Isaackrammes

Hi guys, buying a 1989 C4 with a 383 Stroker swapped into it. Would this make for an ideal daily driver? It takes me 15-20 min to go to work and then the same to go home, this includes traffic. Is the car good for this kinda driving?

jaa1992

Auto or manual?
Easy commute (not much stop and go)?

Not an ideal daily driver - that would be one of those new cars with a warranty and stuff

ShadowC4

It depends how the car was built. I used my 383 1988 C4 as a daily for 3 years on a 60 mile commute. Here are some issues I had:

• Check the cooling system, I had to upgrade the cooling system to cope with the Arizona summer with A/C on. you may not have to do this depending on how hot it gets.
  
• About 2 months into it the 700R4 input shaft snapped in two and took out the transmission. the 700R4 is a weak transmission in stock form.
  
• Is it EFI or carb? if it is EFI make sure the tune in spot on, Mine was a pain in the behind to get though emissions due to the idle being to rich.
  

Other then those few things it was a blast to drive around with that much low end torque.

Isaackrammes

It's automatic. Stock TH700R4 transmission with 116k miles on the body and tranny. The 383, no clue but the a/c is disconnected. I live in NC. We get lots of humid weather but the summers can be unforgiving at times. My other C4 I just drove around with the targa top off. So a/c I don't care about really. And it's carbureted.

crowz

Motor wise my 87 does great in town driving with the 383 it has. Highway wise with the 3.73 rear end it gets a bit high in the rpms for my liking for long range driving but the motor has done fine. I don't daily drive it though.

I don't see why it would bother it for a daily driver though.

vader86

I would have no issue driving mine daily but I don't in bad weather.

If your cam is a little radical then I could see it being an issue in stop & go, mine can be.

aklim

Why would YOU think it isn't? Up to 420 RWHP, I can say it is fine since that is what I am doing. I have all the creature comforts the car came with except for a sub-par AC system which is R134A. Had it been R12, I believe it will be better. I had an F-body that I changed to R134A and it was ok but on hot days, it never was as good as R12.

You do understand that you are going to get better mileage with say a Prius, Volkswagen TDI or something smaller so if you are willing to give up that, play ball. Obviously in the winter it sucks so I'd park it for a $1000 beater or get a new $500 beater every year.

aklim

A hottie to shift your gears for you wouldn't hurt.

aklim

The 700R4 or any trans can break. That said, if you are driving around a 383, you should already have changed the trans and if you don't do it voluntarily, the decision will be made for you. Way I look at it, if the stock trans doesn't break today, it will be tomorrow or the day after. Might as well do it ON MY TERMS instead of on the freeway, 300 miles away and you have to deal with the kid in the coveralls on the porch swing playing the banjo.

Not sure I follow. If it is EFI, you are going to need the chip tuned or it won't run right whether it is a DD or not. Best to get a dyno tune instead of a piece of guesswork in the mail.

Matatk

I have a 383 that I often drive for my 50 mile round trip commute.

As far as yours, I wouldn't expect that good of gas mileage with a carb'd 383. With 116k on the original trans, expect a rebuild in the very near future. And not having a/c can make for some uncomfortable travel time.

Other than that, the car is a lot of fun to use as a DD.

pologreen1

383 is not much more than a 350, UNLESS it's a radical build. Which the same could be said for the 350.