- The Journey to Buying a C4 Corvette
- Despite being the least popular generation of the Corvette, the C4 is actually one of my favorites.
The Journey to Buying a C4 Corvette
Corvette Forum Curated Content Editor Pouria Savadkouei documents the process of deciding to kick off his journey of Corvette ownership with a C4 model.
Despite being the least popular generation of the Corvette, the C4 is actually one of my favorites.
The search for the right C4 Corvette for me has certainly taken longer than I would have liked. Before finally settling on my 1996 LT4 Corvette, I came across many amazingly well-preserved examples, a few modified C4s, and some not in such great shape. My vision from the beginning was to purchase one that I could enjoy to the fullest extent and not worry about keeping the museum-quality condition. With that said, I also had a rather specific set of criteria.
First and foremost, it had to be a manual. The first choice would have been a 1991 model, preferably red. The reason being ’91 was the last year of the fantastic L98 motor, and the first year of the facelift, which I’m a huge fan of. Despite being implemented in the ’90s, the facelifted version has a more 1980s aesthetic to it, with rounded-off edges. But I digress.
I found an example in immaculate condition, garage-kept, and with only 50,000 miles on the clock. It was about a 5-hour drive away from my home in California. So I had to take my time planning the trip. Sadly for me, the seller decided to sell the car to someone else a day before I was supposed to make that trip. That would have been my number one choice without question. It wasn’t meant to be.
I continued to scour online listings for months. I found a few with good potential, but they were located too far away for me to be able to have a look at. During my search, I was also introduced to the wonderful Grand Sport model, and other LT4-powered variants. Although my top pick was still the L98, I was open to the idea of owning an LT4. The LT1 would have been too much trouble for my liking, and not enough fun!
With a lot of patience and a fair deal of mental manifestation, I finally found my C4 Corvette. Not my first choice of specs, but a close second. The 1996 LT4 Corvette was located about an hour from my home. I drove out to check it out on a Thursday. I knew right away it was going to be the one. And I headed out with my brother Aria (also a Corvette Forum editor and contributor) to pick it up Saturday morning.
As is documented in the video above, the car is not in perfect shape by any means. But it’s a great place for me to start my journey of Corvette ownership. I’ll be making improvements as I go along, and I’ll keep Corvette Forum updated each step along the way. This process begins with new tires. Watch the video for my complete wish list of upgrades.
>>> I look forward to your comments, suggestions, and guidance right here in the forums!
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