I am looking at buying a 1981 dark blue metallic (38 paint code).  However, the car has an oyster interior, dash, seats, door panels, carpet, etc.  According to all sources I have seen, the oyster interior was not offered in 1981 (stopped in 1980).

Bardone, the info I have agrees with you. 1980 was the last year oyster was offered. According to "Corvette Sprots Car Superstar" there were 496 cars produce in Code 38 Dark Blue Metallic. Also in 1981 GM started production at the Bowling Green plant. For a period in 1981, GM produced corvettes at Bowling Green and St Louis. 

Any chance that the plant used an oyster interior that was left over ?

What does the trim tag say ? Are you sure it's oyster

Bardone

You could tell everyone that one of the band members from "Blue Oyster Cult" was the previous owner. 

[QUOTE=rearn2go72]You could tell everyone that one of the band members from "Blue Oyster Cult" was the previous owner.  [/QUOTE] Jim, you do come up with some "good" one.......... 

Bob,

I show paint code 38 to be a BG, dark blue color, but used in combo with silver(code 33).

Dark Blue Metallic is a St. Louis code 28.

The "recommended" interior color for the BG Dark blue/silver was dark blue, with silver available.
The "recommended" interior colors for the code 28 Dark Blue Metallic were red, dark blue, silver, or camel.

Now...ANY color combo could be had, even if it was not on the "recommended" interior color list for '81 cars, if it was available at the time. I'd say get a look at the trim tag, and see what the interior color code actually is.