UNREAL PRESERVATION, LOW MILES, RARE COLLECTORS EDITION, LOADED W/ DOCUMENTATION

Corvette guys are some of the best old car hobbyists there are. They love Chevy's plastic fantastic in all its forms, shapes, and eras, and to join these guys all you need is a few bucks to buy this Collectors' Edition 1982 'Vette. It grants you instant access to all the big events and has some status, particularly with just 13,455 original miles on the clock.

The Collector 'Vettes are some of the most distinctive cars you can own, and while some were downright wild (I'm looking at you purple C5 pace car), the final '82 editions were sophisticated and subtle, the perfect car for the period. The disco era was in full swing and the Corvette was the poster child, but that meant soft colors and the fade graphics along the sides and on the hood, not in-your-face brashness. Very nicely preserved, this car is wearing its original paint and it looks fantastic, with a pleasing vintage shine and the fiberglass bodyworkunderneath is unmolested. Correct pinstriping that highlights the many dramatic curves of the C3 bodywork remains firmly affixed to the paint underneath, the chin spoiler hasn't been bashed on steep driveways, and it proudly wears those 'crossfire injection' emblems on the front fenders. It's not perfect, but if you want a low-mile vintage 'Vette that you can actually drive, this is an excellent choice.

The matching interior is definitely a product of the period, but those deeply sculpted bucket seats are still comfortable and supportive. There's an inviting patina to the upholstery that doesn't count as damage, and if you take care of it, the leather should last another 40 years. However, you can slide behind the wheel of this one, power down the windows, and head out without a second thought, and that's the whole point of owning a Corvette. It's loaded with options including factory A/C, power windows, locks, and mirrors, a tilt column, and cruise control, so it doesn't feel particularly old when you're behind the wheel. The A/C is working like it should and the relatively rare (only 923 were ordered) AM/FM/8-track stereo sounds decent, even today. The carpets and door panels are in good order, too, and don't seem to have fared too badly under the sun when the T-tops were off.

Chevy's Cross-Fire fuel injection debuted in 1982 to mixed reviews, but if you want a Collector's Edition, that's the only induction system you get. It's distinctive with its double-wide air cleaner housing and it definitely looks packed under the hood. As a small block Chevy, it would have been insanely easy to modify it for more power, but instead this one has been properly maintained and shows only a few replacement hoses and some modern plug wires as deviations from stock. It starts easily with a great V8 bark from the twin tailpipes and the engine's torque pulls the car around with genuine gusto. An automatic transmission was the sole choice in 1982, and it does a commendable job of keeping the engine in the sweet spot, and for highway cruising, this is a great choice because it just loafs along at high speeds thanks to 2.87 gears out back. The underside is quite original, just the way true Corvette enthusiasts like to see things, and those multi-spoke alloy wheels are still some of the best-looking shoes ever fitted to a C3 Corvette.

An inexpensive way to get into a Corvette with a pedigree, this Collectors' Edition gets a lot of things right without breaking the bank. Call today!