So... I rolled over 185k miles this week in the '87. I've been driving it daily gain as my grand prix is awaiting 2 lower control arms that are on backorder and being shipped from Michigan. I've realized 2 things the past week.

1) I still love this car.
2) I am coming to hate this car.

I love the damn thing because it can leave in its dust 98% of what is out there on the streets, stops comparatively on a dime, rumbling down the highway at dusk is soothing, and sharp offramps at 80mph are fun.

I hate the damn thing because it is coming up on 19 years old, the rattles are growing daily, and the interior (to me) is starting to look like something a high school kid would drive while delivering pizza on the weekends. Ok so maybe it isn't THAT bad. The dash itself is pretty darn clean, the interior trim is mostly still all good, and everything functionaly works (crosses fingers). It is starting to be the "details" stuff pissing me off.

- Weatherstripping leaks in a few spots
- Rust spots on the carpet near some door screws.
- Upper door trim broken/fragile from sun exposure.
- Door panels warping from sun exposure.
- Shift boot has a small tear in it.
- Shift **** is now petrified leather.
- Parking brake doesn't work (Has any Corvette parking brake ever worked?)
- Carpet faded horribly, stained in the hatch area
- Driver's seat is nearly shot, passenger is a B+ overall.
- Hatch props look kinda gross.
- Silk screening is gone in most places.
- Excessive more than just "normal C4" rattles.
- Sound system while aftermarket still sucks.
- Gas door springs are weak so it slaps up and down on bumps.
- Suspension is getting worn.
- Steering wheel is cracking.
- Door sills scuffed up from entry/exit over the years.

Its getting the point where I'm embarassed by the interior during the daylight. Why does that crap have to be so expensive? $500 here, $600 there, $1300 over there, etc... argh. Time to get a part time job to support this hobby.

So..... I really want to do the carpet first for aesthetics, but if I don't do the weatherstripping I'll just end up with more rusty spots from the moisture.

Anyways..... no real point to this thread, just ranting.

 

Scorp, I know what you mean.

I pretty much drive my 88 daily in the summer and I love her to death, but am just not pleased with parts of it. Mine will not tear up 98% of whats on the road, but will hold its own, but I have the same problems as you.

-Carpet faded
-Weatherstrips leaking
-Rattles like crazy
-Door panels worn and still have glue on them from the idiot that owned the car before me, had that woodgrain glue on interior crap
-Still has 'vetterosa' doors and an obnoxious spoiler (see: idiot owner before me)
-Needs a paint job
-Needs exhaust (hopefully solving this problem this weekend)
-Needs new aftermarket radio
-Will need a complete motor teardown and rebuild
-Has a mysterious tranny leak
Just to name a few...

But at the end of the day, it's still a 'vette, it's still mine, and the best part, it's paid for!!

Chin up my friend. These cars are hobbies too!!

 

Do what I do, cover the most embarrassing stuff and ignore the rest.

Repair/replace one little thing at a time, like some slip on seat covers, to hide the worn leather jobs. Pep Boys has some new ones that are wool and leather; looked pretty cool too.

Like Jeb said, it's about how well they run that REALLY counts. I'd rather be able to run off from most cars on the road than to look pretty ANY DAY.

Jake

 

To me, take next winter and just redo the interior.

If you go salvage, Wilcox for carpet, and a GP for rubber bits, you can redo the interior rather cheaply.

Also, consider what you have already invested, giving up cause of some cosmetics is rather short sighted.

The chassis is still strong. The car runs great. It's worth keeping up.

your other choice is to strip the interior and make it a dedicated track car.

 

You could always rip out the interior and make it a full fledged race car.

 

My '87 coupe is also showing all the usual signs of a 19 year old car. But, considering I've rebuilt just about everything on the car except the interior, I will keep it as my daily driver/ commuter car in the warmer months when the snow is gone. Its really not worth alot of money , so why sell it? My long term plan is to eventually find a late model, low mileage, C4 convertible in "pristine" condition and just cruise around on sunny weekends with my wife. That way, I've got the best of two worlds ------ a well worn daily commuter vette and a mint condition "garage queen" for the weekends. And it will cost less than buying a brand new one.

