Hi, my dad and I are considering restoring our families 1990 C4 within the next few years here. The car truly means a lot to our family and we want to really spiff it out and breath some life back into it. The car still runs great. Has 160,000 miles and has yet to have big mechanical failure. Paint is getting a little old and the interior needs doing. Just curious what you guys would recommend for doing a restoration of a car like this. Do we need to do the full 9 yards (rebuild drivetrain, suspension, interior etc.) or is it a little more low key than that. Thanks.

 

The vette still runs great? Enjoy it! One thing leads to another. Believe me, it will avalanche.

 

160,000 on the ODO is still pretty good. I’d at least do a compression check on the cylinders to make sure all is well, and that will tell you how much time you have left on the motor. As long as it’s running good, I would focus on interior and paint. Everything else will tell you when it’s time to replace. Sometimes there’s a point when many things need replaced all at once. Mine was the cooling system. Hoses, fan motor, water pump, and radiator all needed replaced. But my Vette is running better than ever. Now I’ve moved onto suspension. Almost got it wrapped up.

 

IMHO, I would DRIVE IT until it had it's one big/expensive snap whether that be the motor and/or tranny.

As much as it may mean to you a C4 with 160K on the clock and counting is just not worth putting paint and an interior into because then it will need the above as well as fuel injection, suspension, cooling system, heater core, a/c, brakes, tires, etc. etc. etc. etc.

I would put all that money towards a NICE low mile C4. Hell, look around and find one that is similar in color and options with about 60K or less on it, and it will cost you less than doing a 1/3 of what your car with 160K on it will need eventually.

 

As long as youre willing to shell out the cash, you can rebuild the car into a new one. At 160k miles, it likely needs pretty much everything gone through. Anything rubber will need replaced, including suspension bushings, Interior parts can be sourced from parted out cars or on line businesses like Mirrock Corvette. As far as engine work, I would think about a crate engine. Depending on the quality level of paint you want, that could be your biggest expense. I guess its up to you on if you want to spend likely more on the car than its worth. If you can do allot of the labor yourself, you will be ahead of the game.

 

Did you miss that it's the family car and has sentimental value?

 

I would make sure that safety and dependability issues are addressed first. Then I would drive it and enjoy it, and make repairs and upgrades as needed.
At 160k mi , there may be a transmission or a head gasket in your future. Just deal with it as it happens.
I have 245k mi on my 89', I bought about 10 years ago. I have done a trans, new heads, tires, paint, water pump, alternator, switches, hoses, etc. I don't do it looking for a return on my investment, I do it because I enjoy it, it's my hobby.
Its not show quality. It's a clean and DEPENDABLE driver I would not think twice about taking a 1000k mi trip in.
Enjoy the car.

 

I didn't miss that it had sentimental value.

I gave him My Humble Opinion what I would do with that car if I owned it, and it was packed with personal memories and sentimental value.

He and his father will do whatever they want anyways. LOL

 

If it were mine, I would do the paint and interior and drive it. Fix what it needs when it needs it. Keep it in the family for others to enjoy.

 

Would be a great project with lots of bonding time with your father (you can't put a price on that) Be sure to post up pics if you do venture down the path.

 

I have been doing pretty close to this on my cars since I have been 16 yrs old, I am now 63, older than some of the folks giving the OP advice and not so old as some. I took my first car apart at age 16 (a 1968 Chevy BelAir 2 door) and redid it inside and out, and learned to shoot paint, etc.

In the last 47 years, I have learned through experience that if you don't have the money to do it all at once (by paying someone) (or the mechanical skills, or time or facility space to do it all at once yourself) that you are:

1. better to do the platform first. folks up above me have talked about bushings and other rubber components. If you do the bushings, the shocks, the bearings AND the brakes, you will have a safe platform to drive. Then you attack it based on budget and necessity.

If a rub out and polish of the paint (without cutting through the clear coat) make it "good enough" then you can redo the weatherstripping where it needs it to protect further time and investment.

As long as the seats are safe to sit in, you can still drive it if they are faded or the carpet is a bit dingy.

Then you assess the mechanics. Radiator leaking ? Replace it. Fix the other sub-systems as you gain experience and knowledge about how to fix a Corvette.

As long as the engine / trans / diff etc are functioning, you can do all the above over a couple weeks/weekends time (depending on how fast you work) and still be enjoying the car. If you do the platform and it subsequently drives really nice (that new car "feel" is a function of the bushings, the shocks, the bearings and all the suspension) working like the day it rolled out of the dealership lot.

It is easier to buy major parts linearly than all at once if you have a limited budget. By buying linearly, I am averaging 75% of retail cost by watching sales, careful shopping etc. I have acquired heads, cam, rockers etc etc

WHILE

rebuilding my platform. even though my car only has 23K miles on it, it sat for most of 10 ys. so I have been practicing what I preach and my car rides almost new. it is a pleasure to drive and each time it gets better it encourages me to continue on with the project.

So in time you end up with a really nice ride and a cool journey getting there.

At least this is my philosophy about redoing cars.

 

Ok, thanks for the advice means a lot. Talked to my dad about it and he thinks that we would do what a lot of you guys recommended which is, paint, interior and suspension and then replace stuff in the engine when it needs replacing. Thanks for the advice and when we get around to it I’ll be sure to post some pics!

 

Do you have shop room and room for removed parts, new parts, removed body panels? Engine and trans pulled by you and refurbished somewhere else. New paint, new interior, repair interior trim, buying little pieces needed here and there. Steering column likely loose when you wiggle it- plan for a rebuild. Sport seats, plan on all that hardware -pumps and bladder and side switches (currently out of production), new seat covers, installed by professional, do you have a lift? 100's of detailing hours, exhaust....new or refurb current one? Lots of media blast. Powder coat front skid bar, all new weatherstripping- strip it down for paint with no tape lines. Plan on 4 times what you think it will costs. Rebuild a/c control head, send cluster to Batee.com for refurb and tach calibration. Fix the warped dash ( I am one of the few the repairs them to factory specs),on and on... Minimum 15k plus engine and trans built. You said restore, not fix up. Be ready. Oh yeah, carpet, can your be removed and steam cleaned of new set, send out audio to have head unit refurbed and upgrades including all Bose amps. New 3 piece front spoiler, new emblems, .....If I missed them all wheels redone at $150 per wheel plus shipping, tires, brake lines, rotors, pads, brake lines, belts,hoses, rebuilt headlamps, rebuilt or replace shocks, did I say 15k now your at 20k. Hey, I have done it a couple of time, but it wasn't cars I planned on selling and knew I was never getting my money back but had brand new old Corvette when done. New ball joints and bushings, flush and change all fluids.

 

Big projects tend to take longer than expected and many times do not get finished. Start with small goals I would say.

 

1989 with 59K original miles. I drove it less than 100 miles before tearing into it.7 years and counting.
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Oh yeah....$23k in parts and counting too

 

Fantastic advice here! I certainly appreciate sentimental value. If you go into the project knowing you will be spending more that it's market value and still want to do it, the I say have at it!

 

One thing leads to another, and then LIFE takes over......I see "restorations" of all types like this on CL and Fakebook......"Lost Interest"....."My loss your gain" etc. etc. etc.

 

Sometimes the reason one restores anything is thousand times worth more than the value of what they will be restoring .