Good morning! It’s Friday, and today we’re going to do something just a little bit silly, inspired by my observations of cars on the road during my first week here in Maryland. We’re looking at two examples of almost the same car, but there’s a reason for it. Just bear with me for a minute.
I had a feeling that yesterday’s love-it-or-hate-it Civic was going to have more detractors than admirers. That’s fine – those of us who like it just won’t let you borrow it. So there. The purple Miata won the day handily. I’m still not sure it’s always the answer, but it’s not a bad choice at all.
But I’ve already done the scruffy Miata thing. I have no desire to do it again. If I ever went looking for another NA Miata, it would be a nice clean example, preferably an LE in black with a red interior. And although a lot of you panned the Civic as a “kid’s car,” I’m on the far side of 50, and I feel no need to care what other people think of what I drive. I want something I can find in a parking lot.
As a car guy, I can’t help noticing what vehicles are around me in traffic, or parked in the driveways I pass, and I’m sure most of you are the same. In my first week here on the eastern shore of Maryland, one car has jumped out at me, over and over again: the Chevy Corvette, particularly the late C3 and early C4 generations. I’ve seen half a dozen or more on the road just in the past week, and one guy near me has both a C3 and a C4 parked in his driveway.
But what I don’t see are very many Corvettes for sale around here. And that gave me an idea: What if one were to, say, buy nice-ish but cheap Corvettes out West, drive them across the country, and sell them at a profit to Vette-starved Marylanders? So I found two likely candidates, both C4s, one coupe with a 4+3 and one convertible with an automatic. Let’s see which one you think would be a bigger hit on the East Coast.
1985 Chevrolet Corvette – $5,000
Engine/drivetrain: 5.7 liter overhead valve V8, four-speed manual with overdrive, RWD
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Odometer reading: 163,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great, driven almost daily
The early C4 is the car that pops into my head when someone says “Corvette.” I suppose it’s that thing where whatever is new and exciting during your formative years remains your favorite no matter how old you get. I know this isn’t the best Corvette – though it’s far from the worst – but it’s always going to be my favorite.
I’ve actually driven a car almost identical to this: white, with the Doug Nash 4+3 manual in it. It felt like a rocketship at the time, though I know my current Chrysler 300 could blow its fiberglass-clad doors clean off. Corvettes aren’t really about ultimate performance, though; it’s feeling fast that counts. You sit low in this car, and that hood seems impossibly long, and the squeaks and rattles and shakes over bumps make it feel almost alive, somehow, and a little bit dangerous.
Being a 1985 model, this Corvette benefits from an L98 multi-port fuel injected version of the standard 350 V8, putting out 230 horsepower. It runs well, the seller says, and they drive it “almost daily.” I guess that explains the odometer reading. High-mileage Corvettes aren’t common, which is a shame, because they’re meant to be driven. This one has a new starter, and just passed a smog inspection, which suggests that the engine is indeed healthy.
It looks clean and well cared-for, too. C4s often end up with trashed interiors, but this one looks nice inside. The seller says it could use a repaint, but that’s kind of the beauty of white cars; they look presentable even when the paint isn’t in great shape.
1988 Chevrolet Corvette convertible – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 5.7 liter overhead valve V8, four-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Odometer reading: 90,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
For the first couple of years, the C4 was only available as a coupe with a removable targa roof. It allowed the sunshine and fresh air in, but it was no substitute for a real convertible, which finally returned to the Corvette lineup in 1986 after eleven long years. The C4 makes for a handsome convertible with the top down, but you’ll have to take my word for it, because this seller only posted photos of it with the top up (who does that?).
This one has a TH700R4 overdrive automatic transmission instead of the 4+3 manual. I’ve driven an automatic C4 as well, and honestly, I could go either way on the transmission. The manual is fun, but the automatic feels more at home. But I feel the same way about Camaros and Firebirds, too. GM just does automatics I like, I guess. This car runs and drives well, and has “lots of new parts,” but that’s about all the information we get.
It looks like it’s in acceptable condition, if a little bit rougher than the coupe, particularly inside. I quite like the stripes on this one. I’m getting a model kit vibe from it, and that’s not a bad thing, though I never was any good at applying those water-slide decals. I always tore them.
I’m not as fond of the aftermarket wheels. I don’t like black wheels in general, and these look particularly cheap and tacky, though I know they were probably pretty expensive. Ah well, I suppose you can’t see them from the driver’s seat.
Now, I’m not saying that I’m going to fly back to California and buy one of these two to road-trip back here and sell. I’ve had my fill of cross-country drives for a while. I’m just saying someone could do so, if they were so inclined, and I bet either one of these cars would sell for close to double the purchase price around here. And if not, well, you’ve still got a Corvette to tool around in. Which one is your choice?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
The C4, the Corvette of my youth. It looks dated today only because it was so modern when new. I think it will always be my favorite Corvette in styling. As for the interior, all I can say is that GM was gonna GM. My preference would be for a later model that had the LT V8. That 1985 hardtop with the L98 and stick shift will still be a lot of fun though. You’ll save enough money up front that you should have enough left over for an engine swap in the future, if you decide 230hp doesn’t float your boat.