 

Brian, your feelings are very normal. You have a kick-azz vette, and there's alot right with that

Although this may be annoying, maybe you'll save yourself alot of heartache later by using a car cover to protect from UV sunlight damage? I guess you'd have to be somewhat of a fanatic to do this everyday, but it might save some restoration expenses later on.

Just my silly .02

 

Best to sit down and map out a spending plan.

http://www.tld-corvette.com

The Last Detail will sell the ACC mass backed carpet for the front or the rear seperately at very good prices.

All the other dealers will only sell complete sets.

If you plan on keeping the car, GM weatherstripping is the way to go. It does cost alot more but for factory fit and sealing purposes, it's the best.

As for Wilcox, alot of their products are drop shipped from Corvette America in PA. So if you do have a problem there can be some finger pointing and you end up being in the middle.

 

Everything you decide to work on,, you should put back in Factory new condition. Maintain high standards and don't accept "good enough" for the work you do. I found that if I accept "good enough" the total car goes down. Eventually you will return the car to factory type condition. Notice I didn't say new. I would resist the tendency to use used parts unless they meet factory specs. Ex.. control arms with new bushings and ball joints cleaned up,, would be "like new".

So best of luck and happy driving.

If you total your entire estimate to recondtion the entire car,, you will still be less than "new car prices" in most cases.

 

I had the same issues with my 85.

I went on the road for 110 days straight in a brand new car. When I got home I thought my 85 had aged so much while I was gone. Newer cars are nice.

After a topend rebuild at 198k miles I decided it was time to put her up for sale and move on. Tho I didn't buy much of a newer car, it was like new with very few miles on it. B/c of the low mileage the car still has a new feel to it.

If I were youd Id sell and get a C5.

 

Mine has all the problems named above, plus it needs an engine. If scorp 508's can out run 98% of what is on the road, I can still best 95% of them, including some L98s. I figure if I were to invest $10,000.00 (not including the engine, which I have most of) the car would be worth a solid $5000.00. There becomes a point, where...

RACE ON!!!

 

I paid 8k for my 92 last year, a one owner, all stock, california car with 67k miles (needed a head gasket). Now after putting almost 16k into the car on top of the 8k I have well over 20k in the car and it's probably worth 12k on a good day. Now it's driving me nuts that I have this much money in the car and it's not perfect so it's in the paint shop this week getting the sun faded bumpers repainted (and the mirrors, and the area above the rear window, and the hood, and ..... ). I''m also putting on chrome ZR-1 style a mold wheels so it should look pretty sharp. If I had it all to do over I'd buy a ZR1, a Callaway, or a Grand Sport, then at least I'd have something collectible.

 

Scorp - 2 years ago, i was right where you are. i almost decided to sell it and start over with something else. but, the car is too much fun and my kids love it, so i kept it. then sunk well over $15,000 into it and it's STILL not where i want it. i need my head examined.

anyway - you can slowly get the car where you want it, and enjoy doing it. C4s rule!

 

Hi Scorp,

I just bought an 86 coupe and the first thing I did was completely gut the interior. I'm talking right down to the fibreglass. I took out seat belts, all interior trim pieces, dash pad, console, you name it, its out. This allowed me to fix the driver and passenger floor pans that some earlier owner had cracked, probably while trying to jack it.
Next, I washed the whole thing out with Simple Green and used auto type Fabreeze in all the areas I couldn't get to. Then I laid down Brown Bread sound deadener throughout the interior. And I do mean everywhere!
While the plastic trim pieces were off the car, I cleaned them all with Simple Green amd the applied Meguiar's NXT Plastic Protector. This stuff makes those trim pieces look like new! I also repaired all the broken and cracked pieces with a two part epoxy glue made specially for plastic trim.
While the carpet was out, I had a local company dye them and they lood like new. I also threw out all the old insulation and replaced it with new automotive type felt insulation.
Finally, I recovered the speaker grills and plan to remove the door skins to give them a complete cleaneing as well. So basically, the interior looks like new.
The whole project took me approx 30 hours to do, the longest part being the sound deadening material. But it was worth it. The car is much quieter now. Actually removing all the trim pieces and reseating/tightening them helped as much as the Brown Bread.
So, what did it cost me?
1. Brown Bread $300
2. Carpets dyed $300
3. Simple Green, Meguiar's NXT and Leather Care $30
4. New speaker cloth and spray adhesive $20
5. Fibreglass repair kit $30
6. New felt insulation $40

