......Always wanted a Corvette but it just wasn't in the cards all these years. the first Vette and I are the same age ,so am kinda running outta time here. Learned to drive in a 58 chev , and still driving one today. Got hooked on the 58 Impala and stuck with them.....long story and many 58's. This 82 is the newest car I ever bought. Built several cars and trucks over the years, did the car show thing too. But this past summer I ran a ad in kijiji looking for what I like best of the Corvette. To me the Mako Shark body style is boss. Me being old school always being different under the hood with multi carbs, I thought the last of the carb jobs 1981 was for me. It had to be white, glass roof, preferably black interior and loaded with options. Don;t want a show car, just a very nice original that could use some mechanical work as I can do anything myself, but paint and body need to be nice as I don't want to spend time building again. Had a bunch of calls, some really low miles ones too, but always wrong color or mickey moused stereo changed or engine swap etc, I noticed this 82 in Edmonton all summer, but as the price kept dropping on it, winter coming , and doing some research on this not so famous crossfire setup, I kinda changed my mind and felt this is for me. Low production year, last of the Mako Shark body style, different under the hood like I always sorta am with my cars, first fuel injection since 1965, first o/d tranny, it is white like I want and it is loaded. The only options it don't have is a cb radio and trailer hitch which I don't want anyway. Plus it has dark blue cloth interior which I think is much better then the crappy leather seats I've seen that don't age well at all. The steering wheel is still very nice shape too. Nothing was ever changed in the car, the stereo and everything else is like it left the factory. Had one repaint 20 years ago cause of a parking lot poke on front fender so insurance painted the whole car. It still looks great, not a show car but is what I want...a very nice driver. Mileage, hmmm, speedo showed 51 KM and could pass for that but it is second time round and it just turned over so has 152,000km now. Always a Alberta car, I'm 4th owner. Filled up with Esso premium, can of Sea Foam and drove it home from Edmonton 110-115 the 442 km ride home. First impression of the car, as since I never rode in one before is that it is very rough.....oh I forgot to say it has Gymkanna suspension too , visibility is not so good, the door mirrors don't really see over the rear fenders, the steering is fast so have to be alert all the time, yeah it has some balls so good the cruise worked, had to play with the power seat to try get confortable, gas guage didn't seem to be moving much so figured it was not accurate. Anyways made it home late that same night. Next day check the oil and it is clear as can be and full, so far so good, go fill it up with gas and was totally shocked....honest guys it made 29.5 mpg ! no wonder the guage wasn't moving much. Am I glad I chose the crossfire with the 700 tranny, the power is more than I need and the fuel economy is fantastic. Up on the hoist I see the frame and everything is very clean, couldn't ask for more as I have read so many nightmare stories about rusty vette's especially eastern cars. The valve covers are leaking, the pinion seal is wet , back shocks were shot, so I have a few things to tune up this winter. I felt I should do the rear wheel brgs since I can tell this car has never been apart looking at the rear rotors still riveted on, so I had some time here during harvest here on the farm and did one side so far, trailing arm bushings and new shocks. Tried the car first time the other day since I bought it and the ride improved big time, guess the shocks did the trick. It felt like a new car on the road, very tight and not a wind whistle. Anyways for now here are some pics I took of it as is .
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