C4 Corvette build

[Matman3]

I haven't seen a C4 build on this sight so I thought I'd through mine in. All comments are welcome and advise is very much appreciated. The depth of talent on this sight is amazing!

OK, here is the background on my car. I bought it from a diesel mechanic who in turn acquired the car from his grandfather. It's a 1988 with 95,000 miles on it. It had been sitting for 15 years and really showed it. Dollar wise it was a steal, otherwise I would have walked. After changing all fluids and checking the brakes and such I drove it home. I got lucky there! I figured I would be building the engine and trans anyway so why not? Dam thing ran like a raped ape!!! This is what she looked like initially.




Once I got home, I dropped the engine and transmission pans to take a look. Grand Pa took care of this car! Nothing bad in either pan. In fact gaskets still looked new. So I scoped the cylinders. Still could see cross hatching on the walls and no carbon on the pistons. This isn't adding up! So I started to do more digging internally as well as diving into the paperwork provided. End result is I had a tired and beat Corvette with a NEW 350 from GM and and a fresh 700R-4. Grand Pa had the engine/trans replaced at 93,000 miles. Later, I found out he had a stroke shortly after all this work and the family just let the car sit under a tree for years.

[1965gp]

Great score- C4's are supposed to be solid performers.

[Matman3]

This is her after I played for a few weeks. A lowering kit was installed, Pro-thane bushings everywhere, Performance Frictions pads and a new set of tires and wheels. I looked for a long time for a set of ZR1 wheels but couldn't find a set in my price range (still looking if anyone wants to trade!!!). I have 255/40/18's up front and 285/35/18's in the back. I was hoping for wider but these were a great buy at a local Corvette wrecking yard.

[Matman3]

Thanks 1965gp! I'm happy with it. I came from the Mustang side of the tracks and I'm very please with this car.

[Matman3]

Wing is gone! I bent this out of 1/8 aluminum. It is made in three pieces. The center section slips in the middle for full effect. I drive with it not installed so I can see behind me. I am also experimenting with vortex generators as you can see. They have since been replaced by a different design. I have just ordered a carbon fiber wing so the spoiler will be going into the parts bin soon.



This is how it sits now. I HATE that I lost a center cap. OCD getting the best of me.

Current run down is as follows:

Engine-
Custom chip with my fuel/timing curve and specific deleted restrictions
Headman full length headers
High flow "Cats" with hand built x-pipe
Dual Flowmasters
Hand built cold air utilizing Nascar oil cooler lid and brake duct coupler

Trans-
shift kit
external cooler

Suspension-
Pro-thane bushings
accumulating parts and pieces for coil-overs
Performance Friction pads
Brembo discs (stock replacement)
Heims on sway bar (front)

Misc-
Harness bar with Simpson 7 point harness
Roll cage will be fab'd soon!!!

Plans for immediate future-
Replace rear wheel hubs (this weekend)
Fabricate rear toe links and camber links (does anyone have prints or schematics?) I already have heims and swedge tubes. Just need to fab brackets at rear end assembly.
Install new wing next weekend. (next weekend) Unfortunately, previous owner didn't install old wing correctly so I have holes to fill.

[bishir]

Subscribed. I just had a discussion with someone this weekend about how we never see C4s at the autocross yet they're so abundant and cheap.

[nokones]

Yes, there C4 builds. I built this car for SCCA BSP class 13 years ago. Last year I decided to rebuild the car for the optima Ultimate Street Car Challenge series. I completely rebuilt this car, new engine and tranny, diff, brakes, stub axles, carbon fiber drive and half shafts. When I get back from Vegas, the rear bumper will be replaced with a carbon fiber bumper and will include a molded spoiler. Also, if I have time, a new Holley ECM will be installed before I take off for the Mid-West Muscle Car Challenge and then the optima event in Bowling Green the following weekend

My first event with the car this year was the Optima event in Texas. I kinda sucked. The car pushed everywhere because the suspension was set up for the sticky R compound tires. I soften the springs and ran the car at the SCCA National Tour this past weekend and I got it dialed in, at least on concrete. We'll see how it does this weekend at the Optima event in Las Vegas. Hopefully, all I have to do is lower my tire pressers and maybe minor adjustment on the shocks.

Sorry for the lousy picture . I don't have pictures saved in this tablet and I am on my way to Vegas so the car is in the trailer and I went out to snap this picture to paste to this message.

Unfortunately, my car does not qualify for a budget C4 build. It is very well beyond that factor.

[Matman3]

Your Vette is pretty awesome Kenny! Everything I'm doing is either fabricated by me or bought used. With two kids at home and support a mother in law, things are tough. I really tried to grab your engine and trans you had for sale but the timing isn't right. Still drooling over it though! Lol!
The July USCA race here in Charlotte will be my first big race with this car. Hoping to get it dialed during a HD at Road Atlanta in May. Might drive over to Bowling Green to say hi when you're out there.

[nokones]

Your Vette is pretty awesome Kenny! Everything I'm doing is either fabricated by me or bought used. With two kids at home and support a mother in law, things are tough. I really tried to grab your engine and trans you had for sale but the timing isn't right. Still drooling over it though! Lol!
The July USCA race here in Charlotte will be my first big race with this car. Hoping to get it dialed during a HD at Road Atlanta in May. Might drive over to Bowling Green to say hi when you're out there.

