- Jun 26, 2014
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Hi Darrin, great that you found our little world, where's raining on you today??
C4's please check in
- Thread starter CCO
- Start date
- Jul 1, 2019
- 74
- 88
Eastern Newfoundland - the perfect climate for a convertible...
I've looked at pretty much every C3 & C4 available around here (even a few C5's) and this was the best one short of picking up a show car. All of the C3's had bad cage/chassis mount rot. All of the C4's were either red (I detest that C4 red) or were junk. The C5's all had electrical gremlins and/or weren't exactly my first color choice (4 have been for sale here this spring, all 4 were grey or platinum).
Mine is driver, for sure. It just had a tranny rebuild and most everything important works - even many of the power options, electronic A/C, headlight motors, and parking brake. Conv top is in good shape. Chassis is solid. A bit of surface rust in the windshield frame from bad seals, but nothing serious. The driver's seat needs foam/leather, weatherstripping is in pretty bad shape (have them ordered), aftermarket stereo is questionable (I was gonna upgrade it anyway). It needs some interior work on the interior trim, but the carpet is in good shape as are most of the panels. It needs a power steering pump, which I might have done at the shop today. If not, it is a pretty straight-forward driveway project. Paint is in decent shape for a 25-year old car.
Basically, I have a driver car and I can fix up the little things as time allows. Just what I needed - another make work project/money pit.
FYI - if the fuel economy info the car is spitting at me can be believed, this gets about the same as my '13 Tacoma 4x4 TRD did. That's a little surprising, TBH.
A little work won't hurt ya...Just pick off your projects one at a time and eventually you will get where you want to be.
If you are needing any information for your projects, this is the place to ask. Lots of great information here from very knowledgeable people.
If you are needing any information for your projects, this is the place to ask. Lots of great information here from very knowledgeable people.
- Jul 1, 2019
- 74
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I like a project/challenge.
First up is getting the seals done then on to whichever project mood I'm on next.
- Nov 27, 2017
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A point of interest concerning the seals Darrin, pay the extra few bucks on the good ones. I got the "lower" priced and it already is starting to rip in spots.I like a project/challenge.
- Aug 30, 2014
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Looking good man. Steering wheel cover is not my fav but your Vette looks super well looked after. 
Keeps it touchable in the desert heat and reminds me of Randy RhodesLooking good man. Steering wheel cover is not my fav but your Vette looks super well looked after.
- Aug 30, 2014
- 15,653
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Ahhhhh.... A Rhoads memorial... 
- Jul 28, 2019
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Nova Scotia here. Annapolis valley.
Car is a 1988, L98, 700 R4, Z52 with the "Greenwood" Body kit. I could do without the body kit on it, but taking it off would mean holes in the body and it's been painted once with the body kit on. So while I'm not a big fan of the body kit, the car woudl be a mess if I took it off. I'm getting used to it the more I live with it.
Seems the "Vette clubs" around here are less (what I would consider) car clubs and are more of a "social club". I'm not into that so I guess I'm going to be a lone wolf.
I have cars to work on them and talk with people of the same mind. Not into going to dinners and "functions" where the only thing people do with their car is, wash it, polish it, stick things on it and drive it. I'm more of a "tech focus" car club kind of guy. Gimme a bunch of gearheads who prefer dirt under their fingernails and flogging their creation any day....
Pic of mine first day it came home:
Looks shiny, but it's really a 10 footer. That pic is after going at it with the rotary buffer and Meguiers polish. This winter it will get the full cut and buff treatment to get rid of the paint spider cracking and swirls.
I'm also in the process of sniffing out all the F'd up things that have been done to it over the years and putting them back to right. Seems like everything I've opened so far has been bodged in one way or another. Scariest one found so far was a bush league stereo install that had bare wires and showed signs of arcing and burning. It's lucky the car hasn't already burned to the ground!
