40th Anniversary Questions about 40th Anniv

[boss64]

My wife and I are looking at a Ruby Red convert with hardtop and six-speed. Am curious about production number of this combination, and if there are any common problems with this vintage car. It has approx 50K miles. Thanks.

 

[CLABORN1960]

I have 40th anniversary coupe... you may want to go to this site: www.40thregistry.com

I bought mine with 75,000 miles and haven't had any major problems. I have replaced the water pump, serpentine belt (twice), fuel filter, brake pads/rotors, shocks, and tires (2 sets thus far). There are some cosmetic things I plan to do, but it has been quite dependable... except for the digital display, don't get me started.... ad

 

[Rob]

...moving to the C4 General Discussion forum...

 

[B17Crew]

boss64,
From what I’ve read, the six-speed vert has low numbers as far as production. I can’t recall the exact numbers. The hard top is a nice bonus too.

In 93 I bought a new 93 six-speed Competition Yellow coupe. The only problem I had with the car was the optispark failing. The opti died on me under 10,000 miles. That was pretty much the only problem I encountered.

B17Crew

 

[boss64]

Thanks for the input. Now the next question. What should we expect to pay for this car with about 50K miles, new tires, and most available options. The owner is asking $19K. This is so far just the asking price. Thanks again.

 

[*89x2*]

I have a Ruby 6 speed, hardtop Convertible (also has FX3 adj suspension)

Really, look to make sure the Bose radio, esp. the CD player works - they generaly do not
Also, soome oil drips are fairly common where the sensors enter the pan, cheap enough to fix, just time consuming...
Rubies seem to hold their draw (read: $$$$$) good luck

 

[RubyDropTop]

The answer to your production number question is 498. There were 498 Ruby 6spd verts produced. Of those with a hardtop, I do not know.


As noted, check the BOSE audio system for working condition, as the CD players are known for going bad. Be sure that the OptiSpark and waterpump are in very good condition. Be sure that the waterpump is not leaking on the Opti....bad new$ if it is.

If the car is generally in very good condition, the 19k seems like a very fair price for the car. Be sure to check cosmetics such as rim abrasions, flawed weatherstripping, rub marks on the cloth top, driver's side seat bolster wear, etc. Good luck.

 

[boss64]

Thanks for the information. A gearhead friend is going to look the car over today. This will give him something else to watch for. Reference the waterpump/optispark, do you just change water pumps as preventive maintenance, or is it a major problem when the waterpump fails? I obviously dont know much about the newer cars. I am used to the simplicity of our 300hp '64. Guess I have lots to learn.

Thank you again for the help.

 

[boss64]

One other note. I find this web site very addictive. Every time I go by the computer I have to check new posts. You are also cutting into my sleep time. Hey, but what a way ot go.. Thanks for the fun and interesting site. Just another neat things about Corvettes.

We've been wavig for 38 years.

 

[RubyDropTop]

As far as the waterpump/OptiSpark, I don't find it necessary to change the pump and Opti as a maint. item, but I do highly recommend that you keep a close eye on it. The problem is the Opti does NOT like water/moisture, and since the intellectual engineers at GM placed it directly beneath the waterpump, it sort of sets it up for failure. Many times the waterpump will lose it's bearings and leak onto the Opti. This can be a bit unpredictable as far as when it will happen (my pump went at 25,000 miles and took the Opti with it). Some LT-1 cars still have their original pump/Opti, and some have had problems with less than 10,000 miles on the car. That is why I say keep an eye on it.

Feel the front of the Opti. Does it feel wet? Take a long handled inspection mirror and get a look at the weep hole under the waterpump. A bad opti can leave you stranded, that would go for a bad water pump as well. The typical signs of a bad Opti include bucking, sputtering, having the car start and shake like a wet dog as it shuts off. Once moisture has entered the opti through the seals (which at this point are rather old, and don't seal well if it's the original unit) it corrodes the discs that are inside. If the discs cannot be read due to corrosion, the car runs very poorly if at all.

If you really like this car, and it has the original pump/opti setup, just plan to have it replaced in the near future. Typical shop cost for such a job is over $1,000.00 that is why people warn potential owners of the condition. And always change out both units, never just one. While you have the car apart, it's just a better idea.

Good luck with the potential purchase of this car. You'll like the hardtop. I have a factory hardtop as well, and it really stiffens up the car in the cowl area. Let us know how you make out.

 

[CLABORN1960]

Let me start by saying that I am not an expert on vettes and have only had my 40th anniv. Ruby since 2001. I bought it with 75,000, and it now has about 146,000 on it. I replaced the water pump last December, and the opti was fine. I replaced some of the hoses going to the water pump cause they failed about two days after replacing the pump. Last week I replaced 3 more hoses (one that went directly in to the water pump) because one had a small hole that sprayed a small amount of coolant out, I could smell it but couldn't see it..... The vette mechanic who did the work said that the opti was fine. He did say that my plug wires needed to be replaced because they were the original wires and were become porous....

