• The eagerly-awaited sixth-generation Corvette for the '80s missed the 1983 model year completely, but arrived in spring 1983 in an all-new form.
• An aerody­namic exterior featuring an "acute" windshield rake (64 degrees) covered a series of engineering improvements.
• A one-piece, full-width fiberglass roof (no T-bar) was removable.
• It had a transparent, acrylic lift-off panel with a solar screen optional.
• At the rear was a frameless glass back window or hatch above four round tail lamps.
• Hidden headlamps were featured, along with clear, integrated halogen fog lamps and front cornering lamps.
• The dual sport mir­rors were electrically remote controlled.
• The unit body (with partial front frame) used a front-hinged "clam shell" hood with integral twin-duct air intake.
• The sole 1984 V-8 was L83 350-cid (5.7-liter) V-8 with cross-fire fuel injection.
• Stainless steel headers led into its exhaust system.
• The air cleaner and the valve train had cast magnesium covers.
• After being unavailable in 1982, a four-speed manual gearbox returned as the standard Corvette transmission (although not until January 1984).
• A four-plus-three-speed automatic with computer-activated overdrive in every gear except first, was offered at no extra cost.
• It used a hydraulic clutch.
• Overdrive was locked out during rigorous acceleration above specified speeds and when a console switch was activated.
• Under the chassis were an aluminum drive shaft, forged-aluminum suspension arms, and a fiberglass transverse leaf spring.
• Power rack-and-pinion steering and power four-wheel disc brakes were standard.
• Optional Goodyear 50-series "uni-directional" tires were designed for mounting on a specific wheel.
• Inside, an electronic instrument panel featured both analog and digital LCD readouts in either English or metric measure.
• A Driver Information System between the speedometer and tachometer gave a selection of switch-chosen readings.
• At the driver's left was the parking brake.
• Corvette's ample standard equipment list included an advanced (and very nec­essary) theft-prevention system with starter-interrupt.
• Other standard equipment included: air conditioning; power windows; electronic-tuning seek/scan AM/FM stereo radio with digital clock; reclining bucket seats; leather-wrapped tilt/telescope steering wheel; lug­gage security shade; and side window defoggers.
• Body colors were
  • White
  • Bright Silver Metallic
  • Medium Gray Metallic
  • Black
  • Light Blue Metallic
  • Medium Blue Metallic
  • Gold Metallic
  • Light Bronze Metallic
  • Dark Brown Metallic
  • Bright Red
• Two-tone options were
  • Silver and Medium Gray
  • Light Blue and Medium Blue
  • Light Bronze and Dark Bronze
• Interior colors came in Carmine; Bronze; Graphite; Medium Blue; Medium Gray; and Saddle

I.D. NUMBERS

• The serial number [Vehicle Identification Number -- VIN] was stamped on a plate on the inner vertical surface of the left windshield pillar visible through the windshield.
• The Serial numbers ranged from 1G1AY07*2E5100001 to 1G1AY07*2E5151547

  Position	Character	Description
  1	1	US built
  2	G	General Motors product
  3	1	Chevrolet Motor Division vehicle
  4	A	Type of non-passive passenger restraint system
  5	Y	Corvette car line series
  6 & 7	07	Body style number: two-door hatchback coupe
  8	8	5.7-liter Cross-Fire Injection (CFI) Chevrolet V8
  9	?	A check digit that calculates the characters in the serial number and gives it a single digit code and can be used to verify that the serial number is legitimate
  10	E	The model year 1984
  11	5	Bowling Green, KY
  12-17	100001 and up	production sequence

• Engine serial number began 0001001
• Corvette engines have the last six digits of the VIN stamped on the block just ahead of the cylinder head on the right-hand side combined with a three-letter engine code suffix
• Also cast into the top rear of the block is a four-symbol code indicating when the engine was built
  • The first letter of the date code shows the month the block was cast
  • The one or two numbers shows the month
  • The last digit shows the year
• Engine suffixes:

