Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C3 Trivia, Fun Facts, and Figures

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C3 Corvette Stingray from 1968 - 1982

Do you consider yourself a Corvette expert? The fun facts and trivia below may be new even to the most savvy Corvette person!

1968 - 1982 Corvette Stingray trivia, fun facts, and interesting information. Your source for C3 Corvette Stingray facts and figures! Go to our SPECS page to find out build numbers, production data, factory options, and more for 1968 - 1982 Corvette Stingrays. Each fact also has a link to the specs page for the year referenced, so you can learn even more about that year Corvette.

The C3 Corvette Stingrays are the largest generation of Corvettes ever produced, and were the most popular. Of the over 1.5 million Corvettes built between 1953 and 2010, over 540,000 were made during the C3 generation, between 1968 and 1982. These are the well-known "Stingray" design, although the slightly different name "Sting Ray" had been used as far back as 1963.

Interesting Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C3 facts, figures, and trivia:

One of the rarest and most desirable of all C3 Corvette Stingrays is the 1969 ZL1 Corvette. The $4,718 ZL1 package required many other options, including $1,032 L88 Special L88 (all aluminum block) 427 cu. in. 430hp Engine, $81 K66 Transistor Ignition System, $37 F41 Special Front and Rear Suspension, $384 J56 Special Heavy Duty Brakes, and $46 G81 Positraction Rear Axle. Radio and air conditioning were not available with the ZL1 package, and only 2 (0.01%) were ever made for a total package price of approximately $11,000 each, which was the price of some small 3 bedroom houses at that time!

GM attempted to produce a mid-engine Corvette to rival the mid-engine sports cars of Italy. It was called the XP-882, and it was first shown at New York Auto Show in 1970. The engine was a 400 cubic inch small block V-8 mounted behind the seats, transversely (like most of today's front wheel drive cars, with the engine sitting sideways). The engineers built two XP-882’s. Shorlty after the 2 were built, John DeLorean became Chevrolet general manager. John cancelled the program, as it was expensive and impractical to build. It was the hit of the auto show, but GM never produced or sold the XP-882 Corvette. See a picture of this rare car HERE.

1968 was the first year an AM/FM stereo radio was offered as an option, and 3,311 (11.59%) of the 28,566 Corvettes rolled off the showroom floor with the $278 option.

No Corvette convertibles were offered between 1976 and 1986, due to safety concerns and low sales numbers.

1982 was the first year for Cross-Fire fuel injection.

The famous "T-Top design is not a reference to the "T" shape the roof makes. T-top is short for Targa Top, which was the original design, however the fiberglass body flexed too much, which could cause windshieleds to crack, paint to chip, and more, so the T bar in the middle was added to strengthen the body.

A rare find is the 1980 Corvette with factory package UL5 Radio Delete. This option didn't cost extra, and only 201 (0.49%) were made that year without a radio. Other years with this option are equally rare, with typically only a small percentage ever making it out of the factory with this special order option, making them hard to find collector's items.

The last "true dual exhaust" Corvettes were sold in 1974. After that, all C3 Corvettes had a single catalytic converter with Y pipes in front of and behind the catalytic converter, making them appear as duals.

Another rare find is an 81 Corvette with factory option UM5 AM-FM Radio, stereo with 8-track and CB. Only 792 (1.95%) were made with this $712 option.

Federal law required the 1980 Corvette to have a speedometer that maxed out at 85 MPH for the first time in Corvette history, even though the car could easily exceed that speed.

In 1969, Corvette had the ignition and key plate moved from the dash to the steering column, which would remain in effect until 1997.

1970 Corvettes are considered by many among the most desirable of the C3 generaion, as only 17,316 were produced that year due to production issues stemming from labor strikes. This was the lowest production number since 1962.

The 1976 Corvette Stingray "Sport Steering Wheel" was actually a Chevy Vega steering wheel that they repackaged, and was only offered that year, making the 76 with this option a unique car.

Another rare collectors item is the 1972 Corvette Stingray with the LT1 engine and air conditioning. Only 240 were ever made.

1975 saw the introduction of the high energy ignition system, which was a major improvement over the transistor system of years past. This allowed tachometers to become electronic instead of cable connected mechanical gauges.

Corvette # 500,000 was a white 1977 Stingray. It rolled off the assembly line to major fanfare on March 15, 1977. This is an exceptional collector's car, as it celebrated half a million Corvettes ever made.

