pointofdeparture wrote: In reply to Joe Gearin: Revised interior actually came in '90. If I ever acquire a C4 it will be a 1990 because that is the only year you could get the old body with the new interior.
My buddy has a 6-speed 1990 for exactly that reason - last of the old body with the new interior.
Another model year to point out is 1989 was the year that the ZF 6-speed replaced the 4+3 manual.
Joe Gearin wrote: 83-- No Corvette, as GM didn't have their act together with the C4 yet.
Well, you say that, but.....
Yes, I know they never really made them and that this is a prototype. Just felt like being pedantic. 
By most metrics the C4s were crappy cars. Under powered, cheap plastic everything, rattles, squeaks, unduly harsh ride, questionable ergonomics and poor build quality. However, prices have dropped to the point that they're now a lot of coolness and performance for the money. If you like the looks of them and want an affordable fun car they should be on the list of options.
A porting of the Crossfire intake runners is good for an nice hp bump on the 84's. Gives about a 1/2 sec improvement in the 1/4. Huge restriction right before the heads.
http://www.technovelocity.com/chevyhackers/tech_articles/port_polish/port_polish.html
They actually make a performance intake for the Crossfire now, if you don't want to mod the original one. Crossfire Intake
yea throw a couple Big block TBI's on it and at 544.00 kinda affordable, I was going to weld on 2 bbl. base plate and use 2-2 bbl. carbs Ala 68 Z28 intake (Iknow they used 4 bbl carbs)But even with a pair of 390cfm carbs they were a bit Over carbed on a 302.
If I recall correctly, the crossfire intake design closely resembles/or is related to the old 302 Dual carb intake. Except for using 2 x 1 bbl TBI's.
Seems like everything for this chassis and engine is fairly inexpensive (when compared to a lot of other v8's or corvettes). True? Is there a "oh crap, you gotta replace THAT?!?!?" Situation?
Trackmouse wrote: Seems like everything for this chassis and engine is fairly inexpensive (when compared to a lot of other v8's or corvettes). True? Is there a "oh crap, you gotta replace THAT?!?!?" Situation?
Isn't the windshield frame/firewall something that can rust out and leave you with the automotive equivalent of a rotted-out motorhome?
Yea the early digital dash and stuff, But that is where car Crafting comes in, Not to Worry.
Knurled wrote:Trackmouse wrote: Seems like everything for this chassis and engine is fairly inexpensive (when compared to a lot of other v8's or corvettes). True? Is there a "oh crap, you gotta replace THAT?!?!?" Situation?Isn't the windshield frame/firewall something that can rust out and leave you with the automotive equivalent of a rotted-out motorhome?
Not that I have seen, More plastic than Metal in that area. I know this because I cut out my Firewall to set the engine Back.
Maybe I'm thinking of the C3s then.
Bumper revisions came in 91. Aluminum heads were added in late 86 but were greatly improved by 88 thanks to hydraulic lifters. ABS came in 86. Suspension changed to zero scrub radius in 88. As already covered, the cars continuously improved.
The rep is for squeaks and rattles but interior integrity was greatly improved in 90 and again in 94. By 95 trim changes, insulation and industrial Velcro had transformed the interior environment into a very pleasant GT place to be.
Agree with most of the points already made. Buy the iteration that best meets your budget and needs. All rubber body seals are available. The best argument for 88 and up cars, except for the uncommon "base" suspension in 88, is their use of 17" wheels as the performance tire selection is way better than for the earlier 16" ones.
I've been refreshing a 94 ZR-1 since last summer and have been able to find everything I needed so far including some interior pieces and switchgear. Prices vary by vendor and it pays to shop around, including the bone yards. As an aside, while there are some jobs that aren't super easy, I've always found the C4 relatively simple to work on. I'm not saying the guys who hate to work on them are wrong, it's just not the hardest car I've worked on. For instance, our Saab 9-5 is an order of magnitude more difficult to wrench.
The engine bay of the C4 is actually pretty damn easy to work around once you take the front wheels off & lift the car up on stands so you're not hunched all the way over. Packaging is tight in some places, but still better than most anything from the last 25-years.
Pro tip: for putting a C4 up on jack stands, this is hard to beat for the money. I really wanted those trick stands you use a floor jack with but $700+shipping was more than I could spend.
Is the clamshell hard to take off? Seems like it would get in the way from the side of the vette.
Keith Tanner wrote: People forget just how much better the '84 Corvette was than the '83.
The 83 was so bad they didnt sell a one!
My dad worked at Borg Warner in Sterling Heights Michigan and had a prototype C4 vette as a company car for a year while he worked out the lock up converter, I would take it out to Gratiot and Woodward on the weekends to put miles on it. It was interesting to see everyone look at it. It had no badges on it and we could not say what it was.
At the end of the term it was driven across the street to Warhoops and destroyed. I wanted to keep so many parts off it like I did in the past but there were a team there from the tech center to make sure it didnt get dealer preped.
Tom_Spangler wrote:Joe Gearin wrote: 83-- No Corvette, as GM didn't have their act together with the C4 yet.Well, you say that, but.....
In reply to Trackmouse:
It's heavy, so that would be the biggest challenge of removing it. It's not really in the way at all though - I pulled my engine & reinstalled it with the hood still attached. With the wheels off there was plenty of room to maneuver the hoist in at an angle from the driver's side.
Early C4s are starting to show up at Pick Your Parts now so parts can be had cheap. Here in the California deserts the fiberglass bodys fall apart from the heat if they are stored outside, a lot of Vette Carts are being built in garages around here.
This sounds like a trend for these cars? Maybe an air cooled Porsche trend?
Fyi- my favorite c4 in the world! http://oppositelock.kinja.com/west-racing-c4-corvette-1629843547
From the very video game that got me into Japanese cars!
Back in the day, I had a few friends who had each bought one new. All of them had dash issues, including dash fires. Not sure how common these issues are, but I found it more than coincidental.
Trackmouse wrote: Watching the 3hr old MCM video, I'm like fifteen minutes in and now I want one. Several near me for about 2700-3000$. What should I know/avoid/run from? How easily Can the EFI be removed and turned carb'?
I've been wanting one for a while now. I figure a scruffy one with a junkyard ls and a healthy shot of giggle gas ought to be fun and cheap.
Trackmouse wrote: Seems like everything for this chassis and engine is fairly inexpensive (when compared to a lot of other v8's or corvettes). True? Is there a "oh crap, you gotta replace THAT?!?!?" Situation?
Engine parts are laughably cheap for stock replacements. Neither the 700r4 or Dana-36(automatic only) will handle more than ~400hp - if you break either of those then things can start getting expensive.
To replace the stock EFI with a carb you need: 1.) a low-profile intake manifold, 2.) an HEI distributor, 3). an adjustable fuel pressure regulator to take the stock EFI pressure down to the ~5lbs needed for a carb, and 4.) a carb. Ok, you also need the fittings to attach the regulator to the stock lines, and the carb to the regulator; the bracketry and attachments to connect the throttle & TV cables to the carb; and possibly some rerouting of the serpentine belt and/or upper radiator hose.
This is the best C4 TPI -> carb description I've found. If the page doesn't take you to the correct blog entry it's listed on the left side of the page.
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