"HOME OF THE LONGEST RUNNING ANNUAL CORVETTE EVENT ON THE PLANET" ESTABLISHED 1963 SEPTEMBER 2014
MARK YOUR CALENDARS SEPT 13, 2014 - SATURDAY MEET AND EAT AT BOBBY SALAZARS IN CLOVIS - CLAY MUMBY 503-507-3059 SEPT 28, 2014 - SUNDAY - USS HORNET TOUR - ALLEN TEIXEIRA 559-449-1505 OCTOBER 18, 2014 - SATURDAY - MYSTERY LUNCH RUN - CONTACT SHIRLEY DOSHER NOVEMBER 11, 2014 - TUESDAY - VETERANS DAY PARADE - BILLIE TALLEY 559-960-4666
IMPORTANT NOTICE!!!
2015 MEMBERSHIP DUES ARE DUE & PAYABLE AT THE SEPTEMBER 16, 2014 GENERAL MEETING DUES PAID AFTER THE SEPT MEETING WILL BE CHARGED A $20.00 LATE FEE & NAME WILL NOT APPEAR IN THE 2015 DIRECTORY The annual dues are $95.00 per year per couple - $77.00 per year per individual. 2015 COF BOARD OFFICERS WILL BE NOMINATED AT THE SEPTEMBER 16, 2014 GENERAL MEETING CORVETTES OF FRESNO, INC CORVETTES OF FRESNO, INC Is a non-profit organization formed by those 2014 OFFICERS owners who are proud to drive America’s only President: Chris Campbell true sports car E-mail: [email protected] THE CORVETTE Phone: 559- 289-8054 Our club meetings are held at 7:00 pm on the Vice Pres.: Steve Profera third Tuesday of the month at Yosemite Falls E-mail: [email protected] Cafe 4020 North Cedar Between Dakota & Phone: 559-681-7865 Ashlan on the East side of Cedar If you are an interested Corvette owner, we Secretary: Jackey Christani invite you to attend. E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 559-801-3415 The one time initiation fee is $30.00 and covers the cost of your Corvettes of Fresno Treasurer: Kaye Campbell window sticker, membership directory, club E-mail: [email protected] by-laws, nametag and many other goodies. Phone: 559-681-1510 The annual dues are $95.00 per year per couple, or $77.00 per year per individual. Membership: Pam Forrester E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 559-292-6191 COF BOARD MEETING NOTICE CORVETTES OF FRESNO BOARD MEETINGS ARE Webmaster: Kerry Dehmel HELD THE FIRST TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT E-mail: [email protected] THE OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY ON SHAW NEAR Phone: 559-974-5121 CEDAR AVE START TIME IS 6:30 PM EVERYONE IS WELCOME Newsletter: Jim Agar E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 559-297-2200 WSCC Representative: Allen Teixeira E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 559-449-1505 Carlisle Blue was a new color added to the lineup in 2012, retiring the Sunshine: Sharon Minnich popular Jetstream Blue Metallic color. E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 559-449-3331 To celebrate its 100th birthday, Chevrolet created a racing inspired Centennial Edition appearance and suspension package for the entire line of 2012 Corvettes. Available on all models, it features Carbon Flash Metallic paint with Centennial Satin Black wheels and red brake calipers. FIBERGLASS FOREVER IS A MONTHLY Black was not available as an exterior PUBLICATION. color in 2012 in favor of the special PLEASE SUBMIT ARTICLES NO LATER THAN Carbon Flash Metallic paint featured THE THIRD FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH VIA on the Centennial Edition. EMAIL TO: [email protected] Hello Everyone, It’s time for Membership Dues, at the August General Meeting, invoices were handed out to those present, and the others have been mailed. Please make sure and get your payments in to us before September 16th or you can pay at the September General Meeting. To mail your payments, send to the COF Po Box listed at the top of the invoice. Also, we included a copy of your Membership Directory Information in with the invoices, please check and make sure everything is correct. If not, please make the corrections and return with your payment. We have a new Web Master; Kerry Dehmel will be taking over the duties from Frank Stafford. Frank has agreed to help Kerry with the transition into his new duties. On behalf of the entire club, I want to thank Frank for his years of service to COF and our website; we appreciate all of your efforts. It’s also time for Board Member Nominations, we have 3 positions that need to be filled: -Secretary -Activities Director / VP -Membership Board Members that have decided to run for another term: -President / Chris Campbell -Treasurer / Kaye Campbell -Communications / Jim Agar The Board Members cannot make nominations, so the Membership needs to locate individuals that are willing to fill the positions and be prepared to nominate them at the September General Meeting. Nominations can be made to me, in person, or they can be made in public at the September General Meeting. Any Regular Member can run for any seat on the board, except Web Master (this is an appointed position). Nick and Angie, put on a great COF Picnic, with the help of many of our members. Great food and weather made for a fun time. It was good to see so many people attend. Nick made the announcement, at the General Meeting that he would not be putting on the Ice Breaker Run in 2015. He has been in charge of this for over 20 years and he would like someone to step up to the plate and take over this run. It’s a great social event and it would be sad to have it go away, so if anyone is interested in keeping this tradition alive, contact Nick DiLiddo for information. We have been having a lot of fun with the Dinner runs, thanks to everyone who puts thier time into these runs, looking forward to the next one. It’s been a tough month for our Membership, we have a number of people who are suffering through an illness or have had an injury. Please keep these people in your thoughts and prayers. If you have any questions about these people, their condition or contact information, you can contact our Sunshine Representative – Sharon Minnick, she’s in the directory. Well, that’s enough for now; see you at the next event and Save the Wave!
