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I'm new and stuck between a C4/C5 ls1 swap. My friend has a 96 lt4 runs great no were can I find a lt4 swap in an earlier c4 for more power stock was 330 great start but ls1 swaps seam to have problems it's not easy notch Ac box frame notching but you can change an engine top side. A c5 has an ls1 to start but you have to take the body off the frame to change the engine. Both vets will need new engine soon but the c5 is 5 grand more in price yes you get better breaks better wheels a stiffer body and a ls1 to start. So is 5 grand worth the extra price for a 1997 vet were I live they start at 10 grand but a 96 6 speed can fetch around 6/8 grand and a 87/88 can be has for as little as 3 grand. Any ideas I'm shopping
First off, punctuation really makes it easier to read what you are trying to convey.
I'll play both cards here. You do not need to do an LS swap in a C4 to make power reliably, nor should an LT4 swap be considered. If the C4 engine is in good shape, with reasonable mileage (less than 125k I would say), then you can do heads, cam, long tube headers and a tune and make 400-420rwhp, which is about 440-460 flywheel horsepower. http://elliottsportworks.com/ If you get his LE1 kit or LE2 kit, he will custom grind a cam for YOUR goals. Doing an LE2 kit for $1600, rockers, ARP rocker studs, guideplates, pushrods, gaskets, long tube headers and a tune could cost about $3000 total, so look at the price of the C4 you are looking at, then add $3000 in mods, and you can have a C4 that is faster than a stock C5 for less money total.
You could do an LS swap, however getting an aluminum LS engine STOCK with all wiring and PCM is going to cost around $2000 right there, plus the mods to make it fit could cost $1000, but you are still left with a stock power LS engine, and a heads/cam LTx will blow it away. Or you can get a junkyard Tahoe/Yukon/Silverado 5.3 iron engine for $500, but you still need to add heads, cam and tune to make decent power, and you still need to make it fit.
Or you can buy a C5, which still after you paid more money for just the car, will be slower than a heads/cam C4 until you start modding it. However, the C5 has a much larger aftermarket, and the LS engine can make more power than an LTx engine, but you have to pay to play.
If you want a LS1, get a C5. The best of the C5s are the Z06 cars, without question. In fact, I think the C5 Z06 is one of the all-around best Corvettes of all time, and for ~15-22k for a clean one, one of the bets used-car bargains out there.
As for the C4s. Definitely try to hunt down a 1994 or newer LT1 M6 car. The 1992 and 1993 models are also LT1-powered, but have the old-style computer that is hard to find tuners for. If a tuner in your area is good with these you will be fine, but make sure someone in your area knows them well first. Otherwise you'll have headaches trying to get it tuned.
The LT4 cars are nice, but do command a premium as they were only made the last year and really clean ones are getting scarce. Expect to pay 8-15k for one with average (80-130k) miles in good condition. Pristine examples with very low miles will obviously command more, as will the silver collector edition cars.
As for the LT1 v the LT4. For the same price I'd take a very clean, low mileage LT1 car over an average to high mile LT4 car in average condition any day. The difference in power is just not that big between the two and can be easily made up with a few mods. Also, a 1994 or 1995 LT1 car will have the OBD1 pcm and will fall outside emissions regs in some jurisdictions, which I consider a plus. Both come with the 4-bolt mains.
Get a C5....why does it need a new engine soon? The C4 has a problematic cheesy digital dash cluster, optispark, 50 less rwhp, and a flexy chassis with cowl shake.
First off, punctuation really makes it easier to read what you are trying to convey.
I'll play both cards here. You do not need to do an LS swap in a C4 to make power reliably, nor should an LT4 swap be considered. If the C4 engine is in good shape, with reasonable mileage (less than 125k I would say), then you can do heads, cam, long tube headers and a tune and make 400-420rwhp, which is about 440-460 flywheel horsepower. http://elliottsportworks.com/ If you get his LE1 kit or LE2 kit, he will custom grind a cam for YOUR goals. Doing an LE2 kit for $1600, rockers, ARP rocker studs, guideplates, pushrods, gaskets, long tube headers and a tune could cost about $3000 total, so look at the price of the C4 you are looking at, then add $3000 in mods, and you can have a C4 that is faster than a stock C5 for less money total.
You could do an LS swap, however getting an aluminum LS engine STOCK with all wiring and PCM is going to cost around $2000 right there, plus the mods to make it fit could cost $1000, but you are still left with a stock power LS engine, and a heads/cam LTx will blow it away. Or you can get a junkyard Tahoe/Yukon/Silverado 5.3 iron engine for $500, but you still need to add heads, cam and tune to make decent power, and you still need to make it fit.
Or you can buy a C5, which still after you paid more money for just the car, will be slower than a heads/cam C4 until you start modding it. However, the C5 has a much larger aftermarket, and the LS engine can make more power than an LTx engine, but you have to pay to play.
You call him out on his punctuation then you write this
I've been mulling over this question....but don't plan on doing anything as I have so much invested in my '96 Z28. It's paid for and for just a 3 or 4K more can build it to out perform what a C5 Z06 can do in a straight line(add in curves...different story).
However, if I was to trade it for something, I'd go with a C5 Z06. They come in 385hp and 405hp variants. Either one gives you an excellent platform to start building a nice street machine.
