- Seller: Roxanne B
- Location: Rosedale, Maryland
- Mileage: 89,000 Shown
- Chassis #: 1G1YY22P9S5102574
- Title Status: Clean
UPDATE – Additional photos have been added to the photo gallery below!
If you are hunting for a fun and affordable Corvette, a C4 is the car to find! They have long been underappreciated, although that’s starting to change, and they offer a tremendous amount of fun for the money. Like most vehicles, those built towards the end of production are the most refined and improved. This example has been parked for the past ten years, so it will need some work, but it runs and drives as is. The seller purchased the car in 1995 and enjoyed rowing through the gears, but since she can no longer drive the car, she’s decided to let someone else have some fun with it. If that person is you, be sure to bid below.
C4 production ran from 1983 until 1996. In ’92, Chevrolet introduced the LT1 engine for the Corvette, which significantly improved performance. In ’95, horsepower was rated at 300, and torque was claimed to be 340 ft-lbs. Paired with the 6-speed manual, 60 miles per hour can be achieved in under 6 seconds. It might not be as fast as a modern Corvette, but that’s still quite brisk.
Mechanically, the car doesn’t need much. It will require a new battery, but it starts and runs with a jump. After getting it out of storage, the seller took it out for a short drive and noted a clunking noise coming from the passenger rear wheel. The noise source could be a bad wheel bearing, a lousy U-joint, or even just a sticky brake caliper. It’s hard to say without a closer inspection, but these cars are wheel-documented and have good parts support, so resolving the issue shouldn’t be too difficult. The low tire pressure warning light came on during the test drive, so it could even just be that the tire pressure is low or there’s a flat spot on it. Given the tires’ age, we recommend replacing them before driving it much, so it would be worth starting there.
The interior could benefit from a good cleaning and a new carpet set. The worst of the wear appears to be on the driver’s side near the clutch pedal. You might be able to replace this section, but considering a complete carpet set costs less than $700, it would be worth doing the entire thing. The headliner also needs some attention, a replacement kit will set you back $70. The leather seats show some cracks but look to be in good condition overall. We would clean and treat them with a leather conditioner to ensure they don’t wear prematurely.
The seller also notes that the vehicle was in an accident many years ago that damaged the rear passenger side, but insurance repaired it at the time. The panel fit looks good, and the paint matches, so clearly, the work was done at a professional level.
After owning MRSPEEL, as the seller named the car, for over 29 years, it will be hard to see it go, but she hopes that it will find a good home with someone who can love and enjoy this C4 just as much as she has! It looks like a great project that will provide it’s next owner with a ton of smiles. So, if you’d love to be its 2nd owner, be sure to bid. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.
Bid On This Auction
- JRussell bid $5,900.00 2024-03-27 12:45:03
- jvm66 bid $5,800.00 2024-03-26 17:31:06
- JRussell bid $5,600.00 2024-03-26 06:16:37
- Bill U bid $5,500.00 2024-03-24 11:55:47
- Mark bid $3,550.00 2024-03-22 15:44:14
- Gareth Lamirand bid $3,050.00 2024-03-20 19:18:36
- rare40lj bid $2,500.00 2024-03-20 10:55:21
- ACcars1 bid $150.00 2024-03-19 18:14:36
When BF decides to work with a seller, do you offer any suggestions on presenting the vehicle to attract potential bidders? I’m sure my question will sound snarky to more than a few readers but hiring a mobile detailing service would easily pay back the cost. More professional images are also required.
Obviously I do not know the seller’s circumstances, but it seems to me it would not take too much to improve what might be offered for this Corvette.
Good question! We consider the seller’s situation before making any suggestions. If they aren’t physically able to detail the car, we certainly aren’t going to make them feel like they have to list it. We also consider the costs and whether they will see a return on their investment if they pay someone to do it. They might not have the money to spend if they are on a fixed income. So we have to consider many other factors, as we don’t want to put sellers in a challenging situation with their health or finances.
