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After a Corvette roadtrip covering most of the western US states some years ago, I have been in love with this car. As a child of the 70s, I have some great memories of the 80s, and I love that time period. Also, I think the C3 looks just spectacular. I found out that the 1982 Corvette Collector Edition is the best alternative for me. For the last 5 years I have been looking for one. I have decided I want one that is all original and in great shape.
Recently I have found one that has run only 35,000 miles according to the seller. I see no wear to speak of on the car. I have asked a lot of questions, including whether the paint is original. The seller says he is not sure, but doesn't rule out that the car is repainted, as it looks mint. Now, I've seen pictures of low-mileage Collector Edition Corvettes that are supposed to be original paint, and they look brand new. I find no edges from masking tape. I see no overspray on rubber seals or other surfaces. The decals look original and in perfect condition.
What say you, the experts - could it be the car is restored, and not original? Or is finding this particular model in such great condition not all that difficult or uncommon? If it is repainted, does this mean the value is much less than if it is original?
Thank you very much for your valuable input. I appreciate it very much.
Tor
always draws a crowd! air-brake deployed!
What pictures?
1. You don't state the price.
2. 1 repaint is BETTER value wise than an original car with 'iffy' paint and decals.
3. Sophisticated car so EVERYTHING should work.
4. The hatch and gasket should be 'probed'
5. The wheels are 'unobtainium' check those carefully.
6. Check the BRONZED t-tops! again 'unobtainium'
I agree with you...GREAT CAR....mine has 19k on it now. I looked at 27 of them in 5 states, before I found this one...NO! do not ask what I paid for it!
A few months ago I bought a CE with only 12K miles. It has the original paint, heck it still had the original tires on it when I drove it home (that was scary). One thing that strikes me are the decals, they look brand new. I polished the paint and it looks like it came right off the show room with exception of a couple spots on the hood where the paint was damaged. The paint on the bumpers on the other hand are still OK but not as nice as the rest. So I can believe the car you are looking at could have the original paint if it was well taken care of like mine was.
Just my opinion, I don't think if it was restored it would matter much. I love my CE but I just can't see it being a highly sought after car that will someday you'll see on Barret Jackson selling for crazy amounts of money. I bought mine to drive as it was meant to: on a sunny day with the t-tops off with a 38 Special cassette tape playing.
I love my 82CE. I don't think its too hard to find low mileage excellent condition examples. Mine only had 11k miles on it when I bought it 3 years ago and it already had been repainted. What L-46man said and carefully look at the decals. $1200 for a new set.
When I bought this car I asked the seller why he parting with an 82CE with only 11k miles. He smiled and said he had one with only 8 miles on it.
Thank you all for replying, and sharing your knowledge. I appreicate it very much.
A special thank you to L-46man for sharing pictures. I never get tired of looking at photos of this car. It really has no bad angle!
Some more information:
- I am located in Northern Europe, so prices here are not very comparable to the ones state-side. To put it mildly! You have to add freight costs across the pond, insurance on the freight, import charges, and in my case 25 % sales tax to the government. I am considering buying from someone who imported his car some years back, and I suspect he would like to make some profit as well...
- Very positve impression of the seller, and how he has cared for the car.
- I haven't got that many cars to chose from here, and this is the best one I have seen in years. In very many years, in fact.
- My plan of buying a CE in the US and bring it back is less likely now, since our currecy has tanked (halved) measured in US $, making US cars twice as expensive as they were for me.
- I've tried contacting the seller/exporter in the US, but they seem to be out of business.
- I have the VIN #, so perhaps I could get Carfax-info online.
- The car has no service record or any paperwork.
- All the electrics work, including the radio antennae.
- Rubber seals look fresh. Glass hatch looks good.
- T-tops and wheels look nice.
- Engine bay looks super-clean. Smog pump present. Labels on all parts, except the yellow "CAUTION FAN" up front.
- The interior looks nice (no bad smells, no cracked leather, no sundamaged dash, clean steering wheel).
