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rock and a hard place, corvette help

2K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  retiredfireguy 
#1 ·
well first off hello everyone and thanks for atleast tempting to help me out here with my dilema.
> Little bit of back ground info. real quick.....im a senior in highschool and joining the air force and will be sent off to boot camp 2 maybe 3 months after i get my diploma. i want a car to rebuild that is fast in light to light and street legal, but my dad feels i need to get something that is newer with A/C, Cruise, power windows and all that stuff since he thinks when i get older i will want all that stuff. So thats why im here to get a little bit of advice.

>All right so ive been looking into newer cars to please my dad and for the first time the other day test drove a '85 corvette and i've got to say its a nice ride with some nice giddy up on it and a 4+3 transmission, but my question is this. It had the stock 350 chevy engine in it so how much would it cost to maybe upgrade it to a 383 stroker? and along with cost wise is it something i could do in a garage or because of all the electrical would i need professinal help doing it?

>Now if you guys have any advice on anything thats going to help with my predicament i would love to here it. If on my vette question or on an idea for a different car that might be nice like a vette that will please both father and son.

thanks guys
Cody
 
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#2 ·
One of our down under brothers would be more able to help you with this question, I understand parts can be expensive and hard to come by in your country. If you were here and could do the majority of the work yourself, this would be a great project. 85 Corvettes were dogs, IMO, they handled nicely but were lacking in the horsepower department. Even so, building a 383 stroker motor would be a little pricey but well worth the investment in a car like that. I say go for it, I would venture to guess around $3,000 for the motor to be built. p.s. edited the title in hopes you get more response.
 
#4 ·
First off it might be prudent to ask what your finances are. Hotrodding is expensive and hotrodding a Vette even more so. My son owned a Vette that he bought against my advice that they are not for every day transportation. He drove it for several years and got tired of paying too much for tires, body work and other things. he now drives something that gets him to and from work cheaply and reliably.

I would suggest you take your dad's advice to heart and seriously consider your finances and if you can really afford to sink $5000 or more plus original purchase price into a Vette.

Vince
 
#5 ·
mr new guy said:
thanks dinger but you keep mentioning "down under" as in austrailia im guessing, but you say $3000 does that mean where your from or price the U.S? also the thought just came to me. would a 4+3 tranny handle a 383 or would i have to upgrade to a 6 speed?
My mistake, I don't know where I got that impression. Too early in the morning for these old eyes. :cool:

Vince (302 z28) is an engine guy. 3 grand would be a ball park figure for doing most of the work yourself and farming out the engine build.

Now here's where Vinces advice makes sense. The midwest is no place for a Corvette in the winter months. Can you afford to park the car for a few months before taking it out again? Storage, being in the service, stationed overseas maybe, I think I would wait til I got out or was stationed somewhere for a reasonable length of time. Now, being in the service is a GREAT place to get deals on cars, trucks, boats, bikes, etc. Guys are shipping out all the time and have to be rid of these things. Having a cash stash is always good to make a deal that can make you some bucks later on.

I loved my Corvette. I had a 91, quick, 23 mpg all day long, affordable. But I love my coupe more so I sold it. Don't be discouraged by all this, buy a Corvette someday. This might not be the right time though. And stay single! Nothing sells Corvettes faster than a baby seat. or lack of a spot to put the baby seat. Corvettes made rapid advances in performance in the early 90's to present day, no need for stroker motors, just jump in and drive.
 
#6 ·
^i like the advice your giving. i have the finances to afford the vette aswell as insurance payments, but costs of gaining the H.P i want is more then i could afford while in highschool. and once out of highshool i wouldnt be abke to work on for a good while because of military affairs. so now i ask you this..

>Would something else, I.E a camaro, be cheaper to give me the speed i want? looks aren't anything like you would get in a vette but tires, repairs, and so forth are much cheaper. I havn't done the research into the camaros that i've done into the vettes so im not sure about costs on anything or much of anything with them.
 
#7 ·
The Camaros are going to be cheaper in most all respects than the Vette. Remember, anything like an "expensive sports car", the price goes up. Just the way it is.

Also, I imagine that most repair stuff would be easier in the Camaro, since it is a little larger vehicle, making things easier to get to.

Those generations of Vettes are not really 'collector' material either, as far as I know. You could find a nice year/model Camaro for what a mediocre Vette will cost you.

Good luck with your future!
 
#8 ·
I'd also look at Mustangs. Good looking cars, the 302s haul the mail! Lots of speed parts. Stay away from the older Camaros with V-6s. Disposable motors, my opinion. Good luck with everything, let us know how it works out, hotrodding and military life. :thumbup: Dan
 
#9 · (Edited)
thanks for your opinion on looking into the mustangs, but looking into the 80's mustangs(start of A/C, cruise, and so forth) they dont have the look im looking for and into the '90s insurance itself would cost alot.

