As is with any machine that I've ever taken an interest in, my passion sometimes goes rabid. Ever since I bought my LT1 auto a year ago, I've surfed marketplace off and on just looking at Corvettes and related stuff. A couple weeks ago, i stumbled into a red/red 1996 LT4 Z51 with 51,300 miles, and remember thinking, "Hmm, the car looks really nice...." Last Wednesday, i couldn't help but notice the car was still listed, so i began looking at the pictures with a little more interest and then found myself reading about what the car is and found myself attempting to resist the idea of contacting the seller... I succumbed. Looked at the car yesterday. This car is not my LT1 auto is an understatement...Nothing about this car feels like my '94. So the seller and I agreed that I would purchase his car. We've made arrangements that I'll have it next Saturday. I'll be the 5th owner. That what i have done, will sink in next Saturday....

 

Congratulations.

Wait until you drive (and hopefully own) a C4 ZR-1. That first drive will make you say the same thing about your LT4.

 

Thanks @IHBD I can't imagine a ZR-1 in my horoscope, but then neither could a imagine an LT4, much less a Z51 either...

 

I'd love to have a C4 ZR-1 one day, but that's somewhat unlikely....we'll see how that plays out. I have a 96 CE LT4 and love it; just installed the Hurst short-throw shifter and makes it even more fun to drive. Also have a C6 GS, and I've put a Maggie blower on it so have C6 ZR-1 horsepower....that said, I'd still like to own a ZR-1 one day. I really like the looks of the C4 ZR-1 and that LT5 engine....man it looks great! I'm partial to the C4 because my first Vette was a C4, but love my C6 GS too, she's a beast. I'm also thinkin down the road, resto-modding an early year (68-72) C3 and dropping an LS7 in (C6 Z06 engine and tranny).....who knows, I'm prolly dreamin, haha!

You'll love the LT4; that car looks great - well done.

 

Steve's got the bug, maaaaan..

That's a pretty Corvette...

 

 

Thanks! I must be deep in the clutches of my addiction...

 

Looks good, enjoy the ride!

 

Very nice! Love the 96 year!

 

Thank you. I'll post pictures Saturday after the seller and his wife drive it up to me Saturday, they'll be at my place at 11am.

 

Thank you. I'm thrilled to be able to own a 1996 model. I'll post pictures Saturday after it's in my possession.

 

 

Sounds like a pretty good Saturday

 

Beautiful!

What a great find.

I'm happy for you and I know you'll enjoy the LT4.

 

@ghlkal Thank you for your kind and thoughtful best wishes. I'm so happy that these magnificent and timeless cars are affordable for me. I certainly didn't ever imagine myself being a Corvette owner, much less two Corvettes. I love driving distances in the comfort of my LT1, and now to experience the thrill of the LT4, and a Z51 nonetheless. My undocumented research (AI) suggests only a handful were red on red. And the LT4 being one-year only, apparently less than 2% of more than 360,000 of the total C4's produced.

 

Hi Steve - congratulations! You will love it! Beautiful car... my LT4 also has Z51. I've owned it now for over 24 years. I love this car and it will be with me for the duration.

You might like to know that there were 24 Red/Red/LT4/Z51 coupes in '96. This number is from the Robert Casey book "All 1990-1996 Chevrolet Corvette Colors Codes and Quantities." Also partially from this page, although it does not reference Z51 for anything but Grand Sports. https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...n-numbers.html

Keep us posted as you get the car and what you think of it. I have to say my '96 has always felt so solid and well-built (except when I take the targa top off.. haven't done that now in over 20 years as a result!).

Enjoy!

Mike

 

@Zyalater Thanks Mike for your welcome words, sharing a bit of your ownership experience with your yellow Z51 LT4. Thanks for referencing Casey's book, i just ordered the 90-96 edition. The owner was very willling to let me take the car for a rive, which i declined as i want to have it in my garage before i take it out n roads i am familiar with and with much less traffic than where the car's been living in suburban Denver. The test ride immediately revealed an awareness of and a seat of the pants feel, that this car is a very different driving experience than my 94 LT1 auto. The owner was a late 30's-something C4 lover, his first introduction getting to drive his grandfather's C4 when he as 16. I very much appreciated his attention to detail, such as only running ethanol-free 91, things he has done to keep the car in its original condition and most recently repairs by Corvette Connection in Denver addressing leaking intake manifold, with replacing the coolant damaged Optispark, water pump replacement, new plugs and (black) wires (darn it, i understand factory wires were red). The current owner has owned the car since 2021 and says it has been noting but rock solid reliable until the manifold leak...

Thanks for sharing that forum link, i ran into it a few nights ago when i was trying to learn something about the car before i committed to contacting the owner to look at it.Still being relatively new to Corvette's i found the thread revealingly informative and at the same time i didn't quite know how to interpret what i as reading until i found post #10. And still a bit uncertain what i as reading as no mention of the Z51 option for red/red coupes. In my rudimentary understanding of the Z51 option, the option included host of differences apart from the F45 option...? Not withstanding a number of suspension upgrades, the Z51 included quicker rack & pinion ratio, power steering coolant system, and some other things. All this being said, i will be taking a slow, intentional deep dive into things LT4/Z51.

