Your least Favorite Part about the 81

[C3L81]

Hey Folks. We all love our L81's, but there is always something we feel could be better, or just plain dont like. Im curious as to what your feelings are towards the subject. In my case I could always go for some more Hp, and I know its silly, but I dont like the directional bar. A rear hatch that opens would be nice as well.

 

[Yoda]

Hmm my least favorite ....

It's 25 years old and parts are getting expen$ive and hard to find, other than that, can't think of much... The style will NEVER die or get old

I've driven Rare from California to Bowling Green, Ky 2 times and to Auburn, IN Once and the only failure was an alternator I'd change oil in her and head out today and feel comfortable I would get where ever it was I was headed for

Bud

 

[bill81vette]

well I would have to say Its a bit tight trying to work on it but other than that,Its a corvette so I dont mind!!!!

 

[ßill]

First let me say I don’t have an 81. Several of my friends have 80s or 81s, They are beautiful classic Corvettes. The problems I’ve seen listed so far seem to be common to all less than new Corvettes. Bill said tight working space, I’ve never seen a Vette with room to work. Bud talked about parts Availability, I have the same problem with my ZR-1. Sounds like typical Corvette problems to me. That’s why a site like this is so important to help all of us keep our classics running and lookin’ good. And Bud one partial solution for our space problem is to loose some weight (oh wait that belongs in the healthy living thread) C3L81’s Idea of an opening rear hatch would be cool. It would really make the storage area useable. Does any one make a kit to do this?

 

[smithjw]

Well, since you asked, I would have liked the cockpit area of the car to have a little more room. I'm 6ft 1in tall and 290 pounds. I'm really cramped in there. I know, I know. Lose some weight. Believe me, I'm working on it. Down to 270 right now and hopefully less when I get the car out of winter hibernation. Oh yes, and that 80MPH speedo had to go. Replaced with a 140MPH model.

 

[craig32]

My least favorite part on my 81 is the big 'bay window' in the back! When some redneck is tailgaiting me, I can see them all too well. I put louvers over it so I don't mind it as much. Not so much that I dislike it, but I like the other ones better. Just my opinion.

Craig

 

[C3L81]

Oh yes, and that 80MPH speedo had to go

Good point! Im keeping my car orig, but If I was to change something first, that would be it. Yes Bill they make a kit for the rear window, but from what I hear its below par.

 

[Tritium007]

I love the car, but....if I could change a couple of design items, I would improve the sideview mirrors somehow so they would be more useful and put the battery under the hood. Otherwise it's just like I dreamed it would be to drive and own.

Mike

 

[SLOVETTE]

Love the '81

Looked at many years and found the '81 to have the styling and handling I love in Corvettes. Low 190Hp will still get you a speeding ticket in every state. Tight quarters is part of the car, too.
But that battery drain caused Bubba to pull loose and disconnect switches on the doorlocks, courtesy lights, blower fan, and criuse control. Finally, he sold the car and left evertything disconnected.
A battery switch stopped the battery drain and I'll start re-connecting things as I get time.
This could be a lifetime project, maybe my 4 year old grandson's lifetime!

 

[91-Vetteman]

Hey Randy,

I just spent the last 2 weekends under my 81 replacing shocks, changing rear end gear oil, installing a flexpro oil pan gasket, and wiping down the under-side of grease, dirt, and road grime. Yes, my wife thinks I am absolutely crazy !!

Last winter, I worked on the interior and replaced my speedometer with a 140 mph, the 85 mph was one of the 1st things to go !! That was a major injustice to the Vette that year along with the reduced horses, but that was our governemnt at work for us !!

As I am sitting here typing this response and trying to find something that I could change, I cannot come up with anything !! I still think the 80 - 82 Corvette body style is the nicest looking Vette on the road, but I guess I am somewhat biased !!

 

[Gwen G]

Hey Folks. We all love our L81's, but there is always something we feel could be better, or just plain dont like. Im curious as to what your feelings are towards the subject. In my case I could always go for some more Hp, and I know its silly, but I dont like the directional bar. A rear hatch that opens would be nice as well.

Not crazy about the 'uniqueness' of the computer controlled carburetor and the 85 mph speedo is a nuisance in a state with 75 mph speed limits but I LOVE the car! Nothing says 'Corvette' like a red Shark!

