What is the cheapest you bought a C4 project car for?
09-01-2009, 09:59 AM
#21
Safety Car
This is GREAT News! Thanks for all the replies and keep 'em coming! 
If I can find a running car (hopefully 88 or newer) for less than $2,000, I'd hold off on that swap for a while and drive it till the 350 goes down!
I'm starting to get excited now about the future purchase of my first Corvette!
Cody
If I can find a running car (hopefully 88 or newer) for less than $2,000, I'd hold off on that swap for a while and drive it till the 350 goes down!
I'm starting to get excited now about the future purchase of my first Corvette!
Cody
09-01-2009, 10:21 AM
#22
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Sounds like 88-89 is what I'm looking for!... And I am open to fuel injection, but not open to spending $$$$$$ to get it- that’s why I was wondering about the stock TPI with a custom intake – if the computer would run a bigger engine.
Does the 88-89 use a coil pack or distributor?
Thanks!
Cody
09-01-2009, 10:25 AM
#23
Race Director
I can't believe the deals some of you guys get. Amazing. Out here there are no cheap Corvettes....period. The closest example I saw was a decent 87 in good running condition on CL for $3900 firm. The ad didn't last a day. There was also a 96 on CL....nice looking car with minor body damage and a salvage title....they wanted $6500. Ad lasted less than 3 days.
If I found a running Corvette in decent condition for under $2000 within 100 miles of me, I would be on it like ugly on an ape.
It's the same thing with old classic and muscle cars here. We don't have to contend with rust, so there are a lot of 60's and 70's cars sitting in people's back yards doing nothing....and the floorboards, trunks, frames etc are all as solid as they day they were built. But they aren't giving them away.
Every time I see someone post their $1500 running Corvette, I want to scream.
If I found a running Corvette in decent condition for under $2000 within 100 miles of me, I would be on it like ugly on an ape.
It's the same thing with old classic and muscle cars here. We don't have to contend with rust, so there are a lot of 60's and 70's cars sitting in people's back yards doing nothing....and the floorboards, trunks, frames etc are all as solid as they day they were built. But they aren't giving them away.
Every time I see someone post their $1500 running Corvette, I want to scream.
09-01-2009, 10:48 AM
#24
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I bought my current one with the left over money from my Z28 sale, just as a driver myself. We are gonna pay off all of our bills in the meantime and hopefully have enough to get a C5 or C6 vert in a couple years. But then after I got it home I started going nuts on buying parts. I am an addict. I do this on everything I own, that is why I was able to sell a $3600 98 Z for $9000. I paid $3600 for it and there is no bolt untouched anywhere on the car----URGH. Sounds like a great investment right. Not so much. I stopped adding up the reciepts when I felt a tear welling up in my eye LOL
09-01-2009, 10:55 AM
#25
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When you are not in the market....you see the deals everywhere. We found a 89 coupe for 2500.00 right after we bought the one we own now. The price was very tempting but after I figured out all that it needed we were at about 9-10k min.
09-01-2009, 10:56 AM
#26
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I can't believe the deals some of you guys get. Amazing. Out here there are no cheap Corvettes....period. The closest example I saw was a decent 87 in good running condition on CL for $3900 firm. The ad didn't last a day. There was also a 96 on CL....nice looking car with minor body damage and a salvage title....they wanted $6500. Ad lasted less than 3 days.
If I found a running Corvette in decent condition for under $2000 within 100 miles of me, I would be on it like ugly on an ape.
It's the same thing with old classic and muscle cars here. We don't have to contend with rust, so there are a lot of 60's and 70's cars sitting in people's back yards doing nothing....and the floorboards, trunks, frames etc are all as solid as they day they were built. But they aren't giving them away.
Every time I see someone post their $1500 running Corvette, I want to scream.
If I found a running Corvette in decent condition for under $2000 within 100 miles of me, I would be on it like ugly on an ape.
