The yellow 79 Bee Itch is still laid up waiting for a new motor. I'm still looking for an alloy SBC.
I didn't want to go thru the summer with no Vette, especially the autocross season, so I bought this, CHEAP! It cost less than what the motor build will cost me. Here is a secret no one shared with me before, this is a GREAT car. 300hp LT1 engine. Smooth, quiet, FAST, and handles. PITA to take out the glass top, so it stays up most of the time. I bought it to flip at the end of the summer, but I'm becoming attached. I haven't ventured over to the C4 forum yet. Do we know anyone over there?

1996 LT1, auto, Bose, it even has a cassette deck. I had to dig out my old cassettes. What do you think.
C3 content, I'm still looking for an alloy block, and hopefully I'll have it running by the end of the summer.
Bee Jay

 

If someone is in the market for a C4, this is THE C4 to get. The LT-1 engine is a real gem and only overlapped the C4 generation briefly. The way they refined that particular car, it went from a POS in 1984 to a truly world-class vehicle at the end of its life.

You got what could be the absolute best combination/example of that particular vehicle to purchase. Good job.





On another point: Doesn't look like your local Michael's is killing it on the business side, though...that's a pretty vacant parking lot...

 

Looks Great

 

I did a similar thing several years ago.

I had the '69 torn down (suspension rebuild) and didn't want to miss the track days that summer. I bought an '84 Z51 and absolutely loved the handling on that thing (made the '69 feel like I was driving a 50's sedan).
Didn't care for the lack of hp in the '84 though, and dropped in a turbo 355, and eventually a 6 spd when the 4+3 took a ****. Love the car now. But the '84 ended up with faster lap times than the '69 so I ended up putting a Z51 equivalent C4 suspension under the '69 (and taking about 180# out of the car in the process). They're both pretty equal on the track now.

 

LT-1's were 92-95, the 96 should have the C5's motor...but they are awesome vehicles. I've got a '95...

edit: blew that one. I was thinking the LT4 was what the new c5's came with...and didn't know the LT-1 was available at all in '96, when I was looking to buy, I never came across one, which is why I bought my '95...I stand corrected!

on a side note, once you upgrade the opti-spark to the vented version, the problems go away.

 

Congrats.

My first Vette was my 92 LT1 6spd.... great car. Still have albeit it's highly modified now.

FYI the LT1 was used in C4 Corvettes from 1992-1996. In 1996 the auto trans cars got the 300hp LT1 and the 6spd cars got the 340hp LT4.

The same alum headed LT1 (rated @275hp) was also used in the F Bodys from 1993-1997.
Will

 

LT-1s were 70-72 only.

 

It's a corvette. Not the best looking gen (the worst looking in my opinion) the only things I like are the way the headlamps "tumble" when you turn them on and the clamshell hood. The lines if the car are seamless.... to the point it is plain looking and fits into the generation of other cars of the era. No curbside appeal... but they can scoot! Enjoy.

 

Very nice firebird, I mean corvette. Actually they are a nice car, congratulations.

 

In my opinion that's the only other generation that isn't ugly as hell.

Great looking car in that blue.

 

I briefly owned an automatic 1996 and it had an LT-1. Manual 96s came with the LT-4. I've never heard of any C4 having a C5 motor from the factory.

 

Yea, I used to be a C4 and C5 hater. Now I'm a C4 lover, and am impressed with how the C5 Z06s perform at autocrosses. Hmm, they are dropping in price too. But my ultimate dream is a 427 C6 Z06. Still way too expensive.
I've owned the C3 since new, 36 years, and I'm keeping it. But this C4 may go someday.

But in the meantime, I'm told a cpu tune is worth 30-50 horsepower and only costs $150. And then, I do have an LT4 Hot Cam laying around.
Bee Jay

 

There is a C4 in my neighborhood I have had my eye on for a while. It has not moved in a year so I might be able to pick it up quite cheap. Drive it and have some fun and turn it for a few dollars. The GS is a good car and the motor is pretty impressive. Have fun with it.

 

I bought a '94 LT1 6 speed with about 22K miles on it pretty cheap back in '98 or so. It was a guy's toy and he stored it inside and was perfect. At the time my job had me driving a 1500 mile circuit so I figured I might as well drive something fun.

I ran the wheels off that thing. It ran 13.20's@105 in 100* heat dead stock down to the air filter even after it had 100K miles on it. The ZF 6 speed shifted great. I was amazed how torquey the 350 was....but it was done by 5500-5800 or so. Short shift it and let it fly!

