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And then there are all the supply-chain issues and production stoppages, plus the Gas Guzzler Tax. But let’s all take a breath… and look at a longer perspective. If you’re considering selling your Corvette and converting it into cash, we invite you to explore our cost-effective advertising rates. You can promote your Corvette for sale in Vette Vues Magazine, a trusted resource for Corvette enthusiasts since 1972.
Model
Next Phase in UAW Strike Could Have Real Consequences for the Corvette Assembly Plant - Corvette: Sales, News ... - Corvette Blogger
Next Phase in UAW Strike Could Have Real Consequences for the Corvette Assembly Plant - Corvette: Sales, News ....
Posted: Fri, 22 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
After the two-year series was over, the cars were sold off and pretty much forgotten, especially as newer Corvettes only got better and better. Earlier in the 1990s, when the C5 was being planned, management thought a lesser-expensive, stripped version could be offered. But it turned out there wasn’t a cheaper LS engine or transaxle to use or lesser-expensive components to be substituted. As it turned out, the “cheaper” Hardtop was priced at $38,777, just $394 less than the base model coupe. The common denominator of all three of these Corvettes is that they are all very, very nice cars.
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Preferred Conv
Scott Teeters’s article on the top ten under-appreciated, under-valued Corvettes to buy in his article on Which are the Best Used Corvettes to Buy. But you must love rowing and banging gears, as the LT4 was only available with the manual 6-speed transmission. So, when looking for an LT4-powered ’96 Corvette, expect to pay a little more, but only if the seller knows what they have. The LT4 option could be ordered on any 1996 Corvette Coupe or Convertible. The 1996 Grand Sport is the obvious Top Shelf last-of-the-C4 Corvettes. But if you search diligently, you can find a regular ’96 Corvette with the same engine used in the Grand Sport.
1980-1981 Corvettes
The cars look a little different with re-styled front and rear bumper covers, and owners appreciated the opened-up rear glass fastback that came out in 1978. The suspension and brakes are basically the same as the early beast Vettes. Find out the Best Corvette used Corvettes to Buy under $10,000, the Best Corvette under $15,000, and the Best Corvette under 30K. You can buy a Corvette on any budget that is under-appreciated and undervalued!
Find Used Chevrolet Corvette Cars for Sale by Trim
The base engine for the 1962-to-1965 was the 250-horse 327. If you ordered one with the 2-speed Powerglide transmission, it was a nice secretary Vette. The C5 sports car was a great platform and indeed revolutionary, and the newer cars just kept getting better and better. But that doesn’t mean the early C5s are bad, far from it.

While you are here, check out our Corvettes for Sale classified ads and find a used Corvette for sale by the owner. Raw steel surfaces begin to rust, oil gets not-so-oily, and gasoline starts forming lacquer that can seriously muck up a fuel system. Ten years of “just sitting” can turn a once-performance Corvette into a problem Corvette. Cars are “machines,” and they work best when they are used frequently, like muscles.

If you are looking to get into an older, classic-type Corvette without the nose-bleed prices, look for “drivers.” Corvettes that might be a wee bit tired but driven regularly. We hope that this article has served as your compass to finding the best Corvette to buy in 2023. We’ve uncovered some hidden gems—low-cost Corvettes that are underappreciated, undervalued, and fit any budget. However, it’s worth noting that prices in the Corvette market are on the rise. Scuttlebutt has it that the 330-horsepower rating on the LT4 was bogus.
Bloomington Gold Charlotte to Honor the late Jim Perkins - Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle - Corvette Blogger
Bloomington Gold Charlotte to Honor the late Jim Perkins - Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle.
Posted: Wed, 24 Apr 2019 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Each was premium-priced Corvettes for that year. They were chock-full of goodies and creature comforts, but none had any performance enhancements; then factor in their late C3 and C4 status, and many go ignored. So, be very careful about the “allure” (think “fishing lures) of the “low-mileage” Corvette.
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So, it would be best to consider a few things when seeing a 30-year-old Corvette with very low mileage.
The all-new LS1 was waiting in the wings, and Chevrolet didn’t want their all-new, modern engine showing LESS power on paper than the last of Chevy’s old engine. By the end of the 1996 production run, 6,359 Corvette customers wisely checked off that “LT4” option box and got themselves a real sleeper fourth-generation Corvette. To celebrate Corvette’s 35th anniversary, a very special package was offered. White was chosen as a nod to the 1953 Corvettes. The car’s white painted wheels, black B-pillar, transparent black roof panel, and white leather interior trim made the car so distinctive. These were assembly-line-built cars that were then taken to outside vendor shops to be retrofitted with full roll-cages, lightweight Dymag wheels, and various other racing equipment.
Moreover, it’s essential to recognize that older Corvettes are appreciating in value rapidly, primarily due to the soaring demand for used cars. Consequently, many are turning to the used car market, where used vehicles often command prices higher than their new counterparts. This shift has proven advantageous for those with an extra car or those willing to part with their first one.
If you follow the unfolding saga of Chevrolet’s latest, greatest wonder Corvette, the 2023 Z06, the prices are eye-popping! It’s very easy, after adding the top-level interior and extra goodies, to be looking at a $130,000-plus on the new Corvettes. Are you looking to buy a Corvette on a budget? The 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 has a starting price of $106,395, but let’s face it, that isn’t in everyone’s budget.
The all-new LS1 base engine was rated at 345 horsepower, but when locked into the C5’s vastly improved structure, it did everything better. And it didn’t take long for buyers to discover that the all-new engine had LOTS of red meat that was not hard to extract from the LS1. Challenge Corvettes didn’t have much power, perhaps slightly more than the advertised 245-horsepower. But anyone that ever drove or owned one can tell you that they are hot, dirty, rough, harsh, smelly race cars.
Improve the intake and exhaust, install a stiffer cam, and a few other goodies, and you can blow past the C6 Z horsepower level. These cars have all the pluses of the before-mentioned C5, plus an overall stiffer, more rigid structure. This is thanks to the bonded and bolted-on hardtop roof.
Hardtop C5 Corvettes also have the status of being the platform that was used to create the Z06 Corvette. In 1972 the same LT1’s “net” rating was 255-hp, an apparent 75-horsepower drop, but attributed to the difference in measurement parameters. So, what would be the “gross” rating of the C4’s 330-hp LT4? Somewhere around 427 horsepower, IF the 330-hp was correct, or 478-hp if the rumored 370-hp was correct! That’s why you should look for an LT4 for your ’96 Corvette. Back in the day, Corvettes could be anything from very mild to wild.
When the 1978 Indy 500 Pace Car came out as a celebration of Corvette’s 25th anniversary, the car created an unbelievable uproar and insane speculation. Chevy skipped Corvette’s 30th anniversary because there were no production Corvettes in 1983. Early C3 427s and LT1 Corvettes get all the attention these days as the “must-have” Vettes. But we’re looking at “affordable” driver Corvettes here. The classic, chrome-bumper Mako Shark-themed Corvette is still highly desired. Yes, it’s a bargain compared to some of the offerings from Porsche that are close to and above $200,000, but still!