I was talking to a car dealer friend of mine today and he knows of a broken C4 he thinks is an 87 that I can get cheap. I've owned C-3's long enough to know that cheap and corvette don't go together but I need to know what are the big ticket things to repair. What areas of the car are not economically repairable? Any problems I should run away from?

Bill

 

Just like C3's, any rear end work is expensive. Also check frame for rust, but the C4 does not seem as prone to rust as the C3.

The electronics are not really expensive, but can be a pain. Interior restoration can add up quickly as well as getting it painted.

Looking at expenses, not really much different than the late C3's. By the way, nice 82!!

 

As you said, Corvette and "cheap" can't really be used in the same sentence. But C4 parts can be found with not a lot of searching and outside of the electronics are not that hard to work on.

Do you know what tranny is in the car? The manual trans in the 87 is the Doug Nash 4+3 which is a Borg-Warner Super T-10 4-speed with a two-speed electronically controlled OD unit. They can be problematic and it can cost up to $1300 for just the rebuilt OD unit.

The 350 motor is not a lot different than others so a good crate motor like a ZZ4 works fine for a replacement. The TPI system is not hard to work on. As mentioned, paint and interior can be pricey; figure $1200 for new seat foam and leather, $500 for carpets.

The C4 rides smoother and there is much more room in the interior. Gas mileage can approach 25-29 MPG when cruising. The brakes are better and cheap to do. The steering is rack and pinion so it will be more precise and smoother than the C3 hydraulic assisted steering.

Rust is not an issue with the C4 frame as the majority of the frame is inside the body. C4's use SMC (Sheet Molded Compound) as the body material instead of the earlier fiberglass mat layup.

I would certainly look at good-quality running C4's as an alternative to bringing one back to life. It might be cheaper inthe long run especially if you want to drive one now.

 

Thanks for the information and the compliment.

Bill

 

as an advice i say GET IT
you won't regret !

 

I have had bad luck with transmissions, on the A4. Also when you first start the car see if the steering is sticky. This means you need a new rack and pinion. It will only do it when it has been sitting for a while.
after it is started once it usually won't do it again for the rest of the day. These are the only things that I see as major problems on the early cars. I have had several C4's, you will love it.
Shawn

 

Personally I think 87 is a very good year.....but I may be biased.

 

As has been said, the most expensive stuff is cosmetic. Just find a pristine car, as it is cheaper than fixing up. The price difference between a POS C4 and a good one is not very much when all things are considered.

Here's what I've posted in the past, and it has been edited to be up to date:

I posted this in a recent thread about buying advice:

I also wanted to add:

-Starters
-----I haven't had any issues on the Vette, but if it did go, rebuilding one is very cheap to do. Check your phone book for places that rebuild starters and alternators. The place I go to will sell me the parts I need dirt cheap. I got brushes for my Lincoln's starter for $15.
-Opti
-----The early cars didn't have this, so I have nothing I can say.
-Weatherstripping
-----Get one with replaced weatherstripping. That stuff is very expensive to replace. Preferably General Motors WS. According to most forum members, the aftermarket stuff generally has fitment issues.
-Interior
-----Leather seat covers and foam can cost you a grand, door panels are $500. Plastic console pieces are around $100 each. A replacement steering wheel for an early car(84 - 89) is around $300. Carpet is pricey and can cost hundreds.
-Tops
-----A replacement top runs quite a bit for a coupe. I don't have exact values to rattle off, but get a car with a minty one. For verts, soft tops run $500 and up(+install), vinyl being cheaper than a nice cloth one. A nice upgrade for cars that didn't have it, there are kits to get a glass rear window instead of the stupid plastic one. I have it and make sure to put a towel on it when down to prevent scratching.
-Exterior
-----Paint is VERY expensive to get done right. Preferably get a car with excellent GM paint, or carefully inspect the repaint. If any corners appear to have been cut, you cut AND RUN. Thousands to repair bad paint.
-Tires
-----Preferably get one with newer tires. Vette tires aren't cheap. A set of high end Goodyears, Michelins or Toyos can run more than a grand for a set of 4.
-Engine
-----Get receipts for regular maintenance. My car came with a binder full of receipts showing a trend of good maintenance. Generally you don't want to mess with a Carb conversion car, they can be troublesome because you are fiddling with someone else's creation. There are ones that are done right, and you'll know they were when you come across them.
-Transmission
-----Avoid the 4+3, it's OD unit can be troublesome. General consensus is that the ZF6 unit was a much better transmission. The auto generally appears to be good for at least 100k. I changed my fluid and filter weeks after I got my car and will change it biyearly now(every 12k). I changed it even though there was a receipt of a dealership doing it just 1k miles before. At least I know it was done right.

That's what comes to me right now. I may have rambled but I hope it was helpful.

 

repair costs are about the same maybe a little higher, until you have to replace electronics then you will need deep pockets.

 

Among alot of the stuff mentioned I'd be asking if the fuel injectors have been changed......

Gary

 

I would buy any C4 cheap, as long as the paint/body was in good shape. That's the only thing on a C4 that cannot be easily/cheaply fixed.
Everything else, is just normal car stuff.

 

I will say this, the TPI is fairly difficult to work on, but the rest is a piece of cake. TPI parts can be expensive depending on what it is. MAF sensors are known for being expensive, as well as the injectors.

Another thing you might be concerned about is if you like to mod. When you modify these cars you have reprogram the computer for things like cams, bigger injectors, more cubes. That aint cheap either.