You have to love a car that is so rarely presented well showing up with an excellent overview of its history and options. This 1986 Chevrolet Corvette has just 17,498 original miles, but there’s more than just the low mileage to get excited about. It’s also a rare 4+3 manual transmission example, which you hardly ever see in convertible form. The C4 Corvette doesn’t get a lot of love from the collector car community, but when you find one like this, it’s worth the extra cost of admission to get a museum piece. This Corvette convertible is listed here on eBay for $19,975 or best offer.
We often discuss how the early C4 Corvette has little in the way of “pull” with the collector car market. The reasons are obvious, from an abundance of supply to underwhelming performance. But when you see the side profile of the convertible version, you realize just how beautiful this model is. Some convertibles are a disappointment, with the soft top clumsily stored on top of the rear seats. With the C4, the top disappears entirely, as it should. The polished wheels still look like new on this low mileage specimen, along with the cherry red paint. Red over black – it may be conventional, but it works.
The interior was probably cutting edge for the time, what with the digital gauge cluster. These days, it likely feels incredibly cheap. Still, when a car is still this fresh inside and out, those feelings of low-quality matter less because you know you’re sitting in a time capsule. The bucket seats in any C4 Corvette feel like something out of the space shuttle, and the bolsters are absolutely perfect on this car. The dash is obviously damage-free, and the factory radio remains in the center stack. The seller notes that this Corvette comes with an optional Delco-Bose stereo, along with a heavy-duty oil cooler and heavy-duty radiator.
Listen, we’re never going to get around the fact that most enthusiasts were disappointed with the standard performance offered by the C4, at least not until the early 90s when the ZR-1 showed up. But there’s no denying that the performance is more than adequate for a weekend cruiser that can get up and go and still get you into plenty of trouble if you let it. For the asking price, getting a near-new Corvette convertible with a stick shift and timeless styling is pretty tough to beat. Park this next to a GMC Syclone and a Fox body Mustang and you’ll have an epic 80s garage.
While I find these to have decent bang for the buck, and this one looks to be in nice shape, the seller is about $12k too high.
This is the “I don’t wanna sell it” price.
Nice car for sure, while I’m not a Corvette guy I can still appreciate the $$ and work, not to mention the time invested in keeping one as nice as this. I swear though, how you keep the miles off these beauties is beyond me. I understand staying in the garage during inclement weather but when it’s nice weather, I’m driving.
I think the $$ are too high, but as much as others have noted. IMO more in the $10K-$12K range. Car looks good and it’s a shame to keep it locked up rather than driving it. I have pretty much the same car, a little modded and driven a whole lot more. It’s a great driving car. It’s not a drag car, but then again that’s not why I bought mine.
The manual + convertible model make it.
Beautiful car, presented well! In 2019 I bought a 1987 convertible with manual and all the options and 33k miles. I’ve been using it as my daily since. I did pay all the money for mine, $12k at the time, but it was the nicest manual convertible I could find after months of looking. What people don’t think about when they try to return these to service is that regardless of mileage, age will play a role. In 3 years and another 32k miles, I’ve done water pump, alternator, intake manifold gaskets, air conditioner, heater core, etc, it will take a bit of sorting when you start using it regularly.
Considering that, yes I would say the price is high, but not by much. After driving probably 20 ratty, worn out $7000 examples, the premium was worth it for me. if I were looking to replace mine, I would seriously consider this.
Couple things I noticed in the services list in the ad. No mention of changing the overdrive fluid. If you follow the corvette forums, most people do filter and fluid every 10-15k miles. It’s a pain in a convertible, as you need to unbolt the x bracing that was added to convertibles, but it will save you a $5000 rebuild of the overdrive unit.
Also no mention of tires. The tire size on these is unique. I needed a set during the pandemic and all that was available were drag radials in the back and slightly smaller tires on the front. Supply may have caught up by now.
Good luck with it though. I’m very happy with mine. It feels every bit like a modern car to me, although I went from a Jeep Wrangler, so I’m probably not an accurate data point regarding what a modern car feels like.
I’ll add alittle here for anyone considering an early Vette based on the last 9 years. Tires can be an issue, 255×50-16 are next to impossible (but not totally) to find. Here’s what I did: I replaced the rims from 9.5″ x 16 38 backspace to 9.5″x18″ 40 backspace rims. The tires are 255x40zr18 tires which are much more prevalent than the early ones. Happens you’ll find the tires are the same width, same diameter and so close to original offset you won’t even have an issue with the speedometer. The only thing you lose is a little sidewall.
In the past BFG only did short runs of the oem tires sporadically in the past. They can be hard to find in a fresh state (not sitting in a warehouse for a year or two).
I can’t speak to the 4+3 overdrive unit. The PO of mine had changed it out for a Tremec 5 speed before I bought it.
One last thing, mine the suspension was sloppy when I bought it (worn bushings). I got a full Banski suspension which replaces the bushings with Heim joints. It made a world of difference in how it handles curves, love it on backroads.
I have an 85 vette with 19,000 miles. I’m facing the same tire issues as to scarcity with the original 16 inch tires. I would like to follow your advice, and obtain 18 inch rims. Can you tell me what vehicle your 18 inch rims came off of so that I can procure a set ? As to price of these C-4 vettesrs. Where can you find a any comparable like new car or a high performance sports car for so little money ? Get real guys, I know people that are paying 5-10K for worn out Toyotas with high miles that end up needing another 5K in repairs.
At the risk of hijacking a thread, can you post a make / model of the wheels you used?
Jim
The rims are from Factory Reproductions. Part C6Z0689C4/1089540341, dimensions 18×9.5″ +40 backspace, 5×120.65mm bolt pattern. Phone number on the box 800-824-2676.
I found theme at a place in Texas, same rims but about $100-$200 than buying them direct, but I don’t remember the name of the place.
Hope that helps
No way associated with this place, but seeing there seems to be interest in rims that are 18″ and fit like oems on early C4’s, here’s one of the places I had flagged: https://www.performanceplustire.com/products/of:+40-+40:ws:18×9-5:bp:boltpattern-5×120-65/
You might find something you like, and worth saving as many early C4’s as possible. Hope it helps.
Although I’m not a big fan of C-4’s this is one I think I could live with. When you can find one in this nice condition and price, I think I would take it.
Yea. But then you’d have an epic 80s garage
1984 C4 manual 4 speed red on black interior with 98K miles it’s my baby finally getting some electronics issues handled now that I’m retired driving with the Targa top off on the weekends and car shows a classic car 🤗💙Corvette