It's buried in the 944 thread, but a C4 has popped up in my price range! I am familiar with the L98 cars and LT1's, but this one is an 84 so it has Crossfire and the Doug Nash 4+3 trans.
79K miles, runs/drives great, Black on Black, Z51 suspension, and chrome ZR1 wheels. It also comes with a set of bigger sway bars (F+R) and Bilsteins, all for $4K.
What say you?
Javelin wrote: It's buried in the 944 thread, but a C4 has popped up in my price range! I am familiar with the L98 cars and LT1's, but this one is an 84 so it has Crossfire and the Doug Nash 4+3 trans. 79K miles, runs/drives great, Black on Black, Z51 suspension, and chrome ZR1 wheels. It also comes with a set of bigger sway bars (F+R) and Bilsteins, all for $4K. What say you?
I have heard this - Crossfire and the Doug Nash 4+3 trans are problems and best to stay away from them.
But, that will also be one of the best handling C4's around. Wasn't that one of the first, if not the first, street cars to break 1g on the skid pad, on street tires? It also has stiffer springs than later C4's. I used to have a link that compared the spring rates of different years and trim levels.
That said, it will rattle and squeak. What are your intentions with the car? Drive as is? Race/autox? Are you looking for a project?
Dedicated autocross and fun car. Has to be able to be driven and raced by my wife as well.
There's a lot of misconceptions abouthte Crossfire and the 4+3. change the fluids regularly and enjoy.
The crossfire CAN make power, butit takes some money and work. The 4+3 has really grown on me, but if you don't like it a T-5 bolts in. Low mileage cars that have been maintained will be your best bet.
Mine was not maintained, was abused and generally beaten. It's still fun, still quick and still puts a big grin on my face.
IIRC The 84 Vette was not completely cooked when they released it. They are prone to squeeks and rattles worse than any other C4, are the slowest of the C4s and are worth the least.
That said, $4K isn't a lot of money for a platform with so much promise.
Why would you put "some money and work" into a Crossfire setup with other factory based FI setups are sitting in yards just waiting to make better power reliably?
Ignore the naysayers; if you drive it and like it, go for it! Even swapping to aftermarket FI or carb setup will cost you less than a simple repair on a 944 or 924 turbo.
Oh... your first drive will make you a firm believer in the mantra "Torque rules". Between the head design, the TBI and hte cam profile the thing makes stupid amounts of torque way, way way down low. It probably makes more torque at idle than a K24 makes at peak.
TBI is later, though. But yeah, instant torque rules.
Crossfire manifolds can make decent numbers with some work. As I recall, an 89 Astro Van ECU is the hot ticket for them, been a while since I messed with one.
Sounds like a good candidate for an ls1/t56 swap.
If you buy it and it blows up in 5k miles, are you going to be irritated or are you going to view it as the perfect opportunity for an LSx swap? Heck a 5.3 Vortec would go in there, too.
I'd go with a C4 over a 944 Porsche, simply because if it does blow up, putting in an engine and transmission upgrade is going to be a well documented affair with gobs of aftermarket support. I don't think Summit and the other US-centric suppliers will lack for go-fast parts. I have no idea what the 944 aftermarket is like.
My wife's 84 is a lot of fun to drive. Gobs of low end torque. Steering feels tight and quick. Its been very reliable for us with just over 98K on it. It has some rattles and squeaks (like others have pointed out) but what 27 year old car doesn't? I think $4k is a decent deal for the one you described especially with the extra parts.
The 84 Z51 suspension is the stiffest C4 setup of all the years. It was apparently too stiff for most people so the base Corvette was softened up for 85 and the 84 base setup became the new Z51.
If you want to be competitive in regional/national autocross this may not be the one for you. Crossfires don't make extra power as readily as the later engines. If you just want to hoon on a RWD car while competing locally then this could be a great start.
I would buy it if I were in your position, esp. if you can haggle the price :P
I bought my 85 back in 02 and have had a blast with it, for 4k sounds like a good deal. The Doug Nash 4x3 once rebuilt with some upgrades can be a killer trans, just do what I did. Drive it until something breaks and then upgrade. If you're handy with a wrench parts are plentiful and prices are moderate. Not cheap but moderate.
^ This. If you are not going to do the work on one, don't buy it. EVERY repair at a shop is $1,000. But, get yourself the FSM's and do it yourself and the repairs are really reasonable. I paid $3400 for my 88. I've got all new rotors, Hawk HPS pads, Braided brake hoses, poly bushings, 2 new tires and fluid changes and I'm still under $4k.
Crossfires are a limited year option and parts are still available. The big problem is the technical experience to deal with them is very low.
The C4 is a good car but the "mod" prices can put you in C5 territory very quickly.
Brett_Murphy wrote: If you buy it and it blows up in 5k miles, are you going to be irritated or are you going to view it as the perfect opportunity for an LSx swap? Heck a 5.3 Vortec would go in there, too. I'd go with a C4 over a 944 Porsche, simply because if it does blow up, putting in an engine and transmission upgrade is going to be a well documented affair with gobs of aftermarket support. I don't think Summit and the other US-centric suppliers will lack for go-fast parts. I have no idea what the 944 aftermarket is like.
944 aftermarket is quite healthy:
Pelican-parts, Rennbay, Lindsey Racing, EBS Racing, etc. Thanks to the 944's still racing in SCCA, NASA, etc. There's even a Spec-944 series.
V8 swaps are also well documented and many use LSJuans :)
However, that vette sounds like it would be a lot of fun. My Uncle had one and he had a bunch of fun AutoX'ing it locally before the motor blew up. Think he eventually sold it when he divorced.
I will caution that a friend used to run an old Camaro in CP AutoX and loved it, but the tire prices eventually drove him towards smaller, lighter vehicles (Fiat's were his drink of choice) Something to think about when pricing consumables as those big tires aren't cheap.
As long as you stay off the Purple crack, street tires in those 275/40/17's are pretty reasonable.
Go for it! The problems with a Corvette are far fewer than the problems with a 944.
C4 vettes are awesome.
In reply to turboswede:
Cool, my ignorance is diminished.
BoxheadTim wrote: TBI is later, though. But yeah, instant torque rules.
crossfire IS tbi. a pair of 1bbl throttle bodies, one injector on each
my friend has an 84 z51, i love the handling and stock vs stock she was .3 in the quarter mile off my 91 L98.
patgizz wrote: my friend has an 84 z51, i love the handling and stock vs stock she was .3 in the quarter mile off my 91 L98.
Why do you make us ask?! What was your ET?
Lugnut wrote: Why do you make us ask?! What was your ET?
And (probably even more important), what kind of transmission did each one have?
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