Car is a 1988, L98, 700 R4, Z52 with the "Greenwood" Body kit. I could do without the body kit on it, but taking it off would mean holes in the body and it's been painted once with the body kit on. So while I'm not a big fan of the body kit, the car woudl be a mess if I took it off. I'm getting used to it the more I live with it.
Seems the "Vette clubs" around here are less (what I would consider) car clubs and are more of a "social club". I'm not into that so I guess I'm going to be a lone wolf.
I have cars to work on them and talk with people of the same mind. Not into going to dinners and "functions" where the only thing people do with their car is, wash it, polish it, stick things on it and drive it. I'm more of a "tech focus" car club kind of guy. Gimme a bunch of gearheads who prefer dirt under their fingernails and flogging their creation any day....
Pic of mine first day it came home:
Looks shiny, but it's really a 10 footer. That pic is after going at it with the rotary buffer and Meguiers polish. This winter it will get the full cut and buff treatment to get rid of the paint spider cracking and swirls.
I'm also in the process of sniffing out all the F'd up things that have been done to it over the years and putting them back to right. Seems like everything I've opened so far has been bodged in one way or another. Scariest one found so far was a bush league stereo install that had bare wires and showed signs of arcing and burning. It's lucky the car hasn't already burned to the ground!
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Good looking whip man. I love that 80s rear end before the rounded it.Nova Scotia here. Annapolis valley.
Seems the "Vette clubs" around here are more social clubs than what I would consider car clubs, so I guess I'm going to be a lone wolf.
I have cars to work on them and talk with people of the same mind. Not into going to dinners and "functions" where the only thing people do with their car is, wash it, polish it, stick things on it and drive it. I'm more of a "tech focus" car club kind of guy. Gimme a bunch of gearheads who prefer dirt under their fingernails and flogging their creation any day....
Pic of mine first day it came home:
View attachment 30078
Looks shiny, but it's really a 10 footer. That pic is after going at it with the rotary buffer and Meguiers polish. This winter it will get the full cut and buff treatment to get rid of the paint spider cracking and swirls.
I'm also in the process of sniffing out all the F'd up things that have been done to it over the years and putting them back to right. Seems like everything I've opened so far has been bodged in one way or another. Scariest one found so far was a bush league stereo install that had bare wires and showed signs of arcing and burning. It's lucky the car hasn't already burned to the ground!
- Jul 28, 2019
- 690
- 1,270
Yep, I prefer the earlier "angular" style on the C4 series. The "rounded butt" on the ZR-1 was ok, but that's only because it distinguished it from the "regular" C4. When they went with that rear and they redesigned nose of the later C4's, they felt more like a transition model to the C5 to me and lost the original C4 "flavor". When GM was moving to the C5, they should have just brought in the C5 instead of "trial balloning" the C5 styling bits on the C4's.
For example, the squared off tail lights. C4's should have all had round lights and left the squared off ones to the ZR-1 only. Then, if they wanted to square them off for all the models, bring that change in with the C5's.
Just MHO.......
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- Jul 1, 2019
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Hopefully I've got decent ones, but considering the shape the old ones are in it'll be an improvement regardless.
Hard to find the time/weather to get to it. I've managed to get the driver's side door seal done and the two windlace seals, both of which were shockingly bad. The driver's side windlace basically fell apart in my hand.
Of course, every little job leads to 2 or 3 more. I have to repair the driver's door panel (ribs are cracked, no surprise there) and my power door locks have started going a bit bonkers - keep trying to unlock while driving. I've got new switches, bezels and wiring harnesses on the way (already had them ordered before things went nuts). Might be a bad door switch too as the door ajar light was also coming on randomly, but that seems to have stopped.
And the most pressing job is routing the starter wire properly. The previous owner left it dangling under the tranny. Have to figure out where it should be routed and fix that some weekend when I can get the thing on jack stands.
I have seat covers ordered as well as a suspension bushing kit. The bushings will be a winter project. Maybe the seats too. For a cat with no life I never seem to have much free time!
