would you give up on a c3 project for a c4?

[topless82vette]

A nice 1990 c4 project car has caught my eye and I may decide to unload my 82 convertible project for this car. but would you ditch a c3 for a c4? this c4 needs a motor however for 1500 for the car it seems like a killer deal. this 90 seems pretty complete needs paint, engine, seat upholstery just your regular stuff where my 82 needs much more and I honestly have lost almost all interest in the car.

so is 1500 a fair deal for my c3 since it needs so much, it actually runs and stuff but needs paint, interior, finishing fiberglass work etc etc. or should I just part the c3 out?

I do have another car to use while work is being done on the 90 so it's not a rush thing but money wise would the 90 be worth more in the end, a better everyday car.

how much you think my c3 could be parted out for?

what parts are worth alot from this car?

should I keep the chassis together and sell as a rolling chassis

all the panels are still in good shape but front clip needs minor work

have a vert hardtop,windows etc for it.

 

[keith6469]

Whats the car look like? Coud you post pics of it, or e-mail me some, I mite be interested.

 

[topless82vette]

sorry I don't want the hassles of shipping the car. basically it needs paint (stripped to bare glass) complete interior, needs alot of fiberglassing work.

which is why parting the car out seems like a better idea to me. The car runs though.

350 CFI, 1990 700r4 trans, I last drove it about 10 years ago so I at least know its mechanically in good shape, this one also has no rust anywhere which is why it's kind of a toss up as to which car to do. I just kinda like the handling of the newer ones.

I feel to finish my 82 would be about 2500 for everything new in the interior and probably 3,000 for nice paint. But finished will the c3 maintain value better then the c4, I know the c4 needs new seat upholstery, new bumper covers, paint, but worst off it has 190k miles so probably more wrong with motor then he says. He says the trans was rebuilt about 3 years ago but we all know how that turns into needing a transmission quikly.

So I can honestly see this c4 needing money wise as much as my c3 ... So whats the better car to do in your eyes?

 

[topless82vette]

sorry I don't want the hassles of shipping the car. basically it needs paint (stripped to bare glass) complete interior, needs alot of fiberglassing work.

which is why parting the car out seems like a better idea to me. The car runs though.

350 CFI, 1990 700r4 trans, I last drove it about 10 years ago so I at least know its mechanically in good shape, this one also has no rust anywhere which is why it's kind of a toss up as to which car to do. I just kinda like the handling of the newer ones.

I feel to finish my 82 would be about 2500 for everything new in the interior and probably 3,000 for nice paint. But finished will the c3 maintain value better then the c4, I know the c4 needs new seat upholstery, new bumper covers, paint, but worst off it has 190k miles so probably more wrong with motor then he says. He says the trans was rebuilt about 3 years ago but we all know how that turns into needing a transmission quikly.

So I can honestly see this c4 needing money wise as much as my c3 ... So whats the better car to do in your eyes?

I will take pictures of my 82 this coming weekend though

 

[killain]

I did a frame on restoration of my 79 coupe, but I have to admit, I would much rather deal with my 84 C-4 than the C-3 any day of the year. The C-4 is much better a designed car, and thus it's much easier to work on and I enjoy driving the C-4 way over the C-3. It just does everything better than the 79. IMHO

 

[topless82vette]

I did a frame on restoration of my 79 coupe, but I have to admit, I would much rather deal with my 84 C-4 than the C-3 any day of the year. The C-4 is much better a designed car, and thus it's much easier to work on and I enjoy driving the C-4 way over the C-3. It just does everything better than the 79. IMHO

I know what you mean, I had my friends 1990 6 speed for 2 weeks and loved every minute of it. There wwere a few things I disliked about it but overall it was a awesome car to drive at all times. About the only thing I disliked about the 90 was the harsh ride but that went away in the first corners I drove the car through.

