I would love to keep both but I am not a personan with unlimited financial resources. Corvettes are fun but there are other priorities in life. I may buy the 1988 and store both for the winter. That will come in just two months. Corvette seson here is very short. And in the spring make the big decision.

 

I say your last idea was the best. Buy it and keep both through the winter and see if it grows on you. This will give you some time to get a feel for the car. Next Spring you should be able to recoup your money without having to regret selling your c3.

 

It's definately a nice car but no resplacement for a c-3 thats forsure

 

I guess my biggest concern is the "complexity" of those cars compared to "simple" C3's. I belong to one of the bigger NCCC clubs nationwide(100+members)and a great bit of those people had '84 & up cars and it seemed every show, meeting,etc all I ever heard about was the VAT$ problem$, L98 intake end $eal oil leak$, window ribbon breakage, headlight motor/gear problem$, weather$tripping problem$, injector problem$, MA55 Air Flow $en$or problem$, '84-'89 digital da$h problem$, BO$E radio problem$, rack & pinion problem$, AB$ problems, "OPTIONAL $PARK Problem$, 4+3 Doug Tra$h problem$, (I'm wearing out my "$" key on this post :lol: ) I don't know about you, but I $ee$ all kind$ of dollar $ign$. Oh well, better you than ME. One more po$itive note, Ma$tercard, VI$A, Di$cover now honored at mo$t Chevrolet Dealership$:lol:

Also, to me one other issue-my wife's mother had an '88 Pontiac Trans Am GTA, and to me riding in a C4 was just like riding in that thing-no Corvette feeling, same boxy/flat da$h. no tall bulging front fender$, hood lines similar :lol:

Also, recently at several Corvette shows I've seen a lot of '84-'91 cars changed over to a single 4bbl carb/intake with all the electronic$ gutted. Wonder why??? :confused: :confused: :confused:

You'll also have to change your slogan to ""A work in progre$$..."


[Modified by Paul Borowski, 11:56 PM 8/21/2002]

 

Neither am I but I do have a 79 and an 87. Sounds to me like you have
your mind made up to pick up the 88. What kind of price range are
they talking about for the 88?
:seeya

 

Paul
I just traded my 80 convertible BB 4spd on a 1991 convertible, white with blk top and grey int, auto, and I really like the C4. I also loved my 80 but I find the 91 a much nicer cruiser for my wife and I, also I was ready for a change its nice to get a new " toy". The vette you are looking at looks very nice, I say its your choice if you want it go for it, If you can swing it you should hold on to your 79 until you have had the 88 for a month or so, then sell it if you are happy with the C4
Cole

 

Thanks Paul. Your message is very clear ;) . They are terribly complex vehicles.

 

This car has the Z52 "handling package." I checked the codes today. But I do not know what that package is....

 

It bridged the gap between FE1 and all out Z51.

The Z52:




[Modified by SuperFast80, 5:18 PM 8/22/2002]

 

I have not made up my mind, quite frankly. The dealer keeps putting new trim pieces on it such as weatherstripping, door panel window seals, and the like. The entire dash, instruments, radio and shift console have been removed and de-bugged and detailed. The rest of the interior has been detailed also. Door panels, etc. This all costs money but the target selling price was about $10,800US when this process started. The technician doing the work is a Corvette fanatic. I have not seen someone so meticulous. I suspect the original target price will be surpassed; essentially because of his labour costs. He did offer to swallow some of the restoration labour time if I buy the car. Very nice fellow. He wants the buyer to be a Corvette person :) .

 

Cole,
I could certainly carry the two through the winter and decide in the spring. That matter I will certainly consider.

 

Thanks Flav. I noticed that engine oil cooler as well. Thought it was for the automatic transmission :eek: . This is an interesting car....

 

Paul My opinion is 2nd Vette yes Only Vette NO! You'll wake up with nightmares keep the 79 :)

 

Paul,
With the engine oil cooler option (std. on the Z51 and Z52 options), you also get the auxilary elec. fan mounted to the front of the a/c condenser. You should be able to see it if you look up from under the nose of the '88. You also have the standard elec. fan behind the radiator which is comes on automatically at 228deg. and off at about 215. The aux. fan in front comes on at about 252deg.(can't remember for sure). I've got a MidAmer. manual override switch to turn on the fans earlier when I'm in slow, hot, stop and go traffic. It all works great. Where you live, that all probably isn't much of a problem. I have the BP4 option on my std. '88 which also gives me the cooler and aux. fan.
Later,
:seeya :seeya

 

I truly thank you for the reply! I just know nothing about these C4s. But it certainly puts my recent trial-and-tribulations about heat in my C3 in a different perspective. Many have maintained that 220F at highway speeds is "hot." I have always thought it was normal; has always been there with a 195 t-stat. The optional electric fan for the 1979 comes on at 238F; I do not have it but there is a message there as well as yours. I am running 200-210 with a new Stant SuperStat 195 on 90F days. I gave up fooling about. My 1979 runs well, does not overheat, leave it alone. Learn something new every day!

Here is info on the electric fan.
http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c3/pau...ricfan_001.jpg


[Modified by paul79, 8:00 PM 8/22/2002]

 

Glad to help. GM uses the 195deg. stat. etc. to meet emissions. A hotter engine produces less bad stuff, I guess. Alot of C4 guys freak with that temp. range, but it doesn't bother me. At 80mph here in SoCal w/ the a/c on, I'm still at 195 to 205deg, depending on the hills. My baby just cruises up and down the hills with the cruise control on, just running as smooth as can be. I love the lowend torque of the L98. My speedo hardly ever varies more than 1mph going up a grade on the freeways. This engine pulls like a Clydesdale!!! With my 2.59 rearend, I cruise at 80mph at 1900rpm and avg. 26-27mpg w/o the a/c on. I've taken some great road trips up the California coast. There's nothing better!!!! :yesnod: :yesnod:
Later,
Fix
:seeya

 

Hey Paul,
Just a suggestion here. Before I bought my C4 last year, I was looking at C3's as well, but the Corvette-only dealers around here sorta convinced me that a C4 would be the better buy. Meaning......newer technology, much better mileage, better creature comforts/systems, better handling, and also cheaper to buy than a comparable C3 in the same overall good condition. I still like the lines of the C3's but haven't regreted for a minute that I bought my '88 C4. You'll get alot of well engineered car for your money buying a midyear C4 ('88 to '91). On mine, since April last year at 145,000, I've done nothing but change the L.O.F. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I just rolled over to 160,700 miles and she still runs like a Singer Sewing machine!! Do what I did to learn about the C4's.....go buy a Haynes repair manual for about $15 and read it!!!!! I totally researched both the C3 and C4 before I made the $$$$$ plunge! Since then, I've also purchased the GM repair manuals on eBay, for about $65. I study that as well as read everything here on the Corvette Forum that pertains to my car in the event I need to do some R&R on something. I've done alot of my own repairs on other older cars, but I'm not afraid of jumping in on the C4 either.
Later,
Fix

 

Paso,
I have had nightmares already. Why do these hunks of steel and fibreglass get into your soul?

 

I agree, I almost bought a 92 last week for that purpose........ decided I wanted to keep my 4x4 truck though. Can't haul as much in a vette, not that I haul a ton of stuff, but its nice to have when u need it. But could you imagine......... which vette do I want to drive today? :lol: :lol:

 

Plus in the event Hell freezes over, it might snow where you are and you'll have a truck to drive. :jester