I'm seeking advice about the possible purchase of an 81 Vette.  This morning I looked at an 81 with 36K miles, never repainted car that visually looks great.  I'm told that the oil temperature gage does not work and has never worked from new.  The catalytic converter has been removed, so it sounds GREAT.  Few details:  Auto trans., 3 owners, removal  tops are solid (not glass), two tone paint, original tires, vacuum lights work well.  I notice that along the front quarter panels of both sides that I can see the rivit marks from where the upper and lower quarter panels were attached, but this does not appear to be the result of repair or repaint.   What "red flags" should I look for?  Also, were there engine options for that year?  From what I read, there may have been an option for a larger engine (not sure about that).   Is there a good source I can check about the price?  Opinions sought --- good and bad... 

'81 only had 1 engine available, the 190hp L81.
The first "red flag" I see is the "rivit marks from where the upper and lower quarter panels were attached". The bodies of Corvettes were never riveted together. The upper/lower panels are bonded together with a bonding strip...basically "glued" together.
Where exactly do you see these "rivet marks"? If you see small, round areas on the sides of the fenders, it sounds like someone has done a replacement of the fender, and used rivets to hold it to the bonding strip...not good.
If you see small, round-ish spots across the top/front of the body, forward of the hood, that is the front body support rivets rusting thru. The support IS riveted to a bonding strip, and then the upper body surround is bonded to the strip. These rivets can, and eventually will, rust, and show thru the paint. Not an easy fix for that, but it shouldn't be a major deal-breaker, either, if the rest of the car is nice.

Another wild thought...does the car have the side Crossed Flags emblems? If not, maybe someone had filled the holes in, and that's the spots you see that look like rivets... Adams' Apple2007-04-07 07:25:34

[QUOTE=Benelli 22]I'm told that the oil temperature gage does not work and has never worked from new.  Opinions sought --- good and bad... [/QUOTE] Iron822007-04-07 07:59:30

The round marks that I described are approximately 3/8 inch in diameter and appear evenly spaced in the area approximately 5 inches higher than the wheel well  on both front fenders.  The marks are very faint but are visible when closely looking at refected light.  Any suggestion about the oil temperature gage that doesn't work?

The oil temp guage is either the guage or the sender. Usualy the sender goes bad before the guage, not a big deal. I agree with Joel about the fenders, I'm sure they were replaced, so it could have been in a front end collision. Check it out carefully.

Get under and look for cracks/weld marks on the crossmember, side rails and upper/lower A arms.

Sounds like a front-ender to me.  Mine was smacked apparently very badly in the front and I didn't find it until after the deal.  It would have caused at least another $1k or so in downward negotiations.

I felt under the fender in the area where the rivets would have protruded, if they were, in fact, rivets. I felt nothing under the  fender region of the wheel well.  Does anyone know if the front fenders were molded in one piece or pieced together from the factory?  If it possible that the round circles that I'm trying to describe could have come from the factory mold...just a thought.

It could be that the fenders were replaced, but instead of using actual rivets to hold it together, they used "klick-pins", which are re-usable "rivets". A lot of body shops use them for this type of work. They drill the holes in the fender and the bonding strip after lining it all up. Once that is done, they remove the fender, put the bonding agent("glue") on the fender and the bond strip, then stick it back together. They insert the klick-pins to hold it all nice and tight until the bonding glue sets, then remove the klick-pins, and fill in the holes with bondo, or 'glass.
The fenders are one piece, but they don't go all the way around to the hood. The hood surround panel comes down over the side, making it the upper part of the fender arch. This is the same front or rear. The fenders do not go all the way to the top of the body.
Sounds like this car has had some bodywork done.

Perhaps these pics will help show where the factory bond is...notice that the hood surround comes down the side a few inches, and the fender does not go all the way up. The two parts are bonded where I have highlighted them in red. The only place rivets were used was to hold a bonding strip to the metal structure of the birdcage, and then the actual body part would be bonded to the bond strip. It's a bit confusing...
          Adams' Apple2007-04-07 18:25:14

Adam's drawing is exactly where I see the round marks.  The marks are visible on both sides of the car.  They guy selling the car told me that "all the 81's are that way."  Right!   I know from my reading that the 81's were produced at two plants and different type paints were used at the two plants.   If the fenders areas were assembled at the factory, would or should I be able to see these round marks?   The marks are not indentations, just something that is visible when looking along the car in bright sun light.  The advise to get the car up on a lift and take a look is great advice and something that must happen.