This 1980 Chevrolet Corvette is one of the few of this generation I’d actually run out and by if it were local. Why? Well, for starters, it has the preferred and rarely-seen manual transmission. For another, it’s got some cool period modifications like black leather Recaro seats that make it just a bit more bad-ass. Unfortunately, as you’l see here on eBay, it’s not exactly cheap, with an opening bid of $6,300 and no action yet.
The Buy-It-Now is $8,500, which also seems ambitious for one of the more overlooked generations of Corvettes. Still, I dig those period aftermarket wheels (weren’t these called Fitipaldis or something similarly racy?) and the colors are a good look too, as two-tone paint was all the rage in the late 70s and early 80s.
Check out that interior: it’s rare you see European tuning influences in a car like this, and it also indicates someone wasn’t afraid to throw some money at it. It makes me wonder if there are other modifications under the hood that are lurking that the seller doesn’t know about. Despite my appreciation of the exterior, the seller says it still needs a paint job.
That idle appears a tad high, assuming the engine is turned on, and since the seller offers zero details on its mechanical health or history, we don’t know what to expect for the opening bid of just over $6K. Now, if the mileage of 39,800 can be verified, perhaps I can see a justification for the asking price. What would you pay for this 1980 Corvette if the low mileage is accurate?
corvettes have to be the bargain of automotive sport! what else can you buy that not only will be a good drive at the track and still is simple and straight forward enough that you can maintain it yourself plus that parts are plentifull and inexpensive. jaguars etc. are lovely but don’t meet any of the above and cost 2-3 times more!!
The wheels look like Gotti’s, but they’re more likely one of the many knock offs of the Gotti wheels made in the late 70’s and 80’s, possibly American Racing or Etoile. We used real, multi piece Gotti wheels on the 80 GT-1 Corvette I crewed on in the early 80’s. The Gotti style wheels were especially popular on early C4 Corvettes.
I like the look of 80-82 Corvette’s (I have an 81 I bought new), but I don’t see anything to entice me to take the one hour ride to look at this one. In particular, I don’t care for the look of the dark over light two-tone. In 82, the Corvette was available in silver over maroon, which looked a lot better to me.
Asking $10K, BIN of $8,500. No bids yet at $6,300. I am not seeing anywhere close, even with the manual. I wonder how much wraps are?
I must be missing something – I didn’t see any reference to Recaro seats in the eBay listing?
I’d say the vehicle is turned off, or the electronic choke could be on. The tachs on a lot of GM vehicles of this time period stuck exactly where they were when you turned off the vehicle. I had an ’81 Vette a few years back that did it, though I never bothered to learn why.
With 5 crummy pictures and a one line description, he’ll be holding onto this one for awhile.