Thank You! Chris Campbell CORVETTES OF FRESNO - GENERAL MEETING MINUTES August 19, 2014
CALL TO ORDER: President Chris Campbell called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM. Board Members present were Kaye Campbell, Jacklyn Christani, Pam Forrester, Steve Profera, and Jim Agar. The Pledge of Alliance was shared by all.
SECRETARY’S REPORT: Minutes of the July 2014 meeting are published in the COF newsletter. Motion to waive the reading of the July Secretary's Report was made by Joan Kozera and seconded by Gary Gagnebin. Motion carried. Motion to accept the minutes as published in the Fiberglass Forever club newsletter, was made by Chuck Ware and seconded by Angie DiLiddo. Motion carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Kaye Campbell reported the accounts activity, which is on file to be reviewed by members only. Motion was made to approve the Treasurer’s report as read. Motion made by Larry Minnich to accept the reading of the report, seconded by Billie Tally, a unanimous vote. Motion carried.
MEMBERSHIP: Pam Forrester reported attendance at for this evening’s Meeting: 37 members and 4 guests – Lucy, Skip, Don and Donna. August birthdays and anniversaries were acknowledged. All birthdays and anniversaries can be found in the COF Membership Directory. COF has a current membership count of 120 members and 75 corvettes. Remember when you walk in to the meetings, please “SIGN IN” at the front table by the door or with Pam.
COMMUNICATIONS: Jim Agar announced this month’s newsletter was 20 pages printed and 57 on the web. Friday, August 22, is the deadline for anything to be included in the newsletter.
WEBMASTER: Frank Stafford was not present this meeting. Chris announced, Kerry Dehmel has volunteered to take the duties of Webmaster.
ACTIVITIES: Please refer to the Calendar of Events in the club newsletter or on the Club website, www.corvettesoffesno.com for more details and up to date information. Guests are encouraged to attend any event, come join the fun! REMEMBER all signup sheets are on the side table.
Meet & EAT - Larry Minnich has been arranging interesting impromptu get together for the early dinner group, who like to meet at a selected restaurant (usually announced via email).
Sept 13th Meet and Eat at Bobby Salazars in Clovis @ 3:00 pm.
Oct. 18th Mystery Lunch Run put on by Shirley Dosher, Sign-up and meet at 1st and Herndon @ 11:00am Saturday.
COF Annual Picnic (Nick DiLiddo hosted at Meadow Lakes) was a roaring success, 45 people arrived. Jerry Clark made 43 quarts of home-made ice cream (So you think it was good? There was not a bite left.) Nick, Allen and Dave had the “Roll-Off Competition” and as always the food was fantastic. Thanks to all who assisted, set up and cleaned up.
Numerous upcoming events were discussed and as these ideas firm up they will be listed in the newsletter and sign-up sheets will be provided at the meetings. More fun events in October! Check the Fiberglass Forever “online” for the latest events and developments. Tahoe 46 – September (3) 4, 5, 6, & 7 in 2014 the continuing saga of the longest running Corvette Club Event in the U.S.A.
Chairpersons present are Allen Teixeira, Jim Kosera, Larry Minnich and Jim Agar. Everything is ready to roll, we are so excited we can hardly contain ourselves, one week to Tahoe 46 and counting!!
Thank you cards were signed by the General Membership for our special friends at the Silver Legacy, we so appreciate all they have done to make our event the best.
DEPARTURE: WED -Early group meet at 7:30 am @ Herndon and Golden State (Hwy 99) with Jim Agar – the Madera group will fall in line along Hwy 99 past Ave 17. WED- Later departure meet at same location by 8:30 am with Jerry Najarian. Thurs – at your own pace, we will see you all there. The unofficial count is 79 cars and still adding applications, it is going to be an event to remember.
