Question: 1982 With Manual 4 Speed

[Dragon]

Okay guys, this gal needs some help from the experts. I have a hand shake agreement to buy an '82 with a manual 4 speed. I know, I know, all the books & online sources say that only the 700R4, 4 speed auto was available in '82. I'm buying the car from the original owner that claims it was a Special Order car and saw it roll off the carrier at the dealer's. Interestingly, there were two other cars on the carrier with the same options.
Does anybody know how many 4 speed manual cars were produced as Special Order cars in 82????
I asked Bowling Green a week ago, and so far I have no response. A telephone call to the Corvette Museum staff just quoted the literature. NCRS website is hosed so no way to ask them yet.

Comments?

 

[Mac]

Everything I've read sez "auto tranny only" but I'm no expert...

-Mac

 

[Buccaneer]

Where in Arizona are you, I'm in Gilbert and we can get together about this CF. An easy way is to look at the VIN. There were no manual trans in 82 or special order that I have found anywhere.

Shoot me a PM.

 

[LLC5]

Okay guys, this gal needs some help from the experts. I have a hand shake agreement to buy an '82 with a manual 4 speed. I know, I know, all the books & online sources say that only the 700R4, 4 speed auto was available in '82. I'm buying the car from the original owner that claims it was a Special Order car and saw it roll off the carrier at the dealer's. Interestingly, there were two other cars on the carrier with the same options.
Does anybody know how many 4 speed manual cars were produced as Special Order cars in 82????
I asked Bowling Green a week ago, and so far I have no response. A telephone call to the Corvette Museum staff just quoted the literature. NCRS website is hosed so no way to ask them yet.

Comments?

If he really is the original owner of a special order car since 1982, then the owner should have all the original paperwork for it. If he (or she) cannot produce a concrete paper trail then I don't know how you could ever believe the car is original, even if there were 4 speed cars produced in that year. Good luck with your choice.

 

[Buccaneer]

One other way to verify the build is with the "factory build" sheet which will also tell you what trans was in the car from the factory. You can send away to the corvette museum and get one with your VIN number. However, there were VIN numbers that were lost for the 82 and if that car falls into the numbers, oh well unless you want to drop the fuel tank and get the one on top the tank.

Notice: missing the following build sheets for 1982 - VIN numbers 109001 thru 117800, 118201 thru 118400, 119201 thru 119800.

 

[Hib Halverson]

No 1982 Corvettes were built for sale with a manual transmission. No '82 could be "special ordered" with a 4-speed because it was not an option that year.

Any 82 with a four speed was either converted after it left the factory or it was some type of development vehicle.

If it was converted, the owner is misrepresenting it. if it was a development vehicle, ask him for some documentation to support that idea.

 

[6880 Mike]

...Does anybody know how many 4 speed manual cars were produced as Special Order cars in 82????...

None.

 

[catbert]

None.

I would think that no 82 was EPA certified with the 4 speed, since it wasn't an RPO - so they couldn't sell it retail. They couldn't even sell engineering mules, they would have to crush em'.

 

[Hib Halverson]

I would think that no 82 was EPA certified with the 4 speed, since it wasn't an RPO - so they couldn't sell it retail. They couldn't even sell engineering mules, they would have to crush em'.

"Catbert" is correct. The manual transmission was never EPA-certified for MY82.

 

[Dragon]

Now Even More Curious

Thanks for all your input. Things are getting even more curious. I decoded the VIN via the research tool on the Registry web site. No mention of transmission but it does show the engine as an L-98 as opposed to the L-83. Again, all available literature shows the L-83 as the "only" engine available. The original owner states she has the build sheet in storage. I can & will request the build & invoice from the Museum. It will be worth the money if the car proves to be such an oddity. I have no idea how an L-98 with manual 4 speed would get thru the EPA hoops in '82. That set up obviously did so in 1984 when the L-98 was paired with the 4+3 trans.

I'll up date as I gain more info.

 

[Buccaneer]

L-98 in an 82 from the factory? Huh!? I'm not thinking so since it didn't appear until 85. There is something really screwy with that car/VIN.

 

[Dragon]

To say the least!!!

I wish I had another 1982 VIN to run thru. I'd like to see if it pops up with L-83. I tried the VIN's cited in the Black Book. They all show as invalid. Can somebody with '82 try the VIN decoder on the C4 Registry web site?

Did you get my PM, Buc?

 

[Hib Halverson]

Thanks for all your input. Things are getting even more curious. I decoded the VIN via the research tool on the Registry web site. No mention of transmission but it does show the engine as an L-98 as opposed to the L-83. Again, all available literature shows the L-83 as the "only" engine available. The original owner states she has the build sheet in storage. I can & will request the build & invoice from the Museum. It will be worth the money if the car proves to be such an oddity. I have no idea how an L-98 with manual 4 speed would get thru the EPA hoops in '82. That set up obviously did so in 1984 when the L-98 was paired with the 4+3 trans.

I'll up date as I gain more info.

There is zero chance the car is the "oddity" you hope for.

The L-98 engine was not introduced in Corvette until MY85, three years later. In fact, at the time that car was built, the L-98 had not even entered final development, much less validation, ie: the engine did not exist in production trim.

Be very careful if you choose to proceed with that purchase because you have a seller who is either significantly misinformed or might be attempting to defraud you and, either way, has set an unreasonable price.

In fact, if I had all the information which you've posted here or which was posted by others to this thread, I would not buy that car.

 

[6880 Mike]

...There is something really screwy with that car/VIN...

I agree. It would only take a character or two to confuse 81, 82, and 84 VINs.
Post the VIN you have.

What internet site did you use for the VIN decode? Some of the sites come back with information you cannot trust.

 

[GS Diva]

Very interesting thread...I'll be watching this closely!

Elaine

 

[Buccaneer]

To say the least!!!

I wish I had another 1982 VIN to run thru. I'd like to see if it pops up with L-83. I tried the VIN's cited in the Black Book. They all show as invalid. Can somebody with '82 try the VIN decoder on the C4 Registry web site?

Did you get my PM, Buc?

Nope, I just checked again and there is no PM from you. I just sent you a PM.

 

[Dragon]

I used the Research Tool on the C4 Registry web site. Still, there could be a mistake. Thanks for the advice to be cautious. I am by asking all you guys do help me sort this out.

No money has changed hands, so for now, no harm no foul. I'll have access to the car on Friday or Saturday. Engine number & suffux data is easily retrievable. (I know, they can be faked by machining the flat & re-stampting) Cross Fire Injection vs Tuned Port Injection is recognizable from 100 ft. away!

 

[6880 Mike]

There isn't much to "decode" in these VINs. 82 CEs had a special VIN, but for regular production 81s and 82s, nothing in the VIN changed from car to car except the computer check digit and the consecutive unit number.

There is no code for the transmission in a C3 VIN.

 

[Buccaneer]

Run the VIN against CarFax and see what pops up about the car. I still say no way on the factory manual 4speed. Maybe she meant 4speed auto which would be true with the AOD.

 

[Buccaneer]

There isn't much to "decode" in these VINs. 82 CEs had a special VIN, but for regular production 81s and 82s, nothing in the VIN changed from car to car except the computer check digit and the consecutive unit number.

There is no code for the transmission in a C3 VIN.

You're correct! I just reverified my earlier post and the engine type is the only thing specified, not the trans. However, the build sheet does have that info. Sorry for the mistake, my bad.

Also, not sure on the manuals, but the 700r4 has an transmission VIN ID tag and will tell you: MY, Model, Place built, Y of B, Month, Day and factory shift that built it.