1980 Chevrolet Corvette

Sports car powered by 1980 Chevrolet Corvette engine family.

Exact-year Light Beige L82 Corvette retained as the stock-presenting family baseline for the 1980 nose, integral spoiler, hood, removable roof, fender vents, trim, and factory-style wheels; tires, finish, condition, and restoration remain car-specific.

Bodies Two-door, two-seat Sport Coupe with removable roof panels

Configurations L48 350 with four-speed manual, L48 350 with three-speed automatic, L82 350 with three-speed automatic, California LG4 305 with three-speed automatic

Engine range California 305 and federal 350 L48 or L82 V8 paths

Chassis Independent suspension and power discs at all four wheels

Production Exact configuration ledger remains unresolved

Story

1980 Chevrolet Corvette

The 1980 Corvette family combined two-door, two-seat sport coupe with removable roof panels with L48 350 with four-speed manual, L48 350 with three-speed automatic, L82 350 with three-speed automatic, California LG4 305 with three-speed automatic configurations. This page keeps those factory choices together without treating an engine, stripe, badge, or trim package as a separate car identity.

Engines and transmissions

Chevrolet offered three documented engine paths: the federal L48 350, automatic-only L82 350, and California-only automatic LG4 305. The factory power-team chart, VIN engine character, assembly stamp, castings, induction, emissions hardware, transmission, axle, and dates must reconcile to one car. Transmission, induction, cooling, exhaust, axle, emissions equipment, and dates must match the selected engine path.

Chassis and brakes

The 1980 Corvette retained independent suspension at all four wheels, a fixed rear differential with half-shafts, and standard power-assisted vented discs. FE7 changed chassis calibration without creating a separate model identity. Brake, steering, spring, damper, axle, ratio, wheel, and tire equipment varied by configuration and must be reconciled to factory and car-specific records.

Body, trim, and proof

Start with VIN or serial, body tag, title, shell, and ownership history. Then reconcile drivetrain, chassis, protected finish, cabin, trim, dates, and records. Replaceable badges, stripes, wheels, or a swapped engine cannot establish factory configuration.

Exact-year profile retained for body proportions, removable roof, fastback glass, fender vent, rocker trim, and factory-style wheel context; paint wear, tires, and condition remain subject-specific.Jeremy via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Specs

Car type: Sports car
Seats: 2
Body: Two-door, two-seat Sport Coupe with removable roof panels
Engine: 1980 Chevrolet Corvette engine family
Horsepower: 190 net hp L48, 230 net hp L82, or 180 net hp California LG4
Torque: Configuration-specific factory rating follows engine, induction, emissions equipment, and transmission
Carburetion: Rochester four-barrel carburetion with engine- and emissions-specific calibration

Equipment

Integral front air dam and rear spoiler
Removable roof panels
Standard air conditioning and power windows
Standard tilt-telescopic steering
Standard four-wheel power disc brakes and limited slip

Linked Parts

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

Base MSRP $13,140

1980 Corvette Sport Coupe (1980)
Opening model-year base price before delivery and options; Chevrolet changed the base price during the model year, so a car's invoice date controls its original retail amount.
1980 Corvette production and option records

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Engine Details

RPO L48 350 V8 350 cu in; 8.2:1; 190 net hp at 4,400 rpm and 280 lb-ft at 2,400 rpm · Standard outside California; four-speed manual or three-speed automatic · engine assembly / specification
RPO L82 350 V8 350 cu in; 9.0:1; 230 net hp at 5,200 rpm and 275 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm · Optional outside California; three-speed automatic only · engine assembly / specification
RPO LG4 305 V8 305 cu in; 8.6:1; 180 net hp at 4,200 rpm and 255 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm · California-only base engine; three-speed automatic only · carburetor / specification

Transmission

Factory transmission RPO MM4 four-speed fully synchronized manual with L48
Factory transmission RPO MX1 three-speed automatic with L48, L82, or California LG4

Options

Engines and Induction summarized from reviewed factory and marque references.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

L82 230-hp 350 four-barrel V8 factory · performance · Automatic-only outside California; engine, induction, emissions, transmission, axle, VIN code, dates, and records must agree.
LG4 180-hp 305 four-barrel V8 factory · performance · California-only with automatic transmission and YF5 emissions equipment.
MM4 Four-speed manual transmission factory · performance · Available with L48 outside California; gearbox, clutch, pedals, controls, VIN, axle, and records must agree.
MX1 Three-speed automatic transmission factory · comfort · Matched to L48, L82, or California LG4 in the published power-team chart.
FE7 Gymkhana suspension factory · performance · Springs, dampers, rear stabilizer hardware, steering, tires, dates, and records define one installation.
CC1 Removable glass roof panels factory · comfort · Panels, latches, weather seals, storage equipment, body, and records must agree.
N90 Cast-aluminum wheels factory · appearance · Wheel design, casting, finish, dates, tire fitment, and records must agree.
QXH P255/60R15 white-letter tires factory · performance · Wider tire fitment does not establish FE7, L82, or original delivery by itself.

Paint

Exact-year rear three-quarter view retained for the 1980 integral rear spoiler, lamp recesses, fastback glass, roof panels, trim, and factory-style wheel context; display information and condition do not prove one car's build.Spanish Coches via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

10 Classic White factory · solid
13 Silver Metallic factory · metallic
19 Black factory · solid
28 Dark Blue Metallic factory · metallic
47 Dark Brown Metallic factory · metallic
52 Yellow factory · solid
58 Dark Green Metallic factory · metallic
59 Frost Beige factory · solid
76 Dark Claret Metallic factory · metallic
83 Red factory · solid

Production

Transmissions summarized from reviewed factory and marque references.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

1980 Corvette Sport Coupe total · 40,614 · documented
RPO L48 350 V8 by engine · 32,324 · documented
RPO L82 350 V8 by engine · 5,069 · documented
California RPO LG4 305 V8 by engine · 3,221 · documented

Authenticity

Rear Axle and Ratios summarized from reviewed factory and marque references.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

Model-year identity 1980 Corvette VIN or serial, body tag, title, shell, drivetrain, trim, protected finish, and ownership evidence that agrees · VIN or serial plate, body or trim plate, chassis, title, build records, and ownership history · fraud detection
Engine and transmission Configuration-correct engine, induction, transmission, controls, stampings, castings, and dates · Engine, induction, gearbox, shifter, pedals, stamp pads, castings, dates, and records · numbers matching
Axle, brakes, and suspension Application-correct axle, ratio, brake system, steering, springs, links, and dampers · Axle housing and carrier, brakes, steering, suspension, dates, service records, and build evidence · date correctness
Paint, exterior trim, and cabin Plate- and record-supported finish, moldings, badges, wheels, upholstery, instruments, and controls · Body and trim plates, protected paint, upholstery, hardware, dashboard, and restoration records · trim correctness

Still Researching

production No reviewed public ledger reconciles 1980 Corvette production by body, model, engine, transmission, axle, paint, trim, options, plant, date, and surviving-car status.
paint colors Reviewed references establish representative factory colors but not a complete body, trim, stripe, special-order, plant, and build-date compatibility matrix.
interior Broad cabin equipment is documented, but the complete upholstery color, material, body, option, and production-date matrix is not publicly reconciled.
authenticity markers Public model references cannot prove one survivor's born-with shell, drivetrain, chassis components, paint, trim, options, or component dates.