Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

[Mark E.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

Thanks for sharing your experience, Ed.

What categories and generations do you plan to judge in Tahoe?

[Ed H.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

Mark I will be judging C-1, my usual is 53-55 and 56-57. I also have worked for Tom Barr on 90-93 if needed.

[Robert B.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

I own and enjoy a beautiful silver 1986 with red leather interior. It is a 63000 mile car which is not nearly perfect but is very presentable and obsessively maintained and cared for. I have replaced parts where needed but judiciously.

I am not sure how it would judge. The tires, exhaust, and a power steering hose and ac compressor are non-Goodyear/GM parts. It is converted to R134a. There has been some paint work. But the interior is much more original than most including the floormats.

I really make an effort to keep everything looking stock. Just shipped the original Bose head unit off for some TLC.

With my financial priorities and goals, there is not much room for a hobby car. Thank goodness that the current affordability of the C4, which I consider a great car at any price, has allowed me to join the ranks of the great brotherhood of Corvette lovers here at NCRS.

[Mark E.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

Robert,

Congratulations with your '86; it sounds like a really nice car. I'm not a judging expert, so hopefully others will chime in also. A couple of ideas-

- Get the Judging Guide for your car. That will help you understand what judges look for and what needs attention.

- Enter your car as a Sportsman at a local Chapter or Regional event. You might ask the head judge ahead of time if a judge can spend some time with you and your car to provide an idea how it may do in Flight.

Enjoy your car.

[Robert B.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

I'm fortunate that Vito Cimilluca is in my chapter, I am very confident that I'm in good hands. I'd certainly welcome any comments here.

[Thomas N.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

I just purchased a 7k mile 1984 from the original owner. Original tires, air filter and so on. The one negative is the last two years the owner downsized to a condo after selling his home. The car was under a covered carport and has fading, clear coat damage on the rear cover. This thing is a real time capsule. I plan on repairing the rear cover paint and taking the car to a local chapter meet in 2016. It will be interesting to see how it does. When the time comes I have my 2003 I purchased new to go through the judging process as well. I agree with the prices on some of these C4 cars. I am trying to decide on a ZR1, Bleeder LT4 Collector Edition Convertible or a B4C Callaway car. I think all of them would be great cars to have for the future.

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

These posts make me thing about my personal C4 experiences. I was the second owner of a beautiful Red/Red 1986 L98 Z51 coupe. It was my first corvette. It was an early '86 and had iron heads. (Aluminum head cars had the valve cover mounting bolts in the center of the covers). The car had every available option. Bought it in 2000 with 12,000 miles on it and sold it back in October 2014 with only just over 18,000 " babied miles on it. During this time I was not a member of the NCRS and never knew anything about judging? The car was 100% original when I got it. Not caring about originality I added chrome accents to the engine changed the mufflers to improve the rear appearance and exhaust sound. I hand polished all the aluminum on the car. It never saw any rain as long as I had it. I had to replace the original goodyears because they were dry rotting and I had to replace the Delco Battery and the alternator.I did keep every original part, and it would take no effort at all to get it ready for flight Judging. I agree with the previous posts in that they are a great bargain and it is time they get the respect they deserve as a collectible Classic vette. When I would take it to vette shows and local cars cruises people would just walk by it many not even stopping to look. Once in awhile I would hear some faint comments like " those were the ugly years". When I started trying to sell or trade it for an older vette, dealers would say things like, " nice car but I just can't sell it, no one wants the style vette, so I won't be able to offer you anything for it, try selling it out right". or "it's a shame you put so much money in, you'll never get it back out of it".
I did loose interest in the car and finally sold it, because I wanted an older car to work on in retirement.
I do miss the car and wish I still owned it. Added some photos of how it looked the day I sold it.

[Tom B.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

I Had a Black on Graphite 85 216k miles had lots of docs I was 2nd owner wish I would have kept it and ran it thru judging was pretty much of a survivor and a great driver. There was some wear here and there but overall looked like a 65 K mile car.

[Mark E.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

Jimmy,

Beautiful '86!

I understand what you're saying about yearning for an older car to work on. For much of the past 15 years, I've owned C3s to play with and work on (a '70 454 and a '73 L82), plus a C4 for road trips and to just drive (a '90 ZR-1 and '87 convertible).

