1993 Corvette Review: In Defense of Pushrods, Leaf Springs, and Plastic

"Swayze Train GTi" (swayzetrain) 08/27/2015 at 14:57 • Filed to: None

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The Vette lined up at the Michigan All Out meet in Stony Creek Metropark.

In my last piece I compared my Miata with that classic red blooded freedom isn’t free these colors don’t run state’s rights Grand Old Party Jack Daniels official car of the astronauts amber waves of grain and purple fucking mountains majesty symbol of the USA; the Corvette. A few of you requested a bit more information about this wheeled metaphor for upper middle class American acheivement, so I’m back.

Specifically, my car is a 1993 model at only 64k miles with the LT1 engine producing 300HP and 345 torques, put through a fantastic 6 speed ZF gear box with THREE pedals. No fawnnn-seeehh automatics here. Aside from the extra manly transmission option, there was one more thing about this particular Corvette that makes it more American than your average All American Sports car. The original owner of this Corvette was Ted Nugent’s one time wife, Shemane Nugent. Shemane seems to have taken better care of this car than you would expect from a woman who married a man famous for not needing drugs to be a racist, hypocritical, rockstar who lives by whichever knee-jerk inflammatory sentiment sounds right to him at the time. Everything in the interior is perfect aside from the typical victims of 90s GM fit and finish, the console latch doesn’t like to work most of the time, the e brake guard is broken. The Delco-Bose stereo unit, which I had rather hoped to keep, also has issues. I discovered this when it ate my father’s copy of The Essential Clash, Disc One, afterwards refusing to eject the disc or switch to radio or cassette mode again. It’s possible that the stereo is broken, but I’m going to try fixing it by putting in a copy of Motor City Mayhem before I give up, it may have just gotten used to Uncle Teddy’s music taste and rebelled at the taste of booze and cigarettes on the lips of English Punks. Other than those minor problems, the carpets are clean, there are no lights on the dash, not so much as an imperfection in the leather seats.

All 1993s with leather seats are inscribed with 40th Anniversary logos due to a manufacturing error. Only 1993s with Ruby Red paint and red interiors are true 40th Anniversary Special editions.

The drivetrain consists of the LT1 engine and ZF 6 speed manual transmission, which is really the combo to go for in the C4, unless you have the budget for the glorious LT5 powered ZR1. But that is a story for another time. In the first year they offered the well-maligned Crossfire Injection engine. The “Crossfire” name was a Firechicken style marketing gimmick, it was a cool name slapped on a finicky, throttle body injected*, 200 hp engine which only lasted 2 non-consecutive production years before it got the axe. The L98 Tuned Port Injection replaced it, and while being what many consider the most reliable C4 engine, it performed like an NFL lineman. Tractor-like torque off the line, but all out of breath around 4000-4500 RPM depending on which year you have. In 1992 Chevrolet revised their smallblock into the LT1, which finally brought the base Corvette back to the power levels it deserved to be at. While 300 horsepower seems a paltry amount for a sports car nowadays, it was a 50-60 horsepower jump over the previous L-98 engine, and 300 sounds better than 200-anything. The LT1’s power delivery is incredibly linear as well. That’s the thing about pushrod engines. They might not be as buzz happy as your DOHC unit, but you have torque from 650 RPM. Matting the throttle is a predictable experience, as the torque turns to power almost imperceptibly. There’s no feeling of climbing on the cam, it just gives you everything as soon as you ask for it. I’m torn on how I like it, the instant power is truly irreplaceable, but dual cam units always feel more alive somehow.

*If you don’t know what TB injection is, think of it like this. You have a toilet outside, exposed to a very windy day. As a male, you have to pee. TB injection would be if you stood up to pee in the windstorm. Not as much of it will make it into the toilet (or combustion chamber) as if you had sat down, which in this metaphor represents modern, but non-direct, fuel injection.

The LT1 engine in it’s bay.

