Looking to get my first Corvette. It’s going to be a C4. I was leaning towards a 92/93. I like the steering wheel and the seats much better
than the 94’s and up..I’m good with the LT or the L98..so a 91 would have been ok too. The idea of the updated body and dash, plus electronics and OBD are plusses. But-I came across a 38k mile, gold C4 owned by a 70+ yr old man who spared no expense in maintaining the car, and kept it garaged. He was also a pilot and was fastidious with upkeep. It looks like it’s the L98 with aluminum heads, the manual 4+3 DN..both tops, one is brand new. Also new radiator and ECM, AC, plugs and wires. You can eat off the engine or anywhere on the car. Question…is there any one big reason NOT to go with an 86? Price wise it’s a few thousand less than the early 90’s I’ve been seeing. It seems like an amazing rare find and the gold is growing on me.
any opinions appreciated.

 

I would go for it. 4+3 is usually seen as potential trouble, but as I understood regular oil and filter service = reliability. Owner you described would not let it unchanged and I am sure he has got complete documentation too…?

I bought similar one, 85 4+3 Z51 with 34k miles 2 years ago. Biggest problem so far was to fix some oil leaks caused by long sitting and few vacuum leaks. I had to do few new hoses, new clutch (bearing noise), few new sensors, new tires. 12k miles in last 2 years and never had an issue… Now I am about to change all 4 shocks (no real need, just want to do it). I am simply in love with her 😁

 

I own an 86 that I absolutely love. They are awesome cars if they are maintained properly. It sounds like the one you are looking at is how they should be.
How much is he asking for it?

 

My favorite Corvettes are the 1985-1989 C4's. I like the interior with the "Star Wars" dash, I prefer the early C4 body design, and the L98 motor is reliable and very easy to work on. In 2018, I bought a 68K mile 1985 Z51, and I bought a 38K mile 1988 Z52 in 2019. Both owners were in their early 70's and were meticulously maintained with full service records. I have had to do a few minor repairs, but I have been extremely happy with them. Most of the issues came from it sitting too much. I changed the fluids and filters and did tune ups. I had to rebuild the headlight motors on the 88 and I had the "Star Wars" dash rebuilt on my 85. My 85 had a small coolant leak and needed a water pump.

Buying an unmodified, low mileage, well maintained C4 with service records is the way to go. I'd go for it.

 

It depends on what your use for the car is. A low mile car like that, it's easy to not want to drive it. You've already bought into it being a low mile all original one owner car, seeing value in that and so you'll grow to not want to drive it as that will ruin its appeal.

If you're buying it to talk about it, wax it, and maybe take it to a cars and coffee a few times a year, it's probably a fine, if boring car. It's not gonna impress anyone at a car show or anything, but who cares?

If your plan is to drive it, enjoy.it, hit some twisty roads, maybe the drag strip, do some performance cruises... Skip it and get a zf6 lt1 car with like 70k on it and drive the wheels off that car.

 

I would buy it and drive the wheels off of it. 38k is low mileage, but not to the point of adding miles killing the value.

 

I have a very similar story with my two-tone '86 Z51. Bought from an original owner who bought it when he was about 40. Very well maintained, garaged, covered, only in the rain three times. The '86's are pretty reliable, I loved the time capsule aspect of it. I was 16 in '86, the Atari dash and the blunt "Kamm" tail design are burned into my teenage dreams. But even, well maintained, nearly 40 year old cars will cost you some $$$ over the years. Tires can be an issue, Michelin does a pricey run on the tires from time to time. Otherwise you can upgrade the wheels to 17s or 18s. I did and I get compliments on the them frequently. If it's a Z51 and has 3.07 gearing it will be a fun car to drive. What are you looking to pay for it? And the real question is "What do you think of it?"

 

The more I have learned about C4s over the years, the more I become convinced that each and every model year within the generation has its merits, and its inferiorities.

Is it a Z51 car?

Here are some notable upsides of the 86 vs other model years, assuming Z51

First off, any 84-87 car I am convinced due to the front end suspension and steering geometry has superior "turn in" feel. Much more like a go cart. This has downsides, but for me, I drive a vette to drive a sports car, and I like it.

Starting in 1984, going all the way to 1996, each year basically got a softer and more pliable suspension. We get a very nice spectrum really if you think about it. Want plush and soft for cruising? A 96 base will do the trick. Want a firm hard board to take to the track, an 84 Z51 is literally as stiff as it gets, aftermarket excluded.

The 86 Z51, while not the most stiff, I believe will literally be the 3rd stiffest C4 possible, once again ignoring the aftermarket. This again, for me, is a GOOD thing. It is a sports car.

86 late cars like the one you're considering also got the 128 Aluminum heads, not as good as the 88-91 113 aluminum heads, but remember that 88-96 have the revised front end with IMO worse steering feel, and additionally have softer suspensions. On the other hand, the 128 aluminum heads perform better than the 85 and early 86 iron heads, and have a bit more room to grow if you decide to upgrade the motor down the road. What you gain in power with the Aluminum heads for example you lose yo an 84 Z51 or base, or an 85 Z51, as while they make less power, they have stiffer suspensions!