- I can't find any indications that the car is repainted. I would assume there would be some overspray or lines from masking tape in the doorjambs or similar.
- From what I can see, all decals seem to be in place, with no visible overlaps/joints. Even the gradual fade on the raised part of the hood is perfect, with no cracks or lines.
- Comparing the car to my MANY pictures of the CE in the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green (which I guess is near perfect), I find no differences or discrepancies. It all looks original.
My main question was: could the car have the original paint? From your answers I see it could be original. Or not.. And there is no easy way to find out if it is original. And it seems it doesn't matter that much, as long as it looks good. I agree: this will never be an incredibly rare and expensive car. Still, I would like the one I end up buying to be as original as possible.
I have attached three photos (not high-res or very good quality, I'm afraid).
I know these editions pretty well. I amassed a one meter long library on all the details and manuals on this car. I do not declare to be an 'expert', but 'pretty damn knowledgeable.' L-83 added CE cloisonne' added
The pix posted show a very good car. To be expected.
1. YOU MUST DRIVE IT.!
1.1 Look at the way the Fuel injection works, look for check engine lights after a long and vigorous drive. This car should be smooth with no hic-cups.
1.2 The transmission operation is KEY...the transition from 'un-locked' to 'locked' should happen at 35 mph....you can feel it.
1.2 Check the brakes and look for weeping on the INSIDE of the wheels....brake fluid dribbling from the caliper seals. Corvettes stop WELL!
It is pretty amazing that you have found the only Norwegian 82CE.... definitely persue it!
Yeah, Norway. That hilly, snowy, cold strip of land between the civilized part of Europe and the North Pole
But we have "summer" in June and July, so why not buy a nice Vette to enjoy those long summer nights, right?
I love the USA just as much as my own country, having travelled all 50 states over the course of the last 20 years. Fun fact: there are more descendants of Norwegians in the US than there are Norwegians in Norway. Anyway, owning a Corvette that has been driven on those American roads, will be like owning a small part of the American Dream for me
This is the third 82CE I have seen in Norway during the last 10 years, so they are not easy to find here. One was a complete wreck, modded beyond repair. The second was OK on the outside. (Some of you may spot the repainted nose, lacking the decals, on the first picture below). But it was quite worn on the inside. And mechanically not 100 %. Still, it only had 50K miles on the odometer. But looked a little "worse for wear". To paraphrase Indiana Jones: "it's not the mileage, it's the years".
But returning to the third car, which I have found now, and that I am seriously considering to purchase; the car idles steadily, with that V8 purring away. So far I have not tried driving it. I understand leaking brake calipers can be a problem on some of the C3s. Of course, the transmission should feel smooth and shift correctly. I think I have seen all YouTube videos there are on the 82CE, so I have some base for comparison. I understand matching numbers is something to look for. Any tips on where to look, and what to look for will be deeply appreciated. Could there be hidden bird cage rust on these also?
@ L-46man: I enjoyed the pictures of the engine bay very much. Even with an extra Corvette emblem to top it off. Nice!
I will of course check out this thread for more replies, but my first impression is that nobody has seen any obvious red flags on this car. I will move forward and see what happens.
Finishing off with a picture of what's under the hood and the interior of the car that I am considering to buy:
Thanks again to everyone who offers their opinion.
Tor
Tor...thumbs up! 'Persue with extreme prejudice' lol.
Engine looks good, correct....looks to be matching. (though I wouldn't fret TOO MUCH about that!)
1. Hood alignment bumper missing pass side. BUT this is a big clue! The car looks like it was repainted....the hood bumper USED TO cover up the original darker Silver beige paint. (am I right????) Repainted is fine......the nose of mine is repainted. Or is that worn through?????
