Man, what a run! Fifteen years for the C3 Corvette and this 1982 Collector’s Edition is the swan song. Much changed from the inaugural 1968 version? You bet! The basics were still there and the unmistakeable Mako-Shark lines were front and center but the ’80s came calling, propelled mostly due to federal rules and regulations and Corvette complied. Calling West Babylon, New York home, this 77K mile subject is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $5,900 with three bids tendered so far.
Total production for ’82 amounted to about 25K copies of which 6,700 were Collector’s Editions. And what exactly did the Collector’s Edition buyers get for their $22,568? According to Corvsport, that package included silver-beige paint, bronze-colored glass roof panels, unique wheels, and a hydraulically operated rear glass hatch. The seller claims, “Vehicle has been collector owned since 2001 and has been serviced regularly, garaged throughout and well kept during its life.” I can buy that, it shows quite well with no indication of fade, seam separation, or soft bumper friction. Note the Goodyear Eagle GT II tires – I imagine they have experienced more than just a few years of use.
At the beginning of the C3 run buyers could opt for a 435 gross HP 7.0 liter V8 engine or a fire-breathing off-road-only (nod and wink) L88 powerplant. By ’82, a buyer couldn’t spec anything because there was only one motor available, a 200 net HP 350 CI V8 tethered to a new-for-’82 four-speed automatic transmission. On the surface, a fuel-injected engine under the hood sounds like lofty stuff but in this case, it was a mild-mannered Cross-Fire, dual throttle-body arrangement. The seller adds, “The 5.7L Cross-fire injected V8 engine purrs like a kitten and starts at the turn of the key. Runs beautifully with plenty of power and speed. Transmission shifts great, brakes stop excellent, and steers very nicely.”
By ’82, the ‘Vette’s dash and instrument panel binnacle lost the coolness that its predecessors possessed and was left with a unit that could have been interchanged with a Caprice. That said, the design was a simple, clean, and easy-to-read, arrangement and the one in this car is in fine nick. The camel-hued leather upholstery is surprisingly neat and unmarred – it’s a tough shade to keep clean and that goes for the door panels and carpet too. The seller states, “Interior is VERY NICE, minor normal wear, seats have been COMPLETELY REUPHOLSTERED recently so they look like new.” OK, that explains some of that interior goodness.
Opinions will vary on this chapter of Chevrolet’s Plastic Fantastic. If you like C3s and aren’t concerned with tire-shredding performance and steel bumper visuals, this ’82 may just well be an economical way to get into the Corvette club, wouldn’t you agree?
Loved my CE. This looks to be an interesting deal, but what happened to the graphics package? That tells me this is a repaint.
I agree, it’s missing the fender fader stripes, fender upper pin stripes, hood stripe, roof stripe, rear window/deck stripe and dark brown paint in the tail lamp insets. The complete stripe kit (less the tail lamps insets which are painted) runs about $1400.
Those seat covers must have been installed by a 6 year old. There’s no way they should have so many wrinkles, and fit so poorly around side bolsters. The color of the covers looks off too, they seem to have a greenish tint to them? They don’t look like the repro covers from either Al Knoch or Corvette America.
I’m a big fan of the 80-82 Corvette body style, but the Collector Edition’s Silver/Beige finish really looks weird to me without the brown graphics and stripes.
It sure looks like a re – paint to me, all the neat graphics and tail – light paint detail are missing. Was it in an accident ? or just a sloppy refresh.
I’ve been looking for one of these but, right now the Canadian dollar is taking a beating, so I’ll pass.
No explanation of deviation in paint scheme. It was almost certainly repainted. There are plenty of exceptional examples out there. If you want a C3 CE… be patient.
I had an 81. But the older small back window mako shark model remains my favorite to this day. My 81 had the the big back window and mirrored roof. Sadly, it was like a greenhouse, so hot in the Charleston SC sun. Yet still, it was beautiful to look at. If I was rich and famous like the rest of you readers (right?), I would have much fun with a resto-mod of one of the dog year corvettes with the little back window. The speed of it? Well, 600hp would not do me much good in my trailer park! A 74, so gorgeous, with quadruple sound-proofing, softer springs, lighter weight of a 4 cylinder and a 6 speed Manual and 30+mpg. Would I be sent to car hell for that? hahaha
SOLD for $10,800.