It's the same thing with old classic and muscle cars here. We don't have to contend with rust, so there are a lot of 60's and 70's cars sitting in people's back yards doing nothing....and the floorboards, trunks, frames etc are all as solid as they day they were built. But they aren't giving them away.
Every time I see someone post their $1500 running Corvette, I want to scream.
09-01-2009, 11:02 AM
#27
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Sounds like 88-89 is what I'm looking for!... And I am open to fuel injection, but not open to spending $$$$$$ to get it- that’s why I was wondering about the stock TPI with a custom intake – if the computer would run a bigger engine.
Does the 88-89 use a coil pack or distributor?
Thanks!
Cody
09-01-2009, 11:04 AM
#28
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Heck if you got some money, alot of time and a huge garage, here are some deals by me.....
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1351624125.html
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1352089790.html
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1344246151.html
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1338180038.html
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1334646761.html
Nothing over 3500.00 !!!! Oh if I only had a huge morten building out back and a car load of spending money......
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1351624125.html
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1352089790.html
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1344246151.html
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1338180038.html
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1334646761.html
Nothing over 3500.00 !!!! Oh if I only had a huge morten building out back and a car load of spending money......
09-01-2009, 11:13 AM
#29
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the big-block swap is a "cool" concept, but the new Ls-x's can be punched out to well over 450 cubic inches.Take a look at RHS blocks, or even the world castings LS7x block. The RHS can be punched out to 500cubic inches! this would be much cheaper that trying to fuel injector a true big-block and shoe horning it into the c4. The LS-x can be opperated with the factory computer (obviously with details and re-tune) and the factory type intake system. It also fits the C4 engine bay real nicely. The automatic swaps are far easier, especially on the older c4's (less computers to deal with).
Other than that, I would spend a little bit more to get a complete car. You just don't know what's been butchered when you get soemthing minus drivetrain.... JMO
Other than that, I would spend a little bit more to get a complete car. You just don't know what's been butchered when you get soemthing minus drivetrain.... JMO
As far as cheap and big block swaps go, I have two 500 engines and one 472 in my garage now that just need a basic overhaul. $400 in parts and I’ll have 535 lbs. of torque waiting for the Vette. Add $240 for a cam and make that 565 lbs. of torque. If the money is right and I can spring for headers, some mild porting, an aluminum intake, and a get decent fuel delivery, then 600 lbs. of torque and 525 HP is available for less than $1500 on the rebuild.
I’ve got access to pictures of these 500s in an S-10, a Porsche 911, and a Toyota Supra. I also had one in my Mustang. The Vette engine bay should hold the engine easily and the extra 35 pounds shouldn’t effect the handling too much if I put in a stiffer front spring.
I would like to do an automatic swap, but I will have much more money in the tranny than I do in the engine trying to get it hold together.
My 5,000 RPM redline will love the 2.59 gear ratio until the Dana 36 blows it guts out, then a Dana 44 with a 3:07 ratio will be swapped in (hopefully with some stronger parts).
I already know that I’ll have to get a 4 or 6 point cage too to keep the body torque from ejecting the glass top. The engine will actually be the least expensive component of this whole build; and I will probably go with a cheaper build on the front end keeping the engine in the 550 lb. torque range until the car gets strengthened up and is able to hold together with more. But I think the basic buildup would be a blast to drive anyway.
Cody
09-01-2009, 03:28 PM
#30
Melting Slicks
Thanks for the advice about the running car. I had no idea that such deals were around – I will plan to hold out for a complete or running car if possible.
As far as cheap and big block swaps go, I have two 500 engines and one 472 in my garage now that just need a basic overhaul. $400 in parts and I’ll have 535 lbs. of torque waiting for the Vette. Add $240 for a cam and make that 565 lbs. of torque. If the money is right and I can spring for headers, some mild porting, an aluminum intake, and a get decent fuel delivery, then 600 lbs. of torque and 525 HP is available for less than $1500 on the rebuild.
I’ve got access to pictures of these 500s in an S-10, a Porsche 911, and a Toyota Supra. I also had one in my Mustang. The Vette engine bay should hold the engine easily and the extra 35 pounds shouldn’t effect the handling too much if I put in a stiffer front spring.