2. Blue cap on A/C probably means it was converted to to CFC134A...so that's good.
3. Under dash light out drivers side.
4. Caution Fan sticker missing (typical!)
Thanks L-46man. I really appreciate you sharing your expertise on the 82CE
I must confess I had to google what a "hood bumper alignment" is. I found out those are the black rubber thingies sitting on the gutter on the edge of the engine bay. Their function is apparently to keep the hood flush and even with the side fenders? When you write "the hood bumper USED TO cover up the original darker Silver beige paint", I guess you are talking about the spot where I inserted a red arrow in the picture below?:
I think I understand what you mean; that the bumper was present when the car was repainted, and later fell off, exposing the original paint, right? But the original paint is quite similar to the shade on the paint of the car as it is now? I mean, if it is repainted, they matched the original paint quite well? Or do you mean the original paint is darker than on this car? I think I've never seen a picture of an 82CE with any other shade of beige than this one.
Another possibility is that the car indeed has the original paint, and the bumper simply fell off at some point, just exposing a little dirt which was trapped underneath? I read online that these bumpers were not screwed on, but simply pressed in place and also attached with some adhesive tape. Could the residual glue from the tape trap some dirt, causing the spot to look darker than the rest of the paint? Making that dark spot an indication the paint is indeed original?
Regarding your # 2 - the blue cap, pointed out by my green arrow in the picture above: this blue cap is proof or indication the AC gas has been replaced for the modern variant?
Oh, yes - I do love my lutefisk. Every christmas. With bacon, stewed peas, mustard, flatbrød, aquavit and beer. Uff da.
Some additional questions for anyone who feel like helping out:
1) Is it common that the headlights raise and lower out of sync, and somewhat slowly?
2) Are there aftermarket T-tops out there, or T-tops from other C3s? I know the glass in the ones that came with the 82CE were bronze colored, to match the rest of the wonderful 80s paint scheme. Is there a danger that some cars have the wrong ones? And if so, how do I spot the originals?
3) My Viking genes have made be quite tall. I'm 6' 4". What's the headroom like, driving with the T-tops on? I know the seats are mounted low, so I expect it to be OK.
4) Since the car in question has no service record, I'm running the risk of buying a car where neither brake fluid nor coolant has been changed as frequently as it should be. So the brake lines could be corroded? Old coolant also becomes corrosive. Is there anything I can do to check this besides looking at the color of the fluids present in the car now?
5) Do you think the radio/tape deck shown in the picture below is original? Do these usually work still? They take regular tapes? I have a fantasy about making a mixed 80s tape and cruising down the road next summer...
My tape deck still works. It's great to be able to play all my old cassettes from high school! There are services out there than can fix it if your doesn't work. Thought about upgrading but I am keeping mine just for nostalgia.
I too have Viking gene's and at 6'1" I have no complaints. I find it very comfortable even comparing it to newer Corvettes. But that's just me. Take it for a ride and see what you think.
1. its common for headlights to go up and down slowly and out of synch. I believe its and indication of small vacuum leaks
2. Not sure. But glass replacements are $$$$
3. It be a tight fit but the tile tele wheel will help. I was 6'4" at one time but after 41 years of marriage Im beat down to 5'9"
4. At point of sale you can check the color of the fluids and drive it to see how the brakes and coolant system perform but I would change both regardless of color soon after purchase.
5. Radio looks original. Yes they can still work but may be challenging to repair/replace if they don't.
Thanks L-46man. I really appreciate you sharing your expertise on the 82CE My pleasure.. you're on to a very good one....Norway's Unicorn!
I must confess I had to google what a "hood bumper alignment" is. I found out those are the black rubber thingies sitting on the gutter on the edge of the engine bay. Their function is apparently to keep the hood flush and even with the side fenders? When you write "the hood bumper USED TO cover up the original darker Silver beige paint", I guess you are talking about the spot where I inserted a red arrow in the picture below?:YES!
