1985 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe

- 42k Original Miles
- Silver over Gray
- 5.7L V8 with Automatic
- Removable Glass Top

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this '85 Corvette on a website other than our main website, it's possible that only some of our many photographs of the car are shown due to website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 150 photographs, a link to a short startup-and-walkaround video, and another link to the car's accident and damage-free, low-mileage Carfax history report, please go to our main website: GarageKeptMotors.)

“Little red Corvette, baby, you're much too fast. Little red Corvette, you need a love that gonna last.” – Prince

The lyrics to Prince's 1982 song capture the timeless appeal of every Corvette (red or any other color), certainly including the C4 cars which were in the late stages of development when the song hit the charts. This fourth Corvette generation would endure for a dozen years, from 1984 through 1996.

The C4 Corvette represented a major development for Chevrolet and, over its long production run, featured many firsts for the legendary marque. Not least of these was the replacement of earlier Corvette body-on-frame construction with a steel “birdcage” uni-body, and a center spine connecting the engine to the differential and supporting the drive shaft. Body stiffness was improved dramatically. The new exterior body design incorporated a track-inspired, clam-shell-style hood, hinged at the front, which exposed the entire engine for easy-access servicing. A horizontal rub strip bisected and surrounded the body and, in addition to giving the car a design signature for its wedge look, also concealed the seam where the two fiberglass body panels were joined.

The C4 cars were lower, but also shorter than the earlier C3-series Corvettes, and delighted owners with more interior room, and a more comfortable seating position. Digital instrumentation and a completely re-designed interior with new seating technology were significant changes. Other innovations included power rack and pinion steering, forged aluminum suspension components, fiberglass transverse-mounted front and rear springs, and four-wheel disc brakes. The C4 was truly an all-new Corvette.

For 1985, there were developmental improvements over the '84 model. As Car and Driver noted approvingly: “That's the way it has to be when your stated goal is producing the world's best sports car.” The more efficient L98 350 cubic-inch (5.7 liter) TPI (Tuned Port Injection) engine rated at 230 horsepower was standard. On overall performance, Hemmings Motor News declared: “… the C4 was a world-class sports car, capable of 150 MPH and .95g on the skid pad, at a fraction of the cost of a Ferrari.”

The very well-maintained, low-mileage, 1985 silver-over-dark gray Corvette coupe offered here captures the Eighties vibe perfectly. At just 42,000 original miles, the car has traveled fewer than 1,250 miles per-year on average, making it a true (and rare) very low-mileage Corvette.

The car's original light silver paint, with darker metallic gray lower-body accent paint, retains its like-new gloss overall; there is no sign of fading or significant wear. It's a classic combination that has retained its timeless appeal. The removable darkened glass roof panel as well as all cabin glass (including on the rear hatch) is clear and free of damage of any sort. All badging is present in the factory-applied locations on the body including the "Tuned Port Injection" nomenclature on the front fenders. Original-equipment, 16-inch styled aluminum wheels in excellent condition are mounted with BFGoodrich Comp2 A/S tires.

Inside, the bespoke bucket seats created specifically for the C4 by Lear-Siegler are upholstered in a dark-gray houndstooth fabric with black trim. The seats are known for their comfort and highly effective side-bolstering. The handsome upholstery fabric is free of rips, tears, or discoloration. Switchgear is vintage 1980s including the fully functioning, colorful digital displays framed by a black steering wheel wearing the Corvette emblem. The automatic-transmission shifter is mounted on the console. A factory-installed Delco audio system, including cargo-area rear speakers, operates as it should. Dark charcoal carpeting is in place throughout the cockpit and continuing into the rear cargo area.

Beneath the front-hinged hood (and fenders), the engine compartment is in order with no sign of add-ons or aftermarket modifications. The 5.7-liter V8's design stands out with its center cold-air-supply feeding air overhead to the valve intakes. (Be sure to watch--and listen to--the video of the car at GarageKeptMotors website to hear the smooth, throaty L98 engine audio signature.) All related components—including air conditioning--are properly mounted in a clean and tidy engine bay. Viewed from below, the car's chassis shows no damage as might be the case from too-aggressive driving styles; the dual exhaust components are entirely free of damage.

The outstanding, original condition of this classic Corvette coupe is faithfully presented in the more than 150 high-definition photographs together with a short walk-around-and-startup video available at the GarageKeptMotors site. That said, there is no substitute for an in-person, up-close inspection. We encourage such inspections by interested parties at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. We ask only that an appointment be made by phone or email in advance. Our showroom is not open to the public. We are happy to answer questions by way of phone or mail.

From music lyrics to pop culture, the eighties were a time when “much too fast” was pretty much the way things were. For anyone for whom that decade was a coming-of-age time, this Corvette could be a time-travel machine to transport them back to those good times, even as it provides ample sportscar performance today. To borrow Prince's lyrics again, this silver Corvette may well be the next owner's "love that's gonna last."