Another benefit of the 86 over the 85, which applies 86-89 basically, is the improved ECU. The 85 ECU and wiring harness are one year only, so ECU and tuning mods are a bit more involved. With the 86 you have an ECU and wiring harness that is basically shared all the way up through 88, as opposed to being one year only.

Being a MAF car, unlike 1990-1993, you can do little mods and gain power without needing a new tune, which is really nice for things like exhaust and intake upgrades.

Of course there are downsides as well. A stiffer ride might not be what you're looking for. Assuming the car hasn't been converted, it has the older R12 AC system which is not as easily serviced as 1994 (maybe 1993?) And up R134A systems. The 84-89 interior IMO and IME has more rattle and feels less refined than the 90-96, but maybe you want that more raw muscle car interior feel? Obviously the 86 is down on power compared to basically all the years 88-96, and compared to a 1996 LT4, you're down almost 100 crank horses!!

All in all, my main point is that all years have merits. It is about figuring out which things are most important to you.
I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I see merits to basically all the years! (92-93 LTs I still am a little unconvinced of, except I do think the 92-93 interior is more my style and aesthetic than the 94-96 and of course we have our ever softening suspension over the years... so even 92-93 has its merits!)

 

The Star Wars digital dash is a must have in my book, and I also prefer the 'boxier' design of the pre '91 C4 gen cars. I was never a big fan of the analog dash from '90 onward - too 90's for me with all the ugly orangish lettering and quirky ***** like you would find in a Mustang or similar car of the era - I was a kid in the 90's and that decade kinda' sucked. The (90's) era was not kind to overall fashion AND automotive interior accents (and exterior design in general) on American cars with all the cheap plastic and dated design details, but that's just my opinion. I wasn't impressed with the interior appointments back then when they were new, and they are even more dated 'yuk' now. Again, just my opinion....

I have an '87 vert in excellent condition, but there always seems to something to fix or fidget with or keep an eye on because it's a 36 year old sports car that sits a lot more than it's driven - and that's OK.

OP, the '86 you found sounds like a great candidate. Pics?

 

Asking, and seems firm at $10,950. The car is an absolute gem. It’s immaculate. I just wonder if I should go with a 92/93 with 50-80k miles for a 12-13k…are the updates worth it…

 

I had to crop these to get them to less than 10 megapixels…don’t think it’s a Z51.

 

Ah I did neglect to mention... the Atari dash. 84 to 89
a HUGE reason IMO to go with an earlier car. I love mine. I honestly think the 1984 which has its own special one year only font is also particularly nostalgia inducing.

That is a fine price for such a low mile 86 4+3 in good shape. Is it a Z51? If it is a Z51 and you like the color, I would go for it. You should get a picture of the RPO code sticker. Should be under the center console door lid or under the rear storage lid doors. If it says Z51 on there...

The sport seats are nice also!


Like I was saying, the newer interiors are a whole different thing. First time I sat in my 1991 I was surprised by how different it felt.
More power...

It is up to you!

 

If you want to drive it, and drive fast, absolutely yes. That's a pretty cheap price for the car, but an lt1 6 speed is a MUCH better car than an L98 4+3.

 

Bonezz70, I'm brand-new to C4's, so can't offer any meaningful "which year is better or worse?" advice, but: based on your description, and the pix you've posted up, I'd be all over that car like white on rice. It's a survivor (they're only original once), in what appears to be mint condition, and if it were my car I'd keep it that way. Drive, maintain and enjoy.

Please keep us all posted!

 

 

10,900. And I just found out it is a Z51

 

thanks for the tip…I asked for and received a pic of the RPO and it turns out it IS a Z51!

 

Since it's immaculate and well maintained, always garaged, Z51 manual, this would be a no brainer (yes) for me. Most have cracked weather seals, leaks, warped panels, sun aged upholstery, moldy carpets, cracked plastic everywhere. The 86 cars were the best autocrossers until the 1996 Grand Sport.

 

If the seller has kept all maintenance receipts the price is not too far off. How is the weatherstriping, Do all the power features work, windows locks seats, cruise control, etc. Has the A/C been converted to R134? Check the dates on the tires. It looks like they have plenty of tread, but if they are over 8 years old, you will want to replace them. The car is not ultra low mile, but 38K shows it has been driven and not a total garage queen. Have you driven it? How long has he been trying to sell it? Late October is not the best time to sell a Corvette. Depending on where you are located, you could be shoveling snow in a few weeks. Ask the seller, if he was keeping the car, what work would he do to it? Keep us posted on your progress.

 

It's a really nice looking car, pretty sure looks like worth buying to me, I too love the Atari dash and am an early car fan.