Managing caring for 2 Corvette's, I'll definitely adjusting to this... I do have it in my head to maintain and keep the LT4 as much as possible as is. The owner quoted within normal range operating temps and the condensor looked very clean, albeit once i have the car in my shop, i'll be doing some purposeful inspection with no intention of addressing anything i might find which i'll be surprised if i do find anything, but one never knows. This being said, i am going slow in familiarizing myself with this car. The 2nd owner took great pride in the car, apparrently winning awards in shows and it has a Corvette museum sticker on the windshield, of which any significance, i don't know.

My LT1 auto, on the other hand, my being the 9th owner of a fairly well cared for car, it urgently needd things addressed for a 31 year old car with 85,000 miles on the clock. So, i did a fast deep dive in learning what i needed to do, making mistakes on the way, all in my efforts to lower coolant temps (new Dewitts Direct Fit), all new fluids, new plugs and wires, and other smaller issues i addressed or personal touches i gave the car,V2V stiffeners, PCM4LESS ECM Tune, replacing worn vinyl seat covers with Knoch's, 95 fender gills, polished sawblades, etc. This winter i'll be replacing/upgrading all the suspension rubber with C&S SuperPro bushings, RideTech Fox shocks, Van Steel's, Spicer's. When i bought the LT1, it was with the intent it would be my driving and over the road car which it is and shall remain. Although clean throughout, it is far from without blemishes, some exterior areas repainted and as such, i'm not married to keeping it original, just well maintained and clean.

The LT4, i'm not sure what my relationship will be with it, although i know i will be regularly driving it, likely all pleasure of the experience miles. My goodness how good is life to have these "problems of luxury?"

In closing, certainly, i will be be reporting in as this new experience unfolds.

Kind regards.

 

Hi Steve - sounds like a great car - always interested to know the history of each car. I've owned my '96 for over 24 years (now over half my life!). I flew to Phoenix in 2001 with my dad and we (I) drove it back to Kansas City. He had already a yellow LT4 (yellow/black/LT4/FE1) and had traded it on a '99 a few years earlier.

You're right about the wires - factory wires are red.

I can comment a little bit on the lack of Z51 with the link I shared. That data originated circa 2000 on a site called collectoreditionregistry.com. A forum member, "Rottie," owned the data. I don't know what his connection was to the plant, but he had access to a lot of data with '96 production only four years earlier. I'm not sure what happened to that site, but another forum member had it posted for years on his wright.edu site. Maybe in 2015/2016, that site went away, and it was reposted in the thread here. My car came up in a thread in April, 2001, for sale, and Rottie posted the rarity of '96 yellow/beige/Z51 (six) - but didn't have the breakouts of those with LT4s (turns out from the book... four, and I've seen three of the four over the last 24 years). I'm guessing they just hadn't broken Z51 cars down, but it is obviously a valid option and just as you mention, it has several other upgrades besides just the suspension. However, you may be surprised to learn that '96 is the softest of all Z51s. Z51 was an option code from '84-'90, then went away from '91-'95 in favor of the Z07 package, and came back one year only in '96. Z07 cars required FX3. Interestingly, the Robert Casey book breaks down cars with Z07 and Z51, but does not break down FX3 or F45 cars. Between the book and the link above, you can get to exterior/interior/engine/suspension on the '96 cars. '90-'95 are harder without a complete breakdown of FX3.

Great work keeping your '94 going. My LT4 needed freshening as it has sat most of it's time before and during my ownership - last year I completed all front seals, timing cover gasket, oil pan gasket, new water pump and gaskets. I kept my original Optispark as the car only has 17k miles on it and is not an issue.

There may well be something wrong with those of us who have two C4s of the same color... I share that problem!

Enjoy!
Mike

 

Thanks for your reply, Mike. Robert Casey's book arrived in today's mail, so i'm going to enjoy studying it. I also took delivery of the car to day.

 

I took delivery of the car today at 11 am. i couldn't be happier. I feel so lucky. Literally everything works on the car. it comes with 3 PKE fobs. I'm leaving the fobs in the house and just going with manual locking and unlocking. The car came with Owner's Manual in its pouch with flashlight, pen, etc. The large sales booklet highlighting the GS and all the other LT4 models. Original window sticker and build sheet. i went for a 60 mile drive, it is definitely a step apart from my LT1 auto. Cornering, handling and power the LT1 does not have. The LT4 has a more solid feel. Will be interesting to see how the LT1 transforms with Ridetech Fox shocks, SuperPro bushings and Van Steels items. I will not be modifying or changing anything on this LT4. I will only preserve and conserve what's there. My LT1 will get the tasteful "bling" i see fit, it is my road car. Other than the wheels, the the car seems original, at least to my inexperienced eyes. The first owner owned the car 13 years, 33,000 miles, 2nd owner 5 years, 10,000 miles, 3rd owner 2.5 years, 1,000 miles and 4th owner 4 years, 9,000 miles and now me at 53,600 miles. The car originated out of Valparaiso, Indiana, July 15, 1996. Apparently the first owner showed the car at the Bloomington show a number of years and won gold, it has a "Bloomington Gold" sticker in the windshield. A buddy of mine was at my place when the seller arrived with the car and pointed out the Bloomington sticker which i'd never heard of the show. i guess i'll need to look the show up and learn a bit about it. Also has a Corvette Museum sticker on the windshield. Attached are pics of the car.

Both seat's leather is dry and needs to be treated. I need to do some research on the site and learn what is the preferred conditioner.