I want to start hunting for a hard top too. That should be cheap/fun.
- Nov 27, 2017
- 355
- 412
you in search of a targa top? Im thinking on selling my later model fiberglass top. Its red, but in great shape. I think it was hardly used at all IF at all. I was going to use it on mine, but I have to switch a bunch of plates ......bunch =2 lol, but as you. I have no time. Its been sitting since I got it this winter. (I would have to sand and paint it, again no time or room). I lost my work shed when we moved , and my projects are now buried in my tiny garage.Hopefully I've got decent ones, but considering the shape the old ones are in it'll be an improvement regardless.
Hard to find the time/weather to get to it. I've managed to get the driver's side door seal done and the two windlace seals, both of which were shockingly bad. The driver's side windlace basically fell apart in my hand.
Of course, every little job leads to 2 or 3 more. I have to repair the driver's door panel (ribs are cracked, no surprise there) and my power door locks have started going a bit bonkers - keep trying to unlock while driving. I've got new switches, bezels and wiring harnesses on the way (already had them ordered before things went nuts). Might be a bad door switch too as the door ajar light was also coming on randomly, but that seems to have stopped.
And the most pressing job is routing the starter wire properly. The previous owner left it dangling under the tranny. Have to figure out where it should be routed and fix that some weekend when I can get the thing on jack stands.
I have seat covers ordered as well as a suspension bushing kit. The bushings will be a winter project. Maybe the seats too. For a cat with no life I never seem to have much free time!
I want to start hunting for a hard top too. That should be cheap/fun.
- Nov 27, 2017
- 355
- 412
you in search of a targa top? Im thinking on selling my later model fiberglass top. Its red, but in great shape. I think it was hardly used at all IF at all. I was going to use it on mine, but I have to switch a bunch of plates ......bunch =2 lol, but as you. I have no time. Its been sitting since I got it this winter. (I would have to sand and paint it, again no time or room). I lost my work shed when we moved , and my projects are now buried in my tiny garage.Hopefully I've got decent ones, but considering the shape the old ones are in it'll be an improvement regardless.
Hard to find the time/weather to get to it. I've managed to get the driver's side door seal done and the two windlace seals, both of which were shockingly bad. The driver's side windlace basically fell apart in my hand.
Of course, every little job leads to 2 or 3 more. I have to repair the driver's door panel (ribs are cracked, no surprise there) and my power door locks have started going a bit bonkers - keep trying to unlock while driving. I've got new switches, bezels and wiring harnesses on the way (already had them ordered before things went nuts). Might be a bad door switch too as the door ajar light was also coming on randomly, but that seems to have stopped.
And the most pressing job is routing the starter wire properly. The previous owner left it dangling under the tranny. Have to figure out where it should be routed and fix that some weekend when I can get the thing on jack stands.
I have seat covers ordered as well as a suspension bushing kit. The bushings will be a winter project. Maybe the seats too. For a cat with no life I never seem to have much free time!
I want to start hunting for a hard top too. That should be cheap/fun.
- Jul 1, 2019
- 74
- 88
you in search of a targa top? Im thinking on selling my later model fiberglass top. Its red, but in great shape. I think it was hardly used at all IF at all. I was going to use it on mine, but I have to switch a bunch of plates ......bunch =2 lol, but as you. I have no time. Its been sitting since I got it this winter. (I would have to sand and paint it, again no time or room). I lost my work shed when we moved , and my projects are now buried in my tiny garage.
The shipping from BC to NL might be a bit excessive! I'm not really in a position to have the funds until late Feb anyway. Thanks though.
- Jul 1, 2019
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Oh - and I'm looking for a convertible hard top, not a targa, BTW.
- Nov 27, 2017
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Yeah shipping to the Rock would be alot I suppose. Damn, greyhound doesn't even come out here anymore, or anywhere? I would be leery of sending something like that by bus anyway. But may have been the most cost effective...moot point lol.
Hope you find what you need Darrin!