The ZF transmission that was offered on these cars is quite a fantastic unit, if a little touchy. The gates are very tight, as is the action. No neutral wobble at the stoplights here, you have to actually put a bit of effort into moving the stick off center. Furthermore, the lengthwise throw is far longer than the the width, which offers a bit of a learning curve. The transmission doesn’t coddle you the way an MX-5 or Ford Focus would upon a missed gate. It doesn’t take any of your shit, if you’re not precise with your movement your gear won’t engage, particularly in third. But if you’re an experienced manual driver, and you simply guide the lever and let the transmission work at the speed it should, the experience is a sensory treat unlike most. The action of the lever is incredibly satisfying, the shifter sliding between gears with a distinct two part click-click is reminiscent of cocking a quiet pistol, and the length of throw means you have to shift quickly when you’re on it, making you feel more like a racing driver. Adding to this feeling are the straight cut gears, whirring away like a turbine, it’s ever increasing scream irrevocably intertwined with the notion of speed. The ever present exhaust note, permeated by the occasional crackle and pop as you come off throttle. The great mechanical noises this car makes even overshadow the rattles of the interior. The only annoying part is very once in awhile my glovebox might pop open as my suspension falls victim to another hole in the road. This reveals a rolodex filled with the contact information of female associates with questionable names often relating to alcohol, and the business card of my favorite GM certified Corvette technician serving as a bookmark in a copy of Sport’s Illustrated Swimsuit Issue from 6 years ago. My girl (Corvette owners don’t have wives when asked) doesn’t need to know about any of this, which is why the glove box locks. As does the center console. And the safe behind the seats above the radio. That in and of itself is a huge representation of how American this car is. I have a hidden safe underneath the carpet of my car so I can carry a M1911 semi-automatic handgun next to an 8th of whatever illicit substance I like, because this country is about invoking laws when they defend us and skirting them when we don’t agree with them.

Anyways. This car feels great to drive. You have more power than almost everything else on the road. In fact, if you’re accelerating at the normal pace of traffic you’re pretty much forced to skip gears, unless you still have the CAGS 1-4 shift. The 1-4 shift is an EPA workaround GM came up with so their customers didn’t have to pay a gas guzzler tax. Based on a set of conditions (the most important being once you come to a complete stop and then start off again in first gear), a solenoid forces you to only be able to shift from first into 4th, until you hit 22 miles per hour. This wouldn’t be an issue if the action was smooth, but the solenoid’s involvement was more akin to someone throwing a bunch of wrenches in your shift gater than “computer assistance” as the name implied. GM knew this however, and the fix is all of $5 dollars and 5 minutes of work, again, the American way. Even the Corvette pads it’s resume a bit.

The Corvette’s traction control, or ASR as it is called, isn’t the worst system I’ve used. If you accelerate on a good surface in a straight line, as most people do, it does quite a good job of keeping the power on without too much slip, considering it’s a 22 year old system. But if it cuts power during a turn, it clings to it like a dictator in deposition. It also doesn’t handle the potholes of the Great Lakes State very well.

Pure Michigan

There are a few quirks to this car as with all. Firstly, the brakes are very underboosted compared to most cars. For some reason, GM decided to use a double sided serpentine belt that, you guessed it, costs twice as much as a usual one. This belt was only used for 6 months of the 1993 car production before someone figured out it was completely unnecessary. The parking brake is between the door sill and the driver’s seat, making it completely useless as a tool of car control while in motion. The pedal box isn’t very conducive to heel toe braking, there simply isn’t enough room, so you have to use the ball of your foot on both. It features GM’s first iteration of passive entry, which locks the car when the keys are taken far enough away, unlocks it when they come back, and generally panics if you stand about 5-7 feet away with the FOB in your pocket. When it does come time to get in, you’ll find that the difficulty of getting in surpasses most exotics, as you must fall in while moving sideways.

This is the needle you must thread for the privilege to drive a Corvette. The handbrake tucks away after being set, but is left up to illustrate its location.

Oh, and here’s another thing. Leaf springs? Absolutely fantastic. Here’s what all the armchair racecar drivers, European Automotive Supremacists, and people whose extent of knowledge on car engineering is Top Gear, insist: “The Corvette is a basically a cart-sprung chassis from the 1800s. LEAF SRPINGS! Those are for trucks! BMWs are the most reliable cars ever because I replace them every 70000 miles!”

But in reality it’s a much different story. The Corvette is packing a transverse leaf spring, made of fiberglass reinforced plastic. “Aha! Plastic! Typical Corvette!” comes the uneducated response. It’s actually a far more durable piece than it’s metal coil spring brethren, seeing as they don’t rust out. More room is available because the suspension mounting points are lower. And now we get down to the meat. Not only is the FRP leaf spring far lighter than coils, those lower mounting points bring the center of gravity down. Furthermore, it provides anti-roll characteristics as well as being the main ride spring. The rear suspension maybe a C3 holdover, but the front, with it’s aluminum double control arms, is quite an advanced setup, while maintaining ease of service. For the C5 they added a similar setup to the rear, and it’s been used ever since, today the C7 uses them to smack around $150k imports with overinflated egos at the track. So I’ll hear no more disinformation spread about the virtues of the Corvettes transverse springs, it’s a fantastic idea, and that’s the end of it.