So in toal I spent $720 Canadian and my interior looks great! Redoing your interior does not have to cost a fortune.

 

Hi Scorp,

I just bought an 86 coupe and the first thing I did was completely gut the interior. I'm talking right down to the fibreglass. I took out seat belts, all interior trim pieces, dash pad, console, you name it, its out. This allowed me to fix the driver and passenger floor pans that some earlier owner had cracked, probably while trying to jack it.
Next, I washed the whole thing out with Simple Green and used auto type Fabreeze in all the areas I couldn't get to. Then I laid down Brown Bread sound deadener throughout the interior. And I do mean everywhere!
While the plastic trim pieces were off the car, I cleaned them all with Simple Green amd the applied Meguiar's NXT Plastic Protector. This stuff makes those trim pieces look like new! I also repaired all the broken and cracked pieces with a two part epoxy glue made specially for plastic trim.
While the carpet was out, I had a local company dye them and they lood like new. I also threw out all the old insulation and replaced it with new automotive type felt insulation.
Finally, I recovered the speaker grills and plan to remove the door skins to give them a complete cleaneing as well. So basically, the interior looks like new.
The whole project took me approx 30 hours to do, the longest part being the sound deadening material. But it was worth it. The car is much quieter now. Actually removing all the trim pieces and reseating/tightening them helped as much as the Brown Bread.
So, what did it cost me?
1. Brown Bread $300
2. Carpets dyed $300
3. Simple Green, Meguiar's NXT and Leather Care $30
4. New speaker cloth and spray adhesive $20
5. Fibreglass repair kit $30
6. New felt insulation $40

So in toal I spent $720 Canadian and my interior looks great! Redoing your interior does not have to cost a fortune.

 

I noticed that you mentioned suspension wear too. For the sake of safety and driveability, this would be my first priority. Also the more mechanically sound a car is, the more I feel as if it's worth putting money into the aesthetics. Good luck and keep a stiff upper lip. Been there, wait... I'm STILL there!

 

Thats what i will do eventually, I feel the same way and my car is a '92!!

 

I fully understand your frustrations my friend.

I did TONS(lemme re-phrase that) I had tons of work done to mine...it still needed little things here and there. I had no intention of doing them, and everyone else always seemed too busy to do them for me..so I let them go. The new owner is mechanically inclined, so things will get fixed. LOL I doubt the devil will ever leave that car..but that is another story.

Scorp, I almost forgot what a fast car feels like. Driving this 250 hp 14 sec Audi is NOT cutting it.

Glad to hear your car is out and about again. One step at a time my friend.

 

Do what I did over the last year.
New stereo
New speakers
New Amp
New u-joints
New seats
New steering wheel
New rear wheel bearings
Shift kit
New convertible top
Cleaned carpet
New weatherstrips

Still more to be done but I will get there.

Forgot the following
New mufflers
New fluids
Stoped the front calipers from rattling

 

I've posted rants like this before on the "Corvette Tax." We're doing a '70 Mach 1 and everything for that seems cheap compared to Corvette stuff!

I got an '87 and feel much the same way about my car as you do yours. Here's the thing: Whaddaya gonna do with it? Sell it to some guy for $8K, if you're (really) lucky? I've decided I'm just gonna keep mine and chip away at it. It's paid for so it doesn't cost me anything but insurance, so what the heck? Be glad you have a Corvette! Most people can only dream of owning one.