The WIFE got a new hot rod!!

[HoupPhotography]

The wife was looking for something easier on gas than her SUV, so she was looking for a 4 banger or someting of the like, (now keep in mind she's a car\hot rod girl, and knows her way around the garage).

As she was looking through C-list she saw some Eclipse Spyder Gt's, Mustang Convert's and some other rides. So, I chime in with, "if your gonna get a sports "type" car get a vette, since I sold my car I need something to beat up on". I bet it wasn't a minute later (literally) she said, "wow, here are a few, come look at these", "really can I get a Corvette"? I told her of course, but I get to drive it, we then started the "discussion" about her not driving my car, the way I drove it, etc.. So I bring up the bit about driving a car for what it was meant for, if it's a sports car you "get it" if it's a build car witha blower motor you "race" it, an SUV you take it on trips....etc (give me your input on this guys).

So we looked at a few, one was a great deal but the car must of been sitting in a pasture for 10 years and needed every bit of rubber replaced, the IRS & IFS bushings were shot, leaked oil, no A\C...you get the picture. So after that, she said I NEED A\C, NO EXCEPTIONS! I agreed since corvette's get super hot in the cock pit, all the heat seems to "hang out" there, I've heard, neither of us have ever owned a Corvette, and agreed abotuthe A\C.

So we found one she liked, the price was a little high, we drove it and when I got back with the owner I had a HUGE smile on my face, the first thing I told her was, "that car GETS IT"! All she said was, "does the a\c work... "umm no, but we can fix that"...! I tried to haggle with the owner and he was having none of it, and went on and on about, "the price is worth it because it's AMerican History, your buying a piece of it, it's a Corvette man", and became an a$$ hat. It needed some TLC, a few other things and obviously the A\C working.

So Friday morning rolls around, we look at some other non-corvette cars, it started to heat up and we were out of vehicle's to look at. We come home to check the email and hang out a little and see what we can set up for today. So I get the laptop out and start lurking through C-list, the parents come over so the "shopping" slowed down quite a bit, (especially since my dad was here, he doesn't think I need any thing that resembles a sports car, just dad being dad, even though I'm 38 y\o). He must of been the good luck charm, because I came across this corvette, unplugged my laptop and went into the office and called the guy, . Were chit chatting about the car and says I can't look at it until Monday because he's going partying in Rocky Point, Mexico at 3p (it's about 12:30) I asked if I could look at it before he leaves. He said, "man if you can get here in an hour, cool" I said, "I have cash dude, can I get a deal since you'll have some extra mexico cash"? He said, "dude you have cash, if you bring cash I'll give you a SMOKING DEAL"!`So I ask, what's a smoking deal $200 off the price? He says, "Dude, I need $3,200 for my trip still, I'll give you the car for that price". So I must of said 3200 pretty loud, becasue my wife showed up with her purse on her shoulder and I didn't notice her, I hung up the phone and yelled, "honey let's go"! I told my parents to hang out were gonna go look at a car, dad wants to know who, what, where, when and the wife wants to know the same thing but different questions. So I tell my dad were gonna go look at a vette and the questions stop and says, "oh ok", (my dad absolutly loves corvettes) we'll wait here. :lol So as were walking out of the house, I hear my mom say she wanted to go grogery shopping, my dad is like, we will when they get back....
So all the way there I'm thinking, what's broken, missing and how many quarts of oil does it leak, does it have a motor, is a side of the car missing....and I hear...."does the air work" I said, I don't know but for $3,200 I'll figure it out.

So we get there and the dude says, oh I store it in my back yard...I'm thinking, damn, another one of these and this cat is maybe mid 20's so I'm thinking he stomped the sh!t out of the car. So we get in the back yard, dude is washing it and the car is KA-LEEN! I walked around the car, everything was there I asked if it ran and he snickered and said, "like a raped ape" and it fired right up, sounded great, looked under the car and there was no oil anywhere, he just got it back from the shop, had a new clutch kit put in it, replaced the IRS bushings. He opens the hood and it's clean, the first thing out of my wife is, "does the ar work" he sad no and all it needs is a pressure switch, I'm thinking is it a sales pitch to get cash or is it really that, it's hard to tell these days. I had a good feeling about the guy he seemd pretty up front, just needed the cash. I ask to take it for a drive and he was excited and went into the house to get keys for the gate. I aks my wife if she likes it and she did, so I say maybe we can get him down to $3k, this is funny, she said, "it's cleaner than all of the other cars we looked at, just give him the 3200 if you like it. So we go for a drive, the car has great power, no issues and a few side ways turns and were back, I have a bigger grin than before and tell him I'll buy it. The wife agreed and we buy it, I get to drive it home since there is no air....

We get the car home, i have my buddy come over to check out hte air and he says, all it needs is the pressure switch. He goes to his shop and finds one (what are the chances) he brings it back, charges the air and it works and works GREAT. The car needs tires and I noticed ps fluid leaking from the cap, and I was tinking, ok here we go....
So I get a new ps cap and take the old one off and it had no rubber gasket, so I put the new one on and it works.... no more leaks. So now it's sinking in and I'm giddy and the wife is excited, so I take her for a ride.. it took all of a half mile before I get hit and she is grabbing for things to hang on to, yelling at me to stop beating up her car......

