78-82...A Stingray in the un-informed public eye?

[ironmoo]

At a party last night a new friend said, "Oh, nice Stingray and its fuel injected!" I went on to say IMHO the last true 'ray fuelie was in'65 and this was a cross-fire '82 but more people gathered around the car with oh's and ah's about the car. (Granted I had just waxed it but there was some drinking involved and as a non-drinker myself, had to take the compliments with a grain of salt.)

All was fine until my drunken date said, "oh it looks like a surfboard!" and proceeded to jump on the hood taking a surfer pose while holding her beer. Did I mention she was wearing cowboy boots? Needless to say, the crowd got suddenly quiet as I calmly in a deep voice, asked her to get off my hood...hoping to have no further scratches to occur. BTW, That was the first (and now only) date with that person. Grrrrr!

Today while trying to buff the scratches out of the hood, the phone has been ringing from friends telling me they are shocked and sorry the incident happened to my "Stingray".... and surprise on the restraint and composure I projected by not causing her massive bodily harm.

Anyways the whole point of this post (besides venting about what happened last night to other Vette owners who would understand the bonds between car and driver), is what are your thoughts about the 78-82 Vettes. Are they considered a Stingray along with the name "Shark?"

My first thoughts are Sharks, but what about the non-Vette owners and the general public? What do we say when they classify all C3's as Stingrays?

-Moo out

 

[gooney0]

63-67, 69-76

Simply put no. The only years with Stingray or Sting Ray badges are the years mentioned above.

I get questions about that from time to time too. (72) The term Stringray is meaningless. It is not an option, or engine size, etc. etc.


I guess you could also call a 85 Corvette a "Mark III" , or XR7 but it isn't.

As for the person "surfing" on your hood.... I'd be in prison right now.


-Gooney0

 

[Jack]

Moo:
Twenty-some years back I left a bar w/ a leggy but unknown quantity behind me on my recently-painted 54 HD ... forks & sissy bar much like Fonda's. Soon, she'd gotten quite reclined ... wrapped her gams around me ... dragging her heels across the gas tank. I didn't realize the severity of the damage until sunup. Soon thereafter, gas got under the scratches & the paint lifted. She long ago married & ballooned. I still have the bike, though with a different tank & paint. But ... I still have that old damaged tank hanging on shop wall ... as a reminder ... NEVER let a drunk or doper anywhere near anything of value.

Gooney's right about the badges-years.
JACK:gap

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Truthfully...no.

However, if they want to call my 78 a stingray, I just commend them on their perceptive abilities since so many people appear to have no knowledge whatsoever about these vettes, when I encounter one who has a minimal amount of knowledge, it is refreshing.
If the person seems receptive to learning more (the truth), I'll share with them, otherwise I leave it at stingray or comment that I prefer the term "shark".

I also agree that Sting Ray and Stingray were only names, they did not denote any special options. I view them much as the Chevelle Malibu. I pondered for YEARS about whether the car was a Chevelle or a Malibu, since either name seemed appropriate. Someone told me Malibu was a 'type' of Chevelle. Much the same way that Sting Ray/Stingray is a 'type' of Corvette.

I don't think I could have remained calm if someone was surfing on the hood of my vette. I hope she knew the blunder she had made.
Heidi

 

[Willis76]

Re: 63-67, 69-76

Simply put no. The only years with Stingray or Sting Ray badges are the years mentioned above.I

What would you call a 77? They look the same as the 74-76's. I believe the early ones had no fender badges and the later ones had the flags?

I've found that many refer to all C3s as sharks or the shark years and only think of the mid-years as the sting rays. But, I don't really care what name you use - they're all a blast to look at, own and drive.

 

[Privategod]

The following is just one mans opinion.

Honestly, I don't have a problem with people calling '77-'82's Stingray's. Unless you are a purist, what is the big deal? When I am talking about my '76, I don't call it a "Stingray" or "Ray", it's my Vette or my Corvette. To me, "Stingray" is just a pretty emblem they put on the side of my Vette at the factory. As stated above, Stingray's didn't get higher HP, better handling equiptment, better interiors, or anything else.
If a '77-'82 Vette passes you at 100+mph, I don't think many people would care if it was badged a "ray" or not.
Every '63-'82 basicly shares the same chasis and suspension design.
The differences in interiors between '68-'82 stem from cutting production costs not improving the performance of car and driver.
And the rear window of the '78-'82 is more simular to the windows of the '63-'67 Sting Rays than those of '68-'76 & '77.
If you wanna get nit-picky, or you still have the OEM air in your tires, then by all means, set them straight. Just remember that these are people who are making comment (usually admiration) about something that you have put plenty of time, money, and/or "blood, sweat, and tears" into. Don't take it as a sign of disrespect if they call your '77-'82 a "ray". Be glad they took the time to show thier appretiation......but what do I know...

 

[KANE]

Well, 78-82s have more in common with the 69-77s (badged STINGRAYS) than not.

People always ask if its a Stingray. I answer "yes, its the shark body from the 70s". True Corvette people know its not a badge-Stingray. Its often called just a C3 or a Shark.

Some people ask if its the pace car or an anniversary. These are usually the more informed persons.

Side pipes, bigblock hood.... and then there's the issue of TPI and an overdrive. So, its not really even stock.

Oddly enough, the Stingray has just as much a following in the Corvette crowd as the Trans AM does in the Poncho crowd. These guys will fight bitterly over the Trans Am-versus-Firebird debate. They will tell you over and over that its not the same car. Kinda like a GT versus a Cobra.

