INTRODUCTION

It’s long been known as America’s sports car, but the fourth-generation Chevrolet Corvette makes a compelling ally in Europe too. Think about it: those arresting looks, a rumbling V8, always more than 200bhp, and as C4 expert Tom Falconer (above)says: ‘It’s a real drivers’ car, with the shortest wheelbase and therefore the quickest steering of all ’Vettes.’

His personal favourite is the convertible: ‘You can put the top down without getting out, there’s a powerful heater, and the windscreen is long and deep – the perfect soft-top for British weather.’

If you’re looking for a comfortable GT with huge performance, distinctive style and the toughness to see it through a host of winters, the C4 could be perfect for you – and it won’t break the bank to buy or run.

MARKET VIEW

Kent-based Claremont Corvette is Britain’s leading Corvette specialist, always carrying high-quality stock from all eras, such as the ZR1 you see here. The company was established by Tom Falconer in 1977, and moved from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to its current premises in 1986.

‘Values are in a trough now. But you couldn’t give away a 1976 ’Vette 20 years ago, and now I’ve got a waiting list. The same will be true of the C4,’ says Falconer.

Many cars have come from Japan, fleeing its draconian MoT-style tests, and most are in undesirable condition. ‘It’s diluted the market,’ says Falconer.

Happy hunting starts at £10,000 for a good coupe with low mileage, the best topping out at £15,000. The same range for ZR1s is £12,000 to £20,000, which is the price of the 18,500-mile car you see here. Low-mileage ZR1s are rare, however. ‘They were extremely popular as business cars,’ says Falconer.

Expect to pay a 10% premium for a convertible. Rare Callaway twin-turbos (just five in the UK) reflect ZR1 prices, but the very best go well beyond.

IN A NUTSHELL

‘It’s one of the most rust-resistant cars of the 20th century,’ says Falconer. ‘And the L98 engine doesn’t wear out. The fuel injection is very efficient so there’s no bore wash. You could get 400,000 miles out of a well-maintained example.’

That’s quite a statement of longevity, but it doesn’t mean that just any Corvette C4 will last indefinitely.

‘If a car has been left in long grass, the brake lines will rust. Replacing them is a good day’s work, say £700 all-in. And that’s a big bill because parts for this car are surprisingly cheap.’ An example? Claremont sells a full stainless steel exhaust system for the Corvette (which has a 5.7-litre V8 engine, don’t forget) for £495.

All suspension components are cast in aluminium alloy, the springs are glassfibre, and the car’s structural tub is a galvanised steel ‘uniframe’, to which are bonded high-quality external panels made from sheet moulding compound.

‘Individual panels can be repaired or replaced,’ says Falconer. ‘And we’ve never seen any rust in the uniframe.’

Nevertheless, there are several aspects worth checking out on any car you’re thinking of buying. ‘The biggest problem on cars built between 1992 and 1995 is the Opti-Spark ignition system. It’s fitted between the front wheels under the water pump – exactly where it’s most likely to get wet. If water gets in, it’ll cost £700 to replace.’

Oil can leak from the cylinder head and intake manifold of engines built between 1986 and 1991, but it will ‘only need repairing once’, says Falconer. ‘You need to check the oil service record on pre-1987 cars, which have friction followers.’ The oil should be changed every 5000 miles or annually.

The 16in tyres for pre-1987 cars are becoming scarce in the UK, and the translucent roof panels for cars built between 1984 and 1988 are extremely rare. ‘I just shipped one to Hawaii,’ says Falconer. They can be repaired in the USA, but that will easily cost £900 including shipping. The electronic dash display for pre-1990 cars must also be sourced from the USA, if broken.

Seats can wear, cured by a retrim in British leather for £750, but the plastic dashboard panels are extremely robust and not prone to cracking.

‘We can cure any looseness in the steering column for £250,’ says Falconer. ‘It’s quite a common problem and an MoT failure.’

CONCLUSION

With almost 400,000 C4s built in 12 years, coupe or convertible body styles, and power outputs from mild to wild, you can choose from a huge variety – especially in the USA. They are rarer in the UK and, while it’s possible to convert one to right-hand drive, such cars are scarce.

‘It’s better to source a car in Britain than to import one,’ says Falconer. ‘150,000 miles is considered low in the USA and the British MoT test means that cars have to be kept in much better shape over here.’

Falconer believes that cars built since 1989 are of inherently higher quality, while post-1992 LT1s have the most powerful engines – apart from the ZR1, of course. All the parts are available to turn the cheapest C4 into a concours winner, but the best value will be found in a car that’s been well-maintained from new and driven sparingly. That big V8 can even prove to be economical on long journeys, thanks to high gearing and plentiful torque, and it’s got proven stamina. ‘We’ve sold a car that had covered 350,000 miles and is still on its original engine,’ says Falconer.

The C4 is tough, quick and gorgeous. Now is the time to buy.