I know most all the tech and members here have c5s, some are c6s, but what I'm wondering is has anyone ever moved from a f-body with an ls1 to a c4 corvette?

When I'm bored I dig around on ebay and more and more the last years of the c4 grows on me each time I'm surfing. Insure would be a good deal less for a c4 oddly.

I'm reallying wondering what should I do, is the fbody better to daily play with and mod or is the c4? Does the vette tax still play a factor with c4s?

Any places I should look at or advice you can give would be great!

 

The vette tax is forever!

Their are tons of quality C4's on the market...people are taking advantage of teh C5 to C6 hop that a llot of C5 guys are doing.

As for shopping start over at http://forums.corvetteforum.com and Ebay for deals.

Th e biggext advantage I see for the C4 is tha clamshell opening to the engine you can damm near climb right in with teh engine to work on it.

FWIW..you can also find great deal on 99-04 C5's right now

 

you will be taking a step backward in my opinion.

 

At least get a 1996 with an LT4 if you choose to go that route. The LT4 put out pretty similar numbers to the early LS1 (the ones without the LS6 inakes, or the LS6 heads if you got really lucky)

 

You will be taking a step back IMO. I think I would be correct to say the potential gains from similar mods will be much greater for you, even in early LS1's.

 

Step backwards perf. wise IMHO.

 

I wouldnt do it personally but I hate optispark.

 

I built an 88 C4, and those cars were ahead of there time when they were new..., the driveline is still a solid unit, w/IRS, and you can use basic chevy 350 parts (engine, trans, gears), cost alot less.... I converted mine from tpi to carb., had around 430hp when I was done, w/a custom 350 drag racing trans (and lots of other mods), car would hook like nothing else I had, it just squats and goes into instant forward momentum.... only thing I didnt like was the interior on mine was crusty and I never got around to making it purty, but after having both, I'd have to pick a C4 over an ls1 f-bod if it was for the right price, and something I could work on, I wouldnt pay big bucks for a collector C4....

btw, w/the hood up and wheel off, you can throw a pillow over the disc and have a nice seat while your working on the engine, I usto climb all over the engine bay, it was nice...

 

I've driven two '96 LT4 cars in the last month.

I honestly think they'd spank an early C5 in a quick street race.

Supercharge, lower it and put on some chrome ZR1 rims... finished.

 

You coudln't be more wrong man.

Those C4's are soo underated.....it's a shame more people didn't get a chance to experience them more. I grew up around two LT4's, one stock, the other with WEAK but good bolt-ons. Not a whole lot beat those car...fact, only a couple of bikes, and one street/drag car. Ls1 vettes, 97's, 98's etc etc....got beat as well. Yes, these cars do have LT motors but...if you can get an LT4 car, 6 speed only, 1996 only, you'd be in a great starting location to start modding. Swap in a cam, long tubes, and you'd be really happy. Find yourself some modern coil packs, and get rid of the optispark. it is shitty.

To really **** off people, get yourself a bottle. Then let me hear someone mention going from an F-body anything to a LATER MODEL C4 car is going backwards. No way. I've been in these cars at high speeds, and they handle themselves very well, better then any fully suspended f-body that I have driven. We have ten year old footage of us hitting mid 180's with no problem at all in aerodynamic's(lift). We did lower this particular C4, which is a must for any vette(car). And from a DIG,...those cars rip and dip. I'd watch my cousin josh peddle his grand sport on 315 comp TA's. Holy **** that was fun. Those cars helped me to learn how to powershift. They handle the power awesome man. The LSX motor is light years ahead, and the only draw back in the entire package. But it can go fast.

Mod list C4 back then for us, hypertech tune, cold air, throttle body insert for those cars, for the life of me I can't think of the name of them, and we cut the rear mufflers off, and left the cats and factory resonator. It sounded like a crazy V8, that was bread in italy. Greatest sounding vette in south florida for a few years in my opinion.