Decided to do top end runs a couple of times. Once alone...and another time with an identical looking white one like mine one night late on a deserted highway. I had heard they could do 170 MPH...I saw 166-168MPH both times....but after 140-150 it climbed pretty slowly.

I was able to pull out slightly on the other C-4 and over a few miles gradually get a good bit on front of him...but I wasn't walking away from him. When we slowed down and met at a redlight in a little town we rolled down the windows. He said he saw 165-166 MPH while I was seeing the 166-168 MPH...hence the slow increase in gap. Turns out he had an auto..so that was the slight difference.

The thing got 28 MPG regularly and I finally traded it in with just under 200K miles on it. Still looked perfect...but the dealer didn't know what to do with a 200K mile Vette!!!

You've got a great car...have fun with it!!

JIM

 

I picked up a clean 86 z51 cheap to play with while working on my 77. Although I've worked on it more than I planned(upgrades & preventative maintenance) but I like it almost as much as my 77. I drag/cruise both cars but if I were to autocross or use one for DD the C4 would be the one.

LOL one of the things I really like about my c4 is it has cloth seats, I've never been big on leather and use covers for my c3 even tho the seats are in good shape. I had planned to get my c4 out this spring but they hit me with double & a late fee for the plate and wanted $228, so I put my c3 back together instead. I'd rather spend that $ on parts! The LT cars do start out better powerwise, but I had some leftover TPI stuff from a past TA I had and the price was much lower from all the LT cars I saw. I didn't think I'd like working on a car with no fenders to lean on but it's not bad and kinda nice at times. I've not even had my top off yet LOL but I don't take the T-tops off the c3 either(mostly cause of drag racing). Still I'm gonna make a targa bar sooner or later and they say it's stiffer than the tops.


You'll prob wanna look into C beam plates or making your own, you already got the better rearend since it's manual. I just installed some DRM brackets but haven't had a chance to test them out. Oh and you can buy a male rod end & female threaded one and you have an adjustable end link for your rear sway bar, I spent less than $20. Cutting the air filter lid is popular mod. Think that's bout all the stuff that could be useful that isn't drag race only or 86 drivetrain related.

 

OK so the 1970-3 was the LT-1 and the C4 used the LT1. The Engines were GM's last effort to fine tune the SBC and they were aiming at the Exotic LT5 Twin Cam Engine that GM farmed out. And they came pretty close and proved that the Push Rod Motor design wasn't dead as every sports car magazine has been telling us. I think those motors had a lot to do with why the Corvette has remained a Push Rod Motor even today.
I'm surprised that no body has chimed in what a bad design the Opti Spark Distributor is. Its got a bad rap about dieing left and right. I have a 96 LT4 and mine still has the same cap on it left the factory with, no problems what so ever. If You get the early ones wet they are going to have issues, and the water pump is set up to drown out the Opti when the Seal lets go. Id use a mirror and have a look at the Pump Seal drain hole if it looks like its starting to weep replace it now. Re placing the Plug Wires is a Chore. The LT4's came with Crane Roller Rockers factory.

 

Looks good. Why the hash marks on the drivers side only?

C4s are hit and miss for me, probably because most i ever see on the road are in rough shape. Rarely see a nice one driving around. Great daily driver idea. I picked up a white 99 trans am ws6 almost a year ago and it's been a fun daily driver. Ls1, 4speed auto, very solid car.

Good luck!

Ryan

 

Nice looking C4. I really like the cars after the front and rear fascias were updated in '91 with the wrap-around front parking lights and rounded rear bumper. Grand Sports and '96 Collector's Editions (silver, go figure) are my favorites with the LT4. Of course, any year ZR-1 is awesome too.

Craigslist has been tempting me on several C4's lately, mainly auto's for the gf to drive in the summer. No garage space for one though.

 

Nice car and yes they drive nice. I had a 1991 as my daily driver and I reall enjoyed it.

Cant wait to see what you do to the C3. Always liked that car.

 

The hash marks are reminiscent of the 1996 only Grand Sport C4 with the 330 hp LT4 engine. There were only 810 1996 Grand Sport coupes produced and it is a painfully sought-after car.

With the black rims and the red hash marks, it looks like the PO was going for a GS Clone.

Wouldn't bother me one stitch. The pictured car is still a very well put together vehicle that will give you many, many, many (many) smiles.