Buying Guide
Cheaper than any similar-sized, large-engined British coupé or convertible, yet overlooked in the UK. However, interest in the Corvette C4 is growing, making now the time to snap one up
Chevrolet Corvette C4
‘ With torquey V8s and sleek supercar looks there’s plenty to appeal’
Many classic car enthusiasts don’t take American cars seriously. And that’s a shame because they give so much in return for so little. They’re often overlooked because of their over-generous proportions, while the steering wheel being on the left isn’t ideal. However, if we all approached our purchasing decisions in a logical fashion, weighing up the pros and cons, we’d probably all end up buying something from across the Atlantic.
Take the fourth-generation Corvette, for example. With all versions featuring a torquey 5.7-litre V8, sleek supercar looks, a lightweight plastic body and a choice of coupé or convertible bodystyles, there’s plenty to appeal. When you also consider that you can pick up one of these magnificent beasts for as little as £10,000, it puts those TRs and Capris well and truly into perspective. Even better, parts supply is fantastic, because while GM has discontinued pretty much everything, a thriving aftermarket industry can provide everything you’re likely to need. The Corvette C4 coupé arrived in 1983 (as a 1984 model) with a 205bhp Cross-Fire dual-throttle body injected V8, mated to a four-speed manual or automatic gearbox, both with overdrive. Within a year the fitment of Bosch 8-injector Tuned Port Injection boosted power to 230bhp, with much-improved driveability and economy. A convertible arrived in 1986, then over the next few years the power steadily increased while the suspension and steering were revised to improve the dynamics. GM tweaked the Corvette formula every year, with adjustable damping introduced in 1989 as an option, a fresh dashboard in 1990 to accommodate air bags, traction control from 1992 and hundreds of other small changes across the dozen or so years during which the car was in production.
Before buying you’ll need to pin down the best model year and spec for your needs, which means talking to owners and specialists. On that note, the home of Corvette in the UK has been Kent-based Claremont for 40 years. But Claremont’s owner, Tom Falconer, will be retiring in April, so if you’ve been thinking about buying a Corvette for a while but haven’t got round to it, you’d better get your skates on. The company isn’t disappearing entirely, though, as parts manager, Aimee Mills, will continue as Claremont Corvette Limited with parts sales and acquisition, and Claremont chief technician, Matt Davison, will be continuing the mechanical work as CCM Vettes.