Every so often I'll stumble across some guy's post on craigslist, a magazine, etc. about how slow the c-4's are and I'm left asking myself compared to what? According to data, my 86 was supposed to do the quarter in 14.5 at 95-96mph with o-60 times of 5-7/5.8..........

What is so slow about that? It's stock. Pretty good for stock I say and, just who knows how many more seconds it would take to hit the 150mph mark? Maybe the c-4's real ability is from 95 to 150? I don't know. All I know for sure is that she gets me to 60 in what feels like less than 5.7...and to 100 shortly there after. I don't risk going above a hundred. It happens so fast I don't think anyone really notices by the time I slow back down on the freeway. How many thousands and thousands of dollars have been spent to shave off a couple of seconds and dependability along with it. Who would not want to be driving a new C-6 but I truly do enjoy this old C-4 now that I've got the bugs worked out.

In short I'm sick of hearing folks complain about the old C-4's lack of horsepower. Yes it may be true. 230 horses isn't much but this Corvette is still faster than my 67 G.T.O. which came with 325. So there you go. What's all the bitching about? It also happens to be faster than most C-3's (not all just most) just look up the stats.

I feel the old C-4 is a pretty fast machine for stock. 230 horses or not.

Comments welcome.

 

A whole lot!

for their day it was decent performance but todays...yes they are "slow", even 0-60. Thats technology for you.

Face it, 14 and 15 sec 1/4 miles will put you to sleep.
that can be changed though.

 

Well put! Alot of those dumb azz'z who write that stuff don't and probably never owned one. When they compare a 235 hp to 600 hp Vette and say the 235 hp is slower as if they are making an astonishing fact, it leaves me thinking just how smart they are.

 

And, don't forget, that 325HP GTO was gross and the 230HP Vette is net.
dws

 

I never hear anyone bitching except the one posting that they are sick and tired of others bitching about the C4.

If they do, so what?

jc

 

Funny, I always thought Dad's, now my, Vette was awesome till I joined the forum and learned it only had 240 HP. I still think it's awesome (thank goodness & GM for low RPM torque), but that number irks. My dumb guy logic says a Vette must have more.

I'll do something about it if I can, and if Washington doesn't make all my money go away in the next few days. Man, I really should have sold off some stock last week, some ready cash could come in handy next week.

 

D'oh! You're talking horsepower ratings---I read it as a comment on the GTO's appearance.

 

Here we go again... group hug time already?

 

I'm glad you're ok with 1980's hp, but with V6 grocery-getters capable of 14-ish quarters and Pony cars with 400hp-It's hard not to be critical.

 

Someone's feeling inferior again.....

 

They were good in their day, but that day is long gone

 

Now what really gets a few going around here is when one claims to have a stock 86 and clocks 13.9's @ 99mph.

Oh. I forgot. A custom tune is not stock........



OTOH an 86 will kick a 55 in the dirt!!

 

Here's your reason (and problem). Modern day "family" 4-door sedans from the likes of Honda, Acura, Ford, GM, etc...with 6-cylinder motors have HP ratings in the 200-250 range. While there's no way one of those cars will match the 0-60 acceleration of an 80's corvette, you'll have a hard time passing a 240hp Honda on the hwy. By definition, you won't be able to do it. In practice you can't. Part of the reason I built a 383 for my 89 is how a head-to-head race with a friends Acura TL came out. (As stated above, I could pull him off the line but not on the hwy).

When a sportscar is trompted by (suppose-ed) family economy cars, that's what creates the negativity. Of course, those same economy cars will fair pretty well against those 60's muscle-cars your 80's corvette can also beat.

So why are muscle-cars more prestigeous than an 80's corvette. It's the numbers, availability, complexity, etc... It might even be because your well-to-do grandpa can get in/out of a GOAT or Camaro. Try getting in/out of a C4 when you're 70.

 

Good Reply. At least my car still looks faster. Sounds faster. Probably handles better and surly has a higher top end right? To late though. I guess I should have had the engine built when it was rebuilt (10,000 miles ago) but I was concerned with California smog. Bastards!

I'm sick of politicians
everywhere.

 

Well my LT4 keeps me happy. While it's not the fastest thing on the street I don't stomp it all the time either. I think it's one of those things were you have to stop comparing yourself to everything else out there.

Either you are happy with the way your car drives or you are not. Certainly if you're going to racing events with your car that would be a different story.

I'm not, and I don't care what out there can beat me. My car puts out enough to make driving fun. That's all I care about, oh and it's paid for. 1 second of time in the quarter mile may be big on a strip, but when cruising is most of what you're doing, then it doesn't really matter.

 

I am 68 + and have no problem getting in and out of my C4. Of course our 2002 Z06 is easier to get in and out. If you want difficult try to get in or out of our 1974 Pantera.

 

Try a Pontiac Fiero some time. I'm 47, and I'm already having trouble. Seems the ingress and egress were easier when I was in my early 20's

Gregg nailed it. The 60's cars have a mystique about them for a couple of reasons. First, up to that point, power kept getting higher over time. It subsequently dropped in the 70's, and didn't start coming back really until the late 80's. So by the mid 80's, people remembered the "good old days of power" and muscle cars fondly.

Secondarily, (and some might argue this) the 60's muscle cars were the pinnacle of design as far as body style was concerned. The Camaros, Trans Ams, Mach 1 Mustangs, Cougars, T-Birds, Challengers.....they looked damn nice....especially compared to what followed. With a few exceptions, cars got uglier in the 70's. Again....people looked upon the 60's cars fondly....nostalgia is a powerful force. The 60's cars are now forever held in high regard....beyond what they were really capable of.

That's not the case with your old C4 Corvette. Probably never will be. Cars in the 80's were starting to get as fast as they had been 20 years before. Cars today are vastly more powerful than they were 20 years ago. Make sense?

So if you're easily butt hurt over a new Maxima being able to hang with you.....upgrade your powerplant. And remember the guy in the Maxima still has a car that sounds like a feminine hygeine product.

 

Your C4 will run 14.teens in good air. If you hang out here long enough, you will be running 12.s. You may also be broke.

 

The past-present HP argument just doesn't work for me.Somebody wants to comment about how quick a new Honda is compared to a 25 year old car,you want a comparison throw a new Corvette at a new Honda,thats a current comparison.Just what was fast 25 years ago?

 

Looks faster? Ask a 68 Camaro owner...See what he/she thinks. Looks are subjective.

Sounds faster? Maybe you need a muffler!

Handles better? Yep, that's the one thing an 80's vette will do better than other cars before it and family economy cars after it.

Surly top end. Maybe you need some suspension work if it gets surly on the hwy!

Hard to debate that issue. Without smog standards and mpg improvements, what do you think our air quality would be like --IF-- we were all still driving cars with 50's/60's emissions?

There's your valid rant. Just when I thought U.S. politicians couldn't stoop and lower and disappoint the Americans who elected them more deeply, now they're scaring the rest of the world. Yep, that's right. The reason they're talking about lower America's credit rating is because the rest of the world economy will finally question our politics. DUH.

To make it worse...Anyone else see the story on national news where they took 5 individuals from different parties/affiliations, sat them in a room and explained the debt problem to them? They came out with a JOINT answer to the debt problem in under ONE FRIGGIN' HOUR!

US POLITICIANS SUCK. EVERY STICKIN' ONE OF THEM. Makes you wonder what it takes to dissolve and establish a complete new government. Hey, they're doing it all over the middle east, right?

:toeta p: