Pics below...

Ok, forgive me if I look like i dont know what im doing.... i dont. I am a Porsche 944 guy. Have bought, fixed up and sold 3 last year with simple cleaning and repairs. This time I couldnt pass this 1984 corvette up for the price. 12k on the engine, 148k on body. 2 sets of wheels, new tires...

Things i want to get working on asap...
1 - Prime it one color. Any suggestions on stripping and filling gouges and spider cracks? Car was blue then cheap black with no prep. I bought it how pictured below.

2 - Are these cars supposed to feel like the have square weels when driving? Any upgrades to help soften the ride. shock suggestions?

3 - Getting a hard shift in 2nd gear. seems as if the auto tranny doesnt want to shift when it should, such as when down shifting when coming to a stop.

4 - Just ordered a power booster in. Break pedel is like pressing on a brick.

5 - Went to WalMart to have stock wheels put back on.... they broke pass side door handle. Naturally they insist they didnt, so...

 

Welcome to the maddness
84's are rough riding but handle great

 

Oh the handeling is awsome for such a "big" car compared to the 944's. I have taken the same rural, country road around the lake here as i did in the Porsches and I am impressed. Comfort is certainly diffrent.

Im 6' 4" and have to lick my elbos so i can squeeze into the vette but so far, so good. I always wondered why the guys in the vetts would always..... cruise just under the speed limit around here while i was taunting them in the 944. Never could get a taker, But now I understand why.

 

Why???

 

Welcome..

 

Why?

 

Why? Becouse of the rough ride. Only an assumption but it would make since. The roads in NW Arkansas are not modern what so ever. Big diffrence in the soft ride of the 944. When I get on it in the Vette here, It less than glidefull

 

Fixed up and sold with simple cleaning and repairs.
Translation- 2 gallons of armor all squirted everywhere, and put in a new tail light bulb.


If you have spider cracks and gouging, you have a TON of prep work to do. But since you are only going to shoot some primer on it to hide the sins underneath and presumably let the next guy that buys it get a big surprise. I suggest you shoot the entire car with Line-X truck bed spray in liner. Then the sins will be hidden forever.

It is a 1984 Corvette. The Flintstones square wheels were standard on all 1984 models.

If the car has 140,000 miles on it the tranny has probably seen better days too. I suggest you drain the tranny fluid and refill it with some thick azz Lucas Oil tranny fluid. Put in a ratchet shifter with a manual valve body and tell the buyer that it is a “Race-Tranny” and it is supposed to shift that way.

What kind of brick? Pavers? Foundation block? Retaining wall? That info would help, but anyway good for you on the purchase of a new part. Install it. Don’t forget to put fresh fluid in and bleed the brakes.

Always take the Corvette to WalMart for repairs. They are certified…..at something.


Keep in mind that you have a high mileage 1984 Corvette that looks like it has one foot in the grave and the other foot on a banana peel. Walk up on a healthy 85-96 C4 with that 944 milk carton and see what happens. For a really good sample of a C4, Go drive a Grand-Sport, ZR-1 or for that matter any healthy C4. 1984 was not the crown jewel in the C4 gernation.

Have fun with your project, and welcome to the forum. Don’t forget to tip your waitresses.

 

Not sure this was exactly what he was looking for..

as you can see many of the members here have great senses of humor.

Good luck on your new project.

 

lol they sure do.

 

Welcome! I like Porsche cars also, but I like the 911 & Carrera versions

 

And some dont.

For the transmission, check the throttle valve, throttle valve linkage, and and adjustment. Do a search here and google and you should be able to find how to do it.

For the body work, there is no quick fix especially with cracking and gouging. I guess it depends on what you are trying to accomplish with the car. For starters, you'll have to at least repair all the places the surface is actually damaged, cracked, chiped or whatever. After that, a good paintjob will cost a ton.

 

hey i live in van buren,i got a 92 thats still hungry after the last 944 that it ate.see you on hwy 71!and welcome to the forum!


the crossfire guys on here are serious folks!

 

That's a big 10-4.

The 944 is to Porsche what the Pinto was to Ford.

 

Welcome to the forum. You will learn alot here just ask questions and you will get answers. I have an 84 and although it rides a little rough I like it.......You have a couple of nice looking 944's there. I like Porsche's too. Would like to have either a 911 or the 944 someday...

 

Epoxy primer is your friend. It will fill your spider cracks nicely and seal up anything that was previously done. A good sanding and 2 thick coats should do it. Sounds like you have the 84 Z51, the roughest riding Vette ever. You should be able to call a nickle heads or tails by rolling over it. If you still have the Bilstein (stock) shocks, you may soften it up some with something softer. The 84's had the stiffest springs, with each year after softening up the spring rate. The door handle is pretty easy, you will need to remove the door panel (not so easy) and replace the plastic clip that holds the rod onto the handle.

 

...didn't know a 944 was a real porsche - ??? -

 

The 1984 model got so many complaints the 85 one had significantly reduced spring rates. By the time they configured the last couple of years of C4's (1995,96), the springs were actually a little soft for a vette IMO.

Take a spin in an LT1 powered 6 speed one sometime or if you can find one, the 32 valve ZR-1. They got better.

 

You've got a taker here. Pick the track, Gateway International in St. Louis, Route 66 in Joliet, Midstate Dragway in Havana, Cordova Dragway, Byron, or US 41 in Morocco. I'm not familiar with the tracks past St. Louis, but I'm thinkin' Memphis or Jonesboro wouldn't be too far of a drive to put a pooch in it's place.

That is, unless you're one of those guys who's gonna come on here asking for help out of one side of your mouth while talking trash about all C4s out the other based on your experience with one worn out 84 that's been ridden hard and put away wet for 26 years and then not back it up.

By the way, if you go to "forums, general corvette, paint/body" and ask nicely without suggesting they're all scared of your 944s, you'll probably get some very valuable input from some guys who really know paint and body.

 

lol awsome. I have been talking about my car rebuild alot on my radio show on Rock 100.7 in the mornings. You should be able to pick it up in VB.