1981 Chevrolet Corvette

1981 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe 1981 was an interesting year in Corvette lore. As it happens, cars were being manufactured in two plants, one in St. Louis, Missouri and the other in Bowling Green, Kentucky. In mid 1981 all manufacturing would shift to Bowling Green where, among other things, they had a facility that applied enamels and clear coats where the Missouri cars only received single stage lacquer. So, it represents a pivotal year for the make and Bowling Green has been at the center of Corvette manufacturing ever since. For consignment, a 1981 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe showing 73,818 miles, but the true miles are unknown. This is a St. Louis built car with nice paint, newer tires, and an integrated aerodynamic shape that was introduced in 1980 and reduced the drag coefficient by measurable amounts. Pop the T-tops and dream about your forthcoming Corvette summer! Exterior Classic White shines brightly, with a pinstripe accentuating the curvy hips and clean lines of this Corvette with more contrast provided by the glass T-tops. Black side vents and a lower grille also diverge from the white paint which washes over the wing and tail in a clean presentation. The chrome door handles are flush with the ascending curves of the long doors and are classic push down style actuators, while the long nose, sport mirrors, and curved rear window are epic Corvette and this one wears it all well. Keeping the car grounded are correct 15-inch aluminum wheels wrapped in 225/70R15s with a late 2022 date code and look great. An area of cracking paint and some spots of curb rash are the only imperfections we could find on this well preserved Vette. Interior We open the long doors to reveal new red leather door panels that look fresh while housing electric lock witches, door locks and a manual mirror adjuster. The red leather buckets are in excellent condition too, retaining the two piece configuration that started with the 1979 models. A red leather wrapped steering wheel, and the column show slight patina, framing the simple cluster ahead, a tachometer and speedometer are housed in a cowled bezel. Five smaller gauges and an AM/FM/Cassette radio take up center stack and are reminiscent of a jet fighter cockpit. A climate control panel is next, slightly askew and is in front of the center console with automatic shifter, power window toggles, and a CB microphone, all on a smooth plastic base and black leather shifter boot. The carpet in the footwells and cargo area is very plush and very red, consistent with the great condition of the interior. Drivetrain The clean party continues under the hood where we find the 350ci V8 is tucked in the big nose of this car with a single 4-barrel carburetor. The venerable V8 is mated to TH350 3-speed automatic transmission routing power to the rear axle with 2.87 gears and limited slip. Undercarriage Where the rubber hits the road, things are relatively clean with the typical surface rust, some dried bushings, and oil film on the pan, flywheel cover, and steering components. Two pipes enter the catalytic converter, then split again to find individual stock style mufflers, ending as two tailpipes dumping discreetly in the back. Independent suspension is on front and back with coil springs under the nose and an independent suspension with transverse leaf springs and strut rods are out back. Power disc brakes are all around and bring this American sports car to a crawl, and then a stop. Drive-Ability Prime the 4-barrel and crank the motor, and the car awakens with a growl. Off to the test loop we roll and revel in the jet-like cockpit and driving position of the car. The Vette runs great and accelerates well, keeping in mind that these were cruisers, not ¼ mile kings. We're happy to report that other than the A/C and power locks, all functions work as they should. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guaran