1981 Chevrolet Corvette

Sports car powered by 1981 Chevrolet Corvette engine family.

Exact-year stock-presenting Corvette retained for fastback body, spoilers, trim, badging, rally wheels, removable roof, and stance context.

Bodies Two-door two-passenger fastback coupe with removable roof panels

Configurations Corvette Coupe, Corvette with four-speed manual, Corvette with automatic

Engine range 190-hp L81 350-cid small-block V8

Chassis Full independent suspension, Positraction, and four-wheel power discs

Production Exact configuration ledger remains unresolved

Story

1981 Chevrolet Corvette

The 1981 Corvette family combined two-door two-passenger fastback coupe with removable roof panels with Corvette Coupe, Corvette with four-speed manual, Corvette with 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

The L81 engine, computer-controlled induction and emissions hardware, transmission, differential ratio, cooling, suspension, dates, and records must agree. Transmission, induction, cooling, exhaust, axle, emissions equipment, and dates must match the selected engine path.

Chassis and brakes

The 1981 C3 paired its L81 V8 with manual or automatic driveline paths, independent suspension, four-wheel discs, and available FE7 Gymkhana tuning. 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 Corvette retained for the fastback glass, integrated rear spoiler, four-lamp tail, rear badging, removable roof panels, rally wheels, and stance; condition remains specific to this car.**MercurySable99 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Price history

Values

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

Original Price

A verified original price is not yet available for this car.

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

L81 350 V8 350 cu in computer-controlled four-barrel small-block V8 · 1981 Corvette path · carburetor / specification

Transmission

Factory transmission Four-speed manual transmission
Factory transmission Turbo Hydra-Matic three-speed automatic

Options

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

L81 350 four-barrel V8 factory · performance · Codes, dates, installed hardware, body identity, and records must agree.
M21 Four-speed manual factory · performance · Codes, dates, installed hardware, body identity, and records must agree.
MX1 Three-speed automatic factory · performance · Codes, dates, installed hardware, body identity, and records must agree.
FE7 Gymkhana suspension factory · chassis · Codes, dates, installed hardware, body identity, and records must agree.
C60 Air conditioning factory · comfort · Codes, dates, installed hardware, body identity, and records must agree.

Paint

**Exact-year Corvette retained for red finish, black rocker treatment, crossed-flags badge, lamp doors, mirrors, removable roof, and factory-style rally wheels; visible condition remains car-specific.**AlfvanBeem via Wikimedia Commons · CC0

10 White factory · solid
19 Black factory · solid
13 Silver Metallic factory · metallic
24 Bright Blue Metallic factory · metallic
75 Red factory · solid

Production

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

1981 Chevrolet Corvette family total · 0 · reported

Authenticity

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

Model-year identity 1981 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 1981 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.