MavsAK

Just doing paintwork on these cars is more than what the car is worth half the time if the paint job's decent quality.

Using what a C4's $ worth as a reference point is kinda iffy in my book. If you love the car, you love the car.
Go tube chassis, and put a new front end on that. (yes that's alot of bracket work) or maybe go with an aftermarket body kit. There's some nice looking ones for the C4, when done right.

You're already going through the pain and effort, why not do it the rest of the way?

TerryOlson

I get the attraction to doing something different but it has to be cool when you're done, no matter how different it is. There are a TON of things you can do with what's left of the car, but I don't think most will "get" where you're going with it right now. Do you care? The fact that you've solicited opinions and you've jousted with those who don't like the idea suggests that you do, but maybe I'm wrong - just thinking out loud, not a criticism.

If it were me, I'd find a cool V8 transplant project, but something totally different - 1961 Volvo Wagon kind of different. There must be about a thousand options along these lines and you'll end up with something that's different AND cool. Just my two cents - do whatever makes you happy.

MavsAK

Could just use the suspension, and powertrain from this car into a hotrod of your choice too.

JrRifleCoach

I, I, I just can't subscribe to chopping up a C4.
Nor carburating.

Always said we need another section for hacks or a link to the Fbody forums.

Patsgarage

It is your car, do what you want. I really do not see a huge demand for a totaled 85 vette, as you said to bring it back to stock would cost 3-4 times what the car is worth. I will say a rat rod vette is not exactly my thing, but it may turn out better than I think. The front suspension would look pretty bada$$ out in the open, same with the rear if you could do it like a T-bucket with a trunk.

Tommycourt

Food for thought only: The TPI is not that bad of an engine and the tranny is a good one. If you could salvage the drive train, it would make an excellent transplant on a mid to late 1940's coupe of sedan. Most guys who are building rods today (except for a few) would prefer a lower powered car and have the other amenities such as the tranny and driveline and the engine if not wasted. A lot of things you can do but YOU are the one who does the work and has to be happy when done. MHO!
Tommy

1055

So my major concern is that the car was "totaled" and I brought in to CT from out of state. In order to register the car, It already needs a vin verification/inspection. CT has this little ordeal called "composite title" Which you can use when building a kit car, replicar or If the vehicle has been altered beyond its original body to be mostly unrecognizable at a glance I'm currently operating under the pretense that I will have to submit it through composite titling to get it back on the road. This means hot rod, or part the car out. A rebuilt inspection and re-certification for the road process will take close to if not more than two years. and 9/10 they make you fix things during the inspection (I.e. if the car doesnt have a working radio, or a wire harness is routed incorrectly it wont pass) If you get sent home, you wait another 6-8 months for another inspection appointment.

Meanwhile a composite title inspection takes about 2 months and they check things like brake balance, suspension integrity, fluid leaks and lights. Welcome to the peoples republic of Konnecticut.

I love the Idea of a cross platform transplant. If I had my druthers I'd be searching for a mazda rx2/rx3 or datsun 210 wagon to transplant to. I dont have that capability now. As I mentioned in the OP, Wife and I are in the process of buying another house, which we will undoubtedly sink $$$$ into in the name of updating. thus, blowing my expense budget for anything that could potentially be "show worthy"

I see your hack statement and raise you a new vocabulary word. Shitted. (because swear filter, its another word for poop, with ted on the end) Its been used as of late to describe the majority of my projects. They're all function over form and tend to be haggard and hard. Sacrificing looks and finesse for raw performance and function.

If It was a later C4 I wouldnt be so ready to "molest" it. But I've always seen the L98 as the red headed step child. It takes way more money relative to other motors to get anything decent out of it. Average c4 weighs what.. 3200lbs? say I can scrap 400lbs out of it. now im at 2800lbs and 230hp isnt as meh. Maybe some plenum port matching, long tube headers, a mild cam and some 1.6:1 rockers with appropriate valve train components and say maybe 280hp? To use vehicles I'm familiar with (two of my own..) MY miata has a power to weight ratio of 18lbs:1hp. My wrx is right around 8.5:1. Having the vette fall somewhere in between there I'm sure will be more than enough for a smile or two.

Im not sure where im going with this. I got sidetracked from my original train of thought I guess I'm saying that im not shooting for a performance vehicle, but it may inherently end up having decent performance.

There are a ton of mid 40's and 50's sedans and coupe available for sale locally here in less than desirable condition. I think it should be noted that Whatever I do to this car doesnt mean that down the road I cant still take the powertrain out of it when I get bored/want something different. I also have a 355 currently under the knife at the machine shop and a worldclass t5 in my basement. coupling the two of them together would make for a formidable/ potent power plant for a later build.

JrRifleCoach

"I see your hack statement and raise you a new vocabulary word. Shitted. (because swear filter, its another word for poop, with ted on the end) Its been used as of late to describe the majority of my projects. They're all function over form and tend to be haggard and hard. Sacrificing looks and finesse for raw performance and function."

