I am sure some of you have been wondering what happened to “Mike”, the guy I occasionally show new inventory too. Between Buses, Mike has been hiding out in his Freight Shack but I was able to rouse him out driving up in this low mile red 1986 C4 Corvette. Even Misses Mike came out to see what Mike was up too. Good thing, this one might have ended up in the Mike garage had she not put her foot down hard on that poor guy.

Most people do not get too excited about the C4 Corvettes, especially looking at what is being built today. For those of us that remember when the car was new, it was the hottest thing to come out of Chevrolet in 15 years. The aluminum front suspension, the front tilting hood, the Tune Port Induction, huge tires and as much get and go as anything built during that time period. Fact be known, I bought a used 1984 model in 1986 and loved it but lusted after the new 86’s that had come out with more power and better handling. But here we are, 28 years latter, with all of the improvements electronics and technology have created, which really dulls how good these cars were in the day. It is also so astonishing how the values of these cars have bottomed in recent years considering what a great driver they are and how other Corvette prices have gone into the atmosphere.

With all of that in mind, some are starting to see the value of the early C4’s. Most are in a terrible state of disrepair and abuse. When the value of these cars dropped, just about anyone who had a pulse could get reasonable financing on a used C4. Most were younger drivers who had always wanted a Vette but were priced out of the market by newer models. A Corvette for under $10,000? “Why sure, sign me up”. Most of the cars were driven hard and to be honest, Chevrolet build quality has never been great. Cars left outside dried up, paint peeled and faded, rubber molding cracked and split, interiors just dissolved. It has been many years since I saw a nice C4. Until today.

This one owner, 52,920 mile, automatic car has been garage kept it’s entire life. The owner ran a repair shop down south before retiring to Southern Oregon, bringing the car with him. The paint is almost flawless with a couple of rock chips in the front bumper and hood. There is no sign of damage under the car except for the front spoiler lip that has been curbed a couple of times. Even that could be straightened out with minimal effort. The exhaust is stock, the underside unscarred, the drivetrain 99% dry. The only thing I can see that is not original are the front shocks, tires, battery and the horns (why the horns?). The rest of the car is as it was delivered. The top of the dash is flawless, all of the electrics work as expected and it drives exactly how I remember my own C4. Time warp!

The car is not perfect, it has been driven. But my reasonable guess is that you will not see a better preserved early model C4. Chevrolet just did not make them that well. This is an opportunity to own something that reasonable money could not create from a needy car. A great driver, a great looker and who knows in the future, one of the smartest buys a person could make before the rest of the world wakes up to these bargain Corvettes.

The selling price is $10,695. VIN#5106918. For other interesting bikes and collectable vehicles, visit our web site http://www.automaniagp.com 541 479 8888 or come by and see us at 895 SE Gladiola Drive, Grants Pass, Oregon, 97526. Oregon Dealer DA1287.

Automania is a Consignment Oregon Dealer selling quality, privately owned vehicles including Aprilia, Buell, BMW, Citroen, Ducati, Harley Davidson, Honda, Hummer, Kawasaki, Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta, Nissan, Ossa, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Vespa, Classic Hot Rods, Buick, Dodge, Ford, Chevrolet, Lamborghini, MG, Packard, Porsche, Rover, Shelby, Toyota, Triumph, Volkswagen and any other vehicle of interest