Low Miles, EXCELLENT ORIGINAL CONDITION, #'s Match, PRICED TO SELL!!

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Please call Tyler directly at 513-349-7163 with any questions about this car.

Seven Hills Motorcars is proud to offer this beautiful 1980 Corvette in excellent original condition with only 59,235 original miles. This Corvette looks fantastic, runs great, and is an excellent driver. The Dark Claret Metallic (76) over Claret Leather interior (792) is a very rare and beautiful color combination that looks stunning on the car. It is also the correct and original color scheme as verified by the codes on the trim tag, which is pictured in this ad. This color combination is particularly special as Dark Claret Metallic was only available for one year, 1980. This is an excellent opportunity to own a classic Corvette that is ready to be used and enjoyed at an unbeatable value. One could easily buy this car now and sell it for more than the purchase price in years to come as the market on the 1980 and 1981 Corvettes is strong right now and on the rise. In our experience the 1980 and 1981 model years draw a good premium over other late C3 Corvettes; this is especially true for very low mileage examples like this car. The low original mileage is verified not only by the condition of the car, but also the clear Ohio title, pictured in this ad, showing the mileage as "Actual." Please peruse all of the photos, the extensive list of numbers, video, and information to get a true sense of how nice, clean, and original this Corvette really is.

Besides the correct paint and trim codes, this Corvette is "Numbers Matching" meaning the engine and transmission in the car are the correct and original units that were installed in the car new at the factory in 1980. We have run the numbers on hundreds and hundreds of Corvettes over the years and very few are as correct as this one. Even very detailed parts like the distributor and carburetor are date coded and original. The last six digits of the VIN, 430497, are stamped on the engine pad, and pictured in this ad, and the engine is original to the car. The transmission is also original with the last six digits of the VIN stamped on the main case and pictured.

This Corvette comes with a wealth of original documentation such as the owner's manual, 1980 GM Maintenance Schedule booklet, 1980 Chevrolet Consumer Information Booklet, Warranty Booklet showing the original owner's name, Goodyear tire booklet, and two sets of keys.

As a side note, this Corvette is not a dealer auction vehicle. We hand pick each car after careful inspection. Our Corvettes come from owners who expect their car to go to someone that will give the vehicle the same care and attention as they did. We invite and encourage you to examine the car in person or have the car inspected. Please take the time to scrutinize each picture. We photograph each vehicle to the greatest extent so you can feel confident about your purchase. If you have a question about the Corvette, just give us a call.

Exterior

The Dark Claret Metallic (76) exterior is in excellent driver condition. As one can see in the photos the finish has a great gloss, deep shine, and smooth finish. Both doors open and shut nicely. The original N90 aluminum wheels are in beautiful condition with a brilliant finish and no curb rash. The GoodYear Eagle GT+4 white letter tires have plenty of tread and are correctly sized 255/60R15. There are no major imperfections that have been intentionally excluded from the photos. As one would expect from a paintjob with this many years are it there is some light checking, thin spots, and a very few tiny blemishes that were too small to show up in the pictures, but nothing that is really noticeable from about five or ten feet away. As one can see in the many photos of the underside of the car, it is very clean underneath and this Corvette has no rust issues. The frame is totally solid with no rust around the "key hole" area in front of the rear tire and we have seen no evidence of corrosion around the windshield, which are the two most notorious spots for rust on a C3 Corvette. We have included specific photos of the areas most prone to rust to show how nice this car looks.

Interior

The Claret Leather (792) interior in this Corvette is in outstanding condition. The gauge faces are crisp and clean and the lenses are crystal clear. The seats are in excellent shape and look as good in person as they do in the photos with no holes or excessive wear. There is just a small spot of wear in the typical area on the bolster where the driver gets in and out. Please note that these appear to be the original seats and skins, not some cheap replacements or covers. The carpet is also in great condition with no major stains, holes, or tears. This includes the rear carpet, which is often neglected. The dash and console look great with no cracks or sun fading. The door panels are in nice shape overall and the door pulls are solid and intact. Please note that both seat belts work and retract properly. This is a common problem on C3 Corvettes and an issue many buyers do not think to check. The jack and jack handle are still with the car, stored correctly behind the passenger seat. The original spare is still with the car and has never been used. This Corvette has never been smoked in; there are no burns marks and no aroma of cigarettes.

The T-Top bags are still with the car and included in the sale.

Corvette interiors from this era are not known to wear well and the excellent condition of this original interior is a huge testament to the meticulous care and attention this car has received throughout its life and another great verification of the low original mileage.

Mechanical

This Corvette seems to be in very good mechanical condition. The numbers matching L48 engine starts right away every time, runs well, and idles well. It drives great and feels nice on the road and at highway speeds. In the video in this ad one can observe the car accelerating on the highway up to about 70mph, shifting through all the gears, braking to stoplight, and going through some curves. Please note that there are no vibrations or strange noises and the car performs quite well overall. Transmission shifts great and is very smooth. This Corvette has plenty of power and is quite fast. Also, the engine compartment is beautifully clean, detailed, and correct as one can see in the photos. The original air cleaner, stamped steel valve covers, ignition shielding, smog pump, and catalytic converter are all still in place.

