With 1982 marking the end of production for the C3 Corvette, Chevrolet decided to commemorate this milestone with the Collector Edition. This brought a host of optional equipment together, along with some unique features, as a fitting farewell to a model that had remained in production for 15-model-years. This particular Collector Edition is not just any old car, but could rightfully lay claim to the title of the best Collector Edition in existence today, and it has multiple awards against its name to justify this claim. Located in Bedford, Pennsylvania, it is listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding on the Corvette has risen to $26,500, and this means that the reserve has now been met and that someone is about to park a trophy winner in their garage.
When it was released, you could have a Collector Edition in any color that you liked, as long as that color was Silver Beige. It is an interesting color, and it set the trend for the interior trim as well. The Collector Edition also brought a glass rear hatch to the table. allowing external access to the storage area behind the seats. Another unique feature was the bronze T-Top, which has a great look about it. The overall condition of this car is as close to pristine as you are likely to find. The paint, trim, and glass all appear to be perfect, and there is nothing to do but sit back and admire the looks of the car. The car also features the factory 15″ alloy wheels, which were an exclusive feature on the Collector Edition. This one has quite a nice history to it, and it indicates that this has been a car that has been much loved and treasured. At National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) National Events, this Corvette has scored a total of three “Top Flight” Awards, which means that it’s condition and originality has to be assessed at 97% or above. It is also 1-of-127 Corvettes across the nation that has been awarded an NCRS McLellan Mark of Excellence Award, which recognizes the car’s achievements at having scored the previously mentioned Top Flight Awards. The Corvette has also received Bloomington’s Gold Certification, meaning that the car has been assessed as scoring 95% or better as an original Corvette in an unmolested and unmodified condition. Amongst Corvette enthusiasts, this is about as good as it gets if you are looking for the ultimate, original, and immaculate car.
Opening the doors of the Corvette is like stepping back in time because the interior of this Corvette is completely original and unmodified. The condition is also immaculate and reflects the sort of preservation that would be expected of a Corvette that has won the awards that it has. The Silver Beige leather interior trim was available exclusively in the Collector Edition and provides a nice continuation of the exterior paint scheme. There is really nothing to fault here, and it’s interesting to note just how much equipment you got for your $22,537.59 back in 1982. There is air conditioning, power windows, power seats, power locks, cruise control, a trip computer, a wheel that was adjustable for both height and reach, AM/FM radio/cassette player, and a power antenna.
Powering the Corvette is the venerable 350ci V8, which by this point now sported “Cross-Fire” fuel injection. This was a new feature for 1982, meaning the return of fuel injection to the Corvette range for the first time since 1965. Backing the 350 is a 4-speed automatic transmission, while you also score yourself power steering and power brakes. This is not a car that has done a lot of hard work during its 37-years, and it only has 9,789 original miles on the clock. The owner says that the car runs and drives like new and that even the tires on the car are original. It looks like the car also comes with an assortment of documentation, including the Owner’s Manual and the original Window Sticker.
As a brief aside, it’s when you start to look at the relative rarity of cars and break down the numbers that you can find some interesting little quirks in the system that some people can be willing to exploit. Chevrolet produced 6,759 of the Collector Edition Corvette, out of a total 1982 production of 25,407. That means that the Collector Edition represents roughly 25% of that year’s total production. However, if you can find any 1982 Corvette that was built with Camel Cloth upholstery, it will be a significantly rarer car, as only 350 Corvettes featured that option. This is just a demonstration of how you can make seemingly irrelevant numbers make a car seem potentially rarer and more desirable than the case might be. Does that upholstery make the car more desirable? Probably not, but it could be used to justify some of the rarity claims that we can see on cars from time to time.
As a car to mark the end of the line for the C3 Corvette, the Collector Edition probably was a fitting model. With just enough retro touches to recall earlier days, but enough new features to make it an interesting car in its own right, it is a car where the value has held up relatively well in the intervening years. You can find a nice example for around the $23,000 mark today, but a pristine, low mileage one will run closer to $35,000. This car would seem to fall into the latter category, so it will be very interesting to see what it finally sells for.
Beautiful car but it’s a trailer queen. You can’t drive it on 37 year old tires, at least not very fast. Plus you wouldn’t want to rack up the miles which would hurt the value. It’s like a good work of art; you can’t really do anything with it except look at it. I guess it will be increase in value over time if kept as-is but the stock market would probably be a better investment.