When we can help sellers out, we do. Just take a look at the TR3A auction from the other day. We paid to send an inspector to review the car and take additional photos. And there have been more than a few times that we’ve paid to send one of our professional photographers over to take all the pictures for the seller, as they didn’t have the means to pay for it. Unfortunately, we don’t always have photographers or inspectors nearby. There’s a lot more going on behind the scenes that you don’t see.
Even the advice of picking the fallen leaves out of the engine bay in order to not make it look like it spent a good amount of time stored outdoors would be helpful.
But, I do appreciate that you give owners some good advice while taking their circumstances into consideration.
I also know that some people just like to dump things as quickly and with the least amount of effort as possible.
We wanted to send one of our inspectors over since they can give us more feedback than a photographer and can do things like clean the leaves out of the cowl. Unfortunately, I haven’t found anyone close to the seller, so we are sending a photographer over on Saturday to take some additional photos and do some walk-around videos!
Hey Josh- Thanks for taking the time for your kind response. What prompted my question was my thinking about the suggestions you guys provided to me about five years ago when I sold my 1984 Corvette coupe on this page. The activity picked up after I implemented your presentation suggestions, and the car sold quickly. As I noted, I do realize there is a story and sometimes a lot of great memories behind every sale. I wish the seller best wishes on the sale of “MRSPEEL”
And this gives me another chance to tell the story of how Mrs.Peel came to be. The production company did research to see what actress they auditioned has the most “man appeal” or what they called “M-Appeal” Hence, Diana Rigg became “Emma Peel” True story! You can look it up.
Having already been the second owner of a 1995 C4 I have a special place in my heart for these cars. This poor baby needs a LOT of attention. (The first thing I noticed were the wheels.)
Is there a reserve or a buy-it-now price? What I can see of the condition and the mileage and factoring in the reconditioning expenses & efforts (including at least $600 for tires) the max I can see is well south of 5 figures.
You worded your comment better than I did. Mine got tossed.
Your comment just went to moderation. I approved it, so you should see it now.
Yes, I know. It’s downright embarrassing. Sir Peter Peel would have my hide if he knew. Shh…don’t tell him.
There’s no buy-it-now price, but there is a reserve. I can’t tell you what it is because M has sworn me to secrecy. x-D
So what are thinking on the reserve price Miss Roxanne?
Me & MRSPEEL. Such lovely memories!
The fastest I’ve driven her is 183 mph. Her top speed is rated 174.
I once drove from Washington, D.C. to Maine in 9 hours. For those who obey speed limits, it’s 12-14.
Have fun, and watch out for bears! ;-)
I’ll add MRSPEEL has never been stored outside. She’s been garage kept since Day 1. The leaves and pine needles you see are the result of many, many visits to my parents’ house year round from 1995 to 2014. Their property is well-treed. Whenever I washed her, it never occurred to me to lift the hood. I suppose I should have removed the leaves before taking pictures, but as this is the first time I’ve sold a car, that didn’t occur to me, either. Newbies have a lot to learn, don’t we?
Hello Roxanne- Best of luck with the sale. I also own a 1995 LT-1, 6-speed, Arctic White over Torch Red. They are amazing cars and almost too much fun to drive! And “drive” appears to be just what you and MRSPEEL did! Good for you! Driving them is the best thing for the car and the owner. I’m glad y’all had fun.
For those who may not have been watching tv in the 60s, MRSPEEL (Mrs. Emma Peel) is a fictional character played by Diana Rigg in the British 1960s adventure television series The Avengers, and by Uma Thurman in the 1998 film version. She is the crime-fighting partner of John Steed, played by Patrick Macnee. I never missed an episode!
Mrs. Peel was my first hero, and she’s my hero now. That’s why I wanted a ’95. Sleek, sexy, and deadly if you cross her. BTW, I have a pop-art painting of her in my hallway…
There is only one Emma Peel. Diana Rigg. Not even Honor Blackman.
I couldn’t agree more, Roxanne…I was totally smitten with Diana Rigg…did you see the episode which was the last for the Rigg-Steed combo? They obviously had deep respect (and probably deep feelings) for each other…
Back to business…did you sell your car yet? I understand your situation…I’m 86 but I can still push the clutch pedal on my ’03 Mustang GT convertible! ;-)
No, it’s only the 2nd day. I’m gratified to see there’s interest.