 

[Vette79]

I did a frame on restoration of my 79 coupe, but I have to admit, I would much rather deal with my 84 C-4 than the C-3 any day of the year. The C-4 is much better a designed car, and thus it's much easier to work on and I enjoy driving the C-4 way over the C-3. It just does everything better than the 79. IMHO

"Bite your Tongue" killain! That's blasphemy! I'm just kidding.......lol. My 04 Durango drives better then my 79 but that doesn't mean I'm giving her up. She's a classic with that C3 body style. Nothing comes close to a C3. Be sure your ready to give her up and not regret it later. Maybe find a C3 that is further along???

 

[killain]

"Bite your Tongue" killain! That's blasphemy! I'm just kidding.......lol. My 04 Durango drives better then my 79 but that doesn't mean I'm giving her up. She's a classic with that C3 body style. Nothing comes close to a C3. Be sure your ready to give her up and not regret it later. Maybe find a C3 that is further along???

Please don't get me wrong. I love the 'one of a kind' look of the C-3. But as far as doing a restore or just maintenance, The C-4 is in a better way. And as far as driving standpoint, Dave Hill and his boys did a great job. I really believe my C-4 handles as good as my C-5, mabye I'm wrong here, but Driving a C-4 over a C-3 is just like stepping from 1975 into 1995 ! Just my humble opinion . Don't mean to upset anyone feelings.

 

[Vette79]

No, not upset at all. I understand where you guy's are coming from. I actually would love to have a C4. I'm doing my best to partially restore my 79. It's expensive and time consuming. Once done, I would like to start on another project. My wife wants an early 70's Monte Carlo.

 

[Evolution1980]

First, if you need everything that you say you need for either car, both estimates of "cost to completion" sound low.
That aside...if you've lost all interest in the C3, then dump it. You aren't likely to have renewed interest later. You'll be left with the car in it's same condition 10 years from now except that it'll have more dust on it.

Parting out can usually return more money, but it's a very tedious process and the hassle of shipping things here or there and simply answering every question about this little part or that little part gets old. And you'll still be left with a lot of car, unless someone offers for the entire thing. I'd probably try to sell it "as is" and just let it go.
If it's still drivable / street legal, then you should be able to get more than $1500 for it, but probably not more than $3500.

Don't spend that all that 2¢ in the same place!

 

[hotshotzny]

i had to make the same tough decision with my 82 while my car was mechanically sound, and the interior was actually in pretty good condition the paint was shot and i couldnt find a decent body man who was willing to paint it for under 5k (and that was just a starting estimate) i love the design of the c3 more than any other and was never a huge fan of the c4 but i was able to sell mine for a small profit and found my 84 for a really good price and aside from some minor details it is in great shape. i would have loved to have kept both and for the price i paid for the 84 i could have but right now storage is the biggest issue. but all that aside i love my vette and cant wait to get it back out. but i still catch grief from my son for selling the c3

 

[topless82vette]

i had to make the same tough decision with my 82 while my car was mechanically sound, and the interior was actually in pretty good condition the paint was shot and i couldnt find a decent body man who was willing to paint it for under 5k (and that was just a starting estimate) i love the design of the c3 more than any other and was never a huge fan of the c4 but i was able to sell mine for a small profit and found my 84 for a really good price and aside from some minor details it is in great shape. i would have loved to have kept both and for the price i paid for the 84 i could have but right now storage is the biggest issue. but all that aside i love my vette and cant wait to get it back out. but i still catch grief from my son for selling the c3

I could actually keep my c3 if I too had the storage for it but theres to many reasons just to part it .... the major one the great power difference between it and the 1990 ... also the ability ti get more power out of the L-98 then I ever could with the CFI.

 

[topless82vette]

First, if you need everything that you say you need for either car, both estimates of "cost to completion" sound low.
That aside...if you've lost all interest in the C3, then dump it. You aren't likely to have renewed interest later. You'll be left with the car in it's same condition 10 years from now except that it'll have more dust on it.

