Topic: 1981 Convertible ???
in Forum: C3 General Discussion
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Discovered this '81 convertible on Ebay... story seems a bit dodgy to me, but would be interested in what anyone else thinks !
,http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevrolet-Corvette-1981-Corvette-Convertable-One-of-a-Kind-Very-Rare_W0QQitemZ200083531533QQihZ010QQcategoryZ6168QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
,http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevrolet-Corvette-1981-Corvette-Convertable-One-of-a-Kind-Very-Rare_W0QQitemZ200083531533QQihZ010QQcategoryZ6168QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Kiwi Chris
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There is a company here in Baton Rouge that actually takes the 75 rear and puts the convertible top on the '81. I don't believe it was made at the factory as he was told. The decals are wrong. I think there might have been a few standards in '81, but this car looks to be aftermarket. Somewhat pretty, but I doubt it was factory installed.
There is a company here in Baton Rouge that actually takes the 75 rear and puts the convertible top on the '81. I don't believe it was made at the factory as he was told. The decals are wrong. I think there might have been a few standards in '81, but this car looks to be aftermarket. Somewhat pretty, but I doubt it was factory installed.
gurtz
Makes for a good story. '81 was the transition year from St. Louis to Bowling Green. Maybe one of the St. Louis exec. saw it as a last chance to get a Vette vert.
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There were NO Gm assy. line built, Corvette convertibles after '75, until '86. This car was converted by someone else, and I have seen several of them.
Gm wouldn't build one, not even for an exec. It was a "safety" thing. The Gov(they thought) was going to come out with some wild roll-over standards that the 'Vette would not meet, and GM wasn't gonna spend the $$$ to do it.
A GM exec could have had the car built by an outside company, such as ASC, tho.
There were 4 speeds available in '81..5757 of them, actually.
Gm wouldn't build one, not even for an exec. It was a "safety" thing. The Gov(they thought) was going to come out with some wild roll-over standards that the 'Vette would not meet, and GM wasn't gonna spend the $$$ to do it.
A GM exec could have had the car built by an outside company, such as ASC, tho.
There were 4 speeds available in '81..5757 of them, actually.
Joel Adams
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It is different for an 81. Looks to have been pretty well done and has a good history. I like the color. Kinda reminds me of the 68's gold. Price seems resonable too. 
Tuxblacray 2007-02-26 06:24:49
Few things, Joel took the words right out of my mouth. ASC did some one-offs for GM and were dealer sold BUT not as a GM built car. If the car was built by ASC AND the car doesnt llok like it was built by a bunch of clowns AND if the doors opened while on a lift, I would pay 17k for the car especially with the 4sp. I love the look of an 81, I LOVE the 4speed and if the chop was done right.... And no GM never built an approved Vette rag top after 75 and before 86.
The front emblem and the one on the gas cap are for a "82 Collector's Edition. Note the vents on the rear deck, only on earlier C3's (not sure what years). I agree with everyone, thats not a factory car!
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Dave's '82 
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Factory or not, if I hadn't bought my 74 last year, I might go down and take a look at this puppy! I knew I had to have a convertible, and I always preferred the 80-82 style over all others. Wow.
Back in the early 90's, I got a similar story. I was working at a gas station and a 80-82 Convertible Vette came in. Even at that time, I knew that convertibles weren't available after the mid-70's until 86. The driver told me it was done at the factory and that only a few had been made. It was rush hour and I was busy, so I wasn't able to get out to take a closer look.
Again, nice story, but yeah, I can't see it being true.
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Nice color........different. Hey, it's in TEXAS. I wonder where in TEXAS........If it's close, I could go take a peek. 
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