear bumper cover from one of the 1983 cars hanging over a door into the plant. All of the 43 cars had a VIN digit of the letter "D" in the 10th position that identified them as 1983 models.

I understand what you wrote, however, the dates as you described them do not make sense. GM would have certified the 1983 models to include January 1, 1983, right?? And sales would have started during the fall of 1982, right? But, you stated GM started putting them on sale in January 1983 as an '84 model. So, that means the production model year for a 1984 Corvette ran from January 1983 until September 1984 when the 1985 model was released, a full 20 months?? Can that be correct??

 

[Tuna]

I understand what you wrote, however, the dates as you described them do not make sense. GM would have certified the 1983 models to include January 1, 1983, right?? And sales would have started during the fall of 1982, right? But, you stated GM started putting them on sale in January 1983 as an '84 model. So, that means the production model year for a 1984 Corvette ran from January 1983 until September 1984 when the 1985 model was released, a full 20 months?? Can that be correct??

Yes. The 84 was released for sale in March of 83 and continued production until the normal change over to the 85. There were 51,000+ 84's built thanks to the long model run.

Check out some of the books people have mentioned here about this particular model change over.

 

[Guy]

The NCM has 1 1/2 1983 Corvettes. Here is the 1/2 in a back room:

It was cut down the middle and mounted for a display (way back when). Mostly just a shell, but it was fun to look at.


Guy

 

[Tuna]

I knew that 1/2 '83 was still around somewhere. Now if the NCM can get their building expansion going, they might have room to show more of what they have in the back.

 

[VIN_#_00521__Z-51_C4]

Where is the BUILD date

Vin # 00521 is believed to be the very oldest 'daily driver' C-4 Corvette outside of the National Corvette Museum (NCM). according to the previous owner, he told me that C-4 # 00521 was built 1/31/83, the very 1st week of C-4 production, shortly after the C-4 'pilot cars'. .. I have a NCM reproduction of the window sticker and the build sheet.... can anyone tell me where the acutal build date is in the build sheet http://www.gmmodernmuscle.com/fileupload/uploads/c4_build_sheet.jpg Click that link to see my build sheet hnoes:W help me find this I need that info for a Car show display it looks to have a date of 12-16 in the #10 slot on the sheet would that be 12-16 of 83 this IS a LOW VIN C4

 

[85SilverSurfer]

I too read this in my corvette book and the only one left is in the museum in Florida. I asked my dad who worked for GM from 1962 to 2004 and he frequently went to bowling green to the vette plant. He said NO 83's were ever sold to public, they were driven by GM executives as his boss had the privilage of driving one, they were company cars and were all destroyed with the exception of the one donated to the museum. Since this is here say and not documented, take it for what you beleive. My dad is pretty certain of this. the origional designs for the c-4 started in 1977, then in 1980 a turbo vette was to be released but was scrapped with concerns over corperate fuel milage and the fuel shortage of the 1970's in the back of everyones mind, hence the cross fire 195hp 84.

would be nice if the museum could supply some actual written proof of the 83's mystique and verify those other 46 were destroyed. Those documents must be burried with hoffa I guess ?? I can remember my father bringing home several c-4 vettes for the night from work, it was cool as a kid, kinda think his story holds water? Hope this provides some closure?

 

[Toms007]

I too read this in my corvette book and the only one left is in the museum in Florida.

I believe that you mean the museum in Bowling Green Kentucky.