A standard C5 M6 would not be a bad car either....something to consider.
C4 has advantages to a c5 that people forget. Seats for one. C4 seats hold you better! Manual trans parts are cheaper for a c4 and labor is easier. A 6 speed lt1 c4 with a few upgrades is as fast as a stock ls1. Optispark can be replaced with a 24x system, all though I've owned 3 lt1 cars and none had optispark problems people always bash the lt1 for it. 95-96 came factory with 13" front discs. The down side to a c4 is chassis flex and interior quality, but with the right braces that can be fixed. I didn't buy an lt4 because I plan to mod my lt1, I decided for a nicer car with lower miles over 30hp and a higher reading tachometer.
Its arguable which looks better a c5 or c4. Personally in my eyes the c4 is more aggressive looking.
Ls1 cars are not without their own issues. The corvette in those days, late c4 and early c5 both had a common problem trying to compete with cars worth double the price while being affordable. Thet both have areas where "quality" wasn't as good as it should've been. Now that a c7 is what, 60-70,000$? They can start to refine other amenities and not focus on engine and transmission.
C4 has advantages to a c5 that people forget. Seats for one. C4 seats hold you better! Manual trans parts are cheaper for a c4 and labor is easier. A 6 speed lt1 c4 with a few upgrades is as fast as a stock ls1. Optispark can be replaced with a 24x system, all though I've owned 3 lt1 cars and none had optispark problems people always bash the lt1 for it. 95-96 came factory with 13" front discs. The down side to a c4 is chassis flex and interior quality, but with the right braces that can be fixed. I didn't buy an lt4 because I plan to mod my lt1, I decided for a nicer car with lower miles over 30hp and a higher reading tachometer.
Its arguable which looks better a c5 or c4. Personally in my eyes the c4 is more aggressive looking.
Ls1 cars are not without their own issues. The corvette in those days, late c4 and early c5 both had a common problem trying to compete with cars worth double the price while being affordable. Thet both have areas where "quality" wasn't as good as it should've been. Now that a c7 is what, 60-70,000$? They can start to refine other amenities and not focus on engine and transmission.
Yeah, C4s do look a bit better, but they also have that huge transmission tunnel which leaves a very narrow and cramped footwell room for rowing gears if you have large feet/or not wearing racing shoes. Not to mention the very high door sills you have to contort over just to get in/out of the car. The C5 just drives worlds better has better ergonomics, roomier, and weight distribution with the transaxle placed in the rear instead of crowding the driver/passenger.
Not hating on them, but the improvements from C4 to C5 are massive!
All you guys have great points but the real one is. Even if you consider a c5 with better breaks bigger wheels lifting a body off the frame to swap a motor is money. I been quoted a grand plus just to lift the body not counting on the install. So all thing might not being equal I don't have the extra 5/7 grand for a c5. I have to look out of my area because Las Vegas car values are like paying for a date. But with a date you at lease get kissed
All you guys have great points but the real one is. Even if you consider a c5 with better breaks bigger wheels lifting a body off the frame to swap a motor is money. I been quoted a grand plus just to lift the body not counting on the install. So all thing might not being equal I don't have the extra 5/7 grand for a c5. I have to look out of my area because Las Vegas car values are like paying for a date. But with a date you at lease get kissed
Please elaborate this lifting the body off the frame thing. The body is the frame....
I have a love hate with my 92 corvette. Love the looks, seats, gauge cluster, handling, and the fact that it's the last of the hardcore corvette. I HATE the LT1 engine. I changed every single gasket on that damned thing and it still leaks oil badly, this time from the brand new rear main. The entry/exit takes some getting used to, but if you're around 6 foot, you should be OK. Oh and it's a rattle trap. The LS1 swap seems to be a nightmare, I have researched it extensively.
The reason for the c4s goofiness is it was supposed to be t top not targa top. By the time the c5 came out the had 12 years to figure out how to strengthen the chassis to make the targa top work without having door sills crazy high. You feel like you're getting into a race car with the c4 though.
Took these pics this morning. My 2 favorite parts about my 95. First is the gear shift in relation to the steering wheel, shifter is in first gear there and it's less then a hand width away. Second is the hood. I love the arches over the shock towers. Oh and speaking of shocks, you can replace front shocks on a c4 with the wheels still on. I bet a c4 has better under hood access too since the whole thing opens. Its crazy the access you have.
Took these pics this morning. My 2 favorite parts about my 95. First is the gear shift in relation to the steering wheel, shifter is in first gear there and it's less then a hand width away. Second is the hood. I love the arches over the shock towers. Oh and speaking of shocks, you can replace front shocks on a c4 with the wheels still on. I bet a c4 has better under hood access too since the whole thing opens. Its crazy the access you have.
I've worked on both C4's and C5's. The C4 has easier access to the suspension system, but then engine bay is incredibly cramped. If you have to access anything below the valve covers, you're screwed.
11-03-2015, 06:48 PM
New corvette buyer 
The C4 has a problematic cheesy digital dash cluster, optispark, 50 less rwhp, and a flexy chassis with cowl shake. 
The C5 just drives worlds better has better ergonomics, roomier, and weight distribution with the transaxle placed in the rear instead of crowding the driver/passenger. 
