1984 Chevrolet Corvette - He Knows Everything

Whoever it was who first coined the expression that familiarity breeds contempt sure knew what they were talking about. By the early '80's "we" were pretty sick and tired of the rolling sex toythat was the 1968 vintage Corvette. When the 1984 Corvette appeared it was a revelation on every level imaginable and the best was it didn't look anything like the car it replaced. Well, at the time we thought that was a good thing. 

It may have been the elongated production run this car had but by the time it was replaced in 1997 we were even more tired of this thing than we were of the one it replaced.

The 1984 Corvette was everything the 1968-82 Corvettes weren't. It actually handled, had herculean braking power and it was screwed together better. It's 5.7 liter, "Cross-Fire Injection" V-8 was hardly the stuff of legend but when it was running right, it was more than ample. Especially for the times. The styling was a respite from the swoopy '68 too. So, why is it that these cars get no respect what-so-ever today? 

If I was a betting man I'd have to say that it all boils down to styling. Or an overall lack of styling. These cars are pretty bland looking. Several years ago when my wife and I were shopping for a Corvette, I had my eye on a very nice black on black '89 with under 20,000 miles on it. I thought the car was terrific. Fast, sure footed and oh-so-'80's, although it was expensive, I had my check book out and ready to go but our then 15 year old nixxed it because he said it didn't "look like a Corvette". The hell did a 15 year old know about what a Corvette should look like? More than you'd think. 

Say what you will about the 1968-82 Corvettes but compared to these 1984-96 Corvettes, they just ooze styling mojo. They look like a Corvette. Yeah, they moaned, groaned, creeked and were impossibly cramped but man are they cool. And I'm not just saying that because I have '77 shit box rattle trap of my own. Now, combine the moxy of my car with the way these cars can perform and you'd have the stuff of legend. Unfortunately, that was never the case. 

This car is the far better athlete but for my money, it doesn't a hold a candle to my car in the all important, "oh wow" department. Just ask my now 20 year old. He knows everything. Just ask him and he'll tell you.