1983 vette

[Mike L.]

Re: Was one stolen?

Yes, I also read the piece about the car. It was found in a garage or body shop over sea's. It goes on to say GM was testing the car there and never sent it back. If I could remember two men put the car back together and still own it.

[John Daly]

Re: Was one stolen?

I think you may be referring to a story in Corvette Fever a few years back about a ZR-1 prototype(definitely not an 83) rescued from a junkyard in England before it could be crushed. Most of the engine and body engineering development was done over there.

[Joe L.]

Re: Was one stolen?

John-----

Yes, I agree. That car, a yellow 1989 ZR-1, was partially restored and was shown at Bloomington(Springfield) several years ago. It still had a LONG way to go to be a complete car, though. An interesting specimen, though, to be sure.

The reason that these cars were in Europe, in the first place, was to serve as test mules for the LT-5 engine being developed by Lotus Engineering Group. When the testing was completed, rather than bringing the cars back to the US for destruction, GM ordered them destroyed where they were. They just didn't get "destroyed enough". However, based upon the car that I saw, they were badly damaged enough in the process that I really don't think that anyone will ever make it into a "pristine" car no matter how much effort or money is expended. In fact, the vast majority of the car, even as it is, actually came from another "donor" car which the restorers purchased for that purpose. It is an historical artifact, though, and I'm glad it was "saved". Supposedly, they also have another car which they may restore, but it was in worse shape than the first one done so, to say the least, it will be a real challenge.

I really doubt that any of the prototype 83s ever saw anything of Europe. And I'm also sure that, on their "home turf", GM did a much better job of insuring that the carcasses could never be resurrected.