Question: 1982 With Manual 4 Speed

[catbert]

It might not be original, but it would be a nice "driver" powertrain.

 

[Dragon]

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.

I used the C4 Registry web site. The VIN does show the car as 1982, not an 84/85 & it did reflect an L98. I also checked other VIN sites on the net & it always comes up 1982 but only shows 5.7 L or 350 cu. in.

The build sheet would show the engine & trans as delivered.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

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?

As others have said, there were NO '82s built with a 4 speed manual by the factory. Sellers will often claim anything and everything that would make their car 'special' and more valuable.

Tell him to produce paperwork, or no deal.

 

[Dragon]

I ran the CarFax last week. It's clean except for a 93,000 mile jump between registration in AZ and the AZ Emissions test 3 days later. Now this was an obvious error unless the car was docked to the International Space Station for 3 days. Owner went to AZ MVD & they admitted the error & provided a certified letter stating so. AZ title reflects "Box A" original miles of 60k+.

I've been trying to do my homework.I will press theownerfor the build sheet.

 

[6880 Mike]

...I used the C4 Registry web site...

Why use a C4 Registry for a C3 VIN?

...The build sheet would show the engine & trans as delivered...

True, but why spend the money to get a copy of the build sheet other than for general interest purposes? There were no optional engines or transmissions for 82s, so there would be no surprises on the build sheet.

My advice is to confirm the VIN when you see the car.

 

[Dragon]

Is there a VIN research tool on the C3 Registry web site?

The C4 site worked for an 80 & 81 Vette & I'm sure of their configuration. Showed an LG4 & an L81 respectfully, which are correct for those cars.
I suspect that the confusion with the L98 may be the "look up table" for the search program. On some of the other VIN decoder sites they show the "8" to be L83 and or L98. Since the C4 web site is more concerned with their cars, perhaps they structured their "look up table" to reflect the bulk of the early C4 fleet with L98's. Of course they would still be wrong for those '84 C4's with cross fire.
In the case of the '82 in question here, L83 would be the correct translation for the "8" in the VIN.

I'll know more when I ge tto inspect the car & actually see the engine, engine number & suffix.

 

[6880 Mike]

...I'll know more when I ge tto inspect the car & actually see the engine, engine number & suffix...

Yep and you certainly want to take a look at the "factory four speed." Take your camera along.

 

[Evolution1980]

Is there a VIN research tool on the C3 Registry web site?

Not exactly sure what you mean by a VIN research tool. Are you simply referring to something that decodes the VIN or gives you a story about the cars history?

If you're just looking for a decoder, then you can stay within the walls of the CAC. Here ya go --> CLICK!

When it comes deciphering things about our cars or learning about 'em, there's few sites out there that come close to matching the comprehensive information contained here, whether thats in available pages or just the collective knowledge base of the community.

 

[Dragon]

Thanks. I ran the VIN thru a number of decoder web sites & even ran a CarFax. The VIN checks out as a valid 1982 VIN. Conversations with Bowling Green & GM Heritage Foundation indicate the car was produced with the normal 1982 drivetrain. So there were no factory modifications done to the car & the "Special Order" status that the seller stated was not reflected on any factory paperwork.

Further conversations with the seller revealed that the car was delivered to the dealership in GA, where she purcahsed it new with 3 miles on the odometer. The car was delivered FROM a dealership in Illinois. I'm going to attempt to find out which dealership that was.

So it appears that the car may have been modified at a dealership, but somehow maintained it's status as "new." I'm not claiming the status or collectiblity is equivalent, but wasn't this the sort of scenario with the Yenko Camaro's?

 

[Evolution1980]

It's not uncommon for dealerships to add their own little tweaks to cars. Back in '96, there was a local dealer that was taking base model LT4's and adding the Grand Sport hash marks to the fenders. They were passing them off as special edition cars, but they weren't really. It was just a sales gimmick. In my opinion, by altering the car from the factory, they effectively just lowered it's core value since it wasn't delivered from the factory that way. A dealership making a modification is no different than the first owner making a modification. Well, not much difference.

