Two details marked the 1985 Corvette as being different from its newly-restyled 1984 predecessor.
- The first detail was a new Tuned Port Injection nameplate on fender molding and the second was the straight tailpipes at the rear.
- That nameplate identified a new 350-cid (5.7-liter) V-8 under the hood.
- It had a tuned-port-fuel-injection (TPI) system and 230 hp.
- City fuel economy ratings went up.
- Otherwise, the only evident change was a slight strengthening in the intensity of the Red and Silver body colors.
- The Corvette's smoothly-sloped nose, adorned by nothing other than a circular emblem, held retracting halogen headlamps.
- Wide parking and signal lamps nearly filled the space between license plate and outer body edge.
- Wide horizontal side marker lenses were just ahead of the front wheels.
- The large air cleaner of 1982 was replaced by an elongated plenum chamber with eight curved aluminum runners.
- Mounted ahead of the radiator, it ducted incoming air into the plenum through a Bosch hot-wire mass-airflow sensor.
- Those tuned runners were meant to boost power at low to medium rpms, following a principle similar to that used for the tall intake stacks in racing engines.
- Electronic Spark Control (ESC) sensed knocking and adjusted timing to fit fuel octane.
- Under the chassis, the 1985 Corvette carried a reworked suspension (both standard and optional Z51) to soften the ride without losing control.
- The Z5l handling package now included 9.5-inch wheels all around, along with Delco-Bilstein gas-charged shock absorbers and a heavy-duty cooling system.
- The stabilizer bars in the Z51 package were thicker.
- Spring rates on both suspensions were reduced.
- Cast aluminum wheels held P255/50VR-16 Eagle GT tires.
- Brake master cylinders used a new large-capacity plastic booster.
- Manual gearboxes drove rear axles with 8.5-inch ring gears.
- The Corvette's instrument-cluster graphics had a bolder look and its root panels added more solar screening.
- An optional leather-trimmed sport seat arrived at midyear.
- Corvette standard equipment included
- an electronic information center
- air conditioning
- limited-slip differential
- power four-wheel disc brakes
- power steering
- cornering lamps
- a seek-and-scan AM/FM stereo radio with four speakers
- automatic power antenna.
- cigarette lighter
- digital clock
- tachometer
- intermittent windshield wipers
- halogen fog lamps
- side window defoggers.
- Corvettes had
- contour high-back cloth bucket seats
- power windows
- a trip odometer
- a theft-deterrent system with starter interrupt
- a compact spare tire
- dual electric remote-control sport mirrors
- tinted glass.
- Black belt, windshield, and body side moldings, plus color-keyed rocker panel moldings protected the bodies.
- A four-speed overdrive automatic transmission was standard, with a four-speed manual (with overdrive in three gears) available at no extra cost.
- Body colors were
- Silver Metallic
- Medium Gray Metallic
- Light Blue Metallic
- Medium Blue Metallic
- White
- Black
- Gold Metallic
- Light Bronze Metallic
- Dark Bronze Metallic
- Bright Red
- Two-tone options were
- Silver and Gray
- Light Blue and Medium Blue
- Light Bronze and Dark Bronze
- Interiors came in Carmine; Bronze; Graphite; Medium Blue; Medium Gray; and Saddle.
V.I.N. NUMBERS
- The serial number [Vehicle Identification Number -- VIN] was stamped on a plate on the inner vertical surface of the left windshield pillar visible through the windshield.
- The Serial numbers ranged from 1G1YY07*7F5100001 to 1G1YY07*7F5139729
| Position |
Character |
Description |
| 1 |
1 |
US built |
| 2 |
G |
General Motors product |
| 3 |
1 |
Chevrolet Motor Division vehicle |
| 4 |
Y |
Type of restraint system |
| 5 |
Y |
Corvette car line series |
| 6 & 7 |
07 |
Body style number: two-door hatchback coupe |
| 8 |
8 |
5.7-liter Tuned-Port-Injection (TPI) Chevrolet V8 |
| 9 |
? |
A check digit that calculates the characters in the serial number and gives it a single digit code and can be used to verify that the serial number is legitimate |
| 10 |
F |
The model year where 1985 |
| 11 |
5 |
Bowling Green, KY |
| 12-17 |
100001 and up |
production sequence |
- Engine serial number began 0001001
- Corvette engines have the last six digits of the VIN stamped on the block just ahead of the cylinder head on the right-hand side combined with a three-letter engine code suffix
