Page 200 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

down” feature for suburban or highway driving. Others will find this added complication frustrating. The early versions of the four- speed automatic also had their fair share of critics, with a shifting logic that sometimes seemed misaligned to the driver’s inputs. Its calibration was significantly improved in later years, with Car and Driver commenting in its 1988 review that “the transmission contributes a fast, firm, and extremely smooth kickdown. Upshifts are equally crisp and seamless. Few luxury cars shift so slickly.” The manual transmission problem was completely solved in 1989 with the replacement of the 4+3 by a conventional ZF six-speed, making these cars the preferred setup for anyone wanting to shift for themselves, though even the ZF had a nanny feature that would lock out second and third gears and force a shift to fourth under certain conditions.
For fans in search of the ultimate C4 fantasy, the ZR-1 represents a fascinating footnote in Corvette history. Though low mileage examples command significant prices on auction sites, moderate mileage cars can be had for not much more than a well-preserved conventional C4. Its powerful heart is the core of its appeal, as it was memorably summed up in Car and Driver’s famous cover story, “The Corvette from Hell:” “The engine’s performance is best described as otherworldly. Its power just plain warps the mind. The ZR-1 has the ability to take you from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and from a stop to 100 in 10.4 seconds. We also recorded a 0-to-150-mph time of a tick under half a minute. Top speed, for the adventurous, is a sizzling 175 miles per hour.”
While the ZR-1’s performance made it into a powerful beast, its FX3 adjustable suspension offered the best attributes of all of the various C4 suspension alternatives, including the ability to deal with harsh surfaces. “A rough road can be tamed by switching to the Touring setting,” concluded Car and Driver. “The Sport setting can draw real cornering performance – and surprising comfort – from the ZR-1 on a smooth, twisting surface. Without the FX3 system, the ZR-1 would not be the grand tourer it is.”
Whether you’re going for a base car with limited options or a fully loaded ZR-1, the C4 – even thirty years on – represents an extraordinary combination of style, speed and roadholding that rivals even many modern sports cars.
Later-lifecycle C4s, like this 1995 example, are regarded as having the best build quality. C4 production stopped with the 1996 model year.
The Knowledge
dC4s have been undervalued for years, which means that many have been poorly maintained, so complete maintenance records and a thorough PPI are especially important.
dFinding and buying the best C4 requires studying up on the three-character codes that differentiate the various combinations of engines, suspensions, transmissions and special editions. There are many online sources to assist with this.
dAs with the 1968 C3 Corvette, models from the 1984 introduction year can have more than their share of issues. “1984 Corvettes seem to have an awful lot of negative publicity,” says Ray Zisa of the Corvette Center in Newington, CT, “but they are not actually that bad. The port fuel-injection system used in the ‘Cross Fire’ engine wasn’t all that different than what GM was using on its other cars.” Still the 1984 model year cars were the source of much on-the-job learning about the C4 (unfortunately often in the hands of customers) and significant improvements followed in later years.
dMost C4 experts point to the 1991 and later cars as the ones to look for, based on their six-speed manual transmissions, upgraded interior and ZR-1-derived appearance details. Post-1994 models through the end of production in 1996 seem to have the best build quality.
dWhile the small-block V8s that powered all the C4s are generally reliable engines, each had their quirks. The Opti- spark distributor for the LT1 engine introduced in 1992, for example, was positioned beneath the water pump, which means any type of water leak leads to a distributor failure.
dThe 1984-88 “4+3” manual transmission with overdrive is a complex system and needs to be thoroughly checked. One common failure is a leaky transmission seal that causes oil to flow into the overdrive system, leading to total failure. Zisa recommends instead the post-1989 six- speed ZF transmission. With either transmission, clutches tend to be trouble free.
dGiven the massive suspension components on the C4, wheel bearings (which are a one-piece unit incorporating the wheel hub) have a tendency to wear out and aftermarket replacements are generally weaker than the OE part that’s no longer available.
dEarly power window mechanisms are weak and require a complete tear down to fix. It was replaced by a more conventional design in 1987 that’s more robust.
dAn issue that the C4 shared with other GM products was clearcoat crazing and cracking – a problem that’s worse in sunnier, hotter climates.
dThe earlier-style digital dashes have a tendency to fail – cost to rebuild them is around $500.
198Wayne CariniAffordable Classics