  Code	Engine	Horsepower	Compression	Transmission	Fuel Supply	Emission Control System
  ZFC	L83 350-cid	205-hp V-8	9.0:1	THM automatic	cross-fire fuel injection
  ZFD	L83 350-cid	205-hp V-8	9.0:1	manual	cross-fire fuel injection
  ZFF	L83 350-cid	205-hp V-8	9.0:1	THM automatic	cross-fire fuel injection	California
  ZFH	L83 350-cid	205-hp V-8	9.0:1	THM automatic	cross-fire fuel injection	for export
  ZFJ	L83 350-cid	205-hp V-8	9.0:1	manual	cross-fire fuel injection	for export
  ZFK	L83 350-cid	205-hp V-8	9.0:1	THM automatic	cross-fire fuel injection
  ZFM	L83 350-cid	205-hp V-8	9.0:1	THM automatic	cross-fire fuel injection	California
  ZFN	L83 350-cid	205-hp V-8	9.0:1	THM automatic	cross-fire fuel injection	California
  ZFR	L83 350-cid	205-hp V-8	9.0:1	THM automatic	cross-fire fuel injection	California

• The 1984 Corvette exterior colors were:
  • 10 = White
  • 16 = Bright Silver
  • 18 = Medium Gray Metallic
  • 19 = Black
  • 20 = Light Blue Metallic
  • 23 = Medium Blue Metallic
  • 53 = Gold Metallic
  • 63 = Light Bronze Metallic
  • 66 = Dark Bronze Metallic
  • 72 = Bright Red
  • 16/18 = Silver and Medium Gray
  • 20/23 = Light Blue and Medium Blue
  • 83/66 = Light Bronze and Dark Bronze
• Upholstery Codes

  Color	Cloth & Leather Upholstery	Sport Cloth Upholstery	Leather Upholstery
  Green	12C	12V
  Medium Gray	15C	15V	152
  Medium Blue	28C	28V
  Saddle	62C	62V	622
  Bronze	65C	65V	652
  Graphite			122
  Carmine			742

Model	Model No.	Body/Style No.	Body Type	Factory Price	Shipping Weight	Production Total
Corvette	1Y	Y07	2-dr. Hatch Coupe - 2 passenger	$21,800	3088	51,547

TRANSMISSION

• Automatic Transmission
  • Four-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic (TMH 700-R4)
  • floor-mounted gear shifter
  • gear ratios
    • 1st = 3.06:1
    • 2nd = 1.63:1
    • 3rd = 1.00:1
    • 4th = 0.70:1
    • Rev = 2.29:1
  • Final drive ratio: 2.73:1
• Manual Transmission
  • Four-speed manual with overdrive
  • floor-mounted gear shifter
  • gear ratios
    • 1st = 2.88:1
    • 2nd = 1.91:1
    • 3rd = 1.33:1
    • 4th = 1.00:1
    • overdrive = 0.67:1
    • Rev = 2.78:1
  • Final drive ratio: 3.07:1 (optional 3.31:1)

• RPO AG9 Power driver seat ($210).
• RPO AQ9 Sports cloth seats ($210).
• RPO AR9 Base leather seats ($400)
• RPO AU3 Power door locks ($165).
• RPO CC3 Removable transparent roof panel ($595).
• RPO D84 Two-tone paint ($428).
• RPO FG3 Delco-Bistein shock absorbers ($189).
• RPO G92 Performance axle ratio ($22).
• RPO KC4 Engine oil cooler ($158).
• RPO K34 Cruise control ($185).
• RPO MM4 Four-speed manual transmission (no-cost option).
• RPO QZD P255/50VR-16 tires and 16-inch wheels ($561.20).
• RPO ULS Radio delete ($331 credit).
• RPO UM6 AM-FM stereo radio with cassette ($153).
• RPO UN8 AM-FM stereo with Citizens Band ($153).
• RPO UU8 Delco-Bose stereo system ($895).
• RPO Vol Heavy-duty radiator ($57).
• RPO YF5 California emissions certification ($75).
• RPO Z51 Performance handling package ($600.20).
• RPO Z6A Rear window and side mirror defoggers ($160).

• Introduced: March 25,1983
• Model-year production: 51,547 (in extended model year)
• Calendar-year production: 35,661
• Calendar-year sales by U.S. dealers: 30,424
• Model-year sales by U.S. dealers: 53,877 (including 25,891 sold during the 1983 model year)
• Car and Driver called the new Corvette "the most advanced production car on the planet."
• Motor Thend described it as "the best-handling production car in the world, regardless of price."
• Heady praise indeed.
• During its year-and-a-half model run, orders poured in well ahead of schedule, even though the new edition cost over $5,000 more than the 1982 version.
• The body offered the lowest drag coefficient of any Corvette: just 0.341
• Testing at GM's Proving Grounds revealed 0.95G lateral acceleration-the highest ever for a production car.
• Only 6,443 Corvettes had a four-speed manual transmission and only 410 came with a performance axle ratio, but 3,729 had Delco-­Bilstein shock absorbers installed.

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