Who has time to worry about rattling plastic when you've got 300hp over a perfect 50/50 weight distribution

"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
07/06/2016 at 19:55 • Filed to: None

LT1 C4s are so cheap. I think I may need one. Just not many manuals to speak of, in the words of RCR, because buyers liked to be “fanceeehhhh.”

DISCUSSION (48)

It's a "Porch-uh" > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/06/2016 at 20:00

No joke, I just left CL looking at C4 (and some C5s) vettes.

You’re absolutely right. Manuals are hard to find.

LongbowMkII > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/06/2016 at 20:03

The 4L60-e is a good transmission.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > It's a "Porch-uh"
07/06/2016 at 20:04

C5 Z06s are falling below $20k pretty commonly now, but C4s have been $5-12k for quite a while.

Sweet Trav > LongbowMkII
07/06/2016 at 20:06

Said no one ever. the 1-2 shift gap is big enough to drive a bus through.

LongbowMkII > Sweet Trav
07/06/2016 at 20:17

Depends on what you use it for I guess.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > LongbowMkII
07/06/2016 at 20:21

Yeah, it doesn’t seem like people have much complaints about the auto and I’ve never owned a manual, but if I were to get something like a corvette it would only seem right to have one. Maybe I could piece together all the parts for a swap...

Dave the car guy , still here > It's a "Porch-uh"
07/06/2016 at 20:23

If you find one and it has any issues, research the parts before you buy. I work in a dealership and some years electronics like ABS modules are getting hard to repair or replace. Certain years there is the same issue with body control modules. GM has discontinued many items and while a reman service is available for some year models, about 20% of the incoming cores are beyond repair.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/06/2016 at 20:24

even $5k isn’t quite the basement on LT1 cars. I’ve seen a few down in the $3-4K range in decent condition and with owners who have service histories.

yamahog > LongbowMkII
07/06/2016 at 20:25

wat

random001 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/06/2016 at 20:25

I had a 92. Loved it. If you’re curious, there may not be an easier car to swap a manual into, just FYI. These are stupid easy to work on.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/06/2016 at 20:25

Join us

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > random001
07/06/2016 at 20:27

That is very good FMI and is what I was thinking. Find a car, make sure it's in good shape, get all the pieces together for a swap, and spend some time during the rainy season converting it.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/06/2016 at 20:28

Here’s a manual for $3500.

http://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/5628854119…

random001 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/06/2016 at 20:33

The parts are also stupid cheap. The worst part of the swap is getting the tunnel brace out. The thing is a bit rough, but in this case since everything is coming out it’d be easier than when I did the clutch in mine. I was trying to leave most of the car together, would have been easier to just drop the whole thing out. It’s so small that running the lines and such is easy, I believe all the required holes are there, and I don’t think you need to make any changes to the computer as they were separate for engine and trans (I’m pretty sure about that) so you just pull the trans computer out and go.

random001 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/06/2016 at 20:35

If you are tall (I’m a little over 6'4") you will have trouble wearing a helmet if you want to track it, though it can be done but it won’t be the most comfortable driving position. You will, however, have a LOT of fun. These are great cars.

LongbowMkII > yamahog
07/06/2016 at 20:37

Never served me wrong

JR1 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/06/2016 at 20:42

I think it is a sharpe looking car too. And the way the headlights open make me week in the knees

yamahog > LongbowMkII
07/06/2016 at 20:43

That’s good for you and all, but

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/my-luck-contin…

LongbowMkII > yamahog
07/06/2016 at 20:48

See, you lacked the e. E’s are important.

Flavien Vidal > random001
07/06/2016 at 21:31

But the ZF6 transmission.... It’s sooooo freaking heavy! lol

Flavien Vidal > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/06/2016 at 21:33

Not a LT1 on the picture though :)

I used to own one also, and they are REALLY awesome. Make for a great winter beater too! :)

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/living-with-a-…

yamahog > LongbowMkII
07/06/2016 at 21:46

Most of the comments were about Es too...

LongbowMkII > yamahog
07/06/2016 at 22:03

*woosh*

crowmolly > LongbowMkII
07/06/2016 at 22:03

Good? I dunno about that. Serviceable maybe. Can take a fair amount of abuse.

It’s the early optis in C4s that give me the shakes.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Flavien Vidal
07/06/2016 at 22:05

I know, the older ones look better though!

