Comments on: 400 Miles in a 1981 Corvette, Part 1

By: PCH, 6.9 Liters Of Misery Edition: 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL or 1966 Pontiac Catalina? [Project Car Hell]

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:18:07 +0000

[...] Project Car Hell, and JFG-meister Loverman himself gets the blame credit [...]

By: BabyM

BabyM — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:36:15 +0000

I’ve never cared for “malaise-era” Corvettes, but this is a lovely piece of writing. Glad you enjoyed the adventure, and thank you for telling the rest of us the story.

By: dolo54

dolo54 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:32:08 +0000

Great story. Sounds like something I would do. Just don’t run into any bulldozers, okay?

By: Queensmet

Queensmet — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:04:44 +0000

Jonny,
Sounds like you and Eliot may be in the same cell. Perhaps you can share experiences on what sort of illicit action $5500 buys.

By: theflyersfan

theflyersfan — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:42:29 +0000

Jonny – instead of a 7 diamond girl, imagine what this ‘vette will get you instead! I’m guessing White Rain, torn denim, twirled gum on a finger, sparkle nail polish, leopard print at least two places on her body, an ex-boyfriend with a record, and a parole officer.
Enjoy!
(An 81 Corvette is just too much fun to rip on – anyone have a mid-80’s Camaro and a similar story?)

By: tirving

tirving — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:10:07 +0000

I’m thinking “Vanishing Point”

By: mad_science

mad_science — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:31:09 +0000

So…what are the odds that Jonny actually delivers the vehicle and get paid?

I’m guessing not strong.

There are worse vehicles to be stuck with than an 81 Vette, I suppose.

By: Jonny Lieberman

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:11:05 +0000

I’m only just realizing now, that $5,500 could have gotten me a 7 diamond girl from the Emperor VIP Club.

Sigh…

By: Sammy Hagar

Sammy Hagar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:41:31 +0000

A really enjoyable story, Mr. Diggler.

By: Mike Solowiow

Mike Solowiow — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:36:33 +0000

You haven’t lived until you’ve imported a 25 year-old Audi from Canada… in the winter… and drive it back to Oklahoma….

Hopefully I will see “Bob” when I go over there soon….

By: william442

william442 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:49:09 +0000

Sounds like a trip to the A & P in my 1965 L76. Yes, I went to the store. My wife could not hold the clutch in.

By: theflyersfan

theflyersfan — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:47:39 +0000

Jonny – there’s another buyer out there. Instead of having this amazing “American Classic” sit and rot in a storage crate for at least a month, someone named “Dirk” wants it. He even sent directions from the Bay Area:

Take 101 South to Laurel Canyon Blvd south. Go right on Lookout Mountain Ave. When Lookout splits into Lookout and Laurel Pass, turn onto Laurel Pass. Make a left on Wonderland Park and then continue straight onto Wonderland Avenue.

This is where things get “wierd.” He was speaking a million miles per hour so I didn’t get a street number but I swear I heard that he said that you’ll know the house since someone named “Wadd” is passed out on the driveway.

Dirk thought the stuff in the gas tank might be his. He’ll pay triple.

By: Matthew Sullivan

Matthew Sullivan — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 05:33:45 +0000

For the love of God, Jonny, please don’t respond to any e-mails you get from Nigeria! And the guy in Iraq who found Saddam’s gold is fake, too….

By: esldude

esldude — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:07:52 +0000

So did Murliee Martin make all of this known to the purchaser? Bad paint, cracked dash, no lights, no AC, questionable tranny, this was a ragged out Vette. No doubt a bit of money for cosmetics and such with the fairly reliable drivetrain and it will be an alright car. Much cheaper to look around and get a better example up front though trust me.

Hey, not gonna stand up for GM build quality during those years, but hardly like this is a real big indictment of it. No way to know how this example was treated over the years. A nice example of one of these isn’t so bad.

Also, if I were agreeing to drive a car like that, first thing I would do is check lights, brakes etc. for function. Might not make for as entertaining a story, but really come on have some kind of common sense here.

By: Paul Niedermeyer

Paul Niedermeyer — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:10:11 +0000

Loving it, Jonny.

whatdoiknow: The ‘81 was up to 190hp, from the low-point year 1975, when the standard engine had 165hp.

By: rtz

rtz — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:45:27 +0000

Being nearly thirty years old coming from a family that has only ever owned high mileage used domestics; this story seems totally typical and business as usual. It’s just the way it is with “these cars”. Why do I put up with it and tolerate it? Perhaps a level of comfort. It’s what I’m familiar with. I know these cars inside and out and I can fix, repair, or replace anything on them. Sure; I could do the same with an import. But I choose not too. Something about that traverse mounted engine and front wheel drive. Dealing with the accessory end of the motor when it has a 1/2″ of clearance between it and the strut tower. CV joints and clutch changes. Not to mention the mediocreness of most of the import econoboxes. Just too plain and boring. My current daily driver is a 20mpg totally stock `88 5.0 Mustang convertible. 190,000 miles on it. New paint, top, interior, and transmission. All the “incidentals”(timing chain, water pump, alternator, master cylinder, brake pads, rotors, drums, everything) are lifetime warranty items thanks to the local auto part stores. I’m going to drive the wheels off this thing. $4/gal? I just don’t care. I know this car inside and out and I can fix anything. Easily doing 85mph on the on ramp every morning? I ain’t driving no Honda. I’d drive that `81 Vette everyday if that’s what I had.

By: whatdoiknow1

whatdoiknow1 — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:52:13 +0000

83,
I thought they skipped that year?

Did the 81 even make 200hp?

By: jjsevier

jjsevier — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:34:51 +0000

At least it wasn’t an ‘83 Vette

By: Tommy

Tommy — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:54:11 +0000

This has all the right ingredients for a colossal failure or a ridiculously epic success.

I wish I was along for the ride, with an HD camcorder and a fat life insurance policy. It could have made for film much better than anything Top Gear USA will create (if they ever do anything other than extended commercials).

By: ZCline

ZCline — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:48:58 +0000

Stories like these are the reason why I come to TTAC, beyond the wonderful essays, self-deprecating podcasts, and snarky news commentary.

By: Jonny Lieberman

Jonny Lieberman — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:20:20 +0000

“How do you get a job like that, to deliver a car for someone else?”

The internet is an amazing thing

By: whatdoiknow1

whatdoiknow1 — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:17:24 +0000

I have just finished reading the Corolla piece in which everyone talked about how the body of their 70s Corolla fell apart around the drivetrain.

Now we have a story about a 81 Vette that looks wonderful on the outside but everything else appears to have went to shit. I guess there is something good to be said about those fiberglass bodies.

I am one of the few folks that actually like these Corvettes. I find them rather beautiful with their coke bottle bodies and glass fastback. The interior while full of GM 1970s fair is not all that bad in overall design. One of these babies with a restomod and a new engine would be nice.

By: Areitu

Areitu — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:55:26 +0000

Awesome story, wonderfully written. Mention of The Madonna Inn paints a great picture…

How do you get a job like that, to deliver a car for someone else? I thought they stopped doing that after incidence like in the movie The Hitcher.

By: shabster

shabster — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:49:13 +0000

Wonderfully written story.

Thanks.

By: philipwitak

philipwitak — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:40:39 +0000

i guess this car was constructed long before bob seger or john mellencamp began singin’ chevy’s praises to hardworking middleclass americans throughout the land.

still – it sounds like an adventure worth taking. looking forward to reading your next post.