1988 Chevrolet Corvette

Convertible

5.7 FI V8

Automatic

1G1YY3183J5105579

Clear

Gasoline

Ready for some drop top summer driving fun on the cheap? Well, here you have it - a very well preserved C4 version of the iconic Vette. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking but will detail in description some notable things about this particular car. First off, I acquired this vehicle from a retired gentleman who was the third owner of the car for 8+ years; by way of previous owner history, the car was originally purchased new in 1988 in Maine (go figure - a rag top Vette in Maine) and then by a doctor in Middlesboro, KY. Anyway, back to the future - the 3rd owner had let the car sit untouched for almost a year; he parked it and put a cover over it until I came to its rescue with the intent of putting it back on the road. After going through the car I began to understand why it was parked for so long - the 4 speed automatic transmission was almost dead - so I had the thing totally rebuilt by a local shop to the tune of $1400+; the rebuild included a new torque converter and flywheel and is under warranty. Other than the tranny rebuild and a handful of minor tweaks, I had a professional mechanic that specializes in Corvettes / classic vehicles inspect the car from top to bottom and he gave it a thumbs up - no major issues were found but as this is a 25 year old car (qualifying as a 'classic') there are things here and there that are not perfect - but in terms of overall mechanical health, the car is solid. Speaking of mechanicals, the engine is good, strong & very stout - as you probably know it's the ubiquitous 5.7L 350ci L98 V-8 found in most Corvettes of this vintage with a little 'special' tuning that includes an Edelbrock intake and a K&N type air filter. Overall, the engine runs sweet and has a lot of power. I have a feeling that someone may have upgraded the prom chip as it really moves exceptionally well for a car with 111,000+ miles on it. Also just had the engine oil / filter changed since the car was sitting for so long to play it safe. Of note - due to its premature retirement, the battery is a little weak so it gets a touch cranky when starting up cold - but once warm it turns over with a quick twist of the key. Moving back, the exhaust system has been converted to a true dual exhaust (less the catalytic converters) and gives the car a nice sounding 'chunk' - and probably more horsepower - plus those square tips look a lot cooler than those skinny pipes you normally see on Corvettes of this particular vintage. The aluminum wheels are not stock - they are from a Corvette ZR-1 model & the tires have plenty of rubber - as you can see in the pictures they are P275 40ZR 17 inch Falken tires. You'll also see the painted brake pads and drilled rotors - cosmetically they look cool but also help stop the car very well - the brakes / braking system is up to snuff to say the least. Options? The car is equipped with power everything - driver & passenger seats, windows, mirrors, locks (which will only work manually), antenna, steering, brakes, etc. Car is fully loaded as well with cruise & A/C (has not been tested but the compressor does work). And yes, the headlights flip and work without issue. By way of cosmetics, you can see the car is Arctic White (it has been repainted with the same original color by the 3rd owner as someone had scratched the hood & doors) & the body is as straight as a 25 year old fiberglass shell can hope to be. The paint is not perfect and has a few chips / flakes out of it but it shines up very nicely - see the pictures for more details on this. The car has a matching white soft top in good shape with clear back glass (plastic) - the weather stripping on front leading edge is being held in with some black duct tape - hard to notice, but it is there. The tan leather interior is in fair to good condition - the worst of it are some rips in the driver side seat - you can see this in some of the pictures and there is a small tear in the door panel on the drivers side as well. All electronic gauges on the dash work with no broken buttons and all the toggles function. Speaking of which, everything in the car works with a few exceptions (other than the power locks mentioned earlier) - the anti lock brake dummy light is on - no idea why - and the stereo does not turn on either. The radio / CD player is a Pioneer after market head unit & behind the drivers seat is a Rockford Fosgate amp - high quality stuff - just won't turn on for some reason. And the best part? The original owner's manual comes with the car. OK, maybe not the best but amazingly enough it has survived intact. Overall, this Corvette not only looks good but it drives very sweet - no shakes, rattles, funny noises - it's a very relaxing ride and will not beat you up when cruising. So how much for this Corvette goodness? Well, the car books at low retail for $6200 and I have started my no reserve auction well below that @ $4995 - a fair & realistic price that puts you behind the wheel of a car that originally sold for $38,000. I have the title in hand (it is in the previous owners name as I have yet to transfer it) and registration / taxes have been paid in KY through next March. If you live within 500 mile radius of Lexington, KY I would not hesitate to come pick up the car and drive it home; longer than that. it might be better to have the car delivered as the car does not get the best gas mileage - depending where you live I can help facilitate this process if need be. I've done my best to represent this car to the best of my ability, warts and all. If I have missed something or have any questions, please let me know and I'll do my best to answer it - I am not a car salesman or a mechanic but just a guy who loves Corvettes, Speaking of which, my other ride is a 1969 Corvette convertible, so you know I have it bad. Happy bidding and good luck. (FYI - Car is available for inspection and test drives)