The Introduction of the C4 Corvette

Forty-two of the C4 pilot cars met that fate, but the one above identified as RBV098, slipped through.

The 83 Prototype That Escaped The Crusher

Each 1983 C4 Corvette assembled at the Bowling Green factory in summer 1982, repeat - summer of 1982 - that is, specifically and exclusively the 43 “pilot line assembly” cars, would be destroyed and disposed of e on site via a crusher brought in by upper management. However, when the time came to crush each 1983 pilot lineCorvette’s , a pair of cowboy boots saved one of them.

Ralph Montileone, Quality manager at the Bowling Green plant in 1983, was responsible for supervising and ensuring each car was destroyed and disposed of.

(This is a very rigorous crucially important process required to be managed, witnessed, and certified by an executive from upper management. These production iterations must not ever get into the hands of anyone - hence crushing. Montileone was required to be present through the entire process. There was special documentation for each car. Every location on the vehicle with its unique identifiable information - such as on the frame and vin plate was cut out, removed, physically attached to each sheet, and, certified over signature - it had been crushed)

However, it began to storm as the process was nearing its completion. Montileone recalls looking down at his feet and his brand new custom made Texas cowboy boots. With mud and puddles now awash at the crushing location he decided dirtying his new kicks was not an option; he would move the final 1983 Corvette Prototype to the crusher the next day.

But, the crusher departed that night without Montileone’s knowledge. When he returned the next day, the last 1983 Pilot Corvette sat there with no way to be disposed. So, he pulled it around to the back of the assembly plant, hoped and prayed it and/or his omission would not be discovered (it could mean his job)and, there it sat.

And it would continue to sit, and sit …

Until … Paul Schnoes, who was transferred to the Bowling Green assembly plant as manager in 1984 found it parked outside, neglected. He had it cleaned up and put on display with an American flag motif paint job,

Here it is

(The photo didn’t transfer along with copy - it’s the same one as above : red,white, and blue surrounded by stanchions)

It would finally go on display for visitors of the plant after the Bowling Green assembly plant requested official ownership of it from General Motors.

When the National Corvette Museum opened in 1994, General Motors loaned it for display and eventually donated it to the museum.

Today it resides at its permanent home at theNational Corvette Museumall thanks to a spiffy new pair of boots.

The one and only 1983 Corvette on display at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

PS/Footnote

It is very important to understand the difference between the car above and the thousands of C4 Corvettes produced during the 1983 Production Year.

It is not by far the only C4 Corvette produced in 1983.

In fact it was not even produced in 1983.

It was produced in summer 1982

So what makes it the only 1983 Corvette?

ITS OFFICIAL VIN NUMBER IDENTIFICATION

And … the fact that its other 42 littermates - also “Vined” as 1983 prototypes were destroyed.

These cars by the way, or at least some of them, were the very cars that were the guests of honor at the long lead press introduction on 30 November-1 December 1982 at Riverside Raceway in California.