How terrible/expensive are they to keep running (assuming TPI or LT1)? Still reliable enough to drive daily? I have previously driven an 85 shelby charger, 87 alfa milano, 83 mercedes 300SD with 450k miles, 98 mercedes with 240k, and currently a subaru legacy with 450k, and only the charger and the 98 mercedes were really bad. If an old corvette would be better than that I could see it being fun for a while.
I have no doubt that a C4 Corvette would be at least as reliable as the other cars you have owned. And way cooler. Chevy parts tend to be cheap, too, and readily available. I had a 1986 that I sold in the mid 90s and I still see it driving around town today.
I'll let you know, I bought Pats "almost running" 91 automatic. Figured it will be a good daily for the summer.
I think as long as you don't end up with an '84 Crossfire car you will do pretty OK.
It's hard to go wrong with a small block, 700r4, and dana rear axle. My dad daily drove mine in the summer for 6 years before i bought it from him.
The only issues I ever saw in great quantities are fuel injectors on the 89-91 cars for some reason like to go out often. I really like the LT1 cars a lot better. I've seen more than a few of those in the 150K+ mileage range and you can get them in the 6-7K range with 80-100K miles.
I guess the other question would be how much trouble they have passing emissions testing, I am in California and they are pushing hard to get all pre 2000 vehicles off the road so its only going to get harder to keep something like that registered. If it was cheap enough and fun for a few years id figure I got my moneys worth anyway, but some cars are already a problem.
No idea on the difficulty, but I'd hazard a guess that the 350 Chevy is probably the engine with the most documentation on getting it to limp through smog.
Keeping it running is cheap, keeping to pretty is expensive.
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