The suspension means corners are rewarding. It’s large tires hold the roads, and most of the time you can feel the traction about to break before it does. But when you push the car closer to it’s limit, the break happens a lot faster. This is the heart of what makes this car dangerous to everyone who drives it. It’s very forgiving to drive when up to about 6-7/10ths, any more and it’ll make sure you’re worth your salt, or throw you off. During a spirited drive in the 2nd month of ownership, I almost put her off on one of my favorite roads. When I came over a crest that goes immediately into a tight left, I turned too early. As I made my turn, the weight wasn’t planted on the car, due to the crest. The front wheels lost grip almost instantly, with the back following slightly later, and I slid perilously close to a ditch before regaining control. It had been a tricky corner, but the car requires a more skilled driver to go all out. Aside from the trickiness at the limit, the handling feel could be improved by a smaller steering wheel. The stock unit is chunky enough to grab, but it’s size makes the car feel larger than it is.

This car will happily eat up straight lines, I’ve personally had mine at about 142 (on a closed course, of course). At these speeds, cars tend to lose a lot of their composure, due to aerodynamics, tires, suspension design, wheelbase, any number of factors. At 100 in a Miata, you have both hands firmly on the wheel. The car moves from the air displaced by other large cars and semis, or just your average windy day. Every bump you hit and every road imperfection is magnified by the small tires and short wheelbase. 100 in a Corvette feels like an easy cruise, and as you pass that point it maintains it’s cool.

Everyone knows the Corvette. It’s the jack of all trades in the sports car market. The only real marks against it are the interior quality and the practicality, but even that is arguable, as the hatch is certainly large enough for at least 2 sets of golf clubs. But people LOVE to hate cars that change the game on a dime, for a dime. This is because they’re already invested in a Porsche or BMW, and they can’t stand to think that their Stuttgart built 964 can’t shake a muscle car bolted together in Kentucky for half the money. And so remarks about interiors, leaf springs, pushrods, and plastic are endlessly regurgitated. It’s the least desirable Corvette, some might say. It’s driven by mid life crisis dads stricken by bouts of inappropriate behavior and drunkenness at family get togethers. It might not be the firebreathing 400 horsepower monster that it was once, or that it would become again, but that’s what keeps this gem hidden. I am of the opinion that one should always buy a car based on how it makes them feel, not how other people think of it, and both my Miata and Corvette embody that sentiment well.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 15:04

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SIXTYFERD GERLERXER

911e46z06 > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 15:06

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Its so... purple.

I love it.

Party-vi > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 15:07

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Excellent write up.

Textured Soy Protein > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 15:11

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I don’t mind the pushrods, the leaf springs, or even necessarily the chintzy dash. But every time I see a C4’s footwells, the image conjures up a big bag of NOPE.

My size 12s aren’t going to fit in there.

Here’s a more overhead view:

Passengers don’t really have things any easier, but at least they’re not trying to use pedals.

Swayze Train GTi > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 08/27/2015 at 15:11

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I laughed way too hard at that....

Motoroso > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 15:12

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Good stuff. C4s will be forever the least appreciated of ‘Vettes despite being pretty darn cool.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 15:12

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Great review, how well have the electronics as a whole held up? C4s have gotten terrifyingly cheap and I’ve wondered how one would do as an AutoX car with some minor mods.

Swayze Train GTi > Textured Soy Protein 08/27/2015 at 15:14

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I have average sized feet. It works though, because while my left shoe gets more sole wear from the clutch, my right shoe’s canvas get’s worn through by the trans tunnel on one side and the brake pedal on the other!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 15:15

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I didn’t have any compliments for your post that other people weren’t saying, so it was time for the time-honored Oppo tradition of freaking out over background cars. In the manner of a braces-wearing windowlicker, because dUh.

vondon302 > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 15:16

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Great write up! Literally lol at the pure michigan caption.

Swayze Train GTi > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 08/27/2015 at 15:17

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As I mentioned in my last piece, the amplifiers have gone to crap, and the CD player doesn’t work correctly. Other than that, the other day my hatch decided to stop opening, but I can still hear the electronics clicking, so it’s not that.

The problems with electronics really start with the C5, as I understand it. The C4 LT1 does have a problem with the Optispark occasionally though, because it’s quite susceptible to water.

Swayze Train GTi > Motoroso 08/27/2015 at 15:19

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I think as time goes on the C5 will actually start to become less appreciated. They have a worse interior for the time than the C4 did, and really they’re just.... I don’t know. Bland. The main problem is the C6, which is just clearly what the C5 should have been from the start.
I think the 80s styling of the C4 will hold people’s imagination longer.