The ZR1 Corvette Special Purpose Engine Package was not a new option in 1990, as many people believe. It was first offered in 1970. Only 25 (0.14%) ZR1 Corvettes were built, at an additional cost of $969, making this a rare and prized collector car.

1970 was a year of change in Corvettes. This was the first year the 454 big block option was available, and 4,473 (25.83%) Corvettes were made with the $290 option.

Think your factory alarm is an advanced idea? Think again. Corvette first introduced the option in the 1968 Corvette, although only 388 (1.36%) buyers opted for the $26 option, making this a rare collectible today.

In 1968, nearly two-thirds of all Corvettes produced were convertibles. Coupes: 9,936 (34.78%) Convertibles: 18,630 (65.22%)

A rare find is the 1975 Corvette equipped with option package Z077 - Off Road Suspension and Brake Package. Only 144 (0.37%) of the 38,465 Corvettes produced that year had the $4000 option. Considering the coupe had a base price of $6797, it's easy to see why that option wasn't popular!

If you are looking for an ultra-rare collectible, try to find a 1973 Corvette with option YJ8 - Cast Aluminum Wheels (5). The $175 package only made it out of the factory on 4 (0.01%) cars!

A rare find is the 1969 Corvette Stingray equipped with the rare L88 427 cu. in. 430hp Engine. Only 116 (0.30%) were equipped with the $1,032 option.

An amazingly rare find is the almost unheard of RPO ZR2 Special Purpose LS6 454 cu. in. 425hp Engine Package. Car And Driver magazine reported 0 - 60 times of 5.3 seconds and 13.8 seconds in the 1/4 mile at 104.65 mph for this beast of a car. Only 12 (0.06%) of these $1,747 option packages made their way out of the factory in 1971 Stingrays. Eight were coupes, 4 were convertibles.

Another collectible find is a 68 Corvette with factory option M22 4-Speed Manual Transmission, close ratio, heavy duty. Only 80 (0.28%) were ever made.

The last St. Louis Corvettes ever built left the factory on August 1981 and July 1981. Bowling Green production was already in effect, and for several months both factories worked in tandem. After these two stragglers, Bowling Green, Kentucky, became the only factory to produce Corvettes, which is where they are still being produced today. The very last one was white, built July 31, 1981. The car is now restored exactly as it was made at the factory, with all the frame and chassis markings and every detail exactly as it was when it left the factory. A hidden plaque was installed in the cars right front fenderwell to designate the last car down the line, which helped authenticate the car. The car sported a 350 Cubic inch engine at 190 horsepower and a 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic 350 automatic transmission.The car was sold at the Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas auction in September, 2010 for $150,000.

An option called MA6 Heavy Duty Clutch was offered starting in 1969, which would seem like a pretty useful option to have with a big, high horsepower V8. Only 102 (0.26%) cars were produced with this $79 option in 1969, making them prized collectibles.

1974 was the last year for leaded gasoline in Corvettes, due to emissions controls imposed by the Federal Government.

The venerable Gymhkana suspension, option FE7, was first made available in 1974, although only 1,905 (5.08%) Corvettes were fitted with the $7 option.

The 1980 California Corvette is billed as one of the 50 worst cars ever made, due to the pitiful 180 horsepower 305 V8 and the weak 3 speed automatic transmission, which severely limited torque output. Acceleration was so poor it was compared to low budget economy cars of the era.

1975 was the first year of HEI solid-state ignition. It was also the lowest stated base horsepower of any V8 Corvette in history.

Of the over 1.5 million Corvettes built between 1953 and 2010, over 540,000 were made during the C3 generation, between 1968 and 1982.

The now famous 78 Corvette Pace Car two-tone black and silver paint was not a carefully planned color scheme. It was chosen simply due to the fact that it photographed more favorably in black and white.

Starting in 1972, Corvette horsepower ratings were measured in"net horsepower", which is a lot more realistic that the previous "gross horsepower" ratings.

The highest production number for any year of Corvette is 53,807, which was the 1979 year model.

