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I noticed all of the comments complaining about the C4 styling. Maybe there's a reason. I seem to recall reading that near the end of the C3 production run, when it was time to start designing a successor to the C3, there were apparently people high-up in GM management that wanted to kill off the Corvette and they were trying to prevent money being spent on C4 development. I think the story goes that the GM Corvette people working on the early C4 design actually had to use accounting ploys to prevent upper management from knowing they were spending money on designing the next Corvette. Maybe this is the reason that the front of the C4 has a little bit of a Camaro look to it.
Perhaps, if the truth is known, the reason we might have a mediocre C4 body design is that the GM Corvette people were skimping just to keep the Corvette alive. If this is the case, maybe it'd be good to be less critical of the C4 body design.
Maybe someone out there in Corvetteforum land knows more about this story...
The mechanicals of the C4 are nice. The styling is borrrrrrring to me. Flat hood and no curves. I love the huge fenders of the C3 and C2. The C4 had great design stuff to it like the suspension and such, just the exterior makes me yawn.
However, most are not heirloom grade cars (neither are the late C3s).
In the true sence of the word,no C3 fits this catagory but I'm guessing you were using the term kinda loosely I'm sure? Now I'm not talking about the ultra rare ZL1's.Those are in a class all alone.
I think the c3 is the best lookin' vette, and my dad and I wanted a project. I would enjoy having a nice 6-spd C4 though, body styling isn't great, but I'm attracted to the cars for some reason.
I bought my Vette to be a weekend cruiser. I wanted a car that stood out and and looked BAD.
I actually looked at some C4s and tried to give them a chance to "grow" on me. In the end I couldn't get too excited about that generation. They are good cars, but just not my bag.
Stock C3s may not have the same power as C4, C5s, but their looks make up for it!
"Stock C3s may not have the same power as C4, C5s, but their looks make up for it!"
I noticed all of the comments complaining about the C4 styling. Maybe there's a reason. I seem to recall reading that near the end of the C3 production run, when it was time to start designing a successor to the C3, there were apparently people high-up in GM management that wanted to kill off the Corvette and they were trying to prevent money being spent on C4 development. I think the story goes that the GM Corvette people working on the early C4 design actually had to use accounting ploys to prevent upper management from knowing they were spending money on designing the next Corvette. Maybe this is the reason that the front of the C4 has a little bit of a Camaro look to it.
Perhaps, if the truth is known, the reason we might have a mediocre C4 body design is that the GM Corvette people were skimping just to keep the Corvette alive. If this is the case, maybe it'd be good to be less critical of the C4 body design.
Maybe someone out there in Corvetteforum land knows more about this story...
However, most are not heirloom grade cars (neither are the late C3s).
In the true sence of the word,no C3 fits this catagory but I'm guessing you were using the term kinda loosely I'm sure? Now I'm not talking about the ultra rare ZL1's.Those are in a class all alone.
I'd suggest that there are MANY people who consider C3s heirloom grade cars, I'd suggest the definition of being worthy of keeping over generations or at least their lifetimes. They offer style, distinction, great handling (especially with modern rubber) and decent to great power (for me 350/300s and converter equipped L-82s are decent and 350/350s, LT-1s, preconverter L-82s, and all of the Big Blocks are great). I have had my '69 since '76 and will never sell it - I certainly consider it an heirloom.
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
Oldtimer
I had a 95 for 7 years and never had to have it in the repair shop. I like the styling and it gets great gas mileage with enough power for me. I would not hesitate to buy another one. I now have a C5 and not that impressed with it over the 95. Chuck