The C3 "shark" cars had the longest run of all Corvettes to date: 14 model years running from '68 to '82. And even though the C3's technology and styling were getting a little long in the tooth by the end of that span, buyers didn't seem to care. In '79, Corvette sales hit an all-time high of 53,807 units-a mark that still stands today.
Corvette badges, meanwhile, never stopped evolving. Over the same period, the famous crossed-flags insignia was significantly updated, and fresh designs were developed to denote special-edition models and new technology.
 '77-'79 L-82 Hood Badge The...  '77-'79 L-82 Hood Badge
The L-82 arrived as the Corvette's optional performance engine in '73 and continued on in various states of tune for the next seven years. This 350ci mill started out rated at 250 horsepower, dipped to 205 hp in '75, and ended its run at 230 hp in '80. While those numbers might have compared poorly with the top small-blocks of the '60s and early '70s, at least an L-82 car still came with a badge signifying its owner's high-performance intentions. |  '78 Nose Badge The '78 season...  '78 Nose Badge
The '78 season marked an important milestone in Corvette history. To celebrate, all '78 Vettes wore a stylized 25th Anniversary nose badge. Of course, the big news in '78 was the debut of the first Pace Car model. Chevy cranked out 6,502 of these black-and-silver coupes, and collectors went wild. The sticker price was $13,653-$4,302 more than a base Vette-but some buyers paid more than $25,000 to own one. Still, despite their historical importance, the '78 Pace Cars never appreciated the way the speculators had hoped. |  '79 Nose Crossed-Flags Badge...  '79 Nose Crossed-Flags Badge
The crossed flags on the nose of the '79 Corvette were exactly the same as the ones used on the 25th Anniversary badge, minus the circular setting. It was the first time since '72 that the flags had appeared without a background. In addition to setting a sales record, '79 also marked the first year the base Corvette was priced above the $10,000 mark. The Vette's $10,220 asking price was almost double that of the '70-1/2 model. |
 '80-'82 Nose Badge For '80,...  '80-'82 Nose Badge
For '80, the Corvette underwent its first major facelift since the arrival of soft bumper covers in '73. The trend in graphics was moving away from script lettering designs toward a blockier, more angular look. Accordingly, the stylized flags on the car's new nose badge didn't cross. Rather, they were joined at the bottom in a V shape, with the Chevy bowtie and marquee on the left and the checker-board pattern on the right. This modernized version of the classic insignia complemented the Vette's new front and rear bumper covers nicely. |  '80-'82 Gas-cap Badge The...  '80-'82 Gas-cap Badge
The new flag design was used also on the gas-cap door, only without the swept-back look used on the nose. This badge may well have been an earlier version of the new layout. |  '80-'82 Rear-bumper Badge...  '80-'82 Rear-bumper Badge
In keeping with the bold, new graphic theme, the '80-'82 rear-bumper badge used lower-case, bauhaus-inspired lettering. This was a very popular font in the late '70s and early '80s. Buyers continued to snap up Vettes almost as fast as Chevy could build them, but sticker shock-caused by double-digit inflation at the time-was likely an issue for many. From '79 to '82, the Vette's base price increased $8,070, to a new high of $18,290. |
 '82 Collector Edition Nose...  '82 Collector Edition Nose Badge
The word was officially out: An all-new Corvette would bow in September 1983 as an '84 model. To commemorate the last of the C3s, Chevy created the Collector Edition. This pricey sendoff ($22,537-another new high) came with a number of exclusive extras including lifting hatch glass, aluminum "turbine" wheels, silver-beige paint and leather, and special body-side graphics. Sadly, there was no performance engine option or manual transmission available on any of the '82 models. |  '82 Cross-Fire Injection Fender...  '82 Cross-Fire Injection Fender Badge
Introduced for '82, Cross-Fire Injection marked Chevy's first attempt at a modern fuel-injection system. Unlike the mechanical Rochester setup used in the '57-'65 "fuelie" cars, CFI essentially comprised two small carburetors that were fitted with individual, computer-controlled injectors and mounted atop an elaborate aluminum manifold. The engine's 200hp rating wasn't all that exciting, but it hinted at greater things to come. | |