1981 Chevrolet Corvette

901191 | 1981 Chevrolet Corvette | Seven Hills Motorcars
  • Engine Size
    350ci V8
  • Transmission Type
    4 Speed Manual
  • Body Style
    Coupe
  • Miles
    69,970
  • Vin
    1G1AY8764B5105998
  • Stock
    901191

Specs

Engine Size
350ci V8
Transmission
4 Speed Manual
Drive Line
RWD
Bodystyle
coupe
Doors
2
Exterior Color
2 Tone Silver/Charcoal (13/39)
Interior Color
Silver Grey (13)
Mileage
69,970
VIN
1G1AY8764B5105998
Stock #
901191

Description

....

Please call Matt directly at 513-708-1468 with any questions about this car.

Seven Hills Motorcars is proud to offer this beautiful numbers matching 1981 Corvette in excellent condition with the highly desirable 4-speed manual transmission, high performance Gymkhana suspension, and only 69,970 original miles. The car looks fantastic, runs great, and is an excellent driver. The 2-Tone Silver (13) over Charcoal (39) paint with Silver Gray (13) interior is a beautiful color combination that looks stunning on the car. It is also the correct and original color scheme as verified by the codes on the trim tag, which is pictured in this ad.

Besides the correct paint and trim codes this Corvette is completely "Numbers Matching" and virtually every part we checked on the car is correct with the proper part numbers and appropriate date codes. We have run the numbers on literally hundreds of Corvettes over the years and there are very few that are so correct and original. Even very detailed parts like the carburetor, distributor, alternator, and even most of the glass including the T-Tops are all correct and original. The last six digits of the VIN, 105998, are stamped on the engine pad, which is pictured in this ad, and the engine is original to the car. The transmission is also original with the last six digits of the VIN stamped on the main case and pictured.

A copy of the AutoCheck vehicle history report for this car is shown in the photos. Please note that it is totally clean, shows no accident history, and verifies the low mileage as original. This Corvette is absolutely loaded with great and highly desirable options such as N90 aluminum wheels, 4-speed manual transmission, Gymkhana suspenstion, CC1 glass T-Tops, power locks, power seat, and power mirrors.

This is an excellent opportunity to own a classic Corvette that is ready to be used and enjoyed at an unbeatable value. One could easily buy this car now and sell it for more than the purchase price in years to come as the market on the 1980 and 1981 Corvettes is strong right now and on the rise. In our experience the 1980 and 1981 model years draw a good premium over other late C3 Corvettes; this is especially true for very low mileage and premium examples like this car. The 4-speed manual transmission is very rare in a Corvettes from 1981 and adds a great deal of value to the car. The low original mileage is verified not only by the condition of the car, but also the clear Ohio title showing the mileage as "Actual." Please peruse all of the photos, the extensive list of numbers, video, and information to get a true sense of how nice, clean, and original this Corvette really is.

As a side note, this Corvette is not a dealer auction vehicle. We hand pick each car after careful inspection. Our Corvettes come from owners who expect their car to go to someone that will give the vehicle the same care and attention as they did. We invite and encourage you to examine the car in person or have the car inspected. Please take the time to scrutinize each picture. We photograph each vehicle to the greatest extent so you can feel confident about your purchase. If you have a question about the Corvette, just give us a call.

Exterior

The 2-Tone Silver (13) over Charcoal (39) exterior is in fantastic driver quality condition. As one can see in the photos the finish has a terrific gloss, deep shine, and smooth finish. Both doors open and shut nicely. The original N90 aluminum wheels and center caps are in beautiful condition with a brilliant finish and no curb rash. The raised white letter tires have about 95% tread left and are sized 255/60R15. There are no major imperfections that have been intentionally excluded from the photos. There are some very small rock chips and tiny spots around the car that were too faint to show up in the pictures, but nothing that is really noticeably from about five feet away. There is a small chip in the windshield that was too small to show in the photos. This Corvette has absolutely no rust issues. As one can see in the many photos of the underside of the car, it is exceptionally clean underneath. The frame is totally solid with no rust around the "key hole" area in front of the rear tire and we have seen no evidence of corrosion around the windshield frame or "birdcage," which are the two most notorious spots for rust on a C3 Corvette. We have included specific photos of the areas most prone to rust to show how nice this car looks.

Window Date Codes

Please note that almost all of the glass on this Corvette even both glass T-Tops are all original as each piece predates the car's body build date of fourth week of August, 1981 (08D). Original glass is a good indication that this car has had no major accident history and never sustained significant damage.

