C4 Happenings

"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
07/21/2019 at 18:48 • Filed to: Corvette, C4 Update, Chevrolet

Was a great troll post for MEJ, but in all seriousness I need to replace this with a nice period correct aftermarket unit. Anyone have any suggestions?

As for actual happenings the engine, trans, and diff all got fluid changes. Second gear has a bit of crunch to it and I am hoping new fluid sorts that or at limps it a long for a little while till I can properly add ress that issue.

While underneath I did a little looking around at my suspension because I have played with the car a little bit and have not been entirely inspired by it handling . Looks as though all 4 shock are leaking some fluid and who kn ows if the FX3 (selectable ride control) actuators on them are any good. I have a service ride control light on in the car meaning the system is not working. I ordered a set of Koni Yellow Sport adjustable shocks and I will be deleting the FX3 from my car. Along with a host of other goodies the car desperately needs. Then I can surprisingly sell all the FX3 stuff for about what I paid for the Konis.... go figure. Corvette ownership is weird. I just hope it all gets here and I have time to do it all before this weekend at IM’s CA Oppo drive and BBQ.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

My biggest problem with this car is not spending the money to fix it but rather where I am spending my money. I really want to get a full cage and race seats for the car because my goal is to track it since I have the Audi for daily business. Also with the targa top off there is much more body flex than you’d think. This could also be due to my dodgy suspension, but the top is bo lted in and according to the forum a very big part of chassis stiffness. Also the factory seat SUCK! I want them gone asap. But these are two expenses I don’t need right away, but more ones I desperately want.

More what I need to do is:

Coolant flush

F uel filter (was going to do today but more of a pia than I wanted to bother with)

Bushings everywhere

Hubs (because these cars eat them thankfully mine are ok rn)

Brake discs turned

Better brake pads

Long wheel studs

Things I have ordered:

Koni Yellow Sport

Braided brake lines

Fron t and rear lowering kit

Targa top removal tool

Here is to buying a 24 year old car with 186k miles and trying to make a race car out of it

DISCUSSION (15)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/21/2019 at 19:07

I'd do an 8 ball shifter.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/21/2019 at 19:09

Even though I own a Corvette I am not 50, but thank you for the idea.

jimz > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/21/2019 at 19:13

Retro sound doesn’t seem to make anything in that size. Supposedly you can fit a 2 DIN in there without too much modding. I don’t see anything on Crotchfield in that size which isn’t either a touchscreen or has tons of garish blinkenlights.

CaptDale - is secretly British > jimz
07/21/2019 at 19:14

Yup. Which is exactly why I need some 90's tastic aftermarket unit.

Boxer_4 > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/21/2019 at 19:27

If this was an ‘80s Vette, you could just do an 8-Ball...

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/21/2019 at 19:37

The targa top is a VERY structural member of a C4, and they drive like a limp noodle without it in place. I removed mine exactly one time in two years of ownership. There’s a book by one of the chief engineers on the C4 that goes into detail in one chapter , but essentially the C4 was supposed to be T-top car with a very structural piece running from the A-B pillars. The edict for them to be a full targa came down from management very late in the development process, after it was way too late to design them as a targa-top car in the first place. Instead, the last minute, stop-gap measure was to increase the height of the frame rails going down the center of the car in an attempt to make them somewhat driveable with the top taken out. This came at the cost of making sill height even higher (and the fall in-climb out experience), and wasn’t especially successful. The most common aftermarket frame brace kit for these cars stopped being produced a long time ago, but I’ve heard it is still possible to procure a the x-brace and brackets from a convertible C4 that achieve the same thing.

That fuel filter sitting up above the cat is deeply unpleasant to change. I hacked up a flare wrench specifically for doing that job.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/21/2019 at 19:39

Dragonball shifter.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
07/21/2019 at 19:46

Now that is an idea

CaptDale - is secretly British > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
07/21/2019 at 19:50

Yeah I had read that if you added the convertible bracing it was better. I am assuming that welding in a cage with provided the needed stiffness anyway so I am not going to look into option.

I personally like the high sills, but to me it is fun and cool and I don’t have an issue getting in and out.

Yeah I was going to take off the cat and then.... just couldn’t care enough this t ime around.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Boxer_4
07/21/2019 at 20:07

Close enough.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/21/2019 at 20:08

I changed the filter with the exhaust in place, via making a stubby flare wrench by cutting one half (and smoothing the edges). You can also loosen the bracket and disconnect the above at the rail to let you move the filter around a bit and get enough room to get a turn a short flare wrench.

CaptDale - is secretly British > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
07/21/2019 at 20:50

Yeah that sounds rea s onable enough I suppose. Well next time I am under it when I do suspension I guess I will try again.

someassemblyrequired > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/21/2019 at 21:04

The Delco/Bose unit is double din, but the Bose system has amplifiers out at the speakers. So replacement is a PITA. You can replace the amps but sometimes you can just replace the leaky caps on the amplifier boards . Check the forums for full details, but the system was decent in its day - if you can get it working and add a $20 cigarette lighter Bluetooth adaptor you’d have modern functionality.

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/21/2019 at 21:08

Interesting about the structure. I think C4 is my favorite Corvette. For some reason I love certain 80s cars (Jaguar, Volvo, Saab, BMW).

And my first thought was vintage Alpine also, something like this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Alpine-7904-In-Dash-CD-Tuner-/264405785861

MarquetteLa > CaptDale - is secretly British
07/21/2019 at 21:32

B la upunkt used to make very tasteful head units. My ‘88 323 GTX had one and it could pass for factory equipment tbh. I think their current offerings are all a little too modern for what you’re looking for, but look for some used ones from like 15 years ago .