She didnt' drive it because she hasn't driven a stick in a long time and waited until today, so she takes our son for a ride this evening and I can hear a car but didn't think it was her since she getting use to it. They get back and my son is terrified and mom has a huge grin on her face and says, "I'm not getting out, this thing is awesome". I look at my son and he says, daddy get me out of here.... He said mom scared him..... which I thought was funny becasue he loves to go fast and loves our truck, burn outs, etc, but will not get back in the car with mom.
So now for the deatils; the car is a 1984 C4 Corvette, 70K original miles, manual trans, Gold with saddle interior, cloth sport seats, power everyhting and it all works. The interior needs some TLC, mainly a new rear carpet kit, some weather stripping and new floor mats. The body is in great shape, no stress cracks, dents and no chips in the paint.
This is one of those deals that I usually hear about and ask why can't I get a dela like that, needless to say I'm excited about the buy.



I just realized I wrote a novel, sorry about that but had the share the story and I'm excited that my wife has a hot rod now too...

Oh, here is a photo of the car, this is before my WIFE washed, waxed and detailed it her self, I'll get more soon..

[petey-pablo]

Sweet nice find!

[gator2511]

Beautiful car!!! You will love it. I had three vettes and loved every one. Still don't know why I sold my 64. Enjoy!

[Bishops Trucks]

I think you got a great deal.

[HoupPhotography]

Thanks guys, I don't know if I'll get a chance to love it.... It is one of the funnest cars I have driven!

But I know she will, actually she loves it already! Another cool factor is, now SHE is the one that needs to worry about tickets......

[see ten]

My father in law used to have one the same year and color. It seems like it had crossfire injection. Is that what yours has?

[70cstjr]

ah a nice 84 slowest of all the vettes ever made my father in law has an 84 he loves it..just be very aware those crossfires do have a history of spontaneous combustion and will catch fire for any unknown reason, and the dash will turn on and off for no reason lol. That being said she is still a nice car. She will love it and you did get a nice deal

[Andy4639]

I had a 1982 collector's edition corvette with the crossfire engine. It ran well never had a problem with it. I put 60,000 miles on her before we had to sale her for a family car.
1982 was the first year they had crossfire in the vett, didn't build a 1983 vett and in 84 they came out with your model. We had three vett total 75 big block, 78 pace car and the 82. The 82 was by far the best of the three for driving. I loved that 82.
Great set of hot rods you have by the way. When the wife gets done cleaning hers can she come do mine. Man I wish my wife felt that way about the vehicles we have.

[HoupPhotography]

Originally Posted by see ten

My father in law used to have one the same year and color. It seems like it had crossfire injection. Is that what yours has?

Yes, it does have the crossfire injection. They didn't have a Corvette available to the public in "83, the '84 'vette was the begining of the new body style, the only options were the color, interior and manual or auto trans.

I wasn't to sure about the gold, but you since you don't see many of them running around and there were only 2,430 of them made, I like the color more.

[72BlckButy]

Nice score Houp! At least when the wife comes home late, you will know that she's tearing through the gears in that thing!

[caminokid]

One thing I had noticed about Phoenix...I lived out there for a year in the good part of town...Indian School and 23rd Smokin deals on cars! There was a carlot a couple of streets back from Indian School...that had a 75 Vette...350, 4 speed, tilt telescopic, power everything, glass t tops, so on and so on. I was talking to some of the dealers around him. I noticed that the car had been sitting for months. Mind you this was 1994. One of the dealers had told me that they took it to the auction and the highest bid they had gotten was 1500.00. I went over there and argued with them and ended up with it for 3000.00 taxes included. They wanted 4900.00

[GRIMSS]

Nice buy. I don't know why the C4's are not as liked as they are, it's still one of my favorite cars.

[streetstar]

Originally Posted by GRIMSS

Nice buy. I don't know why the C4's are not as liked as they are, it's still one of my favorite cars.

Because when they were current models, they seemed to be all over the place, like the c-5's and 6's are now. When they are new, they're just another well to do guy's plaything --- now that they've crossed over into the classic car age range -- they are cool again

Just my opinion though

[HoupPhotography]

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Nice score Houp! At least when the wife comes home late, you will know that she's tearing through the gears in that thing!

The funny or cool part of that comment, is it's true.

Originally Posted by streetstar

Because when they were current models, they seemed to be all over the place, like the c-5's and 6's are now. When they are new, they're just another well to do guy's plaything --- now that they've crossed over into the classic car age range -- they are cool again

Just my opinion though

I agree, and well said

[Ackattack]

Nice find! Does it have removable top? If that was my car, I'd have to get a different set of wheels though (but hang on to the stockers for when/if you sell it)

I'm one of the guys driving a C5 that you see all over. It's a great car and performs great. And even gets good gas mileage. Mine is a fixed roof coupe, which there were only 4000ish made each year for 99 and 2000.

[HoupPhotography]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

Nice find! Does it have removable top? If that was my car, I'd have to get a different set of wheels though (but hang on to the stockers for when/if you sell it)

I'm one of the guys driving a C5 that you see all over. It's a great car and performs great. And even gets good gas mileage. Mine is a fixed roof coupe, which there were only 4000ish made each year for 99 and 2000.

Yes, it does have the removable top. I ordered some Z06 style black wheels in 17" yesterday, they won't be in for 2 weeks or so.

[GREASEMONKEY72]

cool deal

[BOSS]

Congrats and does your wife have a sister......lol

[HoupPhotography]

Originally Posted by BOSS

Congrats and does your wife have a sister......lol

yeah she does, but they are nothing alike... her sister is into crafts

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Awesome looking vette I like it. I think you got a great deal on it! Have fun with it.

[HoupPhotography]

Thanks Hoods, it is a blast to drive. I just replaced all 4 tires on it this morning, the old one's were from '96 and they were shot. The bummer of the new tires is, it doesn't pitch sideways as easy anymore... It only has about 200 hp but it's still a blast to drive.