I can drive her in the literal sense. Getting in and out is the problem. My knees are totally shot and I can’t do it without the kind of pain where you have to rest a minute to recover. When I took her out and made it almost to the end of the drive, I was so glad I had the sense to bring the cane with the weird little handle specifically for helping someone haul their carcass out of a low-slung car (which is most of them these days). And it was still a struggle.
I thought the best part of that episode was when she and Peter Peel drove away with Steed watching from the window. The expression on his face when he realizes Sir Peter is a dead ringer for him down to the Silver Ghost(?), and she turns with that Mrs. Peel smirk…priceless!
86 with a Stang GT ragtop, eh? My kinda guy!
Oh yes.
This is exactly the type of comment that requires a heart emoji!
Her car was for sale last year, written up here as I recall.
I’ve beenwanting to watch that again, but streaming services have dropped it.
Stopped streaming? That calls for a protest.
I have the seasons with Emma, but I’ll have to find a VHS player. I guess ebay or something like that?
Would’ve loved to have bought her car, except way out of my price range, I’m afraid.
This is the period when the Vette was finally waking up from its performance slumber (especially the last C3s and early C4s) And for this year, the Corvette got a real instrument cluster, not the LCD troublesome lump that “graced” the earlier C4s.
1989 was the end of the LCD troublesome lump.
I thought they had those into the early 90s. They were always failing and today, good luck getting them fixed.
Every major C4 parts provider offers rebuilding service. There are also at least five rebuilders who specialize in repairing the LCD troublesome lump.
No need for additional photos, purchase now..
Ms Bland Does the headlights rotate as should?
Yes, they do.
Thank you, will you except offer now or wait till end of auction.. thank you
.
I’ll need to speak with Josh tomorrow to learn how this should play out. I understand you want to buy my little girl now, but Josh has made arrangements aside from the photographer I don’t want to disturb without talking to him first. Thanks for your patience!
Yes ma’am thank you, I have spot in my garage waiting on her… thanks again
Since the auction ends in a couple of days, now is as good a time as any to mention I’ll accept payment only via electronic means–Paypal, Zelle, CashApp, Venmo, or by wire transfer.
Thanks!
Yes ma’am I can do Zelle or Venmo either would be quicker is there a maximum on either idk if so I ll do wire transfer…thank you
Now that, I don’t know. But if not, a wire transfer will do. Oh, yes. As I mentioned, since the auction is ending on Wednesday, I’ve decided to see it through.
Yes ma’am that’s fine I ll wait…6 speed manuals are hard to find.. most people don’t want a manual shift now.. automatics there’s a lot out there.. thanks again
It IS a shame, isn’t it? No one wants a manual anymore, and Chevy isn’t building cars with manuals in convertibles. On the up side, these days having a manual transmission is the best car theft deterrent there is.
Yes ma’am that’s true automatics everywhere manuals not so much few people can drive a manual and kids aren’t taught to these days coming I learned on my Dads 48 ford
I learned on a 71 Beetle in NYC. Stalled in the middle of the intersection at 5th Ave and 42nd St. Huge intersection, all I could see was a sea of Yellow Cabs, horns screaming. My boyfriend at the time refused to take over. Really, that was a good thing. Cool as a cucumber, he calmed me down and we started off. I figured if I could drive a stick in NYC, I can drive one anywhere.
Reason there aren’t many 95 manuals is GM had a strike and when it was over, they tackled the automatics first and built the manuals in the time they had left before having to gear up for the 96’s.
Nice car I think the winning bidder will have a lot of enjoyment I won’t bid simply because I personally have never had a reliable GM product they have all been a money pit.
Guess I was lucky, then. Never had to do anything major from when I bought her to when I had to stop driving, something like 20 years. Regular maintenance, and I never slacked on it.
I m sold Roxanne, getting a price on transporting now
Funny my Dad had a 62 vw with a sunroof when I was in high school, my first date to drive in movie in that vw tring to work around that stick shift was tough so we moved to the back seat.. sweet memories
Yeah, I’ll bet!! ;-D
IMPORTANT UPDATE!!
