C4 Corvette, best bang for the buck?

[hazardjackson]

Hi, I am new around here. I currently drive a performance oriented vw rabbit convertible everyday and for auto-x. Next year, i would like to try a different kind of car. The c4 corvette looks to be the best for the money. I am considering a Porsche 944, Mazda Miata and some others, please don't chastize me too much;help.

My question to you guys. I have researched the different powerplants available for the c4 generation cars. I would like to make 350+HP without modifying the lower portion of the engine. What am i looking at on a L98 motor with an intake, porting the heads, installing better rocker arms and exhaust work? I don't have a problem with a cam, i just don't want to lose (too much) fuel economy. Also, does anyone make an eprom for these cars ecus? Does it do anything for it?

So i guess the bottom line is what will get me the most reliable horsepower for the least amount of cash....

Thanks

 

[jmccloud]

Corvette shopping

Welcome, you've found a great place for information and nice fellow owners.
I too was looking for something a little different and when 59-1/2 arrived, I raided my IRA for a '95 Corvette. It was the Best purchase in lots of years of owning MG's, VW's, Healeys, pick-ups, 400+ cube (7-8 liter) beasts, Camaros, Galaxys, Mustangs and just about every other type of 4 wheeler.
Looking on this forum later for some advice regarding minor fixes, I discovered my fortune in having bought a '95. The only better choice would have been a '96 LT4 but they're all manual shift and I wanted an auto.
So, my recommendation is to go with a '95 or '96. There are lots of improvements over the years of C4 that culminate in '96. The LT1 is 300HP stock and 350 is easy to reach. The '96s are OBDII and have different programming capabilities, but the '95 can be tweeked. Beware of some chips as they are worthless. Depending on what mechanical changes you make, a custom tune will be well worth it.
Good luck and good searching (with the tab above).

 

[hazardjackson]

Thanks! i haven't ignored the search button and thanks for the input! :cool

 

[H P Bushrod]

I traded up from my '85 L98 to my '93 LT1. The LT1 is the way to go if you're shooting for 350hp. If you're going to mod your car, make sure you get someone who knows what they're doing and be able to VERIFY it. Nothing sours the Vette experience more than having someone screw up your car. Good luck with getting your car.

 

[onedef92]

For what they DO for the price you PAY, I say the L-98, LT1, LT4 and LT-5 C4's offer the best Corvette bang for the buck!

 

[nelson84]

What kind of auto-x, do they have long staights, if so go for th LT1 LT4 LT5, the l98 has mid range torgue, the others just keep going.

 

[fedcop90vette]

As a person who has owned a porsche 944 and 911, I would opt for a later model C4 with the LT motor...Nothing like driving a vette!

 

[KANE]

...So i guess the bottom line is what will get me the most reliable horsepower for the least amount of cash....

Thanks

Go for a C4 with the LT1. Then, outfit the car with 1.6 roller rockers, free-flow exhaust, headers, port and polish the intake, and install a throttle body coolant bypass.

I've built two TPI systems for C3 Corvettes so I have a little experience with the intake. My 1980 has TPI and I built it from the ground up for the L82 motor. I designed my system to breath better above 4800- which is the point most L98s run out of steam. A stock TPI intake creates great low end on a stock L98, but you'll easily spend some money getting it to breath better unless you have the luxury of building it right the first time.

 

[guitarbare]

You Don't want a Porche unless your rich

I have had a Porche.. I call it the 1,000 club... anything breaks it's a 1,000 bucks to fix it. Corvettes have reasonable priced parts and are avaliable almost anywhere even used off Ebay.

As a four of them C4 vette owner I would say you can't go wrong with a vette!!

Best bang for the buck.. hands down