I think I understand what you mean; that the bumper was present when the car was repainted, and later fell off, exposing the original paint, right? YES! But the original paint is quite similar to the shade on the paint of the car as it is now? I mean, if it is repainted, they matched the original paint quite well? They did a VERY WELL with the matching of paint, nobody will know. Or do you mean the original paint is darker than on this car? I think I've never seen a picture of an 82CE with any other shade of beige than this one. There are no original CE's with any other paint....code 59 silver beige metallic...THEY ALL WERE all 6759 of them. In some cases about 4-5-6 a year you could order a 82 Corvette from the factory in primer...That would be normal common 82 corvettes. You were not permitted to do this with the CE
Another possibility is that the car indeed has the original paint, and the bumper simply fell off at some point, just exposing a little dirt which was trapped underneath? I read online that these bumpers were not screwed on, but simply pressed in place and also attached with some adhesive tape. No, they were riveted on in the CE....you can still see the residual rivet on 'your car' Could the residual glue from the tape trap some dirt, causing the spot to look darker than the rest of the paint? Possibly! Making that dark spot an indication the paint is indeed original? Your car looks VERY CORRECT....but look for overspray indications on the cornering lights and other places where a hurrying bodyman may have missed his mark with masking. A repaint on the car, done well, does not hurt the value.
Regarding your # 2 - the blue cap, pointed out by my green arrow in the picture above: this blue cap is proof or indication the AC gas has been replaced for the modern variant? Possibly again....the original caps were BLACK.
Oh, yes - I do love my lutefisk. Every christmas. With bacon, stewed peas, mustard, flatbrød, aquavit and beer. Uff da.
Some additional questions for anyone who feel like helping out:
1) Is it common that the headlights raise and lower out of sync, and somewhat slowly? Yes, normal
2) Are there aftermarket T-tops out there, or T-tops from other C3s? I know the glass in the ones that came with the 82CE were bronze colored, to match the rest of the wonderful 80s paint scheme. Is there a danger that some cars have the wrong ones? And if so, how do I spot the originals? If they're bronze glass they are correct...each one has a 3-4 digit code etched into the glass, such as 982 Sept 82
3) My Viking genes have made be quite tall. I'm 6' 4". What's the headroom like, driving with the T-tops on? I know the seats are mounted low, so I expect it to be OK. T-tops are no problem, I'm 6-2" PLENTY of headroom...legroom is a bit tight, thankfully there's no clutch. I'm MUCH MORE comfortable in the CE than the 69
4) Since the car in question has no service record, I'm running the risk of buying a car where neither brake fluid nor coolant has been changed as frequently as it should be. So the brake lines could be corroded? Old coolant also becomes corrosive. Is there anything I can do to check this besides looking at the color of the fluids present in the car now? Part of maintenance and 'making the car your own" color yes, antifreeze can be checked with a hydrometer, brake fluid...Just bleed it and be done with it....peace of mind anyway.
5) Do you think the radio/tape deck shown in the picture below is original? Do these usually work still? They take regular tapes? I have a fantasy about making a mixed 80s tape and cruising down the road next summer... Yes, that is the correct radio...when the car is on the DIGITAL QURTZ LED DISPLAY should come on in ORANGE....this was super hi-tech in 1982...they even mention it in the brochure! WOO-HOO! By-the-way...Mine still works PERFECTLY....STEPPENWOLF BORN TO BE WILD with the t-tops off! Upgrading the speakers is another discussion....different thread.
Thank you all.
I appreciate all the feedback.
Next weekend I will go check out the car once again, now equipped with new knowledge. Stay tuned for pictures and further development.
Beautiful car and probably a once in a lifetime find in your location. As far as the missing rubber hood bumper...if that car was repainted, someone obviously took time to drill all the fender rivets out, paint and then put new rivets in. Why on earth would they go to all that trouble and then leave the rubber piece in and paint around it?
Get a close up picture of that spot. That's possibly nothing more than wear from the rubber touching the painted surface.
Thanks, vairxpert, for that input. You have a good point there. It's not logical to spend all that time and effort on something that doesn't pay off. I will make sure to investigate further this weekend, and post more pictures. I'm beginning to think "she's the one".
1911fool, I see what you mean. I had not noticed that before. Thank you for pointing it out. I will take extra care to check that out once I see the car in person.
10-01-2019, 02:40 PM
1982 Collector Edition