Yes, Yenko's are 'collectible', but that's because of their history of their cars overall. I put Yenko cars into the category of Gouldstrand's and Callaway's. (Exception being the actual factory RPO for Callaway work during the C4 years.)

 

[Dragon]

I totally agree and was not trying to place this 82 Vette along side any of those truly unique collectibles like the Yenko's or Calloways.

In fact, due to the seller's personal issues, the car is priced pretty reasonably. Much less than any of the NADA figures. So it may be a good deal if only for being a conversation piece a local events.

It's been really tough trying to link up with the seller to actually complete the purchase. She has some very serious health issues & goes incognito for days at a time. She has actually promised to bring the car by for me to see on two different occasions but has been a "no show" both times with not even a call after making me wait for 5 hours.

No money has changed hands so no harm no foul at this point. And I've rather enjoyed doing the internet research. So until the car miraculously appears out of the ether ...

 

[Evolution1980]

I totally agree and was not trying to place this 82 Vette along side any of those truly unique collectibles like the Yenko's or Calloways.

I didn't think you were. I was just more or less stating that dealerships do make changes. They just aren't all on the scale/notoriety of a Yenko dealership.

The car is priced pretty reasonably. Much less than any of the NADA figures. So it may be a good deal...

That's the biggest thing right there. Original or otherwise, evaluate the car on it's "AS IS" condition. If it's a good buy, then go for it! (Just be sure you're buying the car and not the story.)

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Since the story about it being a 'factory 4 speed manual' has proven to be false, why would a new story that it was a 'dealership mod' be more credible?

There's thousands of Corvettes out there that were modified from an auto box to a 4 speed by someone somewhere under a shade tree. Beware.

 

[Dragon]

I'm in line with all your commens and warnings. It was not the seller that proposed the "dealership mod" That was my conclusion. She still thinks it's a special order car & truly believed it was a factory mod. I must admit that her memory may be clouded by the cocktail of cancer drugs she's on. She is obviously a brick shy of a full load, poor thing. I'm trying to be understanding of her situation & do not want to take any advantage of her. At the same time I don't want to get hosed with the car either. If the car is nice as it stands & the conversion was done properly, it may still be a nice driver. Again, she claims to have driven the car since new, for 28 years with no apparent issues re the conversion.

Right now, it's pig in a poke, until I get eyeballs on.

 

[Hib Halverson]

If you are looking for an 82 in particular, I know an 82 CE in Goleta CA which can be had for probably about $13,000. It's got about 80,000 miles on it. Is original except for tires, shocks, mufflers, repainted fascias and a repainted hood.

It comes with a set of the GM 82 CE graphics, less the hood stripes which were used to restripe the hood, a new battery, a spare starter, spare alternator a few other parts, a factory assembly manual and a factory service manual. It passed the California Smog Check back in the Spring.

Let me know by email if you are interested finspeed@netmotive.net

 

[JohnGrawcock]

If the seller is that out of it maybe she's confused about the drive-train in the car.

On the other hand, documenting something like this as a dealer installed option may not add much monetary value but it does make for an interesting history and make the car more fun to drive. There is something to be said for that.

 

[Dragon]

She obviously has some issues but I think she can still count to three. I've asked her more than once if it has a clutch pedal.

Oh, since when is a 1982 "old" .

It an '82 Vette is a work of art, I must be a master piece as a 1948 production model, (1 of 1)

 

[JohnGrawcock]

She obviously has some issues but I think she can still count to three. I've asked her more than once if it has a clutch pedal.

Oh, since when is a 1982 "old" .

It an '82 Vette is a work of art, I must be a master piece as a 1948 production model, (1 of 1)

She's 28 now and getting better with age. Not the oldest horse in the stable either.

 

[catbert]

Dealership mod????? I don't think any dealer would take on the responsibility and liability of modifying an EPA compliant car into a car with an uncertified powertrain. Besides, it would be a really expensive modification that would, by definition, void the new car warranty. The story she gave you reeks.

 

[lt1george]

Years ago I saw a "Perfect" 1982 Collector Edition Corvette Convertible. It would fool the best Corvette "expert". No such animal, just like no such 4 speed manual 1982 Corvette. Period.