I would like to do an automatic swap, but I will have much more money in the tranny than I do in the engine trying to get it hold together.
My 5,000 RPM redline will love the 2.59 gear ratio until the Dana 36 blows it guts out, then a Dana 44 with a 3:07 ratio will be swapped in (hopefully with some stronger parts).
I already know that I’ll have to get a 4 or 6 point cage too to keep the body torque from ejecting the glass top. The engine will actually be the least expensive component of this whole build; and I will probably go with a cheaper build on the front end keeping the engine in the 550 lb. torque range until the car gets strengthened up and is able to hold together with more. But I think the basic buildup would be a blast to drive anyway.
Cody
As far as cheap and big block swaps go, I have two 500 engines and one 472 in my garage now that just need a basic overhaul. $400 in parts and I’ll have 535 lbs. of torque waiting for the Vette. Add $240 for a cam and make that 565 lbs. of torque. If the money is right and I can spring for headers, some mild porting, an aluminum intake, and a get decent fuel delivery, then 600 lbs. of torque and 525 HP is available for less than $1500 on the rebuild.
I’ve got access to pictures of these 500s in an S-10, a Porsche 911, and a Toyota Supra. I also had one in my Mustang. The Vette engine bay should hold the engine easily and the extra 35 pounds shouldn’t effect the handling too much if I put in a stiffer front spring.
I would like to do an automatic swap, but I will have much more money in the tranny than I do in the engine trying to get it hold together.
My 5,000 RPM redline will love the 2.59 gear ratio until the Dana 36 blows it guts out, then a Dana 44 with a 3:07 ratio will be swapped in (hopefully with some stronger parts).
I already know that I’ll have to get a 4 or 6 point cage too to keep the body torque from ejecting the glass top. The engine will actually be the least expensive component of this whole build; and I will probably go with a cheaper build on the front end keeping the engine in the 550 lb. torque range until the car gets strengthened up and is able to hold together with more. But I think the basic buildup would be a blast to drive anyway.
Cody
The steering rack has to be moved forward about 2 inches, and the front frame has to be notched to accept the pulley assembly of the big block. There are a few options for the headers (the most expensive being custom fabricated, of course).
the automatic will be MUCH cheaper than a manual transmission swap. especially trying to do a big-block swap. The kind of work involved for a manual to retain that power will be mega bucks.
fuel injection will also be seriously expensive (as it's more than likely going to have to be some kind of low profile-single plane- type setup with TBI or individual injectors).
09-01-2009, 03:31 PM
#31
Melting Slicks
long story short. Get a running example. Enjoy it, and decide at that point if you want more power and the proper direction to take to get to that goal.
swaps are always much more expensive than what you initially expect.
the frame of the c4 is not quite as rigid as some of the other examples that you provided. So, even though a big-block has been done before, you'd be surprised at some of the forum members that have recognized structural fractures due to the added torque and power of the big-block. I wouldn't bother with anything short of a 6-point. Maybe even an under-body brace like the convertables had. Etc.
swaps are always much more expensive than what you initially expect.
the frame of the c4 is not quite as rigid as some of the other examples that you provided. So, even though a big-block has been done before, you'd be surprised at some of the forum members that have recognized structural fractures due to the added torque and power of the big-block. I wouldn't bother with anything short of a 6-point. Maybe even an under-body brace like the convertables had. Etc.
09-01-2009, 05:36 PM
#32
Race Director
09-04-2009, 03:09 PM
#33
A guy I used to work with has 2 85's that both run, both automatic, both cosmetically not so hot 1 was in accident other ok he will sell both for $4500-$4000? Not bad for people looking for projects of track cars If anyone is interested email/pm me and i will get his # for you. Cars are in Michigan. P.S. I'm unemployed so I might be able to help transport them.
vettenova
vettenova
09-04-2009, 03:47 PM
#35
Melting Slicks