What I would do...

budget...1996 LT4 or 1995 LT1 6 speed

lower it, ZR-1 gransport 11" 5 star wheels, gran sport flares, long tube headers, cold air, proper tune, camshaft, and proper catback, and some spray. Done. Great looking car....high speed capable, quarter mile ready rocket.

or...

put an LSX motor in it....and call it a day. My cousin is currently trying to buy back his original LT4 6 speed vette that we grew up with. If he gets it...it'll be a single turbo setup....ready to take on some big supra's. We think it'll handle the power better. From what we've seen anyways....compaired the C5's and C6's.

anyways...love the f-body but....stock for stock, the vette out classes it in design, and performance. Find yourself an LT4.

 

^^^ Long *** post.

100% correct though.

 

That's a step backwards, IMO.

 

I wanted to buy a 96 Lt4 a few years ago. Very nice cars. Gotta love the bottom end torque of a LT1-4 though. I love the gran sport vettes. They are nice cars for sure. To me I would rather have a 98-02 f-body than a C4 vette. That is my opinion. It just depends on what you want out of the car and what you are going to use it for. They both have their purposes. Drive them both and make your decison off of that. We can tell you what to go with but we are not you. You buy what you want.

 

Going from a LS1 powered LS1 to a LT1 C4 is a step backwards.

Mentioned above, that going to a C4 with an LT4, that is comparing apples to oranges, plus the price of the LT4 vette is still pretty high, but that is because the car is much more of a car than a LT1 powered C4.

You can find a nicely equipped C5 (97-00) from $15K - $21K and that is very reasonable.

I will tell you this, I loved my LS1 powered Z28, but I LOVE my LS1 Coupe much more!

Micah

 

I did. I had a camaro with the ls1, then got an older c4. neither one was modded but the lt1 (which I had in several cars already) felt dated. Not nearly as potent. The c4 was fun, but I really wanted my old motor back. I did like the c4 hood for doing work. If I got a good deal on another c4, I'd get one for my son. They are still great cars, and great motors. (plastics back then were for sh*t though and got brittle). The c5 is made much better, although I miss the hood on the c4.

 

You guys are nuts. Yes, the LT1 sucks ***, when compaired to the LSX motors.

But...I have driven vipers, ferreri's,massarati's, porsche's, mustangs, and imports....and guess what,....they all made power,....and guess what more of the surprise is,.....they all felt **VERY** different compaired to my LS1. Very different. For example, your shifting a viper at around 6000rpm or less, give or take a couple of hundered rpms, makeing all of it's power with nothing but torque, and no higth rpms, but it's still pulling like a bitch...where as a stock Z06(c5 or C6) is making all of it's power with rev's...in the upper rpm range. Very differnt methods of power but,...it's accomplishing the same thing...forward progress.

If you drove a viper, and a Z06 back to back, not even a C6 Z06,...you MIGHT be dissapointed between the two,...and you might even swear that the viper had a hundred horsepower less then the stock Z06 that you just got out of but, in reality, they're side by side.

Maybe this will clear up you doubters/haters/ or just the people that don't know alot about corvette history.

CALLAWAY TWIN TURBO SLEDEGHAMMER

Maybe you guys should think outside of the box. GEt the car YOU want dude, the car that you can afford everyday...payments, insurance..etc. The list in my opinion goes.... C5(which you can find for a good price if you look), the C4 which aerodynamicly is a better car then any F-body, and handles WAY BETTER in the rain then the f-body. Then there is the f-body. Great cars...but, a unibody.

Again, look up the sledgehammer. Respect the oldschool! If it wasn't for this car...we'd be way behind.

http://www.supercars.net/cars/371.html

 

Wow, some good insight here.

I think i'll have to shop around and see what exactly they feel like to me. As it was brought up my car, so if I like it go with it.

What i'd really like is a week to drive a c4 and then see if i missed my f-body.

Thanks for the help though

 

hmm.. makes sense i guess lol, at least we all know what you meant.

 

 

I had a 2000 SS Camaro. I went to a '96 LT4 Vette. The Corvette is a better car and more fun to drive...the problem is the LT4 engine. You will miss your LSx. It is true that you can make an LT4 run very well and there are plenty of proven solutions to it's problems...like the optispark. The LT4 is more expensive to mod relative to the power you get back. The aftermarket support is SO much better for the LSx engines.

I have C5 Z06 now and that's my recomnedation; Get a C5. I'd look for a 2000 FRC if you want to save some money.