Special thanks to Jerry Clark for the giant CAR SHOW banner – OUTSTANDING!
WSCC: Redline Magazine is mailed quarterly. If you are not getting your copy, see Allen Teixeira.
WSCC forgot to advertise our event as promised.
OLD BUSINESS: None. Sunshine Sharon made her report, thanks Sharon. Our prayers and blessings to all who are unable to attend, for an update please phone Sharon.
NEW BUSINESS: The President, Chris Campbell announced / reminded the group of the upcoming Board of Directors elections. Secretary, VP-Membership and VP-Activities, nominations will be heard next meeting or see Chris Campbell.
Dues are due, all members received invoices this year, please pay promptly.
NAME TAG DRAWING: Kitty is $30.00. The winning chip was drawn for Rick Beatie, he was not present. Kitty increases by $10.00 for the next month general meeting, in October.
RAFFLE: 50/25/25 was conducted by Pam Forrester, there were the two lucky winners of the cash, Harry Below and Dennis Christiansen. Two more tickets were drawn for the two - $10.00 Food Certificates donated by Yosemite Falls Cafe. Thanks Guys!
Motion was made to adjourn the meeting by Angie DiLiddo, seconded by Patty Sherman. The meeting adjourned at 8:25 PM.
Respectfully Submitted, Jackey Christani
JACKEY CHRISTANI SECRETARY Membership Pam reported that as of the 2014 Calendar Year COF has 120 members and 75 cars.
Members & Guests Total attendance: 44 - 39 Members & 5 Guests: Dennis Rich, Don and Donna Zapata & Skip Hurleman & Lucy Colwell.
Nametag drawing Rick Beatie's Name was drawn, He was not present. Next Months Drawing will be for $40.00.
Remember to wear your nametag at the meeting for a chance to win.
Club Directories and Updates
The 2014 electronic copy of the club membership directory is available online at PAM FORRESTER www.corvettesoffresno.com (contact Kerry Dehmel for the new access info) MEMBERSHIP
Don Zapada & Bill Herron each won a $10.00 gift certificate to Yosemite Falls Cafe
SEPTEMBER ANNIVERSARIES 50/25/25 DRAWING JERRY & GAILA PELOIAN 2 - LEE & NONIE DELAP 5 WINNERS JACK & CONNIE QUIGLEY 5 - DARRICK & CARLA DUERKSEN 11 HARRY BELLOW DANIEL & ROSEANNE RODRIGUEZ 15 - CHRIS & KAYE CAMPBELL 21 DENNIS CHRISTIANSEN SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS EACH WON PATTY McGRAW 2 - MELANIE SARKISIAN 5 - BILLIE TALLEY 7 GAILA PELOIAN 9 - BERT SHERMAN 9 - NICK DILIDDO 12 $37.00 JIM AGAR 12 - JEANIE CARSON 15 - CARLA DUERKSEN 23 LAURA LUCAS 23 - RICK SARKISIAN 25 CONGRATULATIONS
2015 MEMBERSHIP DUES ARE DUE & PAYABLE AT THE SEPTEMBER 16, 2014 GENERAL MEETING DUES PAID AFTER THE SEPT MEETING WILL BE CHARGED A $20.00 LATE FEE & NAME WILL NOT APPEAR IN THE 2015 DIRECTORY The annual dues are $95.00 per year per couple - $77.00 per year per individual. BYLAWS STATEMENT ON DUES (page 3) After the September meeting, membership shall be cancelled if dues are not paid. Individuals who have had their membership cancelled must pay the original dues plus a late fee of twenty dollars ($20.00), with six dollars ($6.00) going to the parent organization and fourteen dollars ($14.00) going to Corvettes of Fresno. They shall be considered members on the day that total payment is made.