>pinger you also mention "stay away from the V-6 camaros" Is that even if i want to swap motors in it from the V-6 to a V-8? eventually a 383 stroker? i ask because there is a '84 camaro for sale in my town with everything i need for $1500
 
#10 ·
>pinger you also mention "stay away from the V-6 camaros" Is that even if i want to swap motors in it from the V-6 to a V-8? eventually a 383 stroker? i ask because there is a '84 camaro for sale in my town with everything i need for $1500[/QUOTE]

A $1500 Vette would make a good donor vehicle for all the hot rod parts it has to offer!
Stay away from the 4+3 there are no parts available for repairs of the transmission.
Save your money and look for a 90's vette, they are out there but be prepared to pay for repairs. Expensive cars = expensive parts
 
#11 ·
"im a senior in highschool and joining the air force and will be sent off to boot camp 2 maybe 3 months after i get my diploma."

"the H.P i want is more then i could afford while in highschool. and once out of highshool i wouldnt be abke to work on for a good while because of military affairs."

Honestly, leave the money in the bank and enjoy your friends while you have the time, the car can wait. Your hometown is where you're from not going to, you'll move on with your life and so will your friends so enjoy them now.

Hot rodding IS the 'book of the month club' WITHOUT the new car, buying one to park it just doesn't make sense. The cars will be there after you're done with the Air Force, newer, more to choose from and probably cheaper with this economy.
 
#12 ·
If you are joining the Air Force, you are moving to San Antonio for a while. Although some things are cheaper here, car insurance is not one of them.

When I moved here 15 years ago from Northern Virginia, my car insurance went up by about 50% for the same set of cars. I currently have one 20 year old son on my policy and his liability-only coverage for a 1975 GMC pickup is more than full coverage for my 2005 Mustang GT convertible.

Your Air Force pay may look good compared to high school wages, but it will not go as far as you think. Start out conservative with your expenses, and stay that way as long as possible. There are a lot of fun cars out there that will be easier to maintain and run for now than a vintage hot rod.

Bruce
 
#13 ·
If you insist on going with a Corvette, join the www.Corvetteforum.com (it's free - just register like here) and go to the C4 section for info and help on the 84 thru 91 years. Lots of guys have installed strokers but then you have to upgrade rearends, etc. Don't be afraid of the 4+3 if you get one that has the fluid changed in the OD unit regularly. The whole thing is basically a regular 4 speed with a 2 speed powerglide unit on the rear as an overdrive in the top 3 gears. Hence, the 4+3 name. There are rebuild services available for the 4+3's. Many guys with C4's and increased HP have switched to a 6 speed.
A stroker might require a different ECM or reprograming the old one and maybe higher flow injectors. You could run into a whole gambit of required mods and problems. Maybe better to buy a newer one like a 92-96 with a LT engine that already has the power you are looking for.
I agree with other advice to stay away from a Vette and get a good running Camaro with a manual 5 or 6 speed. I've had 3 Corvettes over the years and parts are very costly - even for the same thing another GM car might use. The fiberglas body doesn't rust but makes for electrical grounding difficulties and problems.
I currently have a '75 Stingray convertible with a GM ZZ4 crate engine and Super T-10 4 speed and IS s-o-o-o-o much fun to drive but I seem to spend as much or more time fixing things as I do driving it. Fortunately, I am retired and have the time and money to indulge myself. You are not yet in that kind of favorable situation.
Terry
 
#14 ·
I just overhauled the overdrive unit in an 88 vette with a 4+3 and it was around $1300 for parts. I could only find one place to get parts so prices were a little high. The tune-port engines were good for low end torque but don't try to build the engine for high rpms(7000), the intake will not flow enough.
 
#15 ·
Buy a Corvette and run it like you stole it!!
You never know when youll get the chance again.
I have a 91 and love it! Try to buy 91 or later,has the same body style as the zr1, (square tailites) pre 91s are cheaper but dont look as good,and really if you stay away from the reverse flow cooling motor it will be cheaper to fix ,do a car search and make sure no accident damage,try to go for low milage,it is DEFINETLY not meant as a daily driver,but it is most definetly cool.
You can do a lot of upgrades to the motor to gain h.p. without taking out the motor.
Stay away from anything where you have to take out motor.
Yes the tires are expensive, mine have been on for 10 years.
Age here is 63 so Im no kid, for me when I bought this car it was now or never and Ive had no regrets
 
#16 ·
I've had two Corvette converts...A '68 and an '88. They were both a lot of fun on a nice day...Less fun in the rain...And no fun in the snow! Get what you want, but be prepared to live with it. A Vette makes a great second car, but I wouldn't want one for a daily driver. Besides, I finally learned that I prefer a rat rod to a Vette any day. As for the A/C, power windows, etc...Don't need any of that stuff on a rat.
 
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