Your experience may differ, but why replace a part (the opti) if it is fine? My vette is running fine (obviously look at the mileage) and why couldn't a person take the approach of replacing parts if they need replacing as opposed to replacing the part because it might need replacing?

Just asking..... like I said, I am no expert.... :confused

 

[RubyDropTop]

I did not suggest that he purchase the car and right away replace the pump and Opti if they are not symptomatic. I suggest that he keep a close eye on the pump and Opti due to their inherent nature of failure.


I do suggest that the Opti be replaced if you are doing the waterpump, and you will find many other owners of early LT-1 cars that feel the same way. The car is apart at that time anyway, and it is cheap insurance as far as paying labor twice.

No offense, but how do you know for sure that your Opti is "fine"? Was the unit removed from the car and disassemled? Are you 100% sure that there is no corrosion on the discs? An LT-1 can run "fine" yet have a ticking time bomb as far as the Opti goes, especially at the mileage that you are talking about. Seals dry out and alllow moisture to enter. The Opti is exposed to a great deal of heat as well, contributing to expansion and contraction of that seal. Our cars are over 10 years old, so that is something to think about.

Had it been my car, I would have replaced the Opti as well, but that is just me. Whenever this conversation comes up, 9 times out of 10 times it is recommended that both units be replaced at the same time. It's up to you....

 

[CLABORN1960]

two vette mechanics (one actually restores them) suggested that the opti was fine and did not recommend replacing it, that is what I am basing my question on. I guess I would define "fine" as the car is running well with no symptoms of opti failure. Everything on a car is a ticking timebomb in a sense is it not? From the serpentine belts (which I found out are only good for two years), to the tires, to various electrical components... but that's just my take on things....

 

[boss64]

Well, lucky me. We are now a 2 corvette family. Oh, btw, we are just 2 years from our 40th anniv, so this is our present. Wife kind of wanted a trip to Hawaii, but she seems to be enjoying the vette.

I did check around the pump and optispark and everything appeared to be dry. Will definitely keep an eye on it. Also, the Bose did not work so seller made an appropriate adjustment. Think we are good to go. Now I am going to have to take a week off and read all the C4 information.

Thank you all again for the input. Think I'll go for a drive...

 

[Vettefan87]

......Think I'll go for a drive...

Always a very good decision in my book. Every time I get upset over something I just hop into the car and drop the top and drive. By the time I am down the street I forget what I was mad about.


Justin

 

[RubyDropTop]

Congratulations on your purchase, and welcome to the fold. You will really like your Ruby. The color of the car alone seems to bring up a few questions by those unfamiliar with the Anniversary model.


Enjoy the ride, and don't forget to wave.

 

[boss64]

Thanks. We havent onwed a vert since 68 when I went to help Uncle Sam. We were going to grow up. Bought a VW. That lasted a little over a year. That,s when we bought the 64 coupe..

Anyway we are enjoying already. The car generates a lot of interest on the street. Hope to see you all on the road.

 

[wingstlr]

Here you can find some info on your car.http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c4/1993/index.html

 

[Dad2BJO]

Well I dont mean to Hi-Jack a thread but I also have some of the same questions on a Ruby Red Vette that I found.

I have not seen the car in person but some details are as follows:

54K Miles
Convertable
No hard top. I assume the hard top was an option but what code do I look for to make sure this is not missing?
ZR-1 wheels but have original wheels.
Car has aftermarket stereo/speakers and original is not with the car. Was there a choice in radios or did they all come with the same one? Also does this devalue the car?
2nd owner car and does not have all the original documentation so once again does this devalue the car? Can these items be obtained or repro's made?

I did a little reading here regarding the opti-spark and will look at that area when I look at the car. Asking price is $14K but with the above list is there a $$ amount to subract for missing items or is the car priced about right? BTW I did the edmunds and NADA and one seemed way high and the other seemed way low for a 40th anniv corvette convertable and neither asked if it had a hard top or not.

Thanks in advance for the responses. As you can see, 1st post and this would be my first Vette!

 

[CSS996]

Depends on how big you are about all original parts. IMO, the owner did you a favor by replacing the Bose. Mine is still there. And the CD player is happily chewing away on a CD that it refuses to spit out.

Owner's manuals, dealer brochures and the like can be found on auction sites for not too much money.

Give the car a thorough check, and be prepared to spend a little cash on new fluids and such.

IMO, that car better be pretty cherry for that price. My coupe is in pretty darn good shape, and I bought it for $9,000 with 80k miles on it. The vert is of course worth more.

If it checks out, $12,000 would be a fair price if I was putting the money down. But if the car is worth $14,000 to you, then no worries!