ANOTHER gearhead from Austin!
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
ANOTHER gearhead from Austin!
Hello fellow enthusiasts!
Well, I don't actually own a Corvette yet, but that is why I'm here.
A short history about me: I've rebuilt a 289 in a '66 Mustang, a 1600cc in a Karmann Ghia, installed front and rear lockers in a Jeep, painted a Jeep with 2 stage, built a '32 Ford from the ground up, and have done custom body work on a '64 F100.
I know, I know, not a single bow tie in there. But the '32 ford had a sbc, and I still have the '98 LT1 that I was going to put into the '64 F100.
That being said, I still have the LT1, which leads me to my questions.
My plan
I want something cheap, loud, fast, and fun, and I've noticed that C4's with no engine / tranny can be had for under 3K.
I plan on painting it myself, probably a champagne / pewter. The interior will be mostly race - I may remove the dash and make a composite dash with Autometer gauges. Not a full cage, but probably a rear roll bar with some bracing toward the foot wells. I may do some scca slalom racing. I've even started doing some preliminary design work for a composite front and rear that would incorporate some c2 aesthetics in front and c3 style to the rear.
I'm planning on machining the LT1 to a 383 that will put out ~460hp/460tq. I may put a huffer on it, but will most likely go for a 100hp shot of N20.
My questions
Basically, what year c4 should I look for? Early years are the cheapest, but it has been my experience that overall, the early years of a model are the "betas" and should be avoided.
Am I correct that '89 and later came were available with 6 speeds? Can those 6 speeds handle 560hp/560 tq?
Should I avoid convertibles because of body flex?
Anything I should avoid?
Thanks, and I look forward to being a contributing member here!
Well, I don't actually own a Corvette yet, but that is why I'm here.
A short history about me: I've rebuilt a 289 in a '66 Mustang, a 1600cc in a Karmann Ghia, installed front and rear lockers in a Jeep, painted a Jeep with 2 stage, built a '32 Ford from the ground up, and have done custom body work on a '64 F100.
I know, I know, not a single bow tie in there. But the '32 ford had a sbc, and I still have the '98 LT1 that I was going to put into the '64 F100.
That being said, I still have the LT1, which leads me to my questions.
My plan
I want something cheap, loud, fast, and fun, and I've noticed that C4's with no engine / tranny can be had for under 3K.
I plan on painting it myself, probably a champagne / pewter. The interior will be mostly race - I may remove the dash and make a composite dash with Autometer gauges. Not a full cage, but probably a rear roll bar with some bracing toward the foot wells. I may do some scca slalom racing. I've even started doing some preliminary design work for a composite front and rear that would incorporate some c2 aesthetics in front and c3 style to the rear.
I'm planning on machining the LT1 to a 383 that will put out ~460hp/460tq. I may put a huffer on it, but will most likely go for a 100hp shot of N20.
My questions
Basically, what year c4 should I look for? Early years are the cheapest, but it has been my experience that overall, the early years of a model are the "betas" and should be avoided.
Am I correct that '89 and later came were available with 6 speeds? Can those 6 speeds handle 560hp/560 tq?
Should I avoid convertibles because of body flex?
Anything I should avoid?
Thanks, and I look forward to being a contributing member here!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 10,777
Likes: 5
From: Wichita Ks
Welcome to the Forum 
For the answers to those questions post over in http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-g...discussion-34/ They can give the help you need.
For the answers to those questions post over in http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-g...discussion-34/ They can give the help you need.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
