The Birth of the C4 (1984-1996)
1984 Corvette Coupe
1996 Corvette Collector's Edition Coupe
The third generation Corvette was a decade old when Dave McLellan began envisioning a redesigned next generation Corvette in 1978. Initially, it appeared his vision would become a reality in 1983, but various stumbling blocks delayed that debut, which would have been in the fall of 1982. Forty three pre production 1983 Corvette were built, none were released to the public, and only one still survives today. (Located in the National Corvette Museum) Chevrolet skipped over the 1983 model and introduced it’s next generation Corvette in 1984 with an extended production run.
Everything about the C4 was new, from the modern chassis to the roomier interior, and the completely restyled body. Created by GM designer Jerry Palmer, the 1984 Corvette body was state of the art in both form and function. The drag coefficient was .34, down nearly 25 percent in comparison to the 1982. Beneath the body wan an innovative "bird cage" structure integrated with a "back-bone" type frame that mounted the drive train from engine to differential as one rigid component joined by and aluminum C-section beam. Suspension was totally new, with fiberglass transverse monoleaf springs in the front and rear. Aluminum and other lightweight materials were used wherever possible to cut unwanted pounds.
Sixteen-inch cast aluminum wheels measured a half-inch wider in back. The four-wheel disc brakes had semi-metallic linings and aluminum calipers. The engine was a 205 horsepower L83 Cross Fire 5.7 liter V-8. A choice was offered between a four-speed automatic or 4+3 Doug Nash manual transmission.
A total of 51,547 were sold during the extended production run, but as part of a charity fund raising effort, the National Council of Corvette Clubs raffled off the very first of the all new 1984 Corvettes – Serial Number 00001. In possession of Corvette Collector Dick Gonyer today, the car is still identified on the doors and windshield as it was when originally raffled. This is the only Serial Number 00001 Corvette from any Corvette generation known to survive.
A note From Dick Gonyer:
Startup production run of the 1984 Corvette was Jan. 3rd 1983. The build sheet for C4 #00001 is December 16th, 1982. The "only"83 that the plant has was not put together until just prior to the plants' five year anniversary, (on close inspection, you'll find later parts used on the car). Until then it was a body shell on a pallet in the plant. I was moved around the plant from time to time. The employees used to sneek a nap in it sometimes, eat their lunch in it, and have a quick smoke in it. When the five year anniversary was about to happen, the plant didn't have anything special to show, so they slapped the '83 body shell together using current parts. It may not have even had an interior in it at time of showing because the windows were so black you couldn't see in . It also had several different shades of white paint on the car (and weather stripping) at the time of the five year anniversary. I was there and inspected the car myself. Hard to call it a genuine '83 when it is made up of later parts, and assembled 4-5 years after the other '83s. Now, since I have the origional build sheet for my car, Who has the "Only 1983"? Noland Adams, and John Amguit each confirmed my car as an 1983 assigned the vin00001 for 1984.
June 20, 1996 was the day the last Corvette of the C4 generation rolled off the assembly line in Bowling Green, KY. As the last C4 made it's way down the line, the Corvette was followed by workers who literally dismantled the line behind it to make way for the all new C5. Since it's introduction in 1984 - 358,180 C4's were produced at the Bowling Green facility.
