1984 Corvette Sport Coupe VIN: 1G1AY0781E5105173 Total Production: 51,547 Coupes Manufactured at Bowling Green: April 1983 Exterior Color: Code 23 Medium Blue Metallic (1,822 produced) Interior Trim: Code 28C Medium Blue Cloth Seats (2,858 produced) Engine: L83 350/205 Horsepower Base V8 Engine Code: ZFC Induction: Dual Rochester Electronic Throttle-Body “Cross-Fire” Injectors Transmission: MD8 Turbo Hydra-Matic 700-R4 Overdrive Automatic Differential: Code “CC” Positraction 3.07:1 Axle Ratio Additional Regular Production Options (RPO): AG9 Power Driver Seat (48,702 produced − $210) AU3 Power Door Locks (49,545 produced − $165) K34 Cruise Control (49,832 produced − $185) QZD P255/50VR16 Tires & Wheels (51,547 produced − $561.20) UM6 AM-FM ETR & Stereo Cassette (6,689 produced − $153) Z6A Defogger System (47,680 produced − $160) MSRP: $21,800 Base, plus $1,434.20 in options − $23,234.20 Total Mileage: 12,753 Purchased From: Original Owner, March 2007, Phoenix, Arizona

1984 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

Five Academy Awards went to the film “Terms of Endearment” in 1984, including Best Picture… and an unforgettable scene from that movie has Shirley MacLaine and co-star Jack Nicholson riding in his silver ’78 Corvette along the beach as he steers with his feet, sitting on the open roof yelling: "Breedlove at the helm! Just keep pumping that throttle!"

Just as endearing as the movie was that year, the all-new 1984 Corvette was likewise winning praises worldwide from the motoring public, and Corvette Chief Engineer Dave McLellan was certainly “pumping the throttle” regarding this car’s vast array of automotive technological achievements.

Chevrolet described it this way… “Corvette through (the past 30) years has been a technological front-runner for the auto industry, and hundreds of thousands of Corvettes have made their owners proud to drive ‘the Real McCoy’ − the only true American sports car. It is with this reputation in mind that Chevrolet is introducing a totally new generation of Chevrolet’s premier high-performance vehicle. The new Corvette is completely redesigned. It is at the leading edge of automotive fashion, yet unmistakably Corvette. Subtle styling clues − vents behind the front wheel housing, foldaway headlamps, carefully-arched front fenders, inset round tail lamps, and functional rear spoiler − link Corvette to its noble ancestry, but the car is an overall study in simplicity of form and practical aerodynamics.”

“Standard features of the 1984 Corvette include air conditioning, electronically tuned AM-FM radio with digital clock and four speakers, liquid crystal analog display and digital instrumentation, one-piece removable roof panel, power remote control sport mirrors, leather-wrapped steering wheel and transmission shift boot, advanced Driver Information system, power radio antenna, halogen headlamps and fog lamps, a hatchback controlled by any of three remote power releases, and more. There’s a built-in theft deterrent system with starter interrupt, a passenger-restraint interior design aimed at optimizing occupant protection, including seat & shoulder belts which convert from motion-sensitive to locking at a touch of a button.”

Compared to the previous Corvette, this new fourth-generation model was lower, shorter, wider, lighter, stronger and more aerodynamic. The body’s frame and unitized “birdcage” assembly sections were constructed of aluminum, galvanized steel, and aluminized steel. The rack and pinion type front steering and suspension components consisted of forged aluminum arms and knuckles, while the front (and rear) transverse spring was a fiberglass monoleaf design. The new drive train design featured an engine-transmission rigidly attached to the differential by an aluminum C-section beam creating a “backbone” to absorb torque and reduce weight. And the new five-link independent rear suspension and differential crossmember used aluminum for major components wherever possible. Die-cast and forged aluminum parts were much lighter in weight than previous parts of conventional steel construction.

Fiberglass body panels manufactured by the General Tire and Rubber Company were of Sheet-Molded-Compound (SMC) that could be formed in a press, thereby avoiding exposed exterior bonding seams, and reducing component assembly time. The Corvette’s massive new “clamshell” hood was the largest SMC panel ever produced for an automobile yet weighed just 58 pounds, providing more than ample room for viewing and servicing the engine bay. The stiffness of the improved body-chassis-birdcage assembly provided use a true “targa” style single removable roof panel, opposed to the coupe’s previous T-top panels with center roof brace. Regarding size, the frameless compound molded glass rear hatchback was an automotive first, as was the flush mounted windshield’s severe 64-degree angle rake.

The engine used in the 1984 Corvette was the 350 cubic-inch L83 “Cross-Fire” V8 introduced in 1982, but horsepower increased to 205. The low-profile air cleaner & valve covers were now of die-cast magnesium; the aluminum radiator core utilized plastic end tanks; and the engine featured a new aluminum accessory drive system, with single serpentine belt, bolted rigidly to the block. Gone was the power-robbing conventional steel engine-cooling fan, replaced by a thermostatically controlled plastic electric fan attached at the radiator.

Standard transmission availability consisted of two no-cost offerings; the electronically controlled Turbo Hydra-Matic 700-R4 Overdrive Automatic introduced in 1982, or the new 4+3 Manual Overdrive unit designated RPO MM4. This new manual transmission layout, with hydraulic activated clutch, mated a Warner T-10 four-speed gearbox to a Doug Nash produced, computer activated extension unit providing overdrive in the upper three forward gears.

High-performance wheels and tires for the 1984 Corvette were a mandatory option package, RPO QZD. The unidirectional radial “gatorback” tires were P255/50VR-16 Goodyear Eagles especially designed for the 1984 Corvette. These mated to aluminum 16-inch unidirectional wheels − 8.5” wide fronts & 9.5” rears − each containing integral cast-in cooling vanes and specific vehicle location mounting instructions. Stopping the beast was through all new four-wheel disc brakes with aluminum calipers by Girlock and an aluminum master cylinder.

Other big news for the 1984 Corvette was the standard electronic instrument panel speedometer and tach featuring liquid crystal analog and digital displays flanked by a driver information center with digital computer displays of various engine and driving functions. GM’s Delco Electronics teamed up with Bose Corporation designing an optional ($895) upgraded music sound system. The ergonomic, wool-padded, high-contour cloth bucket seats featured lateral restraint side bolsters and manual seatback angle adjustment and could be had in optional leather. And, new optional (RPO AQ9) cloth sport seats by Lear-Siegler featured power adjusted lumbar, bolster and back angle, costing $625 extra, were available.

All this added up to one great Corvette featuring the best possible technologies in automotive engineering, manufacturing and materials… and as such the price tag was $21,800 for a base 1984 Corvette Sport Coupe.

On October 13th the last 1982 Corvette was built. Because production of this new model wouldn’t commence until March of 1983 (initial sales began in California in late-March, and the rest of the U.S. April 21, 1983), the car was designated a 1984 model. A bit of trivia… While Chevrolet “skipped” the 1983 Corvette model year, they did build a total of 43 Corvettes for use as pilots, prototypes and publicity. They all carried 1983 VIN tags and were never sold. All were scrapped, except for one 1983 Corvette donated to the National Corvette Museum.

“I bought this Medium Blue Metallic ’84 Coupe out of the Phoenix newspaper from the original owner in March 2007. It was delivered new at Dick Barone Chevrolet just outside of Philadelphia, and the owner relocated to Arizona. Being seldom driven and always garaged, with less than 13,000 miles in 20 years, this fairly early production 1984 is an excellent example in terrific original condition.”

...Dave Ressler

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