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Hey everyone, I just inherited my father's C4, and just wanted to take a moment to share it with the group.
It's a 1987 Coupe with only 46,8xx miles on it. My father was the 2nd owner, but owned it when it was just over a year old with ~10k on it. He used to drive it semi-regularly when the weather was nice, but he got a Harley after my mom passed in 2006, and was only driving the C4 a few times each summer. It pained me to see the car not be used much, so in the past few years, I've been talking about getting the car from him, but wanted to wait until I got a new house so I could store it properly... but as fate would have it, I had to take possession sooner than expected. (don't worry, I made room for it in my garage)
The car is VERY original. The only things NOT original on the car besides the oil and fuel, are the tires, serpentine belt, and spark plugs. It has the factory hoses and anti-freeze (which concerns me). Pretty sure the windshield wipers and washer fluid are factory as well!
I attached the RPO list, but based on my research, it looks like the notable options are:
-sport seats
-radiator boost fan
-dual roof panels (i do not actually have the glass roof, my dad sold it)
-2.59 rear axle gears
-FG3 shocks
-oil cooler
-Bose stereo
-HD Radiator
Short term plans and questions:
1) oil change (switch to synthetic, since the oil will get old before it gets worn out)
2) flush coolant, replace all radiator/heater hoses
3) drain and fill transmission (NOT a flush)
4) brake fluid and power steering fluid
5) replace drivers window regulator (2nd stage doesnt work, looks like there is a retrofit kit to upgrade to the newer design)
6) power antenna doesn't work (stuck in the up position. is there a rebuild kit? or do I have to find an entire new motor?)
7) in the 4 days it took to transport it from Boston to Dallas, the battery went completely dead. He had a battery maintainer on the car, and assuming I'm reading the date stamp correctly, its a 6 yr old battery... but even then, I wouldn't think that a battery would go completely dead in 4 days. I wonder if the power antenna motor has a short (that happened to me on my other car).
8) The right side of the center part of the console is slightly dimmer than the left side (see attached picture). is this normal? or is this a sign that the dash might be on borrowed time? Also, the dash sometimes flickers very subtly when at idle... could be related to item #7 on my list)
9) steering wheel sometimes vibrates pretty badly on the highway. seems to be limited to a specific speed range (around 65mph +/-). This sounds like a tire balance or alignment thing to me. The tires are pretty old, but the tread depth is like new. I was under the impression that radial tires were not prone to flat spots, but maybe the tires have hardened and threw off the balance? or maybe the factory suspension bushings are shot and I'm just hitting a resonant frequency in that speed range?
And just as a little background on myself, I generally do all my own work when possible, and I currently own the following other cars:
-1988 Trans Am GTA (this is a restoration project, so I know all about working on TPI motors)
-2001 Firehawk Trans Am (this is my 'fast' car, so I have zero desire to make non-restorative modifications to the C4 or GTA)
-2000 Camaro 3.8L V6 (daily driver)
-2002 Dodge Dakota 4.7L
-2006 Harley Softtail (which I don't even know how to drive yet)
Thanks!
-Matt
Last edited by slayer_taunu; Dec 22, 2014 at 10:17 AM.
Looks like I get the honors of welcoming you aboard first - so, "WELCOME"!!! Looks like a nice set of wheels. If I read your post correctly it sounds like you just lost your Dad; and, if that is correct condolences on your loss. No doubt your Dad must have felt you'd take care of his ride or he'd have made other arrangements.
I can't help you much on tech stuff; but, you just hang tight and there will be a bunch of people greeting you AND helping you as much as each possibly can in their own way.
Also, Hope you have a Great Holiday season!
P. S.
I guess I would add that if you're going to flush the radiator make sure you search out the procedure to do so on this forum, because there seems to be a very particular process of doing so correctly for corvettes !!!
Originally Posted by slayer_taunu
Hey everyone, I just inherited my father's C4, and just wanted to take a moment to share it with the group.
It's a 1987 Coupe with only 46,8xx miles on it. My father was the 2nd owner, but owned it when it was just over a year old with ~10k on it. He used to drive it semi-regularly when the weather was nice, but he got a Harley after my mom passed in 2006, and was only driving the C4 a few times each summer. It pained me to see the car not be used much, so in the past few years, I've been talking about getting the car from him, but wanted to wait until I got a new house so I could store it properly... but as fate would have it, I had to take possession sooner than expected. (don't worry, I made room for it in my garage)
The car is VERY original. The only things NOT original on the car besides the oil and fuel, are the tires, serpentine belt, and spark plugs. It has the factory hoses and anti-freeze (which concerns me). Pretty sure the windshield wipers and washer fluid are factory as well!