While preparing for this afternoon’s photoshoot (as much as I could, anyway), I discovered fresh scratches in the paint on MRSPEEL’s rear. They don’t appear to be deep, and should require only a touch up. The scratches will be on view in the photos.
Will the auction deadline be pushed back from Wednesday
I’ve heard nothing saying otherwise.
I see the last tag is 9….2020 is that right.. is everything as should windows ac
Yes. Since I wasn’t driving her, I didn’t bother to put the 2022 stickers on. For 2024, MD chose to send two registrations for the truck, so I don’t have that for her. Windows work fine, AC works fine as far as I know (remember, she’s been sitting for 10 years) as well as everything else of that sort–as far as I know.
Yes ma’am thank you my offer still stands regardless thanks again
So, so great to see an engaged owner/seller here. Roxanne, I think we all feel like we’ve made a new friend! I’ve followed Barn Finds for years but never felt like bidding on anything offered here until now. Game on.
The back-and-forth with everyone has been loads of fun. Woke up the motorhead I was when a kid. Yep, think I’ll hang around for a while!
I’m sorry Roxanne, aint playing games that’s the problem with auctions people jump in that aren’t even interested in Mrspeel… good luck
Hi William, curious what you’re apologizing for? Bill U and I have placed bids, so that’s what I meant by “game on.” Will you be joining the fun? Ms. Bland is a delight, and very engaged with her auction. Tomorrow should be fun!
Joshua M: Did you send the photographer/videographer you mentioned last Wednesday? It would be great to see the cleaned up/additional pics and the walkaround video(s).
Well…cleaned up might be too strong a phrase. I’m disabled. With no one to help, that didn’t happen, and giving MRSPEEL a good shampooing wasn’t in the photog’s contract.
All 192 professional photos have been added!
Hi Ms. Bland – please know, I did not mean to imply you needed to do additional cleaning! I mis-read Joshua’s comment from last Wednesday regarding an inspector who could have done a little extra cleaning & confused that with what a photographer would be responsible for: simply taking more photos and videos. Joshua, thank you for adding the huge packet of pictures, they certainly paint a clearer picture of the overall condition of MRSPEEL. Still watching with interest as the auction winds down!
No offense taken because let’s face it–she’s filthy! A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I would never have let her get into this state. It’s embarrassing, really.
Can’t say what reminded me, but MRSPEEL and I went off-roading once. A single lane, lonely road in Virginia. Came around a bend, and there was this shell of a stone house. Judging by the style, it was built sometime in the 18th century. No driveway, no concrete of any kind anywhere, and nothing to show where there might have been a track for carriages. Just a house sitting in the middle of a field of tall grass. Of course I had to check it out. We drove around it a couple of times, but I didn’t get out. Looked solid enough. Beautiful, really. Restoring it would have taken a mint, but I hope whoever owned it did.
Sorry Roxanne must pull my bid at 5900 funds unavailable medical issues..
Oh, I’m so sorry! I understand about medical issues all too well.
We don’t usually cancel bids, but given the situation, we have canceled Bill U’s bid.
So…is the current high bid jvm66 @ $5800, or is Bill U’s bid binding at $5900? Bill U, sorry to hear of your medical issues & wishing you the best.
Not buying another car, but I’d love a Buick Roadmaster wagon.
Thank you !
Looks like I have a trip to Northern MD in my near future!
Looks like you do! Looking forward to meeting you, and MRSPEEL is, too!
I guess the Barn Finds team will connect us? I’ll keep an eye on my email. Looking forward to meeting you & MRSPEEL!
Let’s do wire transfer. That might be easiest for both of us.
Hey Barn Finds staff…how do Roxanne & I connect with one another? I’d rather not put my personal contact information in these comments. Thanks!
This was interesting to watch. Especially the last minute drop out.
Congrats to both Roxanne and JRussell! It sounds like MSPEEL is headed off to a good home. We hope to see photos after she’s all cleaned up and parked in JRussell’s garage.
Will do!