Decisions...help!
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
No, but don't be discouraged by it. The early C4s have 230-250 hp, but can run very low 14s in the 1/4, which is competitive with the 280-300hp imports of today. This is due to better gearing and a broader power curve. Peak hp doesn't mean sh*t at the dragstrip. A 300hp Mustang GT will beat it though with a decent driver.
Fuel economy is good to keep in mind. The C4s can get great mileage. My 85 with a few mods averages 26 mpg on the freeway and do 500 miles on a tank. You won't touch that in the C3.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 9,430
Likes: 24
From: Jersey
St. Jude Donor '11, '14-'15
Im not going racing anytime soon 
My dad refuses to race me cause he said it will just be sort of sad since he has so much experience with racing and i dont lol
So usually driving the places i drive to i get 16 mpg, and i only filled up once this week but i didnt get to use it as much as i wanted too since the mechanical problems and everything.the other one is getting transported and will be here next week, i cant wait to see it
My dad refuses to race me cause he said it will just be sort of sad since he has so much experience with racing and i dont lol
So usually driving the places i drive to i get 16 mpg, and i only filled up once this week but i didnt get to use it as much as i wanted too since the mechanical problems and everything.the other one is getting transported and will be here next week, i cant wait to see it
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Brakes don't just run out of fluid. They leak, or the master cylinder leaks. This is one of many things you'll get from the car sitting, moisture corrodes the inside of the master cylinder, causing pitting and hydraulic leaks. Check the master cylinder for leaks at the back of it at the brake booster. Even if you don't see leaks, it can leak into the booster (which is more expensive than the m/c)... or it can leak internally (sometimes this will blow the cap off or cause there to always be fluid residue leaking out around the cap seal.)
It can also be leaking at the calipers or brake lines, these are usually more obvious, just look for the wet spots.
If you don't fix those you might find yourself fixing the whole front end pretty soon, AND the brakes.
It can also be leaking at the calipers or brake lines, these are usually more obvious, just look for the wet spots.
If you don't fix those you might find yourself fixing the whole front end pretty soon, AND the brakes.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
You won't find C4s or C3s in most junkyards. Specialty salvage yards always buy them off and dismantle them.
Even if you did, the junkyard parts would be almost as bad or worse as what you're starting with.
Even if you did, the junkyard parts would be almost as bad or worse as what you're starting with.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 9,430
Likes: 24
From: Jersey
St. Jude Donor '11, '14-'15
nothing is leaking i blew a wheel cylinder lol
The junk yard i talked too does have c4 interiors actually, but their pretty beat up. haha my dad said exactly what you said about what happened.
If i pass by the mechanic today i'll take pictures under the hood
lolThe junk yard i talked too does have c4 interiors actually, but their pretty beat up. haha my dad said exactly what you said about what happened.
If i pass by the mechanic today i'll take pictures under the hood
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,590
Likes: 48
From: W MI
I bought an 87 with 45k miles, but I accepted that a lot of rubber would need replacing and plastic parts would crack. I don't mind it that much.
In 9k miles I've replaced:
-Radiator and upper and lower hoses.
-Transmission pan gasket and filter.
-MAF Sensor and relays.
-Oil Temperature Sensor.
-2 Digital Dash panes.
-Brake Master Cylinder and Front pads.
And probably more stuff I can't remember while at work. It has been about $650 over 1.5 years. Keep in mind, the former owners ate a lot of bills to keep it in the shape it's in. This car was driven and maintained over it's life.
CC is right about cars with low mileage. It IS a double edged sword. You can get a nice car that will provide loyal service for years, or one that was left in a corner for a few years that's ready to fail. It's best to have low mileage that you can prove was accumulated at a steady rate over the years, with regular time based maintenance. On seldom driven cars, mileage is less relevant for parts and fluid replacement intervals.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 9,430
Likes: 24
From: Jersey
St. Jude Donor '11, '14-'15
I bought an 87 with 45k miles, but I accepted that a lot of rubber would need replacing and plastic parts would crack. I don't mind it that much.
In 9k miles I've replaced:
-Radiator and upper and lower hoses.
-Transmission pan gasket and filter.
-MAF Sensor and relays.
-Oil Temperature Sensor.
-2 Digital Dash panes.
-Brake Master Cylinder and Front pads.
And probably more stuff I can't remember while at work. It has been about $650 over 1.5 years. Keep in mind, the former owners ate a lot of bills to keep it in the shape it's in. This car was driven and maintained over it's life.
CC is right about cars with low mileage. It IS a double edged sword. You can get a nice car that will provide loyal service for years, or one that was left in a corner for a few years that's ready to fail. It's best to have low mileage that you can prove was accumulated at a steady rate over the years, with regular time based maintenance. On seldom driven cars, mileage is less relevant for parts and fluid replacement intervals.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
That's what I thought when I bought mine, until...
Brake m/c $130
3 wheel bearings x $150 each
4 ball joints x $80 each
bushings $190
fuel pump $60
injector cleaning $100
replacing dryrotted tires $600
clutch m/c $90
clutch slave $80
waterpump $40
ps pump $80
steering rack $200
ujoints $180
radiator $150
a/c compressor $220
a/c hoses $200
engine front/rearmain/pan/valve cover gaskets $70
Not to mention all the misc crap and the and hours and hours under the car.
Gotta love them low miles!
Brake m/c $130
3 wheel bearings x $150 each
4 ball joints x $80 each
bushings $190
fuel pump $60
injector cleaning $100
replacing dryrotted tires $600
clutch m/c $90
clutch slave $80
waterpump $40
ps pump $80
steering rack $200
ujoints $180
radiator $150
a/c compressor $220
a/c hoses $200
engine front/rearmain/pan/valve cover gaskets $70
Not to mention all the misc crap and the and hours and hours under the car.
Gotta love them low miles!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 6,715
Likes: 2
From: Santa Teresa New Mexico
That's what I thought when I bought mine, until...
Brake m/c $130
3 wheel bearings x $150 each
4 ball joints x $80 each
bushings $190
fuel pump $60
injector cleaning $100
replacing dryrotted tires $600
clutch m/c $90
clutch slave $80
waterpump $40
ps pump $80
steering rack $200
ujoints $180
radiator $150
a/c compressor $220
a/c hoses $200
engine front/rearmain/pan/valve cover gaskets $70
Not to mention all the misc crap and the and hours and hours under the car.
Gotta love them low miles!
Brake m/c $130
3 wheel bearings x $150 each
4 ball joints x $80 each
bushings $190
fuel pump $60
injector cleaning $100
replacing dryrotted tires $600
clutch m/c $90
clutch slave $80
waterpump $40
ps pump $80
steering rack $200
ujoints $180
radiator $150
a/c compressor $220
a/c hoses $200
engine front/rearmain/pan/valve cover gaskets $70
Not to mention all the misc crap and the and hours and hours under the car.
Gotta love them low miles!
Last edited by redwing76; Jul 11, 2007 at 09:09 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
The problems on it when I bought it were the cooling system, intake gaskets, tires, bushings. But to be fair, a good chunk of that list will need to be done to all 23 yr old Corvettes.Just make sure to buy it from the other sucker that's done the work, so you don't have to.
Last edited by CentralCoaster; Jul 11, 2007 at 08:51 PM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 9,430
Likes: 24
From: Jersey
St. Jude Donor '11, '14-'15
you got screwed pretty bad with all those repairs 
Not that i dont expect any, just not as much
I havent checked up to see how its doing yet (the c4)
Its still at the mechanics since the brake incident
Not that i dont expect any, just not as much
I havent checked up to see how its doing yet (the c4)
Its still at the mechanics since the brake incident