Sorry but when it comes to hacking/cutting up a Corvette, I could really care less about what your doing or how artistic you feel it is.

Like the man once said, I didn't build this for your approval.
But that doesn't mean I won't let you know how I feel about disgracing a Corvette.

This forum is not about rat rodding.

chatham

i'll say it again, why are you posting here? you want to build a rat rod go there and discuss it. if you want to fix the vette then the guys here can be very helpful. but it sure seems like you're stuck on rattin a corvette. perhaps you're here just to jerk some chains....

N227GB

That's one cool thing about C4s is that the front suspension components are visible with the hood open. With this project in essence, all that can be shown off while the car is going down the road. I like that!

ch@0s

You know what, its not mine, You want to build it..so do it, maybe you will prove me wrong and I will like it.

BTW I like miatas..that one is hideous because someone tried to make it look like something its not.

You want to do something different. Ck this out for reference.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-g...28-c4-mgb.html

Patsgarage

So a car that is all Vette underneath but not on the outside is not a Vette ? From what it sounds like to me the OP is just going to scrap what is already thrashed (the body) and keep the rest. Nobody else here has dumped the A/C and cruise in the name of weight savings ? So all the guys with dedicated track cars should go somewhere else for advice as well ? I always think of myself as a car guy first, a Vette guy second.

ChiliPepperGarage

Having built and owned many "real" hot rods as well as a bunch of Vettes I'll give you my 2 cents.

Just because it's different doesn't mean it's cool or aesthetically pleasing. Cobbing up the car will result in a... well, a cobbed up car. Half hot rod / half late model. That Miata looks stupid to me (and I've owned Miatas too). Like the builder couldn't figure out what he wanted.

I'd be inclined to build something the an Exocet:

http://www.flyinmiata.com/exocet/



Tube frame with or without bodywork. Light weight and a blast to drive.

Or this!

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-g...90-hmmmmm.html

ghoastrider1

your saying the insurance folks simply said they didn't want it and for your mil just to keep the car? They wanted a bunch for my s-10 that was totaled. Cant see why they wouldn't want a vette.

PLRX

DinoBob

It's your time and money but the end product would be a laughingstock, IMO. I would just pull the drivetrain and look for someone else's unfinished rod project to stick it in.

1993C4LT1

to PLRX

1055

Im on my third miata I would love to build an exocet.. but I dont think its cost effective. For the same money, I'd rather build a super 7 replicar.

Again, I think what everyone here is forgetting is budget. I'm not doing this for anyone here.. I'm doing this as a challenge to myself. Yanno, Like hobbies used to be. Salvage something thats essentially reached the end of its life for another purpose.

Why is everyone here so ready to toss the remaining bits? do you guys really believe that the drive train is that potent? Is there some sort of C4 corvettes are the greatest platform in the world cult I'm not aware of? I'm a bit confused.. people saying save the car, use the drivetrain. They're not the same thing..

I came here expecting flak about the project, I didn't expect to be greeted with a somewhat narrow minded mentality.

As someone mentioned before.. I'm a car guy first, and I appreciate hard work, blood, sweat, tears and the work people put into their cars to make them their own... even if their tastes aren't remotely close to my own If you're against this project, Fine. I invite you to stick around and watch the disaster unfold. share the links with your friends and laugh about it over beers

Fair warning, I tend to build some pretty ugly cars. But I like them, and thats what matters to me.

1055

They did.. but it took 9 months to settle and she wasn't exactly pleasant for them dealing with her. Sure, they probably had a salvage value associated with the claim, hidden in the payout. but they represented it as keep the car and here's some money.

Tom400CFI

I think many here feel that a "shitted" 'Vette as you said above, is sacrilege. Or at least that the outcome won't be worth the sacrifice of a decent, currently reparable car. RIght now, the car looks like it needs a hood, front bumper assy, and maybe a little massaging of the front frame horns? That is "repairable", IMO.

OTOH, AS a "Car guy" AND a "Vette fan, I see potential in this project to show case the C4's aesthetic virtues; the forged aluminum suspension, the mag valve coves and sexy TPI intake....with throttle plates exposed! (using speed density) Polished intake and TB, anodized throttle blades, minimize the hoses and "clutter", put a cool looking accessory drive....it could be "the best of C4", all out in the open and easy to see. A smaller/shorter radiator would cover some of the ugly stuff (k-member, pullies, power steering etc), provide cooling and a "front of car"...maybe use a fabricated aluminum radiator to keep w/the later model/techy theme of the C4?

OTOH, if the goal is to make the firewall forward look like weird T-bucket and then a steampunk C4 from the Firewall back...I agree w/others here. Yuck.

What is cool about "rat rods" (to me) is that your'e in touch with and exposed to "the mechanism" -you can see and touch everything. Same reason steam locomotives turn me on...the connecting rods are right in front of you, as one example. The C4 has a plethora of cool features, architecture, and "mechanism" already. exploit that and it could be kind of cool. Try to turn it into a steampunk/T-bucket though and it will be a fail in I'd say, most people's opinion.

Good luck w/what ever you do.