The ’85 wins, but if it was an ’84 with the crossfire junk I might change my mind.
Love the seats.
The ’85 wins, but if it was an ’84 with the crossfire junk I might change my mind.
Love the seats.
Manual
Is
Always
The
Answer
Manual
Is
Always
The
Answer
Hardtop with a manual transmission? My preferred spec.
Daily-driven? Awesome. There may be a little more wear-and-tear, but it means that it’s known and reliable enough to daily drive.
Yes to all of the above.
In good shape cosmetically and driven enough to keep parts from drying out or get replaced. I agree with your assessment. Besides, corvettes are know to last through very high mileage, if you actually drive them.
Hardtop with a manual transmission? My preferred spec.
Daily-driven? Awesome. There may be a little more wear-and-tear, but it means that it’s known and reliable enough to daily drive.
Yes to all of the above.
In good shape cosmetically and driven enough to keep parts from drying out or get replaced. I agree with your assessment. Besides, corvettes are know to last through very high mileage, if you actually drive them.
The interior condition alone is enough to justify the price difference. Add those wheels and the suspicion the top is inoperable…the hardtop runs away with it.
The interior condition alone is enough to justify the price difference. Add those wheels and the suspicion the top is inoperable…the hardtop runs away with it.
The hardtops look sooooo much better than the convertibles. Manual puts it over the top.
The hardtops look sooooo much better than the convertibles. Manual puts it over the top.
I’m another one for the hardtop. I’m not a convertible person to begin with, but that ’88 has too many questionable (read: ugly) mods to it to have any desire for it. The 4+3 isn’t great, but I’d still rather drive it than deal with the 700R4.
I’m another one for the hardtop. I’m not a convertible person to begin with, but that ’88 has too many questionable (read: ugly) mods to it to have any desire for it. The 4+3 isn’t great, but I’d still rather drive it than deal with the 700R4.
The missing trim on the center console, the no-top-down photos which make me think there could be a problem, and the horrible aftermarket wheel choice make me think that the extra $1,500 is worth it for the coupe.
No shade at the slushbox, really, it’s era typical and appropriate, but not to my taste in a ‘sports’ car.
The missing trim on the center console, the no-top-down photos which make me think there could be a problem, and the horrible aftermarket wheel choice make me think that the extra $1,500 is worth it for the coupe.
No shade at the slushbox, really, it’s era typical and appropriate, but not to my taste in a ‘sports’ car.
Hardtop for me. It’s appearing to be in better shape. The manual is the slightly more desirable transmission for an enthusiast. GM’s 80’s automatics aren’t great, just better than the steaming piles Ford and Chrysler were churning out.
Hardtop for me. It’s appearing to be in better shape. The manual is the slightly more desirable transmission for an enthusiast. GM’s 80’s automatics aren’t great, just better than the steaming piles Ford and Chrysler were churning out.
I voted the 85 it just looks to be much better shape and also it is stick. Even if it is a crap trans it is already set up for a manual so could always look into swapping a t56 at a later point in time. Not sure how hard it is to swap one in but I know in third gen F-bodies it is a fairly easy swap so I would assume it shouldn’t be to bad in a C4 and would have parts readily available for the swap. Also my Firebird had a 700r4 what a price of crap that was even when “built” to handle more power things never lasted.
Yeah, a factory ZF6 swap is easy, since that’s what later L98 Vettes came with (I think starting in ’89). The T56 is also doable, though it requires more modifications to fit and make work.
I voted the 85 it just looks to be much better shape and also it is stick. Even if it is a crap trans it is already set up for a manual so could always look into swapping a t56 at a later point in time. Not sure how hard it is to swap one in but I know in third gen F-bodies it is a fairly easy swap so I would assume it shouldn’t be to bad in a C4 and would have parts readily available for the swap. Also my Firebird had a 700r4 what a price of crap that was even when “built” to handle more power things never lasted.
Yeah, a factory ZF6 swap is easy, since that’s what later L98 Vettes came with (I think starting in ’89). The T56 is also doable, though it requires more modifications to fit and make work.
I think the coupe would do better in the colder climates as a DD, so I went with it.
Also the rear of the convertible seems a little too high.
I think the coupe would do better in the colder climates as a DD, so I went with it.
Also the rear of the convertible seems a little too high.
For me: the coupe with the 4+3, though I’ve heard that the manual is garbage, if not hot garbage.
To flip: easy — the convertible, just as soon as I pick up some sawtooths.
For me: the coupe with the 4+3, though I’ve heard that the manual is garbage, if not hot garbage.
To flip: easy — the convertible, just as soon as I pick up some sawtooths.
The wheels on the convertible make me question everything the current owner has done to that car. Spend the extra $1500 on the coupe.
The wheels on the convertible make me question everything the current owner has done to that car. Spend the extra $1500 on the coupe.