Over the years, if you spend enough time as a collector of older vehicles, you eventually have people start calling you to ask if you want something else dropped off in your driveway. This can sometimes result in a non-running vehicle ending up at your abode, which is not necessarily a bad thing if, a.) you want to restore said vehicle, or b.) said vehicle has some parts on it worthy of selling off to other enthusiasts. In the case of this supercharged 1989 Chevrolet Corvette, it’s not going for peanuts and the seller isn’t giving it away, but it’s still pretty darn cheap in light of the parts that are on it.
The seller is up front about the fact that this Corvette doesn’t run well. He notes he can hear “…lifter tap.” He also discloses that it runs rich. However, the ProCharger supercharger and intercooler setup is worth around $7,000, according to the listing, which makes the kit alone worth more than the current bid price. Interestingly, if you read up on this kit on the web forums, there’s lots of support for it, but most members of the C4 community attest to the fact that you can encounter running issues if you don’t overhaul, or otherwise beef up, other aspects of the drivetrain.
Some of the additional upgrades users mention having done as part of the supercharger install include an upgraded intake, heads, camshaft, and exhaust. I’ve also seen references to upgrading the fuel pump, too. So, the question is this: has the seller already made these improvements, and the running issues are unrelated, or if these parts haven’t been installed, could the Corvette be a runner with some component swapping? The Corvette otherwise looks quite tidy, with a gorgeous red leather interior and sharp ZR-1 wheels.
Cosmetically, the Corvette has some minor issues. The seller notes that the targa top has “minor damage” and that the hood needs new latches. The paint is also faded on the rear taillight panel, but I wonder if that can be brought back to life with some heavy buffing. Looking at the back of the car, it appears the exhaust has been upgraded, so perhaps some of the work I mentioned above has already been done. One last thought: could the rough running issues be addressed with a new engine tune? That’s another potential area to make a tweak or two to see if it improves driveability. Would you take a chance on this supercharged Corvette? Check it out here on eBay.
I believe that unless there are financial or health related issues- Nobody sells a car they are happy with. I will bet dollars to donuts there are a lot of issues related to the modifications made and the seller has had enough. Just one man’s opinion.
Sounds like a failed project and the seller wants to bail.
As the owner of a former Procharged Camaro the improvements should be:
Forged rods, pistons and crank
Fuel upgrades
Really good GM tuner
I completely agree with the above comments, but I would add that as the article stated, the Pro Charger is worth more than the asking price. If I wore a younger man’s clothes and still fooled around with that sort of stuff, I would give this thing a look. (In spite of the fact that I dislike C4 Vettes)
Yes, and the Pro Charger is only worth what someone is willing to pay for a used unit. The seller does not appear to be in a strong bargaining space. Once you heavily modify a car, either in appearance or mechanically, you have also limited your audience to a small slice of the pie.
Wow someone stole this car, didn’t even bring 4500. From what I read there was no mention of tuning or more needed a new fuel and spark system. Yes ECU a d then run on a Dyno to tune it, no mention of that.
The $4100 sales price tells you everything you need to know about the car and the dealer. The seller is probably thrilled to get that much, and couldn’t cash that check fast enough.
True, but the thing is with a blower is that if the rotors are still rotating, the seals are still sealing, and the case isn’t cracked or warped, there’s not a whole heck of lot that can be wrong with them.
The seller has probably beat on the car for so long that it is time to rebuild the internal components of the engine.
And some smoke off the engine in the video. Oil leaking somewhere perhaps the valve cover. Looks like it has been driven hard. Caveat emptor – let the buyer beware.
I don’t think that the value is in the motor, it’s in the blower alone.