Vehicle Description
This 1982 Collector Edition Corvette was purchased new at Dutch
Miller Chevrolet in Huntington, WV, by Mr. Call. Mr. Call had
purchased this Corvette as an investment and drove the car around
town and to local car shows.A family member would later purchase
the Corvette from Mr. Call's widow and brought the car home to
Upstate New York, where he also used the car sparingly, preserving
the Corvette's originality. He would take the Corvette to a massive
show once a year, put on by the local Corvette club in Sylvan
Beach, NY, which attracted over 500 Corvettes. This Corvette went
on to place in each of the last two years in the Top 30 Corvettes
awarded.
To celebrate the departure of the third-generation Corvette,
Chevrolet offered a final commemorative "Collector's Edition"
model. Recalling their experience with the 1978 Pace Car
replicas-namely, the number of bogus Pace Cars created by consumers
who converted base-level coupes into Pace Car "clones"-Chevrolet
decided that the 1982 Collector Edition Corvettes would be built
only "as needed" to satisfy customer orders. Additionally, unique
vehicle identification plates were affixed to further deter anyone
from turning a standard car into a Collector's Edition
knockoff.
For many enthusiasts and critics alike, the 1982 Collector Edition
Corvette was considered the best C3 of them all. David McLellan
stated that it was "a unique combination of color, equipment, and
innovation (resulting in) one of the most comprehensive packages
ever offered to the Corvette buyer."
The Collector Edition Corvette was the first to feature a
rear-lifting glass hatchback, which has since become standard on
all Corvettes built after 1982. (Image courtesy of GM Media.)
First and foremost, the 1982 Collector Edition Corvette introduced
a frameless, lifting rear-glass hatchback-a Corvette first-in place
of the customary fixed backlight, which had been standard on the C3
since its introduction in 1968.
The introduction of the rear hatch on the Collector Edition C3 was
a definite precursor to the next-generation C4 Corvette. Aside from
the glass hatch, the Collector Edition also featured many unique
accouterments that set it apart from other 1982 Corvettes.
Outwardly, the car featured cloisonne emblems, including a special
crossed-flag emblem on the hood that read "Corvette Collector
Edition" around the rim. Additional emblems were located on the
rear deck and steering wheel.
The car was finished in a special silver-beige metallic paint with
graduated shadow-like contrast striping on the hood, fenders, and
doors. It received special bronze-tinted glass T-tops and featured
finned "turbine" alloy wheels like the ones first introduced on the
1963 split-window Stingray.
Inside, the Collector Edition featured silver-beige leather
upholstery and door trim that matched the car's exterior paint. The
steering wheel also received a matching hand-sewn leather wrap,
including the horn cap.
High-end, color-matched luxury carpeting was installed in all
Collector coupes. An optional radio was offered at a reduced price
to consumers purchasing the Collector Edition package.
The 1982 Collector Edition Corvette Coupe carried a special VIN
code, which could be used to uniquely identify a real car from a
clone. This was represented by the number "0" in the sixth digit,
though the Collector Edition Corvettes did not have a separate
serial number sequence.
In addition to its unique VIN, the 1982 Collector Edition Corvette
was the first Corvette to break the $20,000 price barrier. The new
coupe, which listed at $22,537.59, was considerably more
advanced-and more expensive-than a well-equipped 1968 coupe, which
would have retailed for around $4,600. In total, Chevrolet sold
6,759 of the Collector Edition Corvettes.
Included with the sale of this Corvette are the original owner's
manuals, original warranty book, original finance contract through
GMAC, original title dated 6/24/83, an application for personalized
plates, vehicle pre-delivery inspection report, and service records
and receipts.
PLEASE NOTE: SALE PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE APPLICABLE SALES TAX,
LICENSE, REGISTRATION FEES AND $499 SERVICE AND RECONDITION FEE