Looking forward to meeting you. If you don't make it to Bowling Green, I'll be at Charlotte.

[rustomatic]

I've become a fan of the C4 in recent months, as I've been driving a '92 I bought recently. There's a pretty big group of C4 owners who do the Sacramento, CA area SCCA autocrosses--C5s seem to be cropping up more and more, however. I mainly like the C4's chassis, which is why it is going to slowly become the bottom part of my Falcon, with a 5.3 LS...

[nokones]

My performance at Las Vegas optima was horrible. Every time I went to full throttle, it fell flat on its face. I thought I was fighting a fuel starvation problem. On one of my Start Stop runs, I taped a fuel pressure gauge to the windshield in front of me with duct tape and I made a run to see if the fuel pressure was dropping. The pressure stayed the same when it fell on its face at full throttle. I did some more trouble shooting and I thought it may be the throttle position sensor. Then my son-in-law came over and I thought that he was giving me some smack talk about my ghetto air intake setup. After some thought about it I decide to take off my ghetto intake I made a couple of runs and the car did not fall flat on its face. Unfortunately, those were the last two runs for the day.

Now, I need to figure out something for today on the hotlaps.

[Matman3]

You placed pretty well in class from what I say but that's just numbers. 4th is really good considering the competition. Now you have me worried about my cold air intake. LOL! Mine is kind of ghetto too. All NASCAR parts but not how they were originally intended. I'll post a pic soon. Can you post a pic of yours?

I've decided to get rid of the 3 piece spoiler. Originally, it was to hide a hack install job from the previous owner. He did a terrible job installing the rear wing and I had no idea until it was off. I love the look of a "Nascar inspired" spoiler but this isn't what I intended in my head. So off it came. Sunday was spent repairing the holes I made, the previous owner made and the antenna hole. I have a hidden antenna so that will be filled as well. I won't bore anyone with the details of fiberglass repair. Here are some before and after pics. It will stay in primer until I paint the entire vehicle.





The finished product.

[Matman3]

I have two options as replacements for the spoiler I removed. I found a new wing on Craigslist for $20. Profile is OK but cheap. I altered the brackets and I'm machining the wing side plates right now. I really do not want the ricer look so the wing will be mounted 2.3 inches lower than originally produced. Down side is reduced view out the back. Option 2 is an actual spoiler of an older ARCA car. It one I picked up after the driver had a reduction in talent. Unfortunately, she did that quite often! It will mount on the rear edge of the bumper cover. I already brace the inner bumper cover so there shoulod be no flex.




Once the mock-ups are complete with the wing I will post pics of the spoiler. While this is happening I need to also change my rear diff fluid and change out the rear tranny seal. I have an autocross this weekend. First time out with all the changes! Hope I see an improvement but even if I don't it'll still be fun. Track time is almost therapeutic!

[nokones]

My car is at Lingenfelter's. Something broke in the engine during the Hot Laps in the first session on the third lap.

I'm sure the Ghetto Air Intake is in the trash by now, at least I hope so. Lingenfelteris going to fabricate something for me.

Also, they will be replacing my old ACCEL DFI ECM with a Holley EFI ECM. Depending on the cost for the engine repair/rebuild, and their workload schedule, I may have them install a Dakota Digital Direct Replacement Instrument Cluster with GPS Speed. When the Tremec TKO600 Tranny was installed, the speedometer hasn't been working. Apparently, a Dakota Digital module was supposed to be provided with the tranny kit so the factory speedometer will work with the speed sensor that was provided with the TKO tranny. So, I decided this is the time to replace the cluster.

I'm hoping to have all this done in time for the Mid-West Muscle Car Challenge and the Bowling Green optima Events

I have a Carbon Fiber Rear Bumper to replace the factory plastic Rear Bumper. I am having a spoiler handmade onto the new rear bumper with carbon fiber that will meet the USCA spoiler rules. The new bumper was suppose to installed after the Las Vegas event so I can have it for the Bowling Green optima event. Hoprefully, it will be on the car for the Charlotte Optima Event.

[ArtosDracon]

I'm just saying...

[Matman3]

Can't wait to see your car out here. If there is time there are some great BBQ restaurants out here!

[Matman3]

I finally installed the wing. Not bad for REALLY, REALLY cheap but is still temproary untill I can make one to my liking and USCA legal. The chord is 9.75 inches where USCA legal is 8 inches. Not too keen on the side air dams either so I already have mock ups made from aluminum.


The bracket and adjustment hardware came out how I invisioned it so they will be staying.


I will be taking a bit of a break now. The day after this was mounted I had an accident and broke a rib. I missed an autocross and might miss this weekends HPDE at Carolina Motorsport Park. Life happens!

Kenny- Where are you getting the C/F rear panel? I've been tossing around the idea of making my own but time is never really on your side.
Artos- You had to go there didn't you! LOL!

[nokones]

Matt - Exotic Muscle

[bonecrrusher]

Is that at CMP?

[Matman3]

That is Road Atlanta coming down off the straight. Fun Track!