I attached the RPO list, but based on my research, it looks like the notable options are:
-sport seats
-radiator boost fan
-dual roof panels (i do not actually have the glass roof, my dad sold it)
-2.59 rear axle gears
-FG3 shocks
-oil cooler
-Bose stereo
-HD Radiator (looks like it has all the Z51 options minus the Z51 package itself, which I
Short term plans and questions:
1) oil change (switch to synthetic, since the oil will get old before it gets worn out)
2) flush coolant, replace all radiator/heater hoses
3) drain and fill transmission (NOT a flush)
4) brake fluid and power steering fluid
5) replace drivers window regulator (2nd stage doesnt work, looks like there is a retrofit kit to upgrade to the newer design)
6) power antenna doesn't work (stuck in the up position. is there a rebuild kit? or do I have to find an entire new motor?)
7) in the 4 days it took to transport it from Boston to Dallas, the battery went completely dead. He had a battery maintainer on the car, and assuming I'm reading the date stamp correctly, its a 6 yr old battery... but even then, I wouldn't think that a battery would go completely dead in 4 days. I wonder if the power antenna motor has a short (that happened to me on my other car).
8) The right side of the center part of the console is slightly dimmer than the left side (see attached picture). is this normal? or is this a sign that the dash might be on borrowed time? Also, the dash sometimes flickers very subtly when at idle... could be related to item #4 on my list)
9) steering wheel sometimes vibrates pretty badly on the highway. seems to be limited to a specific speed range (around 65mph +/-). This sounds like a tire balance or alignment thing to me. The tires are pretty old, but the tread depth is like new. I was under the impression that radial tires were not prone to flat spots, but maybe the tires have hardened and threw off the balance? or maybe the factory suspension bushings are shot and I'm just hitting a resonant frequency in that speed range?
And just as a little background on myself, I generally do all my own work when possible, and I currently own the following other cars:
-1988 Trans Am GTA (this is a restoration project, so I know all about working on TPI motors)
-2001 Firehawk Trans Am (this is my 'fast' car, so I have zero desire to make non-restorative modifications to the C4 or GTA)
-2000 Camaro 3.8L V6 (daily driver)
-2002 Dodge Dakota 4.7L
-2006 Harley Softtail (which I don't even know how to drive yet)
Welcome to the forum. There's some nice people here, and they know everything. Well between all of them. Me, I just wisecrack and wait for them to kick me out.
On the tires, check them out and check into their DOT stamping for the age of the tire. I just brought home an '84 today, and the tires are downright nasty-dangerous due to weather checking. So bad that if I had known they were like that, I would probably have never left to drive the 180 miles home. And the tread is still decent on the back tires, but the rubber has given up all it's volatiles to the air ..
Best of luck - you have a great vehicle there!
Here's a quick pic of one of my tires - and all four of them are like this:
Not meaning to change the subject, but, is this the same car you drove through the snow storm just to get it home quickly ??? On those tires ! ! ! If you were my son - oh boy would we be having a chat .....
So you see "slayer_taunu", expect to see everyone getting busted on any number of issues.
Originally Posted by MaxDaemon
Welcome to the forum. There's some nice people here, and they know everything. Well between all of them. Me, I just wisecrack and wait for them to kick me out.
On the tires, check them out and check into their DOT stamping for the age of the tire. I just brought home an '84 today, and the tires are downright nasty-dangerous due to weather checking. So bad that if I had known they were like that, I would probably have never left to drive the 180 miles home. And the tread is still decent on the back tires, but the rubber has given up all it's volatiles to the air ..
Best of luck - you have a great vehicle there!
Here's a quick pic of one of my tires - and all four of them are like this:
Hi, it's good to see you've decided to change all your fluids, at least you will have a fresh start all round then, so many people just want to stick go faster bits on straight away without even thinking about a proper service first, well done you! enjoy your car but stay safe
Welcome to the forum. There's some nice people here, and they know everything. Well between all of them. Me, I just wisecrack and wait for them to kick me out.
Not meaning to change the subject, but, is this the same car you drove through the snow storm just to get it home quickly ??? On those tires ! ! ! If you were my son - oh boy would we be having a chat .....
So you see "slayer_taunu", expect to see everyone getting busted on any number of issues.
