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Corvette Time Capsule

1980 Stingray With Less Than 5 Miles on the Odometer

By the late '70s, it was the end of an era for Corvettes. Since computers were no longer the size of a refrigerator, with reels of tape spinning to and fro, they began to appear on everything from TV sets to toasters—and automobiles as well. Carburetors? They would be going the way of the dodo bird.

4.8 Miles

But not everybody was happy about this impending "improvement." Some folks wanted to keep things just the way they were, like Wes Abendroth. Formerly a Corvette dealer in the Dallas, Texas area, he had access to just about any model he wanted, and then some. But this new-fangled technology that was on the way bothered him, so he made sure to stash away a 1980 model that he could tune in his driveway with a screwdriver.

Initially, Abendroth didn't intend to keep the car for 30 years in absolutely impeccable showroom condition, clocking less than five miles on the odometer. But after taking it home on a trailer and parking it in his garage, "It sat there for a while, then a little longer, and that became even longer."

During the ensuing decades, he didn't register the car, so it was never titled, never driven on the street, and still had the original MSO (Manufacturer Statement of Origin). But he had plenty of other Corvettes and racecars to satisfy his driving ambitions.

Original MSO

Keeping the red-on-red, fully optioned 1980 Stingray looking new was actually fairly simple—as long as he could resist the temptation to drive it. He basically just dusted it off occasionally, and kept 50 pounds of pressure in the tires, "so they wouldn't flat-spot." No problems with rodents gnawing on the wiring, either, "probably because of the new-car smell of the upholstery, since I kept the it closed up."

He fired up the L82 engine and changed the oil every so often, and drained the gasoline out of the tank and replaced the battery as well. While Abendroth never waxed the exterior, he did do one thing to improve the cosmetics. "That model year had poor quality paint," he notes. "In 1981, they changed the paint so it was better, so I cut and buffed the finish."

Red on Red

Abendroth notes a few other significant features of the 1980 Stingray that made it a keeper, besides the carb. During this time period, the Feds were tightening down on both safety and emissions standards, so GM had to overcome some serious technological hurdles to keep the Corvette from turning into a sheep with wolf's clothing. Before the C4 came into being, they did plenty of massaging on the C3. For 1980, the car went on a crash diet to improve the power/weight ratio. Lighter density roof panels, a thinner hood and door panels, along with aluminum instead of cast-iron suspension components (the rear crossmember and differential housing), shaved off nearly 300 pounds from the '79 model.

The 1980 model's shape was visibly different as well. Instead of a separate spoiler and rear fascia, which dated back to 1978 and 1975 respectively, the bumper caps were integrated into the "coke bottle" bodylines. This change reduced air drag, improving the coefficient from 0.503 to 0.433 (compared with the spoiler-equipped RPO D80 '79 model).

Also visually new for 1980 were elongated crossed-flags emblems on the hood and gas cap. Other changes included newly standardized air conditioning and tilt/telescope steering wheel, relocated power door-lock buttons, and a speedometer calibrated to only 85 mph (yet another government reg). Finally, the two behind-the-seats storage compartments were combined, though the battery remained in its separate cubbyhole directly behind the driver. Abendroth ordered seat upholstery with leather in the center, vinyl on the sides, and optional D90 aluminum wheels for $407.

L82 Engine

Both the weight reduction and aero treatments helped to offset the comparatively anemic, 230hp output of the L82. But things could get worse (which they did). The standard L48 350 was rated at 190 hp, and to meet California smog regs, the LG4 305 put out only 180 horses. Even so, 0-60 mph times were still a bright spot, clocked at between 7.1 and 7.7 seconds for the L82.

Also, on the plus side, the drivetrain featured a lockup torque converter that dropped the revs in Third gear by 300 rpm. That feature would disappear in '81, replaced by a different setup that tied in with the aforementioned addition of a computer to a carburetor. No more would just a screwdriver and timing light suffice for tuning. (Sniff!)

In keeping with modernizing of the Corvette, the big Corvette news of 1981 was the transfer of production from the old St. Louis plant to a brand-new high-tech facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky. (So Abendroth was right about the end of an era in a few respects.) For a couple months during the summer of 1981, the cars were built simultaneously in both plants. As noted already, the car's finish and quality control improved greatly at the new facility, which had a more up-to-date factory.

Time Capsule Collectible

Yet all that was ancient history when Abendroth showed up at the Mecum auction in Indy last Summer with his perfectly preserved, "time capsule" Corvette. Some spectators couldn't believe their eyes, despite the yellowed sticker in the side window displaying an original sales price of $16,818.40. Befitting its pristine condition and cosmetic perfection, the car sold for $44,000. Not counting sales commission, after three decades of ownership, the car appreciation in value by $27,000, or roughly 250 percent.

Fittingly, this time capsule Corvette sold to a museum in Nebraska, which will also likely preserve it intact for future generations. Imagine someone years from now being able look back and see exactly how carbureted Corvettes were made before the age of computers.

Looking back on this unusual scenario of Corvette ownership, some have questioned his preoccupation. In response, Abendroth points out that, "It's no different than hanging up a Rembrandt painting," Except that this collectible is a rolling work of art.