Which C4 Corvette Is Right for You?

After skipping the ‘83 model year, a new Corvette arrived with a futuristic interior. You sit in a cockpit inspired by science fiction and illuminated by an LCD instrument panel. These displays get sunburned with age, but the rebuild process isn’t too difficult if you can solder. The dashboard is flat and angular on the left side, and crash safety laws demanded a bulbous “bread box” be placed ahead of the passenger seat. This all changed in ‘91 when analog gauges replaced digital, and a new curved dash made the interior much more inviting.

If you enjoy a direct connection to the road, the early cars had the highest spring rates. By ‘88, lessons learned in the Corvette Challenge series offered more compliance and comfort while losing a bit of feedback. An easy upgrade is to bolt on the chassis brace from the convertible to your coupe, it will make cornering as fun as a go-kart.

On the outside, the edgy shape of the early cars (think: Stealth Fighter) incorporated a thick molding separating the upper and lower body. When the ZR1 appeared in 1990, its smooth contours and square taillights influenced a refresh of the base model, with the 91-96 cars offering a cleaner, progressive look (Stealth Bomber). Late model C5 or C6 wheels are an easy way to update the looks.

Under the hood, ‘84 arrived with the same cross-fire 5.7 offered in ‘82. A year later, Bosch debuted their “Tuned Port Injection” system. It uses a raised plenum to allow long intake runners to cross under each other to optimize low-end torque. The early cars are capable of 330 lb-ft of torque, but since they run out of air at 4,000 rpm it's hard to make over 250 horsepower. That’s why they are great candidates for an LS swap.

Chevy resurrected the LT1 in 1992 as the second generation of their small-block V8. Thanks to reverse-flow cooling and a few hot rod tricks, Corvette could claim 300 horsepower again. A compression ratio of 10.25:1 and aluminum heads were combined with an innovative “opti-spark” ignition system. This distributor is sandwiched between the water pump and the block, with early (92-94) versions being prone to coolant intrusion. To send the C4 off into the sunset, the LT4 offered 330 horsepower for the ‘96 Grand Sports and Collector’s Editions.

The only automatic transmission is the ubiquitous 700R4/4L60E, and it is reliable if kept cool. A torque converter really wakes them up and they enjoy massive aftermarket support. Early manual transmissions consisted of a 4-speed coupled to an external overdrive on gears 2,3, & 4. The “4+3” gearbox was replaced by a 6-speed manual in ‘89.

A few common GM traits are shared by all years, starting with restrictive exhaust. If the audio system is original, it is also easily replaced. Removing the full-size spare tire and its carrier feels like gaining 50 horsepower, and a C5 brake conversion only costs a few hundred dollars. Make sure the security system (VATS) has been deleted because it can leave you stranded.

Should you want something truly unique, the ZR1 was offered 385 horsepower from ‘90-93, and 405 for its last two years. It is a quad-cam V8 designed by Lotus and built by hand at Mercury Marine, and only offered with a manual transmission. Almost every aspect of the car was redesigned in a process we’ll cover down the road. Owning and driving a C4 is rewarding and inexpensive, so stay with us for all your automotive insights!