I always thought the C4s were much greater bang for the buck and fun to drive compared to the C3s, but liked the simplicity of the older cars when turning a wrench.

BTW- I've always loved the styling of C4s, especially the look of the open clam-shell on display in my garage and the menacing look a ZR-1's rear end. The clam-shell shows off the beautiful magnesium and aluminum components of the L98 and LT5 engine- perhaps the most beautiful Corvette engines made. In contrast, modern plastic covered engines don't look like real machinery to me (sorry C5 - C7 owners; you can take solace that the newer generations have much better performance ).

[Walter F.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

Through the years as a NCRS member I have noticed more acceptance of the C4. In truth I would love to own a C1 or C2, but that could never happen finaicially in my current status. I grew up with these cars as a kid, mesmerized by the round inside ball door knob, the spoked steering wheel,the 160 speedo, the Corvette spinners and I could go on and on. But when I was given my 84 by a relitive some 10 years ago, in a way I sensed some of that same feeling in my 84. Im sure it rides as harsh as the earliers Corvettes and I believe it has some of that special feeling you get sitting in a C1-C3. It is something I can't explain. But it makes owing a Corvette so different then any other car. I have owned Trans Ams, Camaros and even rode in my friends scary Cobra replica. But nothing is like that car called Corvette. And I don't think anyone can explain why.

[John H.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

It is so nice to see interest in the C4 with in the NCRS. I've been having this discussion within our chapter and Mark you nailed it. The C4 is an affordable way to enter the hobby and NCRS as well as attract younger membership. We do need to get local chapters up to speed on judging them and hopefully at the upcoming training in Dallas they'll get some time. I'd also like to personally thank Ed Hoffman for inspecting my 90 ZR1 before purchase. I had it judged in British Columbia this summer and it came in at 98.2and with driving points 100. I have a couple of things to address before PV and hope to be able to PV it with my 65 at Bend this summer.

[Jim T.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

Enjoy reading C4 posts I have had a 1985 C4 since 1992 and bought a new 1996 LT4. Enjoy driving the 1985 automatic almost as much as I like driving the LT4 6 speed.
Visited a salvage yard yesterday to get a dust cover for my sisters Firebird. They had a 1984 in the yard and I saw the plastic pieces that go around the tach and speedometer and gauge panel laying in the passenger seat of the 1984. Inspected both pieces and no breaks or cracks. The yard wanted $15.00 for each piece. Was only interested as spares for my 1985. Did not ask about the door panel plastic that were still installed and looked good. Is $30.00 a good price?

[Carl N.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

Mark, a past president of the Texas Chapter once told me to be a part of the esteemed Texas crowd a requirement was ownership of a black or red 1967 427/435 and a bank account with funding in excess of $1 million, otherwise stay home. I ignored him and bought a '87 4+3 coupe and loved it. Now have a C5 which is a far better vehicle than any C2 for everyday driving. Both were/are Nassau Blue and I never got around to a '67 in red or black as it puts more smiles on my mug to drive a C5 than trailer a C2 ! Good luck with attracting the C4/C5 crowd they are just as passionate about their rides as those with the older rides. There is a seat for every driver and a driver for every seat.

[Perry M.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

I bought my 63 SWC in 1980. When the 84 was announced, I had to have one. I put down my cash and waited and waited and waited. The dealer said GM was having trouble with the black paint that I ordered. Don't know if that is true or not. I had to pay a premium because they had such a demand for the cars that they could jack up the price. I still have my 84 with 6000 miles, Z51 and Bose stereo. I love it as much as my white 63. The are my black and white cars.

[Robert B.]

Re: Welcome C4 and C5 Enthusiasts!

Enjoy reading C4 posts I have had a 1985 C4 since 1992 and bought a new 1996 LT4. Enjoy driving the 1985 automatic almost as much as I like driving the LT4 6 speed.
Visited a salvage yard yesterday to get a dust cover for my sisters Firebird. They had a 1984 in the yard and I saw the plastic pieces that go around the tach and speedometer and gauge panel laying in the passenger seat of the 1984. Inspected both pieces and no breaks or cracks. The yard wanted $15.00 for each piece. Was only interested as spares for my 1985. Did not ask about the door panel plastic that were still installed and looked good. Is $30.00 a good price?

Gotta buy these at that price.