Are there any shops left that work on C4 L98 (1989) Corvettes in SE Michigan?
I am considering having my engine rebuilt and upgraded for more power, but don't know where to go. I tried to contact "Corvettes Performance Plus" in Pontiac but they are out of business. From their website, it appears Livernois Motorsports doesn't work on C4's. To go to a dealer for this seems out of the question.
I did a search for this topic in "Great Lakes" but didn't see anything. Thanks.
Are there any shops left that work on C4 L98 (1989) Corvettes in SE Michigan?
I am considering having my engine rebuilt and upgraded for more power, but don't know where to go. I tried to contact "Corvettes Performance Plus" in Pontiac but they are out of business. From their website, it appears Livernois Motorsports doesn't work on C4's. To go to a dealer for this seems out of the question.
I did a search for this topic in "Great Lakes" but didn't see anything. Thanks.
They've only done small stuff for me (Dyno and speedo calibration), so I can't vouch for how good they are with a motor rebuild. But they have a very nice facility and there were a lot of nice looking cars in the shop and in the lot - Corvettes, Mustangs, older Muscle cars, etc.
I heard back from Livernois Motorsports and they are telling me they do work on C4's, but I would like to hear from anyone that may have taken their L98 there to have work done. The customer cars on their site are pretty impressive, but the Vette's are all C5 & C6.
For the heck of it I called Jack Cauley Chevrolet and they don't rebuild engines, they would just install a stock-type crate engine, last one they did was around $6500, but he didn't think they were available anymore anyway. I said I didn't want stock, a ZZ4 or ZZ383 would be more like what I want but he said they don't install those engines. I asked if they knew of anyone on the side that does this or where they refer people to and he didn't know of anyone.
So what are you looking to have done? Just a engine swap or more? You sticking with the stock TPI or you going with a super ram or Mini ram? How about exhaust? TB?
The engine has had steadily dropping oil pressure since I bought it 6 years ago. The other day it dropped to 9 lbs. at a traffic light (in gear) which makes me think I should start thinking about a rebuild. I posted an inquiry on the board here and talked to a mechanic and they all say don't worry about it, but that seems low to me, and it is dropping some every year.
While I am at it I would want more power, ideally Heads / SR / Cam / Headers / Convertor / Gears. I am not looking for a race car, this is pretty much a street only car.
I like the car, but the realist in me says to be careful how much money I put into it because I won't see it back when the day comes to sell it. While I have the tools, I don't have a whole lot of time to do this stuff in a timely manner myself after work during the week, although I know it would be much cheaper. I am OK with the mechanical stuff, but getting the combination running when I am done is another story.
I checked out the site for "Motor City Steel" and the place looks pretty impressive. Anybody been to the Wednesday night cruise?
Anyone heard of or used "Vettestorations" on Telegraph in Southfield?
The engine has had steadily dropping oil pressure since I bought it 6 years ago. The other day it dropped to 9 lbs. at a traffic light (in gear) which makes me think I should start thinking about a rebuild. I posted an inquiry on the board here and talked to a mechanic and they all say don't worry about it, but that seems low to me, and it is dropping some every year.
While I am at it I would want more power, ideally Heads / SR / Cam / Headers / Convertor / Gears. I am not looking for a race car, this is pretty much a street only car.
I like the car, but the realist in me says to be careful how much money I put into it because I won't see it back when the day comes to sell it. While I have the tools, I don't have a whole lot of time to do this stuff in a timely manner myself after work during the week, although I know it would be much cheaper. I am OK with the mechanical stuff, but getting the combination running when I am done is another story.
I checked out the site for "Motor City Steel" and the place looks pretty impressive. Anybody been to the Wednesday night cruise?
Anyone heard of or used "Vettestorations" on Telegraph in Southfield?
I have done all of that stuff some of it many many times maybe we can work something out if you like or just BS about a combo.
The big question is how fast do you want to go? How much do you want to spend? Keep in mind the stuff you listed would cost more than the car is worth and that is without any labor. I would start with a leak down test & a compression test how many miles on the car? What is your oil pressure at full thottle?
You might try Danny Kellermeyer in Ortonville. He mainly builds C4/C5 race cars and race and autocross alignments, but if he doesn't do street engines, he would know of the best in the area. Google him and find his website. Anothter source would be wheel to wheel
Hell I was thinking, I'll sell you mine jusy for the cost of the mods, parts only
Lets see
I got a killer deal on a Stroker Less than 2k miles 5k w/forged pistons/afr 190s
LPE Intake $1000
LPE Base $500 ( Not including porting)
PI converter $800
Dana 44 3.45 gears $1500
52 mm TB $400
TPIS 1 3/4 headers $700
TPIS Flowmaster exhaust 3" $800
Hal QA1 Shocks $500
Poly bushing $350
SS Brake lines $100
Lowering Kit $50
4 Point Roll Cage $500 (just in chromemoly)sp
two 5 points $200
Built 700R4 $1500 (which I'm working on now)
New stereo system Kenwood head unit/mp3/alpine amp/speakers (less than a year old) $1500
New paint job 1 month old $3000
Brand New Nitto 555RII Extremes $750 (not even on yet)
Damn 19k that doesn't even count he car or labor, are you sure you want to mod your car?
I do have the common oil leak at the back of the intake manifold, but there isn't much on the garage floor, I have never had to add oil between changes in the time I have owned it. It doesn't burn oil, never seen any odd colored smoke coming out of it.
This all started when I saw the pressure drop to 9 lbs. last week while stuck at a traffic light. Wednesday night I added a quart of synthetic Lucas Oil Stabilzer (after draining a quart of the Mobil 1) and it raised it from 9-11 lbs. stuck at a light in drive to 14-16 lbs. (same conditions, fully warmed up, oil temp@230 degrees). I looked in the service manual last night and it says the minimum oil pressure is 6 lbs. @1000 rpm. It is in the low 20's at 1000 rpm so I am probably worrying about nothing. It is in the 40's to about 50 when I get on it momentarily between traffic lights.
I am not looking to drag the car, I only drive on the street, but you never have enough power right? It seems fairly easy to get 450 hp/450 lb. ft. these days and still be streetable.
I have put a bit of money into the car already this year like a set of black/polished C6 motorsports wheels with GSD3's, new seat foam & leather covers, new inner and outer window seals, camber brace & cross brace, armrest savers, shifter boot and some other small stuff. It's a nice car but putting a bunch of money into this thing just doesn't make sense in my head, especially almost 20K, which is about what I think it would take. Being honest with myself, I would want at least a 383, looser convertor, better trans, new gears etc. If I had the space and time to do it myself it might be different.
Corvette Store
Trusted C4 service in SE Michigan?
with spray maybe, it not that hard in a lS1