There are three things I have always wondered about: 1) “Are we really alone in the universe?” 2) “Who keeps track of all of the shipping containers being used world-wide?” 3) “Why would anyone spend crazy money for a 200 HP automatic Corvette?”
1) I certainly hope not.
2) both the owners of the cans, and the shipping companies; via GPS.
3) People without the ability to compare long term stock market gains with the collector car market. Because Corvette.
Do you ever drive by junkyards and see them stacked up? Have you seen them used as tool storage sheds at construction sites? I have seen them used as dressing rooms at outdoor hockey rinks. And what about the ones that fall overboard? No way they are all accounted for. It keeps me awake at night
They do call overboard, and ones that aren’t serviceable for shipping are sometimes sold. I’ve a buddy who uses one as storage and another as a workshop. I’m sure there’s some that have fallen through the cracks though. One thing I always found interesting; in 1992 a container with 28,000 rubber duckies was lost in a storm off the East coast of the US. Some of them still wash ashore in various locales, tracking them has taught us an incredible amount about ocean currents, and how they seem to be changing.
Grant – There were Garfield the Cat phones from a container in the 80s that still wash up. Crazy!
Lack luster car, show it, trailer it. Na cars were built to drive, this C3 missed the boat, not just in performance but never used. Sure looks nice though.
Frankly Frank I have to say you think of thoughts that bear serious consideration.
Least favorite color on any car. On the road, that color can make a car almost invisible. Good for evading cops, but dangerous when Soccer mom goes left of center while texting.
Perfect if you want an ’82 trailer / garage queen. You can spend less than half that amount if you’re looking for a nice driver with a few more miles on it and in excellent condition.
I can think of three dozen cars at $26K you can drive and enjoy right now. A C3 is NOT on my list especially one with Cross Eyed Injection. Hopefully it comes with a trailer. A dealer prepped car like this isn’t deserving of a boost on this site. Nothing spectacular. We can watch re runs of B-J and see one trailer queen Corvette after another. No thanks.
That’s the thing, it’s a 82, nothing special, can’t drive it, really not that exciting, and it’s gonna go for big money, and don’t get me wrong, it’s my favorite body Vette, just slow, so if I was gonna buy one, I’d buy a 79,or even a 80, Pure White w a red gut, with the mileage in the 30s or 40s pay 16,000 for it and go slow in that a few miles per summer till my back hurts and I hate this car, but at 16,000 not hate it so much
John- You can have 1995 with 300 HP and a 6-speed for $16,000 and have a much better Corvette. Of course, you would also need to like Fourth-generation Corvettes.
John, back in the 1980’s when C3’s were on everyone’s list. (Yes I had a 77) My friend bought a custom 1974 convertible with a 4 speed and it had an 81/82 front and rear clip painted up two tone. Had the newer road wheels. The 350 was mildly built up. Had sidepipes and sounded great. even had the newer leather seats. So in essence he had an 82 rag top 350/4spd. It sounded faster then it was.
What happened to it. I had a chance to buy it in 1987 for $5,000. Average prices at that time were $4500 to a local 72 454 in Green with hubcaps the ask was $7000. By that time though I was over the plastic fantastic thing and moved on. Grew tired of shaking and baking and bought a new Mustang GT.
I did drive it and man, it was so cool but just couldn’t pull the trigger. I ever found that same car today I would think about shaking and baking again. It was the Best 82 er I mean 74 !! Good times
In my NOT so Humble opinion the 82 and 84 CROSS Eyed Fool Injection was the WORST thing that GM ever did to hurt the performance of the Vette.
NO THANKS NOT for me!!!
The LT1 was a step up and FINALLY the LS motors were a game changer.
@CPD- Don’t forget the late, great L98! That was the bridge between the L83 Crossfire and the LT1 for normal folks. Of course we had the LT5 for the crazies.
Know an old guy from where I grew up, has an ’80 with less than 1900 miles on it. Got the Bloomington Gold with like a 96.5 or something. Will not drive it but a few tenths to maybe a mile a year. For some folks that seriously trips their triggers. Those same folks would hate me because I’d drive it or any car, I don’t care if it had 3 miles on it.
Sorry, a Corvette requires a manual transmission.