There was once a Rotary Engine Corvette. In 1970, Chevrolet licensed the Wankel rotary engine (think Mazda RX7) and began building a two-rotor and a four-rotor Corvette in its testing and experimental department. A fiberglass model was approved in June 1971 by then GM President Ed Cole. In September 13, 1973 a 266 cubic inch two-rotor Corvette was displayed in Frankfurt, Germany. The four-rotor 390 cubic inch Corvette was put on display in Paris, France on Oct. 4, 1973, as well as the two-rotor. The 2-rotor engine GM developed was a fuel and oil hungry engine, and wasn't practical for production. On September 24, 1974, GM President Ed Cole postponed the introduction of the Wankel engine, most likely due to emissions difficulties combined with fuel and oil concerns. The rotary engine Corvette never made it to production.

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One of the rarest and most desirable of all C3 Corvette Stingrays is the 1969 ZL1 Corvette. The $4,718 ZL1 package required many other options, including $1,032 L88 Special L88 (all aluminum block) 427 cu. in. 430hp Engine, $81 K66 Transistor Ignition System, $37 F41 Special Front and Rear Suspension, $384 J56 Special Heavy Duty Brakes, and $46 G81 Positraction Rear Axle. Radio and air conditioning were not available with the ZL1 package, and only 2 (0.01%) were ever made for a total package price of approximately $11,000 each, which was the price of some small 3 bedroom houses at that time!		GM attempted to produce a mid-engine Corvette to rival the mid-engine sports cars of Italy. It was called the XP-882, and it was first shown at New York Auto Show in 1970. The engine was a 400 cubic inch small block V-8 mounted behind the seats, transversely (like most of today's front wheel drive cars, with the engine sitting sideways). The engineers built two XP-882’s. Shorlty after the 2 were built, John DeLorean became Chevrolet general manager. John cancelled the program, as it was expensive and impractical to build. It was the hit of the auto show, but GM never produced or sold the XP-882 Corvette. See a picture of this rare car HERE.
1968 was the first year an AM/FM stereo radio was offered as an option, and 3,311 (11.59%) of the 28,566 Corvettes rolled off the showroom floor with the $278 option.		No Corvette convertibles were offered between 1976 and 1986, due to safety concerns and low sales numbers. 1982 was the first year for Cross-Fire fuel injection.
The famous "T-Top design is not a reference to the "T" shape the roof makes. T-top is short for Targa Top, which was the original design, however the fiberglass body flexed too much, which could cause windshieleds to crack, paint to chip, and more, so the T bar in the middle was added to strengthen the body.		A rare find is the 1980 Corvette with factory package UL5 Radio Delete. This option didn't cost extra, and only 201 (0.49%) were made that year without a radio. Other years with this option are equally rare, with typically only a small percentage ever making it out of the factory with this special order option, making them hard to find collector's items.
The last "true dual exhaust" Corvettes were sold in 1974. After that, all C3 Corvettes had a single catalytic converter with Y pipes in front of and behind the catalytic converter, making them appear as duals.		Another rare find is an 81 Corvette with factory option UM5 AM-FM Radio, stereo with 8-track and CB. Only 792 (1.95%) were made with this $712 option.
Federal law required the 1980 Corvette to have a speedometer that maxed out at 85 MPH for the first time in Corvette history, even though the car could easily exceed that speed.		In 1969, Corvette had the ignition and key plate moved from the dash to the steering column, which would remain in effect until 1997.
1970 Corvettes are considered by many among the most desirable of the C3 generaion, as only 17,316 were produced that year due to production issues stemming from labor strikes. This was the lowest production number since 1962.		The 1976 Corvette Stingray "Sport Steering Wheel" was actually a Chevy Vega steering wheel that they repackaged, and was only offered that year, making the 76 with this option a unique car.
Another rare collectors item is the 1972 Corvette Stingray with the LT1 engine and air conditioning. Only 240 were ever made.		1975 saw the introduction of the high energy ignition system, which was a major improvement over the transistor system of years past. This allowed tachometers to become electronic instead of cable connected mechanical gauges.
Corvette # 500,000 was a white 1977 Stingray. It rolled off the assembly line to major fanfare on March 15, 1977. This is an exceptional collector's car, as it celebrated half a million Corvettes ever made.		The ZR1 Corvette Special Purpose Engine Package was not a new option in 1990, as many people believe. It was first offered in 1970. Only 25 (0.14%) ZR1 Corvettes were built, at an additional cost of $969, making this a rare and prized collector car.
