1982 Corvette
The 1982 Corvette was the first since 1955 to come without an available manual gearbox. Its only available transmission was a newly standard four-speed automatic, which was basically the previous three-speed Turbo-Hydra-Matic with a long-striding overdrive fourth gear tacked on. As before, there was a torque converter lockup effective on all forward gears except first, governed by the engine's electronic control unit.
Shark production since 1968 totaled a smashing 542,861 units when the
last of the 1982 Corvettes were built. No other Corvette generation had lasted so
long, and it's quite likely that no future one will have the same staying power either.
Cosmetic alterations were limited to small "Cross-Fire Injection" labels above the front-fender vents and a two-tone paint option that recalled the 1978 Silver Anniversary treatment: silver over a deep burgundy, separated by a red pinstripe.
For the generation's last hurrah, Chevrolet issued another commemorative "Collector's Edition" model. However, recalling its experience with bogus 1978 Pace Car Replicas, the division handled the 1982 series differently, building the special model only "as needed" to satisfy customer orders (though about the same number -- 6,759 -- would be built). Unique vehicle identification number plates were affixed to further deter someone from turning a standard car into the Collector's Edition.
In many ways, the 1982 Corvette was the best C3 of all. Setting it apart were cloisonné emblems on the hood, rear deck, and steering wheel; silver-beige metallic paint with graduated shadow-like contrast striping on the hood and bodysides; bronze-tint glass T-tops; and finned "turbine" alloy wheels like the ones first seen on the 1963 Sting Ray. Inside were matching silver-beige leather upholstery and door trim, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and luxury carpeting. A less obvious difference was this version's frameless lift-up glass hatch, which had been omitted from the 1978 restyle because of cost considerations. Incidentally, it was not available on the base 1982 Corvette, though several aftermarket suppliers had turned to offering this as a conversion for "glassback" models.
New for 1982 was the Collector Edition,
shown here, with a unique lift-up
rear window and specific paint and trim.
It listed for $22,537, versus $18,290 for
the regular coupe. Sales plunged
37 percent this model year to
25,407, including 6,759 Collector Editions.
With 10 extra horsepower and again blessed with fuel injection, the latest small-block Corvette showed definite performance gains despite being hobbled by the economy-minded automatic transmission. Road & Track timed it hitting the quarter-mile in 16.1 seconds at 84.5 mph and accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds.
Yet perhaps because a new model was known to be near, and aggravated by an ailing national economy, production fell to 25,407 units for '82, the lowest Corvette total since 1967.
But through its long and controversial run, the C3 would mark its place in automotive history as a true survivor. The passing years -- despite the array of adversity that came with them -- had been kind to the Shark, and the car never lost sight of its essential mission and character.
Learn about other Corvettes in this generation:
| 1978 Corvette | 1979 Corvette | 1980 Corvette |
| 1981 Corvette | 1982 Corvette | |
Looking for more information on Corvettes and other cars? See:
- Corvettes: Learn about the history behind each model year and see Corvette photographs.
- Corvette Specifications: Get key specifications, engine and transmission types, prices, and production totals.
- Corvette Museum: The National Corvette Museum draws Corvette lovers from all over the world. Learn more about the museum.
- Corvette Pictures: Find pictures of the hottest classic and current-year Corvettes.
- Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
- Consumer Guide Corvette Reviews: Considering a Corvette purchase? See what Consumer Guide has to say.