But .. but .. but Dad .. it was rainy and cold and I'd left my umbrella behind!
..and besides, the cat ate my tires.
..and it was snowing. On both sides of the hill.
<sighs> Ok. I'll check the tires more carefully, next time.
Not meaning to change the subject, but, is this the same car you drove through the snow storm just to get it home quickly ??? On those tires ! ! ! If you were my son - oh boy would we be having a chat .....
So you see "slayer_taunu", expect to see everyone getting busted on any number of issues.
No, I didn't drive the car, I had it shipped in an enclosed transporter... but it still got dirty since it was raining out when they showed up. You can probably count the number of times this car has seen rain on one hand.
The car was garaged it's entire life. The tires are old, but have zero cracks or dry rot. I know some people believe you gotta replace tires after 8 years, regardless of the miles or visual condition... but i'm not 100% convinced on that.
welcome to the forum. That looks like a very nice 87. As I am 64, I am sure your dad would have wanted you to have his beloved rides. Means a lot to him, and you. happy holidays.
re: "I know some people believe you gotta replace tires after 8 years, regardless of the miles or visual condition... but i'm not 100% convinced on that."
I'm in your court on this issue, obviously just check them periodically as we should all tires.....
Originally Posted by slayer_taunu
No, I didn't drive the car, I had it shipped in an enclosed transporter... but it still got dirty since it was raining out when they showed up. You can probably count the number of times this car has seen rain on one hand.
The car was garaged it's entire life. The tires are old, but have zero cracks or dry rot. I know some people believe you gotta replace tires after 8 years, regardless of the miles or visual condition... but i'm not 100% convinced on that.
re: "I know some people believe you gotta replace tires after 8 years, regardless of the miles or visual condition... but i'm not 100% convinced on that."
I'm in your court on this issue, obviously just check them periodically as we should all tires.....
I think it's got a lot to do with where it's stored and driven. It's called "weather checking" for a reason. Tires that sit on your car outside in rain, shine, sleet and hail - it just stands to reason they'd age more quickly than tires inside the garage. Of course, that doesn't mean that tires inside don't age. The DOT date of 8 years old is probably a good thing to watch, but I wouldn't replace tires just because a certain date passed. I'm too cheap for that.
The anti-aging chemicals used in the rubber compounds are more effective when the tire is exercised. The repeated stretching of the rubber compound actually helps deter cracks from forming. The tires used on vehicles that are driven infrequently, or accumulate low annual mileage are more likely to experience cracking because long periods of parking or storage interrupt "working" the rubber. In addition to being an annoyance to show car owners, this condition often frustrates motor home and recreational vehicle owners who only take occasional trips and cannot even park their vehicle in a garage or shaded area. Using tire covers at least minimizes direct exposure to sunlight.
Please replace those tires before anything else. I had great tread on some six year old tires. I replaced them and the car drives like a completely different car. Not to mention the safety factor. These tires are an accident waiting to happen.
Please replace those tires before anything else. I had great tread on some six year old tires. I replaced them and the car drives like a completely different car. Not to mention the safety factor. These tires are an accident waiting to happen.
Oh yea, I know. I'm actually going to pick up the original turbines on Sunday. Depending on what rubber I find on them, I'll either use them or buy a new set of tires next week. Either way, the car is sitting with the PlastiDip being scrubbed off so I can buff out the original paint to see how bad it is, and also the tail lights are off and sitting on the floor. Furthest she's going is out of the garage or into the garage.
Oh yea, I know. I'm actually going to pick up the original turbines on Sunday. Depending on what rubber I find on them, I'll either use them or buy a new set of tires next week. Either way, the car is sitting with the PlastiDip being scrubbed off so I can buff out the original paint to see how bad it is, and also the tail lights are off and sitting on the floor. Furthest she's going is out of the garage or into the garage.
"Dad" has already lectured him on the error of his ways ..... : rofl:
To answer some (at least one) of your questions: do NOT use synthetic oil. You will have more oil leaks than you can count. The power antenna is a PIA to replace; you will have to remove the rear tire and access it through the fender well. If you hear a whine over the radio speakers when the radio is on, that is a sign that the motor is drawing power and will drain your battery. Replace the coolant and hoses, C4's run hot and this will help keep the temp down.
Welcome aboard!
That makes the two of us.
New C4 Owner!
You can probably count the number of times this car has seen rain on one hand.
has already lectured him on the error of his ways ..... : rofl:
