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I just bought an automatic (wish it was stick) silver 1990 Corvette 5.7L V8 (I believe it’s OHV) hardtop convertible coupe. It starts up and runs great still have to get it on the road. 117k miles stored indoors and never seen winter. I’m in NY and will also be storing it for winters.
I’m not really too much of a gear head when it comes to working on cars and things, but I would like some advice on things I could do to:
1.) Treat it well and do any sort of maintenance/upgrades that would keep the car running perfectly and not have to worry about the motor being 33 years old essentially
2.) If possible, add or change some things to give the car some more snap and power to the wheels. Without compromising the safety of the engine etc.
Re: Best “Mod” Article I’ve Found - Good or Bad?
Mainly just wondering what I can or should do to make it the most it can be and also to last.
Thinking about ordering the 1990 factory repair shop & service manual as well as the 1984-1993 chevrolet corvette parts & illustration catalog if y’all think it’s the best route.
*Are custom laser fit floor mats similar to weathertechs available at all for such an old car?*
Welcome to the forum and the C4 community. That body style is referred to as a coupe. I believe it is steel blue metallic, one of the rare colors, with only 813 produced. You need to get a factory service manual, don't buy Haynes or Chiltons. Check the date codes on the tires. They may look great with lots of tread, but if they are over 8 years old, you should consider new tires. They first thing I do when I buy any used vehicle, is change all the fluids and filters so I have a base line for your maintenance. Under the console lid is the SPID sticker. It contains the RPO codes telling you exactly how the car rolled off the Bowling Green line.Drive the car for a while before you consider any mods, get to know it. Did you get and service records with the car? We like photos, be sure to post lots of them!
Welcome to the forum and the C4 community. That body style is referred to as a coupe. I believe it is steel blue metallic, one of the rare colors, with only 813 produced. You need to get a factory service manual, don't buy Haynes or Chiltons. Check the date codes on the tires. They may look great with lots of tread, but if they are over 8 years old, you should consider new tires. They first thing I do when I buy any used vehicle, is change all the fluids and filters so I have a base line for your maintenance. Under the console lid is the SPID sticker. It contains the RPO codes telling you exactly how the car rolled off the Bowling Green line.Drive the car for a while before you consider any mods, get to know it. Did you get and service records with the car? We like photos, be sure to post lots of them!
The rims and tires are all new actually. It also just had $850 of braking services done in 2020 as well. Always garage kept and never seen winter.
Im definitely looking to buy the service manual as well. Is it worth buying the parts catalog with the illustrations as well? I would like to self service as much as possible. What is the best site for ordering parts for an old corvette like this?
There are several vendors selling C4 parts here that advertise in the "C4 Vendor Sale" section. A separate thread asking members for recommendations should get plenty of answers. I have had good luck with Zip Corvette for new parts. Their catalog is well illustrated, and free! Most will advise to stay away from Ecklers. Don't forget to post those photos!
Beautiful car and welcome! As others said, even though it sounds like it was well maintained, I would change all fluids and filters. Do a coolant flush. Clean it all up engine bay and all. Headers and an exhaust would make a noticeable improvement. The L98 is a torque monster but runs out of steam up top. Eventually doing heads, cam, and a different intake (like a super or mini ram) would really make it a different car and as long as your not spinning super high, it would maintain reliability without touching the bottom end. Lots of go fast goodies in the parts for sale section all the time. Modifications other than a few bolt ons require certain supporting mods and tuning so do your homework and ask for specifics on here first. You can really go down a rabbit hole fast so it’s best to get your ducks in a row before you do anything more major like a heads and cam. Also before you do anything mods wise, that thing needs to be as healthy as possible. In addition to the service items mentioned above, it’s imperative that all sensors, EGR, and PCV valves are new are verified in working order. Also vacuum lines should be checked and or replaced. Start with a perfect baseline first or you could be chasing your tail doing mods when it starts to not run right
1990 Corvette Advice
