1983 Corvette
Did you know . . .
For the 1983 model year Corvette only 43 were built. The state of California greatly increased their emission standards as the 1983 Corvette was ready for mass production. So, GM elected to simply cease production of the 1983 Corvette. All 43 of these 1983 Corvettes were used in testing then demolished. That is, all but one.
GM engineers actually hid one white 1983 Corvette that was still fresh off the line. That Corvette remained hidden for many years - but that last, only, one-of-a-kind 1983 Corvette is now on display at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY.
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So-called "California Corvettes" had existed for years prior to 1983, with reduced performance compared to their 49-state counterparts to meet that state's stringent emissions laws. The most notorious example was probably the 1980 C3 model, which featured a 305-cubic-inch small-block with a mandatory automatic transmission. So, there was ample precedent for the idea of what we'd call a "compliance car" nowadays. The Corvette team didn't do that. Instead, they worked on making the car better in all possible aspects before starting the line in earnest for 1984.
Source: Jack Baruth - R&T
Posted 11/6/20