Chevrolet’s performance offerings of the 1980s might have the most maligned stereotypes out there. If you like the G-body Monte Carlo SS, you must be a beer-swilling redneck who adores NASCAR and might know a second cousin in the biblical sense. (Sorry, Nutting.) If you like IROC Camaros, you had the T-tops off, blasted 1980s hair-metal through a substandard sound system, and spent half of your driving time fishtailing out of somewhere…or you perfectly fit the acronym and were…well, “out cruising”. Or crashing. Whatever. Then there is the C4-era Corvette, and the image that a lot of people seem to have is an open shirt, a gold chain with a medallion, and enough chest hair going on that a family of birds is considering taking up residence. Make it red, lose the top, and start playing the theme song to “Miami Vice”…right?
As we swung by the National Corvette Museum to check out some of the cars attending the C4 Gathering, we took a pause on the subject: It’s been twenty years since the last C4 rolled out of Bowling Green. From the time the C4 appeared on dealer lots in 1984 after a long development program until June 1996 when production ended, the C4 strove to be as good as could be. You can mock the early 205 horsepower/4+3 powered cars, but if there was ever a candidate for an LS swap, the early C4s are it. By 1989, the hybrid four-speed manual/three-speed overdrive automatic was out for the ZF six-speed manual, still attached to the engine, not set back as a rear-mounted transaxle as the C5 Corvette had. If you find an LT-5-powered car or an RPO B2K Callaway Twin Turbo, you’re set. If you find an LT-4 powered newer car, you’ll be good. Anything else can be modified like any other 1980s GM car. They can be found for decent prices…we found cleaner late model cars for around eight thousand dollars, nice earlier models for about $4,500.
It’s a two seat sports car that can still be built like a muscle car and can handle. Why, then, is it still shrugged off? Put away the Warrant cassette and take another look at the plastic wonder tub. We’d love to see an early car fitted with a twin-turbo LS1, six-speed and those fat-spoked ZR-1 wheels whipping ass on a track somewhere. What do you think?
Nope. They are still absolutely hideous. They still have some of the worst ergonomics I’ve ever seen (I throw my back out just getting in the stupid things) Their aftermarket support is dwindling and even stock replacement parts are rapidly becoming no longer available. I work for a GM dealer and guys bring these in with laundry lists of complaints and we have to tell them that 75% of what’s wrong with it, we can’t get anymore.
I love comments like yours, So you’d turn down most supercars, and any 70-till now, RED HEADS…
as they all blow to get in and out of, but somehow they get a pass
No, I’d turn down most supercars because they don’t interest me in any regard and cost way too much for what they do.
Not an accurate description of the C4 Corvette. I believe your comment is bias because it is influence by your dislike of sport cars. I have an ’89 model and ergonomics are not bad. The car is actually comfortable to drive, even for long periods of time. Visibility is good. Performance is not bad and reliability is subject to how you treat a car. I haven’t have any major issues. The car drives well and it is fun.
Hopefully not yet; I had to sell a C4 Corvette because I had been trying to use it as a daily driver and didn’t have room to keep it as a project, and I wish I can get another one before prices go up. It had the Z51 suspension package and was hands down the best handling car I’ve ever owned. Other than that you’d spend a lot more on tires than with a Miata, I don’t see why you don’t see more of them being used as track-day toys.
The ergonomics were a bit odd, but it’s a car I could take on the highway for hours on end without feeling uncomfortable, even with a suspension that seems to have been meant more for Road Atlanta than I-285.
Well , I hope people keep discounting them as mine just got hit about two weeks ago . Basically all but the passenger door needs replaced . Drives down the road just as nice as ever . Great car for everything except getting in . Anyway , as soon as I’m paid off I’m getting another one . And Id like it to be cheap .
Maybe it’s because I grew up in the 80’s, but I do kinda like them and prefer the early ones that are more angular (84-90). Would be cool to build one on the cheap as a track day/autocross car.
And they don’t need much building, either, especially if you get one of the performance suspension options. Just some good shocks and tires, replace any worn suspension bits, and then throw whatever engine mods at it that your racing class allows.
I have had my 1989 C4 for 21 years.–it still puts a smile on my face when I drive it. hard to beat for a bang for your buck performance car…
God what an ugly car.
Love my 96 lt4 6spd manual! It’s a Greenwood edition with the lower air dam and spoiler.. Very good handling, I think it gets a raw deal.
I like them…not sure what the hate is for….I would not own one unless it was a clean well cared for example…the parts are hard to find and when you do find them they cost an arm and leg….I’d love to see one with a Geiger wide body kit, less ugly wheels and an LSX with a turbo or two…that’d be a hoot.
expensive to repair………you mean there are corvettes that are cheap to repair?
Only reason people think they suck, is they have never driven another car that kept up with the c4 vette, all the cars you drewl over from across the pond, where just as harsh if not more so, cost double or more, and broke down 100 times as much.
The 84 vette walks the 82 vette.. and will do the same to the L88 as you can’t turn it..
Ever drive an other vette at speed, real top end speed, to say they are a hand full is an understatement.. Go try to take a 66 vette or a 68-82 vette to 140-200 mph and see what happens..
Funny, people complained when the vette, Camaro and T/A had no balls, and handled like garbage, but as soon as g.m. changed that, everyone cried.. That they sold they’re soul to the aero gods (wind tunnel)..
Go drive a 80’s lambo, or Red head and then comment on how harsh the vette is, and that it is garbage..
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and butt ugly is a Lamborghini Countach. But that’s just me. The C4 looks alright and is affordable. I’ve owned my 87 for 13 years. It’s kind of a dog and I believe my bone stock Mark VIII would wax it in the quarter but even though the Mark with it’s independent suspension corners pretty well the Vette would take it there. But racing isn’t my thing so I don’t care, it’s fun to drive.
The interior is awful on them, but they were good performance value in the day and would make for a great bang for the buck project now. Back in the late 80s / early 90s a couple of my fellow 5.0L Mustang owning friends that I did track days and autocross with moved on to C4 Vettes. I was always impressed with the performance level at the time.
My Ford and Chrysler companions all appear to have the capacity to recognize each Chevy muscle auto just by taking a gander at the tail lights. They even know the year, make and model of these Chevy\’s fair by the tail lights. How might this be?
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