Interior

The Silver Gray (13) interior in this Corvette is in outstanding condition. The gauge faces are crisp and clean and the lenses are crystal clear. The seats look almost new with no rips, split seams, or holes. Please not that the seat is not worn in the typical area on the bolster where the driver gets in and out. The carpet is in excellent condition with no major stains, holes, or tears. This includes the rear carpet, which is often neglected. The dash and console look great with no cracks, fading, or sun damage. The door panels are great shape overall and the door pulls are solid and intact. Unlike many other Corvettes from this era, the door panels fit well and tight to the doors. Both seat belts work and retract properly. This is a common problem on C3 Corvettes and an issue many buyers do not think to check. The jack and jack handle are still with the car, stored correctly in the compartment behind the passenger seat. The original spare is still with the car and has never been used. This Corvette has never been smoked in; there are no burns marks and no aroma of cigarettes.

Please note that both T-Top bags are also included with the car.

Corvette interiors from this era are not known to wear well over time, especially with a light color like silver, and the excellent condition of this interior is a huge testament to the meticulous care and attention this car has received throughout its life and another great verification of the very low original mileage.

Mechanical

This Corvette seems to be in very good mechanical condition. The numbers matching L81 engine starts right away every time, runs well, and idles smooth. It drives great and feels nice on the road and at highway speeds. In the video in this ad one can observe the car accelerating on the highway up to about 70mph, shifting through all the gears, braking to stoplight, and going through some curves. Please note that there are no vibrations or strange noises and the car performs quite well overall. This Corvette has plenty of power and is quite fast. The shifter is tight and precise, the transmission does not pop out of gear, and the clutch feels good. The car runs cool and does not overheat. There is no blue smoke when starting or driving the car. Also, the engine compartment is beautifully clean, detailed, and correct as one can see in the photos. The original smog pump, catalytic converter, air cleaner, and finned aluminum valve covers are all still in place.

The wipers work as do all the exterior lights, interior lights, dash lights, indicators, and both power mirrors in all directions. All of the gauges work. Very detailed items that many buyers do not even know to check like the spare tire light and interior delay light timer all work, even the glove box light still work. The blower for the heater and a/c works on all speeds. The a/c also works and blows cold. One can observe the a/c compressor clicking on and engaging properly in the video. The vacuum system for the headlights works correctly with no effort or binding in the mechanism. Also, the headlights go up properly with either the headlight switch or vacuum override switch under the column. There complete operation form both switches can be viewed in the video below. One can see how the lights go up quickly and evenly. The power seat works in most directions. The power locks work, but the right lock is sticky. The horn does not work. Not enough can be said as to how much of a pleasure it is to drive this car, especially with the 4-speed manual transmission and the T-tops out on a beautiful day.

Also, for any 1981 Corvette you may look at, be sure to verify that the "check engine" light is working correctly. The light should go on when the key is turned on as a confirmation that the light is working, then quickly go off when the car is started. A great number of these 1981 Corvettes have had the bulb removed to mask other problems. As one can observe in the video the "check engine" light on this car operates just as it should, going on with the car as a check and then going off when the engine is started.

Overall Condition

Overall, this 1981 Corvette is in magnificent driver condition. The 4-speed manual transmission, originality, the low original mileage, the beautiful original color combination, the excellent overall condition, and the great extent to which the numbers match make this car especially important and hard to duplicate. The manual transmission adds a great amount of value to the car and makes this Corvette particularly special and rare. Numbers matching is extremely important in Corvette pricing, and as any buyer can see this Corvette is extremely correct. There are photos in this ad of the VIN stamp on the engine block, suffix code, engine assembly date, transmission date code, transmission casting date, and transmission VIN stamp. This Corvette always gets a ton of attention driving down the road. It is apparent that the vehicle has been well taken care of by its previous owners. The prices of C3 Corvettes have increased considerably over the past several years. They are secure and wise investments for a collector. One could easily enjoy this vehicle for several years and sell it for more than the purchase price with minimal effort.

Other sellers are not taking the time to show the car is in such great detail to give you all of the numbers, options, photos, and video. As stated above, numbers matching is extremely important in Corvette pricing, especially for an exceptional example like this car, and will become even more important as time passes and this car becomes older and even more rare. This information is very valuable and important for pricing. Any perspective buyer, for any of our vehicles or from other sellers, should ask for all the numbers and information before he or she makes a purchase.

Thank you for looking and please do not hesitate to email or call with any questions.

