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Corvette C4 ...good idea ?

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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 03:05 PM
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Exclamation Corvette C4 ...good idea ?

I was just thinking about the C4 , I find it more attractive than the c5 .

how about buying one and swap to ls1 or ls2 ?? is it a good idea ?


how much a stock c4 cost ???



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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 03:29 PM
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I like my C4 but if I had the money of course I would have a C6. You don't need to put a LSX motor in it to get power. I run 12.0's with a Hot Cam and some bolt on's. The car passes smog no problem and drives great on the street. As for cost depends were you live but under 10K will get you a good one. They improved every year so the newer the better.
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 03:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Vettestir
I like my C4 but if I had the money of course I would have a C6. You don't need to put a LSX motor in it to get power. I run 12.0's with a Hot Cam and some bolt on's. The car passes smog no problem and drives great on the street. As for cost depends were you live but under 10K will get you a good one. They improved every year so the newer the better.

what year is ur c4 ? I found a '94 automatic , the guy is asking $6k . The car needs maintenance and the interior is not in good condition .
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 03:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Mohammed
I was just thinking about the C4 , I find it more attractive than the c5 .

how about buying one and swap to ls1 or ls2 ?? is it a good idea ?


how much a stock c4 cost ???




well that one looks like the Grand Sport...so it would be more expensive then a regular one...lol
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 03:47 PM
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Originally Posted by baalic
well that one looks like the Grand Sport...so it would be more expensive then a regular one...lol

yea i know , I just love how the GS looks
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 04:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Mohammed
what year is ur c4 ? I found a '94 automatic , the guy is asking $6k . The car needs maintenance and the interior is not in good condition .
I have a 96 auto. 6K for a 94 is a good deal as long as it's not to torn up.
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 04:22 PM
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I have an 85 with a gen 1. They are fun lil cars for sure. I daily drive mine and its painted like a grand sport but in atomic orange and black stripe

LS1 swap gets you a car that rides on rails that weighs 2900lbs
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 06:02 PM
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I always loved the late model C4s, didn't care much for them before the 90s. I would look for a clean one with good maintenance history. My personal favorite is the Grand Sport, pure sex! I would pass on a C4 ZR1, a DOHC cammer would be a nightmare if there were problems and expensive to fix. The LT1 in the late model C4s can make great power as already mentioned and will not be weak sauce with the right mods.
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 06:35 PM
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Run far away from the C4's... unless you are talking ZR1, Grand Sport (pictured), 96 Collectors Edition(LT4).. You get what you pay for and although $6K sounds like a good price for a 94.. I can guarentee that you will put double the money back into it!

You can find the CE's all day long for $13K and up... LT4/MN6 is tough to beat! You are going to pay for the GS's,ZR1's... I have owned two C4's (1993/1996CE) and loved them both @ the time. The 93 gave me fits! I purchased my 01 Z06 new and have never looked back! just my .02 since you asked. Good luck with your endeavours..
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 06:39 PM
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I would do an ls swap if i had one, i know theres companys out there that makes headers for the swap. It was project C4orce in corvette fever mag, and there made by melrose headers out of cortland IL.

http://www.melroseheaders.com/

http://www.melroseheaders.com/produc...ers/C4_LSx.php

Last edited by socal; Jan 20, 2010 at 07:03 PM.
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 09:47 PM
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If you go for a c4 I would deffinately at least for a lt1 or better car. They are good looking cars and perform well.

There are lots of benefits of the 5's over the 4's though. More room, ls engine, better handling and the coupe c5's are not bad at all in price.

Me personally I couldnt own a 4. I am a pretty tall and big. I have driven several and didnt care for the floor pans/door jams. Just made it very akward for me to get in and out of. They changed this in the 5's.
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 09:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Silver408z
If you go for a c4 I would deffinately at least for a lt1 or better car. They are good looking cars and perform well.

There are lots of benefits of the 5's over the 4's though. More room, ls engine, better handling and the coupe c5's are not bad at all in price.

Me personally I couldnt own a 4. I am a pretty tall and big. I have driven several and didnt care for the floor pans/door jams. Just made it very akward for me to get in and out of. They changed this in the 5's.
Im 6ft and I fit fine but definitely not in the big department.

And I cant wait to step up to a c5 coupe (not a fan of the FRC but love the zo6 rear fenders)
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Old Jan 20, 2010 | 11:53 PM
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Originally Posted by 01Z0H6
Run far away from the C4's... unless you are talking ZR1, Grand Sport (pictured), 96 Collectors Edition(LT4).. You get what you pay for and although $6K sounds like a good price for a 94.. I can guarentee that you will put double the money back into it!

You can find the CE's all day long for $13K and up... LT4/MN6 is tough to beat! You are going to pay for the GS's,ZR1's... I have owned two C4's (1993/1996CE) and loved them both @ the time. The 93 gave me fits! I purchased my 01 Z06 new and have never looked back! just my .02 since you asked. Good luck with your endeavours..


I'd prefer ZR1 or Grand Sport , but those are rare cars and we have new law here that you can't bring a car from outside the country that is 5 years old !!!! ... so I can only search inside the country ,, I'm searching for a very good condition LT1 ,,cuz as you said I'm going to put more money into the car ...

c5z is a good car too , but I can't afford buying one ..
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 08:05 AM
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Unless it was a '96 Collectors LT4 I would pass.
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 08:24 AM
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LT1's are dogs... decent TQ... but low on the HP... I stand firm on my previous post... Add another 5-8K with the 6K you are looking to spend and step up to the C5... Definately a better platform to build from. IMO
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 09:21 AM
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Buddy of mine has a '96 with a hot cam, headers and I think 1.8 ratio rockers and it's a nice running little car. It doesn't rattle as I remember earlier models rattling either. Good luck!
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 11:27 AM
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The market on C4's is pretty soft. There are a lot of guys on Corvetteforum with cars for sale and you may be able to pick up a nice car for reasonable price. I had a 90 and at the time it was a nice car, but having the c5 for a few years I could never go back unless I really built it as there is no comparison in power and handling between the two cars. My wife still misses the C4 sport seats though.
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 11:38 AM
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c4 just looks so dated but the GS i have always like the blue and white...id like to see my C5 painted up like that..
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 12:05 PM
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heres my dated 1985 c4
Done right they look good imo
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Old Jan 21, 2010 | 02:30 PM
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Originally Posted by 01Z0H6
LT1's are dogs... decent TQ... but low on the HP... I stand firm on my previous post... Add another 5-8K with the 6K you are looking to spend and step up to the C5... Definately a better platform to build from. IMO

I'll send you my credit card number to send me the another 5k . lol , I'll just stay with c4 since I cant afford a c5z and not looking for HP , just planning to put a decent motor in it.



Originally Posted by vettenuts
The market on C4's is pretty soft. There are a lot of guys on Corvetteforum with cars for sale and you may be able to pick up a nice car for reasonable price. I had a 90 and at the time it was a nice car, but having the c5 for a few years I could never go back unless I really built it as there is no comparison in power and handling between the two cars. My wife still misses the C4 sport seats though.

I know corvetteforum but those guys are far away from my place unfortunately.





Originally Posted by 3.8redbird
heres my dated 1985 c4
Done right they look good imo

Nice car , the paint looks good and also the wheels
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