1982 Corvette Specifications
The Shark reached the end of its long road for 1982 with one final round of improvements. Here are the specifications for the 1982 Corvette:
 A new L83 V-8 for the 1982 Corvette delivered 200 strong bhp via "Cross-Fire" fuel injection, the first "fuelie" Corvette since 1965. However, manual transmission was no longer available. |
| Vehicle Specifications | Coupe/Hatchback |
| Wheelbase, inches | 98.0 |
| Length, inches | 185.3 |
| Width, inches | 69.0 |
| Track, inches | front: 58.7 rear: 59.4 |
| Height, inches | 48.0 |
| Curb weight, pounds | 3,345 |
Mechanical Specifications (2-door coupe/hatchback)
Suspension
front: Independent; upper and lower A-arms, coil springs, tubular hydraulic shock absorbers, antiroll bar
rear: Independent, lateral leaf springs, struts, U-joint halfshafts, trailing arms, tubular hydraulic shock absorbers
Wheels/Tires
P225/70R-15
P255/60R15 (Collector Edition)
Brakes
front: 11.75-inch disc
rear: 11.75-inch disc
Transmission
3-speed Hydra-Matic
Standard axle ratio
2.72:1
Engine Specifications
| Type | ohv V-8 |
| Displacement, liters/cubic inch | 5.7/350 |
| Bore X stroke, inches | 4.00 X 3.48 |
| Fuel management | Cross-Fire Throttle Body Fuel Injection |
| Horsepower @ rpm | 200 @ 4,200 |
| Torque @ rpm, pound-foot | 283 @ 2,800 |
Published Performance Numbers
| Acceleration | 200 hp, 2-speed automatic |
| 0-60 mph, second | 7.9 |
| 0-100 mph, second | 24.8 |
| 1/4-mile, second @ mph | 16.1 @ 85 |
Vehicle Production and Base Prices
| Car Type | Production | Price |
| 2-door coupe | 18,648 | $18,290.07 |
| Corvette Collector Edition Hatchback | 6,759 | 22,537.59 |
Options and Production
| Option | Production | Price |
| Power Door Locks | 23,936 | $155.00 |
| Power Driver Seat | 22,585 | 197.00 |
| Removable Glass Roof Panels | 14,763 | 443.00 |
| Rear Window Defogger | 16,886 | 129.00 |
| Electric Sport Mirrors | 20,301 | 125.00 |
| Two-Tone Paint | 4,871 | 428.00 |
| Gymkhana Suspension | 5,457 | 61.00 |
| Cruise Control | 24,313 | 165.00 |
| Aluminum Wheels | 16,844 | 458.00 |
| White Letter SBR Tires, P255/70R15 | 5,932 | 80.00 |
| White Letter SBR Tires, P255/60R15 | 19,070 | 542.52 |
| Radio Delete | 150 | -124.00 |
| AM/FM Radio, etr stereo w/8-track tape | 923 | 386.00 |
| AM/FM Radio, etr stereo w/cassette | 20,355 | 423.00 |
| AM/FM Radio, etr stereo w/cassette & CB | 1,987 | 755.00 |
| AM/FM Radio, stereo | 1,533 | 101.00 |
| Power Antenna | 15,557 | 60.00 |
| Heavy Duty Cooling | 6,006 | 57.00 |
| Roof Panel Carrier | 1,992 | 144.00 |
| California Emission Certification | 4,951 | 46.00 |
Color Choices and Production
| Color Choice | Production |
| White | 2,975 |
| Black | 2,357 |
| Dark Blue | 562 |
| Charcoal | 1,093 |
| Gold | 648 |
| Red | 2,155 |
| White/Silver | 664 |
| Silver/Dark Claret | 1,301 |
| Silver | 711 |
| Silver Blue | 1,124 |
| Bright Blue | 567 |
| Silver Green | 723 |
| Silver Beige | 6,759 |
| Dark Claret | 853 |
| Silver/Charcoal | 1,239 |
| Silver Blue/Dark Blue | 1,667 |
Learn about other Corvettes in this generation:
| 1978 Corvette | 1979 Corvette | 1980 Corvette |
| 1981 Corvette | 1982 Corvette | |
Looking for more information on Corvettes and other cars? See:
- Corvettes: Learn about the history behind each model year and see Corvette photographs.
- Corvette Specifications: Get key specifications, engine and transmission types, prices, and production totals.
- Corvette Museum: The National Corvette Museum draws Corvette lovers from all over the world. Learn more about the museum.
- Corvette Pictures: Find pictures of the hottest classic and current-year Corvettes.
- Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
- Consumer Guide Corvette Reviews: Considering a Corvette purchase? See what Consumer Guide has to say.