As a licensed and registered dealer in The State of Ohio we are required to collect sales tax for residents of Ohio with a rate based on the buyer's county. Additionally, Ohio has a special sales tax relationship with buyers who are going to register their car in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, or South Carolina so we are also required to collect sales tax. Please keep in mind the you will not be paying additional tax and you will not be taxed twice. Buyers from those states will simply pay of portion of their sales tax to Ohio and they will then be credited with that amount when they transfer the title in their home state. Buyers from all other states will not owe any sales tax to The State of Ohio.

itemnumberdescription
VIN1G1AY8764B5105998The first digit, "1," indicates that the US is the country of origin. The "G" is the manufacturer, GM. The third digit, "1," is the make, Chevrolet. The fourth digit, "A," is the restraint system, manual belts. The fifth digit, "Y," is the series, Corvette. The "87," is the body style, 2-door sport coupe. The eighth digit "6" is the engine, L81. The ninth digit is a check that car vary from car to car. The tenth digit, "B" is the model year, 1981. The "5" is the plant where the car was produced, Bowling Green. The last five digits are a sequence number so this is the 5,998th Corvette made for 1981 in Bowling Green KY
Body Build DateB 08 DThe "B" represents the year 1981, "08" is the eighth month of the year, and the "D" is the fourth week of the month meaning this Corvette's body build date is the fourth week of August of 1981.
Engine CodeV0811"V" means the engine was build in the Flint, MI plant. The "08" is the eighth month of year and the "11" is the eleventh day of the month meaning the engine was assembled on August 11th, 1981. This is correct as it precedes the build date of the car.
Suffix CodeZDAThis means the motor was intended for a 1981 Corvette with a manual transmission, which is correct for this car.
Engine VIN Stamp105998The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 105998, are stamped on the engine pad and pictured below, meaning this engine is original to this car.
Engine Block Casting Number14010207The engine block has the correct 14010207 casting number for a 1981 Corvette.
Engine Block Casting DateG 10 1"G" is July, "10" is the tenth day of the month, and "1" is the last digit of the calendar year so the engine block was cast on July 10th, 1981.
Intake Manifold Casting Number14033058This Intake manifold is correct and original for a 1981 Corvette.
Distributor1103343This distributor is correct and original for a 81 corvette with a 1103343 stamping.
Distributor Date Code1 C 21"1" is the last digit of the calendar year, "C" is the month, and "21" is the twenty first day of the month meaning this distributor was made on March 21st, 1981.
Alternator1101075This alternator is correct for a 1981 Corvette with a 1101075 stamping.
Carburetor17081217This carburetor is correct and original for a 1981 corvette with a manual transmission
WindshieldTX"T" is August and "X" is 1981 so this window is original, made in August of 1981. This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.
Drivers T TopJX"J" is May and "X" is 1981 so this window is original, made in May of 1981. This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.
Passenger WindowTX"T" is August and "X" is 1981 so this window is original, made in August of 1981. This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.
Passenger T TopJX"J" is May and "X" is 1981 so this window is original, made in May of 1981. This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.
Rear WindowUX"U" is July and "X" is 1981 so this window is original, made in July of 1981. This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.
Transmission Main Case Casting Number13-04-065-903The main case of the transmission has a correct 1304065903 casting number.
Transmission Tail Housing Casting Number13-04-066-903The tail housing of the transmission has a correct 1304066903 casting number.
Transmission Side Cover Casting Number13-04-097-901The side cover of the transmission has a correct 13-04-097-901 casting number.
Transmission Date CodeWG2712The "W" is the source of the tranmission, Warner. The "G" is the month, July. The "27" is the day of the month. The "1" is the year, 1981, and the "2" is the shift in which it was made. That means that this transmission was made on July 27, 1981 during the second shift, which is correct as it predates the car's body build date.
Transmission VIN Stamping105998The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 105998, are stamped on the main case of the transmission and pictured below meaning this transmission is original to this car.
Clutch Housing464697The clutch housing has the correct number 464697 stamping on the casing.
exterior color code
13Silver
39Charcoal
interior color code
13Silver Gray

rpo codedescription
1YY87Corvette Sport Coupe
AU3Power Door Locks
A31Power Windows
A42Power Drivers Seat
CC1Removable Glass Roof Panels
C49Rear Window Defogger
C60Air Conditioning
DG7Electric Sport Mirrors
D842-Tone Paint
FE7High Performance Gymkhana Suspension
L81350ci V8 Engine
MM44-Speed Manual Transmission
N37Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column
N90Aluminum Wheels
QGB255/70R15 White Letter Tires
U81Dual Rear Speakers

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