I've been fiddling a bit with the Vette. I have a few projects to do now that I've become a lot more familiar with the car in the last two and a half months. Although the car sounds cool, the cheap aftermarket mufflers are completely rusted inside. The baffles are all loose with lots of holes. On the outside they look new. They are the source of most of the rattles. The lumbar supports on the sport seats don't work. I can't hear the pumps run so inspecting electrics first on those. Rear speaker amps are toast. Expensive so it's not high on the list.
Steve’s 1990 C4
Tranny service due. No biggie and not expensive. PRNDL lights are out. Not bad considering it's 22 years old and all other lights work. I was amazed at the sheer number of lights inside. Courtesy lights and mood lighting. The interior alone must have 15 individual lights. Drivers side headlight motor needs to be repaired. It works most of the time. LOL. It's a pretty short list considering the age. It pretty much sits in the garage. We are in the 100's (110 today) this week so it's morning and evening use. The ac does not work but it still has the factory seals on the service ports so I'm hoping for good news there. We do have R12 available here. I unbolted the roof when I got it and it hasn't been back on since. I always wanted a convertible and the coupe is a good compromise. The most annoying thing about the car is the static electricity. It doesn't shock me or anything but dust sticks to it like glue and the California duster only moves it from place to place. I never thought about a "plastic" body in that way. The duster works just fine on my steel cars.
My ultimate goal for the car is to preserve it as is. I’ll fix the little things. It’s all original bumper to bumper except for the aftermarket wheels. I don’t like the factory alloys anyway but the jury is still out on what’s on there. Maybe if they were black centers instead of white.
Underneath the car is OMG clean. No leaks, no grease just dust. For a 22 year old car I was shocked. I don’t think it was ever driven in the rain. Considering also that it only has 245 hp it sure is a quick car. Lots and lots of torque. It sure is fun. It’s has every option avalable on a coupe for 1990. It also came with both the solid roof and the tinted acrylic roof. The PO gave me all the servicing and repair reciepts from new. It was originally purchased in Valencia California. It has never failed an emissions test. The FX3 suspension has been disabled. Probably because replacement shocks were $1200. I don’t drive it to its potential so I don’t need it. It’s a cruiser for me. I’ve also not ever owned a car with a positraction rear end to imagine my surprise when I got it sideways one day. No traction control on a 1990 model Ha Ha. I’d really love to put Corsa exhaust on the car but I think it would require a second mortgage on the house. It was never intended to be a daily driver so I don’t mind it taking up space in the garage most days. I’ve read Tim’s horror stories with his previous vette and hope that I don’t experience the same, especially a power steering leak. That story was true horror. LOL.
Steve
Steve – you are making me miss my C4…a little. When you get to the exhaust go with Corsa. http://www.corsaperf.com/
I know what you mean about the convertible. I use to own a convertible and frankly in the heat you described and what we ‘nomrally’ have here in Southern Arizona the just don’t make sense. The removal top is the key. Although removing the top for the C6 has been GREATLY improved over the C4.
When you get to any of the repairs…drop us a couple photos.