The horn works as do all the exterior lights, interior lights, wipers, rear window defogger, power windows, and power locks; even the key buzzer still works. The power antenna works, which is a very common problem on C3 Corvettes. The blower for the heater and a/c works on all speeds. All of the gauges work including the clock. The vacuum system for the headlights works correctly. The headlights go up quickly, evenly, and with no binding in the mechanism. Also, the headlights go up properly with either the headlight switch or vacuum override switch. There complete operation form both switches can be viewed in the video below. There is a heat shield sounding rattle when cold, but it goes away when the car warms up in a couple minutes. The air conditioning does not blow cold. Not enough can be said as to how much of a pleasure it is to drive this car, especially the T-tops out on a beautiful day.

Also, for any 1980 Corvette you may look at, be sure to verify that the "CHOKE" light is working correctly. The light should go on when the key is turned on as a confirmation that the light is working, then quickly go off when the car is started. A great number of these 1980 Corvettes have had the bulb removed to mask other problems. As one can observe in the video the "CHOKE" light on this car operates just as it should, going on with the car as a check and then going off when the engine is started.

Overall Condition

Overall, this 1980 Corvette is in magnificent original condition. Original and low mileage examples of the C3 Corvette like this car draw a great premium in the current market. Numbers matching is extremely important in Corvette pricing, and as any buyer can see this Corvette is very correct. The originality, the beautiful original one year only color combination, the excellent overall condition, the low original mileage, and the great extent to which the numbers match make this car especially important and hard to duplicate. This Corvette always gets a ton of attention driving down the road. It is apparent that the vehicle has been well taken care of by its previous owners. The prices of C3 Corvettes have increased considerably over the past several years. They are secure and wise investments for a collector. One could easily enjoy this vehicle for several years and sell it for more than the purchase price with minimal effort.

Other sellers are not taking the time to show the car is in such great detail to give you all of the numbers, options, photos, and video. As stated above, numbers matching is extremely important in Corvette pricing, especially for an exceptional example like this car, and will become even more important as time passes and this car becomes older and even more rare. This information is very valuable and important for pricing. Any perspective buyer, for any of our vehicles or from other sellers, should ask for all the numbers and information before he or she makes a purchase

Thank you for looking and please do not hesitate to email or call with any questions.

item
number
description*

VIN
1Z878AS430497
The first digit, "1," indicated the Chevrolet division of GM.  The "Z" is the series, Corvette.  The "87" is the body style, 2-door sport coupe.  The fifth digit is the engine, 8, correct for an L48 car.  The sixth digit, "A," indicates the model year, 1980.  The "S" is the plant where the car was produced, St. Louis.  The last five digits are a sequence number so this is the 30,497th Corvette made for 1980.

Body Build Date
H23
"H" corresponds to May and "23" is the twenty third day of the month meaning this Corvette's body build date is May 23rd, 1980.

Engine Code
V0515
"V" means the engine was build in the Flint, MI plant.  The "05" is the fifth month of year and the "15" is the fifteenth day of the month meaning the engine was assembled on May 15th, 1979.  This is correct as it precedes the build date of the car.

Suffix Code
ZAK
This means the motor was intended for a 1980 Corvette with an automatic transmission, which is correct for this car.

Engine VIN Stamp
430497
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 430497, are stamped on the engine pad and pictured below, meaning this engine is original to this car.

Engine Block Casting Number
14010207
The engine block has the correct 14010207 casting number for a 1980 Corvette.

Engine Block Casting Date
E 12 0
"E" is May, "12" is the twelveth day of the month, and "0" is the last digit of the calendar year so the engine block was cast on May 12th, 1980. 

Intake Manifold Casting Number
14014432
This Intake manifold is correct and original for a 1980 Corvette.

Distributor
1103353
The distributor is original and correct for a Corvette with an automatic transmission with a 1103353 stamping.

Distributor Date Code
0 D 25
The "0" is the last digit of the calendar year, the "D" denotes April, and "25" is the twenty fifth day of the month meaning the distributor was made on April 25th, 1980. This is correct as it predates the assembly date of the engine.

Carburetor
17080204
This carburetor is correct and original for a 1980 corvette with an automatic transmission

Carburetor Date Code
780
"78" is the 78th day from January 1st 1980, and "0" is the last digit of the calendar year meaning this carburetor was made on March 19th, 1980.

Transmission VIN Stamping
430497
The last 6 digits of the car's VIN, 430497, are stamped on the main case of the transmission and pictured below meaning this transmission is original to this car.

Windshield
JZ
"J" is May and "Z" is 1980 so this window is original, made in May of 1980.  This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.

Passenger  Window
XZ
"X" is February and "Z" is 1980 so this window is original, made in February of 1980.  This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.

Rear Window
GZ
"G" is April and "Z" is 1980 so this window is original, made in April of 1980.  This is correct as it predates the build date of the car.

exterior color code

76
Dark Claret Metallic

interior color code

792
Claret

 

 

 

 

 

 

rpo code
description

1YY87
Corvette Sport Coupe

A31
Power windows

CC1
Removable glass roof panels

C49
Rear window defogger

C60
Air conditioning

D35
Sport mirrors

K30
Cruise control

L48
350ci V8 Engine

MV4
3-Speed automatic transmission

NA5
Standard emissions

N90
Aluminum wheels

QGR
225/70R15 White Letter Tires

UA1
Heavy duty battery

U58
AM-FM Radio, Stereo

U81
Dual rear speakers

VK3
License plate mount