Fan Friday: Scott Nelson's 1980 Red C3 Corvette

Scott Nelson's mom says "Corvette" was one of his first words. At 2 years old he would point at one rolling by and name it, clear as day. "Apparently Corvette is a word you can't mispronounce at 2," he told us. Sixty-five years later, he finally has one of his own.

The C1s caught his eye first. Then the 1963 Sting Ray arrived when he was almost 5, and it was even better. But the car that stuck came in early 1968, when a 9-year-old Scott saw a C3 in person for the first time. It was silver, and until then he had only known the shape from magazines and a Hot Wheels car. Life had other plans for a while. Scott has been in trucking since the '70s, and he bought his first rig brand new in 1980, at 21. He spent the years after that running over the road and watching Corvettes go by. Now that he's mostly retired, he finally has the time, and the car he brought home is a 1980 C3 in bright red over a red interior, the same model year as that first truck. He knows 1980 isn't anybody's favorite year for Corvette engines, and he has plans for that. As for the changes between '68 and '80? "The C3 is what I've wanted since I was 9 years old."

1980 was the year Chevrolet put the C3 on a diet. Thinner doors and hood, lighter roof panels, and an aluminum differential housing and crossmember took nearly 250 pounds out of the car. The front and rear spoilers, which used to be optional, were now molded right into the bodywork. It was also the first year for the federally mandated 85-mph speedometer, which limited the needle and nothing else. Chevrolet built 40,614 Corvettes for 1980. Scott's wears what appears to be Red, the only non-metallic red on that year's order sheet, and one of 5,714 cars finished in it, about one in seven.

Thanks for sharing your story, Scott — the 9-year-old who saw that silver C3 in 1968 would be proud of the Corvette you finally brought home. 🏎️

Parts for a Late-C3 Owner

If there's a late C3 in your garage, or one on your list, these are made for it.

1980 C3 Corvette Lighted Wall Clock — Made for this exact model year, a garage clock for anyone whose '80 has finally made it home. → Shop the 1980 C3 Lighted Wall Clock

Lloyd Classic Loop C3 Floor Mats — Available in Red with the 1980–82 Corvette script or crossed-flags logo, a natural match for a late C3 with a red interior. → Shop Lloyd Classic Loop C3 Floor Mats

C3 Corvette Embroidered Hat — A C3 cap for the drive to coffee, the cruise-in, or anywhere the car goes on a Saturday. → Shop the C3 Embroidered Hat

Want to be featured in a future Fan Friday?

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