The saving grace to the Vette/Stingray argument is the fact that all Vettes were Stingrays during the Stingray years.

I personally include the 78-82 in the Stingray crowd. They are just the "un-labled" version.

 

[81kix]

Does anyone really know?

Is the Stingray/Shark situation just ah... personal opinion? Or Are there real facts on this disturbing matter....what should one call their Vette..
A guy asked me today so what is it a Stingray? I said yes, then I said Stringray-Shark. I was not sure what to say. Next time I'll say C3. I feel my vette has the look of both.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

I feel...

...that if it does not have the Sting Ray/Stingray emblem then it is NOT a Sting Ray/Stingray.

HOWEVER, the early C3s share the same body style as the later C3s and as a "general" term, it can be used.

Shark covers the entire C3 generation.

Explain it however you feel most comfortable.
Heidi

 

[Privategod]

I guess it is all in what you personally think is ok. Chevelle Malibu- eventually Chevelle was dropped all together, but in the begining, Chevelle and Malibu were a difference in options. In '67 for one example, if you bought a base Chevelle, the rear window was flush mounted. While SuperSport's and Malibu's had a tunnel type rear window. For all intesive purposes, all three are the same car, but Malibu and SS were specific packages, including upgrades and/or exterior changes not found generally on the base model. This is exactly the same deal with the Firebird/Trans Am, or Camaro/Z-28, or Mustang GT/Cobra. Each is a package with upgrades over the base model.
To say that a 2002 Trans Am is the same car as a 2002 Firebird is right .........and wrong. Both built from the same base structure, but anyone who drives each will tell they are two very different beasts.
Corvette/Stingray or Sting Ray has no seperation, there was no option to get either a Corvette or (Corvette)Stingray.
It all comes right back around to how you feel personally.
What was gained(option wise) when they first put Sting Ray badges on? What was lost(option wise) when they stopped putting Stingray badges on?
Opinions are never wrong, some are just un-popular.:bash

 

[gooney0]

kind of cut and dry

I don't think I understand where the opinion is in this? Chevrolet didn't label a 1977 "Stingray" as it did in 1976.

I would call a 1977 "Corvette" that is what it says on the back of the car.

Nothing is gained or lost from the Stingray badge.

I don't see why anyone would want to say something incorrectly, or call something "Stingray" when Chevrolet doesn't? / didn't? You can call it whatever you want, but you'll be wrong. Isn't it better to simply clear it up? Just tell them they didn't put those badges on 77-82, and there is no good reason for it.

Like I said, you can call it a "Mark III" if you want.... but that is still incorrect.

 

[KANE]

Regardless of the badges....

I think everyone would agree they have called their Stingray or whatever a FOUR LETTER WORD when its stranded them, cost them an arm and a leg for repairs, frustrated them during a "simple" repair.... and the list goes on and on!

I think sometimes my car thinks its name is a bad word for all the times I have called it that when I first bought it 10 years ago!

 

[MaineShark]

Personally, I call them "Sharks." I reserve "Stingray" for the cars that actually carried that badge. I usually correct people, telling them that GM dropped the "Stingray" badge after '76, but that it's basically the same car.

I figure that way I can edj-u-ma-cate them a bit

Joe

 

[81LT4]

badges

You would not call any C4 a ZR1 just cause it look like one.
you would not call a WS6 TRANS AM RAM AIR a firbird.
you would not call a 1982 CROSS FIRE a L48.
you would not call a FIREBIRD a TRANS AM if it was not a T.A.
HERE'S a good one,what would you call a 1991 WS6 TRANS AM
GTA? It's a TRANS AM GTA, why because this is how the dealers
lable their car's. For normal to performance, each and every car has it's own name, for good reason. Just because of a name,
you can get triple the amount of resale. A1991 Firebird can go for 1000.00 to 1500.00, at least they do here in Houston, a 1991
TRANS AM GTA goes for about 4500.00 to 7000.00. Get what im saying A stingray is a stingray, a L82 is a L82, an L48 is a L48
People ask what year is my stingray, I hate that because it's not
a STINGRAY so i correct them, not to be a jerk (I'M A GOOD PEOPLE PERSON) but because you learn something new every
day. Then when they see another vette, they might tell the difference.

PS. MaineShark had a great simple point. So if you like your car to be called a STINGRAY best thing to do is clone it. Then you can say it's a STINGRAY.

 

[81LT4]

BADGES

Regardless of the badges....

I think everyone would agree they have called their Stingray or whatever a FOUR LETTER WORD when its stranded them, cost them an arm and a leg for repairs, frustrated them during a "simple" repair.... and the list goes on and on!

I think sometimes my car thinks its name is a bad word for all the times I have called it that when I first bought it 10 years ago!

I agree with this to, Dark :L

 

[Don&Kelly]

Most people (vette owners & general public) call all C3's sharks or stingrays .. makes no difference to me - I just love the look & lines of the C3 ...

 

[Corvette Craig]

Sting Rag vs. Shark

Is that a "Sting Ray".
A friend once asked me.
I replied:
"No, it's a Shark,
SHARKS EAT STING RAYS"

Call it whatever you want, just don't call it a Ford.

 

[vette-dude]

Did I mention she was wearing cowboy boots?

That was the first (and now only) date with that person.

If all she was wearing were those boots maybe you had oughta re-think the last statement!!:eek

Just kidding. Sorry your hood got molested. I'm sure it wasn't a Kodak moment!!

Randy

 

[MaineShark]

Like Craig implies, "Shark" also sounds more aggressive, which is cool in its own right

Joe

 

[80 blue shark]

buff the scratches

oh no better get mako:duh