 

[junkman104]

The wife and I bought our first vette last month. I have'nt and a least favorite besides the last owner who never fixed anything. We havent driven the car much yet (200mi) with all the repairs I've been doing. A complete SSBC caliper kit with pads and lines, a/c blower motor, stereo, radiator, hoses, belts, and after the cooling system repair I get to pull the engine and replace the freeze plugs that started leaking.

 

[chockey]

I'm not small guy by any means 6'2", 250 and the biggest pain in the neck is getting at the fuse panel, what a pain to say the least. Love the way it looks and rides, not counting the people who give it the look over.

Chuck

 

[C3L81]

6-1' 230 here. Its abit cramped, but well worth it. It feels like your in a cockpit.

 

[81kix]

I hate when at the pumps and I fill the gas tank up and it clicks done!
I look in the hole, the tank and I can see that I have more to fill so I eyeball it until it hits another 5 gallons. whats up with that?

 

[GerryLP]

Not crazy about the 'uniqueness' of the computer controlled carburetor and the 85 mph speedo is a nuisance in a state with 75 mph speed limits but I LOVE the car! Nothing says 'Corvette' like a red Shark!

Some of you probably know that I wasn't in love with the standard horsepower; however, I have outgrown all that, and I really understand now where Bud and other L81 lovers come from. The car its really a cruiser -not a drag car, and one has to love its reliability.

With the high performance motor I had in the car, and visiting the track pretty regularly during the summer, I broke and troubled the swapped-in motor more than I actually got to use it. I actually began missing driving (cruising) my car.

However, I am happy to report that I just dropped-off the original L81 short block and heads at a trusted local engine builder (Edward's Engines) for a complete rebuild. My instructions...keep those vin/stock numbers intact.

GerryLP:cool

p.s. I do agree, Gwen. A 140 MPH speedo is really needed in these cars for today's freeway speeds.

 

[Peer81]

This reply will be featured with some photo's

I'm doing a compleet body off resto of my 81, so i came across about every damn thing possible. First i live the engine as it is with all the stuff on it. But around 300hp would be better for a corvette i think. It's really hard to find new AIR stuff hose's for a L81 (especially overhere in europe)
This is the way it looks now:

Second i never liked the backup lights on the vette. Why has Ferarri a function for the red outer rim and our corvette don't?
I've changed the thing so it will work in two ways, i'll save you the hole story but here two picture's of the result.
backup:

normal light, not brake:

brake:

If somebody wants some more info on this just send me a mail

The stock 80mph speedo indeed, changed that for a 260kmh one.

Groeten Peter.

 

[mikejpss]

complaint?

Can't think of any, except the darned battery drain that I can not find for some reason. Did find the courtesy light staying on, replaced the magic box behind the glovebox. But I still have a drain that kills the battery after 4-6 weeks. Would have been nice to have the battery located under the hood somewhere. Looking for a battery switch now, but would rather find the drain source and do it right. Any ideas?

 

[GerryLP]

Can't think of any, except the darned battery drain that I can not find for some reason. Did find the courtesy light staying on, replaced the magic box behind the glovebox. But I still have a drain that kills the battery after 4-6 weeks. Would have been nice to have the battery located under the hood somewhere. Looking for a battery switch now, but would rather find the drain source and do it right. Any ideas?

Mike,

Do you happen to have an MSD Box connected to it? If the small red wire is not connected to a "switched" source, then it will tend to drain the battery. I believe that the light brown wire that connects to the distributor is the switch-connected wire in an L81 set-up.

Also, I have read about the courtesy light causing these issues here in the CAC site. Do a search under "battery drain".

GerryLP:cool

 

[Vette81]

I must say that after watching the Barret-Jackson Auction on the Speed Channel, I feel very fortunate to be able own such a great looking car classic car, it may not ever be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, but the 81 Vette is a great looking car!

The only problem that I have with the car is like many others, is the interior size, I'm 6'4" and I did not realize that my seat foam was compressed a lot until I installed new Seat Foam and covers, now my head is rubbing the T-Top, Oh well, it is a great car and I guess that is not a bad penalty for owning Americas greatest Sports Car. And as far as working on it, it is pretty much a piece of cake compared to all the new cars out there.