Gary Yogurt > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 15:34

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My Volvo’s handbrake was over here. It took some getting used to.

Swayze Train GTi > Gary Yogurt 08/27/2015 at 15:36

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I find it kind of annoying. The only benefit is packaging, I suppose. But I really miss being able to slow down when I saw a cop on the horizon without dipping my nose.

Gary Yogurt > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 15:37

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You can still do it, except now it looks like you’re reaching for something.

MonkeePuzzle > Party-vi 08/27/2015 at 15:42

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I beleive the phrase for praise is “this is good oppo”

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 15:58

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Sounds an awful lot like my TA, the speakers get a little wonky sometimes and the sub is blown (and I never cranked the bass). My hatch opens best in the summer when the shocks have a little more pressure.

Swayze Train GTi > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 08/27/2015 at 16:01

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I haven’t figured my hatch problem out yet, it only started a day or 2 ago. However I would have guessed the struts were good, they always provided a lot of resistance when closing the hatch, and always popped it up right quick.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 16:09

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90’s GM problems: usually not a “real” problem (mechanically bulletproof), but enough annoying minor issues.

Swayze Train GTi > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 08/27/2015 at 16:10

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So true. As they say, your average GM car will run like shit longer than most cars will last

Axial > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 16:11

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There is nothing noteworthy that is a hold-over from the C3 on the C4 except the L83 Crossfire engine in the first year. All of the suspension geometry is completely new. The entire method of construction is new. The steering is rack-and-pinion instead of recirculating ball.

The C4 was a bigger jump from the C3 than the C7 is from the C6, or even the C5.

The CAGs 1-to-4 skip-shift requires two conditions to engage, those being <19 MPH and <20% throttle. If either of those is exceeded, you can shift it normally.

The L83 Crossfire is maligned not because of reliability, but because it can’t be modified for more power due to computer limitations; you have to carb it to get noteworthy gains. Endless tales of reliability woes are myths.

Pretty good read. I’m gonna have to write up an Oppo review for the LT4 and ZR-1 now.

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 16:11

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It doesn’t matter how or where you apply the braking force*, the nose will always dip. The reason it doesn’t dip as much when you use the handbrake is because you are applying much less force than if you used the regular brakes.

The dip is due to the weight transferring forward under deceleration, which puts more weight on the front springs, causing them to compress and the nose to dip.

*Unless you are using a parachute or retro rockets aimed slightly upward on the nose. The parachute will move the center of mass reward enough to avoid a dip, and the retro rockets will provide lift on the nose along with braking force.

Swayze Train GTi > Axial 08/27/2015 at 16:15

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Hmm, I guess my suspension sources must have been wrong, but I would like to know where you found that info on the rear suspension, as I am interested in it myself.

As far as the CAGS thing goes, I didn’t feel like going into all the detail about it, just the major points.

My point of view on the reliability of the Crossfire comes from my friend who has one. However, his situation could be different, as his car was kept for a long time with low miles, and possibly could have issues from having sat too long before he started using it.

I’d very much like to read those reviews if you write them, I haven’t had the chance to drive an LT4 or 5. I knew a guy who had a ZR1, but he was a dick and I hated him.,

Axial > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 16:49

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Owners of the Crossfire on Corvette Forum are where I get my information from. That said, I don’t own one, but I’d like to simply for the novelty. C4s do tend to sour if not driven. Vacuum lines going crusty leads to many headaches if you don’t know it’s a vacuum line. This is compounded by C4s not generally being taken care of as well as their predecessor and successor generations.

Info on the rear suspension comes from a book I have on the Corvette’s history called Corvette: 50th Anniversary. Info is on page 242. Rear geometry of a C3 is 3-link, C4 is 5-link. It’s a good read, though there are some typos and edit mistakes to be aware of that you’ll know when you see. The diagrams and cut-aways, however, do show a 5-link rear suspension.

LT4 behaves like an LT1 with a little bit more pull. LT5 is a completely different experience, more comparable to an early VTEC engine on steroids. :D

Axial > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 08/27/2015 at 17:00

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If you want a pre-90 C4, the all-digial dash and the Bose Gold audio need to be watched. The dash you can send in to get overhauled and have all of the bulbs replaced with LEDs; it will be better and more reliable than it was when new. The Bose Gold has special amps, making speaker replacement a pain.

On post-90 C4s, just watch the Bose-Gold. The optispark isn’t a problem unless you spray it down with a hose or your water pump goes, and even then the real problem is that most aftermarket replacements seem to be of dramatically lesser quality than the original part. Forums can help you out when sourcing a new one.

