Question: Trying to figure out production numbers

[Sean8]

Does anyone know what site I could visit to figure out how many others like my 1981, black 4 speeds were produced with silver interior? I want to research with all my specific build options, to figure out that my car is 1 of X number produced... Anyone know how to do that? I appreciate the help...Sean8

 

[polo94conv]

go to top of this site. hit "specs" select your year spread, after opening, left side hit 1981 and then production numbers. May not be detail your looking for but it is a start

 

[Sean8]

Thanks. It's a good start and I appreciate your reply, but as you mentioned, not the detail I was hoping to find.

 

[Yoda]

Sean,

You can go to L81VetteRegistry then to the data pages and do a search of Registered 1981 on our site. But getting data like what you are looking for is almost if not impossible.

Record keeping back in the stone age wasn't that important
Records have materialized through the years for the St. Louis Built cars but it is nothing more than a factory order/build sheet. The Bowling Green 1981 records are available via the NCM..

It's tough to figure out options verses productions combination's ..

For instance:
My 1981 is a UL5 Optioned car, of which it is documented 315 were built with this option. Dig a little deeper and it would be interesting to know (just for curiosity) how many of those 315 were also power lock, power mirror, power seat delete options... I doubt I will ever find that out :nono

The L81VetteRegistry is not all that accurate.. which saddens me, but folks don't always follow directions or keep up on the data submitted. There are many cars listed that are not right, i.e. many have said they are THE Code 24 1981 but NONE HAVE produced proof, also there is only ONE DOCUMENTED "PRIMER" 1981, and I will attest to it's authenticity as I have seen, touched and verified the Trim Tag and paper work, as well inspected the car...

So the records we have at the Registry are close but not 100% correct

Bud

(AKA: RARE81)

 

[Sean8]

Thanks Yoda. I'm pretty good with online research and couldn't find anything, so your reply explains a lot...it isn't out there! I've been a part of the registry since I bought my Vette in 2002, so I know about that. Sure would be cool to punch in options and get an output on production...oh well. Thanks, again. Sean8

 

[6880 Mike]

There are no exact production figures showing options combinations. You will be able to find the number of black cars (4712 all St. Louis), possibly the number with silver interiors, the number of four speeds (5757), but you will not find a number for black, silver, 4 speeds.

The best you can do is make an educated guess.

 

[Sean8]

Thanks, Mike. Based on the number in the registry that match my car, I'm going to go ahead and guess there were 3, black 4 speeds produced in 1981 with silver leather! Most likely I'm way off, but hey, who's going to argue, right? I've never seen another one like it...Thanks a lot for your help. I appreciate it! Sean.

 

[XLR8]

Sean, using the production figures from the CAC Tech Center and "extrapolation" as described in Mike Antonick's Corvette Black Book, here's what I was able to come up with:

1981 Total production = 40,606

Black exterior = 4712 or 12 % of total production

4 speed manual transmissions = 5575 X 12% = 669 Black with 4 speed manual transmission.

There were 6 interior color choices available with the Black exterior and since we have no written record, we'll break it down as though the 4712 Black 81's were divided equally among the interior colors.

669 divided by 6 = 112 Black 81's with 4 speed manual transmission and Silver Gray interior.

Of course it's just a guess, but that's the best I can come up with based on the numbers available. And given the fact that you haven't seen any others like yours - a 29 year old Corvette - there's no telling how many have survived.
Jane Ann

 

[6880 Mike]

...I'm going to go ahead and guess there were 3, black 4 speeds produced in 1981 with silver leather! Most likely I'm way off, but hey, who's going to argue, right?...

Look at it this way: you can correctly say your car is one of one because it's the only one you own.