Flavien Vidal > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/06/2016 at 22:08

I personnally prefer the rounded bumpers myself :)

It's a "Porch-uh" > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
07/06/2016 at 22:32

All the C5 Z06s I’ve seen out here (CA) under $20K are a mess. Usually salvage title (those are $14-16K) or has some damage.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > It's a "Porch-uh"
07/06/2016 at 22:41

In MO, under $25k is easy, this one is ~$18k

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/…

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Flavien Vidal
07/06/2016 at 23:51

I can see preferring the later bumper, for me it’s the flatter front fenders that makes me like the older shape.

It’s awesome you drove through a snowy winter with a corvette. Did you consider getting some narrower wheels so you could run narrower tires? I’ve heard that for snow specifically, you actually want narrower tires so that you don’t float on top of it, but sink in more.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > interstate366, now In The Industry
07/06/2016 at 23:58

Ahhh shit, although I’m on the west coast. I’m likely going to go look at a 1992 with a 103k miles for $3800 on Friday. Sounds like an older dude, who is retired, strikes me more as the type of guy who got it when he retired to enjoy a Sunday drive, and not a complete hoonigan. It’s got a little clear coat issue on one panel but nothing like that car.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > random001
07/06/2016 at 23:59

I’m 5'9", maybe 5'10" when I stand next to my taller wife, so no issues there.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage
07/07/2016 at 01:06

Of all the car dreaming I've done lately, a C4 seems like the most likely candidate.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/07/2016 at 01:15

I’ve owned mine for 3 years now, and I’ve loved every second of it. Really underrated cars. They look great, drive great, relatively reliable, etc.

Flavien Vidal > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/07/2016 at 01:19

Oh yes, that would have helped a lot! But I was “on a budget” so I had to do with what I could find haha. If I hadn’t moved to Japan, I would have bought narrower wheels with the proper offset. That would have allowed me to use much better snow tires also (Nokian Hakkappeliitta FTW!!)

briannutter1 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/07/2016 at 02:13

I’m ok with this because they make sense over c5 if required by budget. My c4 was a difficult time for me.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > briannutter1
07/07/2016 at 02:59

Exactly, my post is less to discuss that the C4 is anything more than what it is, which is a pretty good value; especially later years, which owners seem more content with electronics, quality, etc. C5 is a better car but way more money. In between C4 and C5 money there are some other noteworthy cars.

I’ve searched and pondered in the lower end of the C4 price range and the only thing that really stacks up seems like a 300ZX naturally aspirated. It’s slower but lighter, and owners seem a little happier with quality, looks are a wash to me.

random001 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/07/2016 at 06:53

Oh yeah, you’d be good to go! I highly recommend this course of action.

random001 > Flavien Vidal
07/07/2016 at 07:17

My friend Mr. Transmission Jack begs to differ!

random001 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/07/2016 at 07:18

Where do you live, in generalities...

Flavien Vidal > random001
07/07/2016 at 07:21

Mine sucked, we could put it up there with the jack, but installing it required having someone pushing it into place and that was tough lol

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > random001
07/07/2016 at 10:37

Oregon

random001 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/07/2016 at 11:09

That’s very far from Ohio. I cannot help much.

WiscoProud > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage
07/07/2016 at 11:25

I’ve been debating many different cars to use as a second vehicle, and recently have been revisiting the C4s. 92+ in my area can be had in good condition for 10-12k, and ZR-1s are sometimes in that range too. That's with the 6 speed even. I just like the clamshell hood and open wheels when its open. It just "looks" like a sports car should. But then again, I was preteen in the early 90s, so I was exposed to them during my automotive formational years.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > WiscoProud
07/07/2016 at 11:54

They are killer cars for the money. It’ll do pretty much anything you want it to do. They look fantastic, they are pretty damn quick, they handle fantastic, have plenty of aftermarket support, etc

WiscoProud > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage
07/07/2016 at 11:58

Honestly, that's all I need. Well, a 2+2 would be nice for the toddler, but beggers can't be choosers.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > WiscoProud
07/07/2016 at 12:09

If you need a 2+2, I’d get a 4th gen F-body. But the Corvette would definitely be optimal.

WiscoProud > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage
07/07/2016 at 12:27

That's could work, but once I got out of my teens, I just didn't care for the F-bodies as much.

briannutter1 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/07/2016 at 14:52

Love the 300tt. Not easy to work on, but maybe the N/A version is easier.