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Car Of The Day: January 18, 2010; Kidco '78 Chevrolet Corvette T-Top
Topic Started: Jan 18 2010, 05:02 AM (626 Views)
Swifty
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The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
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Today's car of the day is Kidco's 1978 Chevrolet Corvette T-Top.

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Wikipedia
 
The Chevrolet Corvette C3 is the third generation of the sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. The C3 was introduced for the 1968 model year and lasted through 1982. Corvette chief Zora Arkus-Duntov wanted a striking new Corvette. Engines and chassis components were mostly carried over from 1967 but its body and interior were new. Though intially flawed, the '68 like the '58, would improve and mature into a car precisely right for its time. The so-called Shark was introduced during one of the most troubled periods in America. Against all odds the C3 carried on through war, civil unrest, burgeoning federal guidelines, fuel economy and pollution regulations, oil embargoes, rising fuel and insurance costs, runaway inflation, and a lingering recession. To the credit of its corporate caretakers, the Corvette prospered through these uncertain times despite remaining in its basic form for 15 years. Regardless of the mixed motoring press reviews, America sure loved the Shark.


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For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette_C3

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Kidco was Universal's brand name before they purchased Matchbox. They had an interesting mix of castings and most were of contemporary cars. As this was the late '70s/early '80s most of these cars are the butt of jokes now. And while Corvettes are respected models the world over it's still sad that 1979 was their best sales year. This casting is decent and has the logo cast into the hood and the CORVETTE cast into the rear fascia as well. It needs better wheels though.

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Wikipedia
 
1978 was the Corvette's twenty fifth anniversary, and all 78's featured silver anniversary front and fuel door emblems. A new fastback glass rear window easily updated the C3 design. The dashboard was redesigned to match the redesigned console and gauges of the previous '77 model. The base L-48 engine now produced 185 hp (138 kW); Calif. and high-altitude option produced 175 hp (130 kW). Two special editions were offered to celebrate Corvette's 25th year. Before he retired, Bill Mitchell had suggested a Silver Anniversary model in his favorite color-silver, appropriately enough-and it appeared as the $399 B2Z option package. The first two-tone paint option offered since 1961, it presented silver over a gray lower body with a separating pinstripe, plus aluminum wheels and dual "sport" outside mirrors as mandatory options, which added another $380 to the cost. 6502 Indy-500 Pace car replica editions were produced featuring Black/silver two-tone paint, front and rear spoilers, mirror-tint roof panels and contoured sport seats. The reviewers praised the car's classic strengths including its impressive straight-line numbers, especially an L48/automatic's 7.8 second 0-60 time and top speed of 123 mph, and noted its more refined, less rattling ride. On the other hand, they continued to note its weaknesses, like a rear-end that tended to step out during sharp maneuvers and a cabin that was still cramped and uncomfortable.

Road & Track took a 1978 L82 to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds, 127 mph flat out, and covered the quarter-mile in 15.3 seconds at 95 mph.

All 1979 models included the '78 Pace-car interior and sport seats and offered the spoilers as an option. Mirror-tint roof panels, now a regular option, saw 14,480 units. Output for the optional L-82 engine increased to 220 hp (164 kW), due to a revised exhaust system. This year reached an all-time high in Corvette popularity. Production hit its peak in 1979 at 53,807, a record that stands to this day.

In 1980, the Corvette got an integrated front/rear aerodynamic redesign that resulted in a significant reduction in drag. This was the last year for the L-82 engine option, now producing 230 hp (172 kW). The 4-speed manual was limited to the base engine. 1980 was the introduction of many weight-saving components including a plastic rear spring (base engine with automatic only), thinner body panels, and an aluminum Dana 44 IRS differential (previously used was the arguably stronger iron GM 10 bolt IRS differential).[6] For the first time in history, due to emission considerations resulted in a unique engine application for California customers-'80 Corvettes sold in California had 305-cid, 185 hp (138 kW) engines, and all had automatics.

In 1981, there wasn't an optional engine, but the 190 hp (142 kW) L81 was available in all states, and with manual or automatic transmissions. This was the the last C3 available with a manual transmission, and as-equipped, had a published 0-60 mph in 8.1 seconds. The '81 model was first to use a plastic rear spring, now a Corvette trademark. The spring saved thirty-six pounds, but was limited to base suspensions with automatic transmission. When equipped with Delco's new optional ETR radio with clock, the quartz instrument panel clock was replaced with an oil temperature gauge.

1982 saw the debut of the "Cross-Fire" TBI, fuel injected engine that produced 200 hp (149 kW), teamed with a new four-speed automatic transmission with torque converters in the top three of four gears. The final model C3 Corvette's published performance numbers were 0-60 in 7.9 seconds-the quarter-mile in 16.1 @ 85 mph. A Collector Edition was offered with separate serial number sequencing, silver-beige paint, unique wheels patterned after the '67 model's bolt-on alloys, and an operable rear hatch window.


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Wikipedia
 
The C3 fifteen year run shows an extreme contrast. The list price for the Corvette in 1968 was $4,663. By 1982 due mostly to inflation, the base price had increased to $18,290. In 1968 there were six engines, two small-block V8s and four big-block V8s. By 1982 there was only one small block V8 engine available. In '68 there were four transmissions, including three manual choices. By '82 there was one, a four-speed automatic. Although refined, emission standards and fuel economy concerns had changed America's only sports car.


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Sak
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Ezekiel 25:17
FAR from the best Corvette cast of the day.

There are multiple Kidco C3 casts. I have one with the doors cast shut, and a plastic base. I think it looks better than this one...
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Tone
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Rocket 88
This PlayArt isn't too keen-looking either ! ! !

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Swifty
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The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
The C3 has always been a popular diecast subject. Even JL in the '90s and GL in the '00s have made replicas of the '78-'79. Hot Wheels retooled their '75 Stingray into a bubbleback similar to this one in the mid to late '90s as well.
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