RMVette

Anyone know what happened to the first and last C3? Are they on the road or in a museum? Have they been written up in a magazine? I've read about the last C2 and it's restoration but I've never heard of what happened to the first and last C3. Anyone know the options on each, specifically the '68? Just curious.

71rdster

The last C3 was a Bowling Green car, and I seem to recall that it went to the National Corvette Museum. I don't remember if the museum owned it, or it was loaned to them. It is probably around, very low mileage, and very well cared for.

The first C3's more than likely ended up as test mules, and were more than likely destroyed (GM habit) after their proving grounds days. On occasion, such cars slipped out the back door and wound up in private hands, usually a GM engineer or marketing type.

I think Vette Vues Magazine did a story on the first C3's some years ago. Perhaps a search of their archives would turn up the article

killain

Road&Track did a write up on one of the first, a 1968, but it wasn't very impressive. During the showing the drivers door wouldn't open and then one of the reporter/writers got in, and the engine wouldn't start. after a few techs worked on it, it still wouldn't start and the writers got fed up waiting and left. The car got a bad rap and it was not a good day at Corvette. But after a little while they (the engineers) worked out the problems and by 1969 the car was a real star. After that they just got better and better. Some of the absolutely most powerful and legendary corvettes ever built were C-3's. My 79 wasn't a star except to me. One of the best cars I ever bought and in sixteen years never let me down even once.

Clams Canino

Heh......... I was gonna say the 1st C3 was promptly kicked back to the RnD department with 2 words... FIX iT!!!

-W (proud '68 owner despide the issues)

Iliad

This is the last St. Louis C3. The '82's moved to Bowling Green. I'm not sure what happened to the first C3.
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markdtn

danno12345

Hey! that looks like my car!! and mine's an 81 too!!



Dan

Easy Mike

There are almost always pilot line cars for new models. These are usually assembled prior to their actual model year and checked over by the engineering staff before regular production begins. Some of these cars usually get trotted out for long lead press reviews to provide pictures and content for articles in the automotive magazines hitting the newsstands just before the new cars come out. It is common for pilot line cars to have various combinations of the available engines, transmissions, and other options.

The '68 pilot line cars were being assembled in the spring of 1967 while production on the '67s continued. At least one of these cars, a big block coupe, was assembled and shipped to Detroit as early as May 1967. Zora Duntov cut openings in the lower valance on this car to aid cooling before the media types got to drive it.

Pilot line cars usually did not get sold to the public for liability reasons.

The colors and option package of the first production '68 sold to the public would be of interest. Wonder where she went?

IrishJoker

That''s great Dan, but that particular car shown would be a "1982" built in 1981.

Depending on your Vin number, your build date could most likely be in "1980".

C3 4ME

I'm guessing the last C3 is at ProTeam, awaiting a full feature by some sort of media.

RMVette

That's the one I'm interested in hearing about!

toolman1981

That one rolled out about 2 months after mine, and yes it is an 81. All 82's came with the Cross Fire Injection badge on the fender. They were producing Vetts at both plants for about 3 months. The 82 was considered a unique car because of the changes made in preparation for the 83 that was held off until 84 because of quality issues. Until they closed St. Louis, Bowling Green produced 81's. Main difference was that St. Louis used laquer paint and Bowling Green used clearcoat.

silver69

According to the black book the last St. Loius car was an 81.

IrishJoker

My mistake, I thought the guy that posted the picture was showing the last C3. Not the last C3 from St. Louis.
The last 82 C3 would of course been built at Bowling Green, since all Corvette production moved there.

Easy Mike

...and...the first one.

RMVette

Correct, they were the first Corvette to be built simultaneously in two locations. The first Corvette rolled off the assembly line at the new Bowling Green, KY plant on June 1, 1981 and the last Corvette to be built at the St. Louis, MO plant rolled off the line August 1, 1981 (picture shows July 31st). And as I recall, all '81's built in St. Louis are one color and all built in Bowling Green are two tone which were 5,352 cars.

Paul Borowski

...if I'm remembering correctly, I thought Bob McDorman Chevrolet in Columbus, Ohio has 1968 Corvette #00001, or it may be #00002. It's a Bronze coupe. Saw it about 6yrs ago.

...the last St. Louis C3 and the last Bowling Green C3 were owned by the same Corvette Collector and were in one of the Bloomington Special Collection some years ago that featured only '68-'82 Corvettes.

Goody

Only time will tell. I agree that the very first 68 was most likely destroyed by GM. Who'd a thought it would have it's own museum.

tigers123

I have a c5 that might have been part of an early c5. The guy who repaired it got a front clip from the gm proving grounds when he couldn't find one anywhere else. They took it of a test mule. I can see the ad now extremely rare front clip..........

Easy Mike

Nope. Two-tones were built at St. Louis, probably some time in the spring of 1981, in addition to Bowling Green. Bowling Green also built solid color 81s.