- Also cast into the top rear of the block is a four-symbol code indicating when the engine was built
- The first letter of the date code shows the month the block was cast
- The one or two numbers shows the month
- The last digit shows the year
- Engine suffixes:
| Code |
Engine |
Horsepower |
Compression |
Transmission |
Fuel Supply |
Extra features |
| ZDF |
L98 350-cid |
230-hp V-8 |
9.0:1 |
THM automatic |
tuned port injection |
|
| ZJB |
L98 350-cid |
230-hp V-8 |
9.0:1 |
manual |
tuned port injection |
|
| ZJC |
L98 350-cid |
230-hp V-8 |
9.0:1 |
THM automatic |
tuned port injection |
for export |
| ZJJ |
L98 350-cid |
230-hp V-8 |
9.0:1 |
THM automatic |
tuned port injection |
engine oil cooler |
| ZJK |
L98 350-cid |
230-hp V-8 |
9.0:1 |
manual |
tuned port injection |
engine oil cooler |
- The 1985 Corvette exterior colors were:
- 13 = Silver Metallic
- 18 = Medium Gray Metallic
- 20 = Light Blue Metallic
- 23 = Medium Blue Metallic
- 40 = White
- 41 = Black
- 53 = Gold Metallic
- 63 = Light Bronze Metallic
- 66 = Dark Bronze Metallic
- 81 = Bright Red
- 13/18 = Silver and Gray
- 20/23 = Light Blue and Medium Blue
- 63/66 = Light Bronze and Dark Bronze
- Upholstery Codes
| Color |
Cloth & Leather Upholstery |
Sport Cloth Upholstery |
Leather Upholstery |
| Green |
12C |
12V |
|
| Medium Gray |
15C |
15V |
152 |
| Medium Blue |
28C |
28V |
282 |
| Saddle |
62C |
62V |
622 |
| Bronze |
65C |
65V |
652 |
| Graphite |
|
|
122 |
| Carmine |
|
|
742 |
IDENTIFICATION
| Model |
Model No. |
Body/Style No. |
Body Type |
Factory Price |
Shipping Weight |
Production Total |
| Corvette |
1Y |
Y07 |
2-dr. Hatch Coupe - 2 passenger
|
$21,800 |
3088 |
51,547 |
ENGINE
| Feature |
Standard Engine (RPO L98) |
| Type |
V-8, 90-degree Overhead valve |
| Block |
Cast iron block |
| Displacement |
350 cid (5.7 liters) |
| Bore & Stroke |
4.00" x 3.48" |
| Compression ratio |
9.0:1 |
| Brake horsepower |
230 @ 4000 |
| Torque |
330 lb-ft @ 3200 |
| Main bearing |
five |
| Valve lifters |
hydraulic |
| Fuel supply |
Tuned-port injection (TPI) system |
TRANSMISSION
- Automatic Transmission
- Four-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic (TMH 700-R4)
- floor-mounted gear shifter
- gear ratios
- 1st = 3.06:1
- 2nd = 1.63:1
- 3rd = 1.00:1
- 4th = 0.70:1
- Rev = 2.29:1
- Final drive ratio: 2.73:1
- Manual Transmission
- Four-speed manual with overdrive
- floor-mounted gear shifter
- gear ratios
- 1st = 2.88:1
- 2nd = 1.91:1
- 3rd = 1.33:1
- 4th = 1.00:1
- overdrive = 0.67:1
- Rev = 2.78:1
- Final drive ratio: 3.07:1 (optional 3.31:1)
- Planetary overdrive ratios:
- 2nd = 1.28:1
- 3rd = 0.89:1
- 4th = 0.67:1
CHASSIS
| Feature |
Coupe |
| Wheelbase |
96.2 inches (2.443 m) |
| Overall length |
176.5 inches (4.483 m) |
| Overall width |
71.0 inches (1.803 m) |
| Overall height |
46.4 inches (1.179 m) |
| Front tread |
59.6 inches (1.514 m) |
| Rear tread |
60.4 inches (1.534 m) |
| Standard Wheel size |
16 x 8.5 inches |
| Standard Tires |
P255/50VR-16 SBR |
| Steering |
rack and pinion (power assisted) |
| Front suspension |
Single fiberglass composite monoleaf transverse spring with unequal-length aluminum control arms and stabilizer bar |
| Rear suspension |
Fully independent five-link system with transverse fiberglass single-leaf springs, aluminum upper/lower trailing links and strut-rod tie-rod assembly |
| Brakes |
Four-wheel power disc |
| Body construction |
Unibody with partial front frame |
| Fuel tank |
20 US Gal (16.7 Imp Gal) (76 liters) |
OPTIONS
| RPO AG9 |
Power driver seat |
$215 |
| RPO AQ9 |
Sports leather seats |
$1025 |
| RPO AR9 |
Base leather seats |
$400 |
| RPO |
Sports seats, cloth |
$625 |
| RPO AU3 |
Power door locks |
$170 |
| RPO CC3 |
Removable transparent roof panel |
$595 |
| RPO D84 |
Two-tone paint |
$428 |
| RPO FG3 |
Delco-Bilstein shock absorbers |
$189 |
| RPO G92 |
Performance axle ratio |
$22 |
| RPO K34 |
Cruise control |
$185 |
| RPO MM4 |
Four-speed manual transmission |
no-cost option |
| RPO UL5 |
Radio delete |
$256 credit |
| RPO UN8 |
AM-FM stereo with Citizens Band |
$215 |
| RPO UU8 |
Delco-Bose stereo system |
$895 |
| RPO V08 |
Heavy-duty cooling |
$225 |
| RPO Z51 |
Performance handling package |
$470 |
| RPO Z6A |
Rear window and side mirror defoggers |
$160 |