Parting out can usually return more money, but it's a very tedious process and the hassle of shipping things here or there and simply answering every question about this little part or that little part gets old. And you'll still be left with a lot of car, unless someone offers for the entire thing. I'd probably try to sell it "as is" and just let it go.
If it's still drivable / street legal, then you should be able to get more than $1500 for it, but probably not more than $3500.

Don't spend that all that 2¢ in the same place!

Yeah it's the (10 years) and nothing being done to it that broke my will because it's been like this for 10 years and aside from the hood I haven't done a thing to the car.

 

[hotshotzny]

I could actually keep my c3 if I too had the storage for it but theres to many reasons just to part it .... the major one the great power difference between it and the 1990 ... also the ability ti get more power out of the L-98 then I ever could with the CFI.

as much as i love the power that wasnt a big thing for me... if i really want to blow the doors off something i can always hop in my fathers 06 but the problem around here is there is about 3 miles of road that are 55mph the rest are all 30mph and the state police barracks here is what is called a training zone which is one of the main hubs for new troopers to learn the road in. so every one of them is ticket happy. dnt get me wrong if the right c4 or c5 comes up for the right price mine will be up for sale and ill have 2 of them again but for now im happy cruisin at the speed limit and not drawing to much attention to myself.

 

[topless82vette]

One plus side for me is this I could always use the long block from my c3 in this 90 as well as the 700r4 since its a 1990 transmission anyways. So really it wouldn't cost me hardly anything to get this 90 vette running. My best friend has a new set of tires and chrome wheels from his 90 since he replaced them with zr1 rims.

So pretty much as long as the wiring isnt butchered or something drastically wrong with the car I don't think I can go wrong.

 

[6880 Mike]

...So really it wouldn't cost me hardly anything to get this 90 vette running....

Careful there, Topless. You might be overly optimistic.

 

[topless82vette]

well my best friend is having a stroker engine built for his 1990 as well and I can buy his excellent running stock L98 for 500.00 so I don't think I can go wrong on this 90 project. Transport wise my friend will get the car for me for free, parking wise for this project isn't a problem .... Downside my friend has his eyes on it as well, for basically turning it into the hotrod he has always wanted and using the stroker motor in it and turning it into a strip car verses doing it all to his nice 90 vette.

so needless to say kind of a toss up for me ... either way I can turn the car for a profit, fix up for me, sell to him and take no loss on it.

 

[topless82vette]

well, I bought the 90 vette a few minutes ago. So I've made my decision I am going to start stripping my 82 vette down and part it out. You know back 12 years ago when I bought this 82 vette it was for my ex-wife but I originally had intended on buying my best friends 90 vette for her. I personally never wanted the 82 it was more her dream car. But a C4 is the car I've always wanted.

I got the C4 itch back in 1984 I was going to buy a brand new one. It was only the price that made me change my mind and I opted for a new 1984 trans am. Yes I kick myself for that, but then I would have kicked myself for buying a 84 when the TPI vettes came out.

from the pictures this 90 only appears to be missing very minor things as opposed to what my 82 is. But it has what my 82 probably never will and that is the ability to be problem free and also the ability to be a more practical car for what I need and that is commuting 150 miles a week to work, another 150 miles a week getting my son, a better a/c system, better parts availability.

I can't say I don't love the looks of the C3 they are bad ass looking car when finished even by todays standards they leave most lacking in the looks department. No I am not a C3 to C4 traitor nor do I look at this move to bash a C3. Just in all practical senses it's a better project for me is all and at this point in my life raising a young son I don't have the time to devote to the 82 vette like I would have liked to.

at 1500.00 there is no way I can go wrong with this 90 vette even if its missrepresented I am sure it can quikly be parted out for the initial investment and my best friend can have the rolling chassis for his project and I am out very little.

 

[6880 Mike]

Good luck.

 

[Vette79]

Congrats. Keep us posted and we would like to see some pics!!!