1970 was a year of change in Corvettes. This was the first year the 454 big block option was available, and 4,473 (25.83%) Corvettes were made with the $290 option.		Think your factory alarm is an advanced idea? Think again. Corvette first introduced the option in the 1968 Corvette, although only 388 (1.36%) buyers opted for the $26 option, making this a rare collectible today.
In 1968, nearly two-thirds of all Corvettes produced were convertibles. Coupes: 9,936 (34.78%) Convertibles: 18,630 (65.22%)		A rare find is the 1975 Corvette equipped with option package Z077 - Off Road Suspension and Brake Package. Only 144 (0.37%) of the 38,465 Corvettes produced that year had the $4000 option. Considering the coupe had a base price of $6797, it's easy to see why that option wasn't popular!
If you are looking for an ultra-rare collectible, try to find a 1973 Corvette with option YJ8 - Cast Aluminum Wheels (5). The $175 package only made it out of the factory on 4 (0.01%) cars!		A rare find is the 1969 Corvette Stingray equipped with the rare L88 427 cu. in. 430hp Engine. Only 116 (0.30%) were equipped with the $1,032 option.
An amazingly rare find is the almost unheard of RPO ZR2 Special Purpose LS6 454 cu. in. 425hp Engine Package. Car And Driver magazine reported 0 - 60 times of 5.3 seconds and 13.8 seconds in the 1/4 mile at 104.65 mph for this beast of a car. Only 12 (0.06%) of these $1,747 option packages made their way out of the factory in 1971 Stingrays. Eight were coupes, 4 were convertibles. Another collectible find is a 68 Corvette with factory option M22 4-Speed Manual Transmission, close ratio, heavy duty. Only 80 (0.28%) were ever made.		The last St. Louis Corvettes ever built left the factory on August 1981 and July 1981. Bowling Green production was already in effect, and for several months both factories worked in tandem. After these two stragglers, Bowling Green, Kentucky, became the only factory to produce Corvettes, which is where they are still being produced today. The very last one was white, built July 31, 1981. The car is now restored exactly as it was made at the factory, with all the frame and chassis markings and every detail exactly as it was when it left the factory. A hidden plaque was installed in the cars right front fenderwell to designate the last car down the line, which helped authenticate the car. The car sported a 350 Cubic inch engine at 190 horsepower and a 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic 350 automatic transmission.The car was sold at the Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas auction in September, 2010 for $150,000.
An option called MA6 Heavy Duty Clutch was offered starting in 1969, which would seem like a pretty useful option to have with a big, high horsepower V8. Only 102 (0.26%) cars were produced with this $79 option in 1969, making them prized collectibles.		1974 was the last year for leaded gasoline in Corvettes, due to emissions controls imposed by the Federal Government. The venerable Gymhkana suspension, option FE7, was first made available in 1974, although only 1,905 (5.08%) Corvettes were fitted with the $7 option.
The 1980 California Corvette is billed as one of the 50 worst cars ever made, due to the pitiful 180 horsepower 305 V8 and the weak 3 speed automatic transmission, which severely limited torque output. Acceleration was so poor it was compared to low budget economy cars of the era.		1975 was the first year of HEI solid-state ignition. It was also the lowest stated base horsepower of any V8 Corvette in history. Of the over 1.5 million Corvettes built between 1953 and 2010, over 540,000 were made during the C3 generation, between 1968 and 1982.
The now famous 78 Corvette Pace Car two-tone black and silver paint was not a carefully planned color scheme. It was chosen simply due to the fact that it photographed more favorably in black and white.		Starting in 1972, Corvette horsepower ratings were measured in"net horsepower", which is a lot more realistic that the previous "gross horsepower" ratings. The highest production number for any year of Corvette is 53,807, which was the 1979 year model.
There was once a Rotary Engine Corvette. In 1970, Chevrolet licensed the Wankel rotary engine (think Mazda RX7) and began building a two-rotor and a four-rotor Corvette in its testing and experimental department. A fiberglass model was approved in June 1971 by then GM President Ed Cole. In September 13, 1973 a 266 cubic inch two-rotor Corvette was displayed in Frankfurt, Germany. The four-rotor 390 cubic inch Corvette was put on display in Paris, France on Oct. 4, 1973, as well as the two-rotor. The 2-rotor engine GM developed was a fuel and oil hungry engine, and wasn't practical for production. On September 24, 1974, GM President Ed Cole postponed the introduction of the Wankel engine, most likely due to emissions difficulties combined with fuel and oil concerns. The rotary engine Corvette never made it to production.