C4s are actually incredibly popular for AutoX; especially a 1989 with the ZF6 and Z51 package for stock classes. You want the ZF6 since it can take more of a beating than the Doug-Nash 4+3, and you want a pre-90 because the suspensions got softer after ‘89. Z51 for ‘89 is more track-ready than Z51 for 1996. Since 1989 is when the ZF6 was introduced to Corvette (basically a trial run for the ZR-1, which got delayed to MY1990), 1989s command a little bit of a premium. And yes, it is worth that premium to get a ZF6.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 17:25

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God damn man!!! I have wanted a C4 ever since I was a kid and I had a C4 ZR1 toy car (1:10th scale if I remember correctly). Now I really want one!

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Axial 08/27/2015 at 17:31

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Thanks for that great run down! I’m glad the electronics aren’t too bad, my TA has more in common with the C5. I’ll have to try to drive one soon.

I need my own garage before I can add to the fleet.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > Axial 08/27/2015 at 17:32

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4+3 gets it all done in second gear, though... just stay out of OD when you have your foot down and use plain old MT-90!

RustedSprinter > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 17:37

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Sweet CRX.

Nauraushaun > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 18:03

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Why is the parking brake here of all places? How do you even get in without disengaging the brake?

the console latch doesn’t like to work most of the time, the e brake guard is broken

Is this sort of thing expected on every American car ever made?

The “Crossfire” name was a Firechicken style marketing gimmick

This also seems to be a trend in American cars. The other day I saw a picture on here of a Chrysler Concorde - how do they put such an evocative name on such a hideous and depressing car? It’s far from the only example I’ve seen of names that don’t match the car in any way. Say what you will about an Up!, a Twingo or a Fiesta, they’re not writing cheques the car can’t cash.

I do love the car though. There’s something right about those C4s in my opinion. And the color, oh my god. It’s glorious.

Your article was very well written but you should know that “its” only ever has an apostrophe when it’s an abbreviation for “it is”.

Swayze Train GTi > Nauraushaun 08/27/2015 at 18:37

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Once you set the e brake it tucks back away. Then when you pull it up again and press the button it disengages. As far the gimmicky names and graphics go, its just what the big three did back then because in general the cars were shit. They had to pretend they were better

LSXforYourSuperCar > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 21:19

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I for one, love the Corvette strictly because it’s so different from conventional sports cars.

There are so many front mid-engine, DOHC 4-v, coil sprung sports cars out there. The entire segment seems so homogeneous, like if every restaurant in town offered only a single dinner selection and used the same ingredients.

Give me variety please.

Nauraushaun > Swayze Train GTi 08/27/2015 at 23:09

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Do you mean it’s the opposite of most cars? You’re saying you pull it up to disengage the brake?

I think having good names on shit cars is worse than any other combination. Mediocre names on great cars (335i for example) is okay. Shit names on good cars is liveable. Mediocre names on crap cars in fine too. I think optimistic names on terrible cars is an insult.

Swayze Train GTi > Nauraushaun 08/27/2015 at 23:16

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It can be hard to explain in words.
Basically, it functions like a normal handbrake. Pull up to engage, press button while letting down to disengage. However, after the ratchet mechanism is engaged, the handbrake lever will return downward without taking the wire with it.

When you want to release the handbrake, it pulls easily back up to where it was set, at which point you hold the button in and put it down like normal.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Swayze Train GTi 08/28/2015 at 03:05

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as a fellow Michigander

Dunnik > Swayze Train GTi 09/09/2015 at 03:01

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Great review, I think you’ve mounted a solid defense!

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Swayze Train GTi 10/13/2015 at 00:16

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Best color by FAR!

Just Plane Nuts > Swayze Train GTi 06/07/2017 at 20:01

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My 1988 Ferrari 328 has it’s e-brake in the same place and works the same way. I have never heard anyone complain about that. But, sure, let’s dog American engineering one more time (referencing all the comments). Enjoyed the article. Thinking about picking one of these up to assist with my midlife crisis.

Swayze Train GTi > Just Plane Nuts 06/08/2017 at 12:09

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I wasn’t a huge fan of it in the Corvette, but it worked well enough. If you’re interested in a C4 right now, the move is to pick up a ZR-1 model. I wrote something on those as well, I think it’s the best 20k you can spend on a used sports car right now.

Give it a read if you’re interested http://oppositelock.kinja.com/1990-1994-c4-zr-1-a-future-classic-1779364619