i've always wanted a vette and when i came by such a great deal on an 85, i had to have it. it is a stock vette with a manual 4+3 and about 60,000 miles on it. i'd like to use it for amateur circuit and track racing ( and just to have fun). i don't really care about the drag strip or quarter mile time, but acceleration is pretty much what i'm after. i figure i'll need to go ahead and put in a steel crank, forged pistons, racing suspension, performance programming chip and replace all the gaskets, lines and belts just to start. but here are my questions: 1st, what do you think about replacing the problematic 4+3 with a sequential six? 2nd, the ever raging battle of supercharger or twin turbos ( i've asked a million people and got a million answers) but which do you think would be better for my purpose? answers and any other suggestions are much appreciated.

 

Not to offend but a dose of reality: leave the car stock. It sounds like you have a really good, sound original car in good shape.

A person can do anything with enough money, time, and talent. I'll assume you have lots of all three. Why modify an '85? It would cost so much to switch out the trans, update the motor, etc., and make the car competitive in any venue, that you'd be better off, if you want to stick with a C4, just buying a '96 to start with. And if you don't favor the C4, a C5 would be even better. Playing catch up with Gm and technology is a losing battle: enough money can do it, but at least give yourself a break and don't start with 23 years of improvement to make up for.

On the other hand, if you just want to run on track days and such, and have fun, and don't plan to try to be competitive against modern machinery, you can still have alot of fun with a stock '85. It's a great car as is. Spend your money putting it in top condition (it's 23 years old: itsbushings, brake lines, everything, will be worn, and I assure you there will be things that will break when pushed to the limit in stock trim). Spend your money to renew everything, put good racing brake pads on it, great track tires, and tune and set it up well. Spend whatever it takes to make sure it does not overheat (engine or trans). Practice and race against your own times, and you can have a lot of fun with a reliable car: you won't be able to equal times of the very best C6s and such out there, but then, you'll have a great car that will do you well and you won't have thrown your money away.

 

Hi 85 corvette...Lee is giving very good advice about your mods. I did road racing for over 20 years and the advice I would give is find a car that is prepared for road racing it will save you a lot of money. I would like to add in road racing you will have to follow the rules of the club or body you will be racing in. You will need to check on the rules of what mods you can do. Like the transmission you will probably have to use the 4+3 case. and mods will have to be done internally. This is just a start so it is very important to check the rule books of what body you will race with before you do mods. Some history on the 84-85 Corvette as I remember. In the SCCA they ran street stock and won 19 out of 19 races causing the corvette to be baned from the street stock class and the corvette challenge was borne in the SCCA in 86. As Lee pointed out modern machinery is much different then a old corvette. Take your time building your car, check all the mod rules and go to some good racing schools (seat time in a race car is the key) Have fun with it and remember there is always somebody out there that will go faster. Have fun with it and it is fun.

 

Hello again,guys....Lee and Ric,as,usual,are giving great advice.An '85 with that low miles may be a car you may want to preserve as is,unless you intend to add a few bolt-on parts that can easily be changed back to original should your thinking changes....stuff like better-flowing intake runners,higher-performance distributor,plugs,wires,chip;all can be added and removed without too much difficulty.I,like Lee,agree,all fluids should be up to spec,especially the brakes,which you can also upgrade easily and keep the stock parts....but the choice in the end will of course be yours...besides,the L-98 is still a VERY torquey and fun motor as is...remember,back in '85 the few cars that could beat it were all worth a lot more money and were never as reliable!! And that,my friend,still holds true to this very day...may God bless you all.....J NOTHING LIKE A VETTE!!

 

Yeah great advice because mods detract from the main thing which is pure driving fun.
That said I solved that problem with a purchase of a streetable full race worthy second Vette the same year.
The first Stock Torch Red 95 like new car is nice and fun to drive anywhere.
The second built 95 w/383 450 HP LT 4 has a name and it's own bad boy reputation that goes with it everywhere.
So everyone is right if it's a nice example keep it that way and you can find another one later that will perform the way you want.
I don't have a lot of time so I don't race just once in a while cause cleaning the VHT and rubber off my Artic White Gell Coated Paint is a Biatch.

Being a hot rod sports car it sees the drag strip , car show and with a rear tire change the road track.
I love Hot Rods and sports cars but a cherry example needs preserving,my hot rod was rebuilt from wrecked in front and hardly anything is original.