SEPTEMBER GENERAL MEETING NOMINATION OF 2015 BOARD MEMBERS
PLEASE HAVE YOUR NOMINATIONS READY FOR THOSE MEMBERS YOU WOULD LIKE TO REPRESENT COF DURING THE 2015 CALENDAR YEAR! SEPTEMBER 2, 2014 TUESDAY - BOARD MEETING 6:30 PM AT THE OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY ON SHAW NEAR CEDAR AVE SEPT 13, 2014 - SATURDAY MEET AND EAT AT BOBBY SALAZARS IN CLOVIS CLAY MUMBY 503-507-3059 SEPTEMBER16, 2014 - TUESDAY - GENERAL MEETING 7:00 PM AT YOSEMITE FALLS CAFE LOCATED AT 4020 N. CEDAR IN GRANITE PARK SEPT 28, 2014 - SUNDAY - USS HORNET TOUR - ALLEN TEIXEIRA 559-449-1505 OCTOBER 18, 2014 - SATURDAY - MYSTERY LUNCH RUN - CONTACT SHIRLEY DOSHER NOVEMBER 11, 2014 - TUESDAY - VETERANS DAY PARADE - BILLIE TALLEY 559-960-4666
COF GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
OUR CLUB MEETINGS ARE HELD AT 7:00 PM ON THE THIRD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH AT YOSEMITE FALLS CAFE LOCATED AT 4020 N. CEDAR IN GRANITE PARK FRESNO, CA IF YOU ARE AN INTERESTED CORVETTE OWNER, WE INVITE YOU TO ATTEND.
STEVE PROFERA VP ACTIVITIES NICK DILIDDO FATHER OF THE ANNUAL "ICE BREAKER" RUN TO THE COAST EACH JANUARY IS CALLING IT QUITS AFTER 22 YEARS NICK SAID, "AFTER THIS LONG IT'S TIME TO PASS THE HAT TO SOMEONE ELSE". IT'S BEEN A GREAT RUN TO START THE NEW YEAR.
WHAT A RIDE!!! WE ARE IN NEED OF SOMEONE TO STEP UP & TAKE OVER THE RUN WITH NICK'S HELP
PHIL & SUSAN RIVAS RIDE THE VOODOO ZIP LINE TO CELEBRATE THEIR ANNIVERSARY ON A RECENT TRIP TO LAS VEGAS THE VOODOO ZIP LINE IS LOCATED ON THE 51st FLOOR OF THE VOODOO LOUNGE LOCATED AT THE RIO HOTEL & CASINO PHIL & SUSAN TOLD ME THEY HAD A "WITCH DOCTOR" – A GIGANTIC RUM COCKTAIL TOPPED WITH DRY ICE TO BUILD UP COURAGE FOR THE RIDE Would like to thank the 45 members and guests that came to our annual COF picnic at Meadow Lakes. The weather was about 90 degrees, but a cool breeze seemed to make it comfortable The menu was fresh made Italian mild sausage for snacks. About 11:30 the cooks were ready to start getting the all meat ballpark hotdogs and Fresh made ~ pound burgers on the grill. Everyone raved how tasty all the meat and sausage was, thanks to Renna's meat Market for a good job.[Angies nephew] Also Dave your beans were gasslessss as usual, but greaaaatt. By the way thanks Dave Cavanaugh and Allen Teixeira [Mr rolloff] for the great job cooking all the meat,you're the best. We had a lot of trimmings for dogs and burgers, not to mention we had enough chips to feed the whole mountain, along with all the fruit and deserts OF ALL KINDS. Want to thank Jerry Clark and Lori for the wonderfull HOME MADE ICE CREAM with your favorite toppings along with a great cake DONATED by Larry/Sharon Minnich, Thanks Jerry for bringing up your motor home to keep ice cream cold until desert time. Also want to thank Jerry for donating the ice cream and 50lbs of ice. What a great club we have, members were calling me help in any way needed, thanks for your calls. Want to give a special thanks to Chuck/Gerri Ware for coming to my home with there PU and bringing up a load of equipment and picking up a 100lbs of ice along with it for the picnic, by the way chuck/Gerri donated the ice, and brought all the goodies back to my house and helped unload my truck along with AlienTeixeira bringing back a load of cool cans and tent with his PU . Thanks Gary/Nina Gagnebin for coming home with our group to help unload the trucks. I want to thank all of you for bringing up appetizers/ snacks/deserts/fruit /cookies/ pie/. dips &chips .. Again I want to thank every one for coming and thank you ladies for getting all the trimmings ready, could not have done picnic without all your help from our great COF members. Thank all of you for making our COF picnic a huge success.
Nick/Angie Diliddo-Dave/Terri Cavanaugh
RIO VISTA CORVETTES PRESENTS
Date: Sunday, September 28, 2014 Time: 10AM-4PM Location: Pier 3, Alameda Point, Alameda CA. Price per person: $35, includes: Corvette Pier Parking, Museum Entry, Catered Lunch, Docent Tours & Music by Golden Gate Harmony. ------cut & mail ------Total amount enclosed: ______Hotel information available on our web site if needed. Name(s)______Club Affiliation______Address, phone or E-mail, to confirm receipt of check: ______Contact Rolf if you have not received confirmation within 10 days of sending in your check. Checks payable to RVC Please send to: RVC, PO Box 532 Rio Vista, CA 94571 For additional info contact Rolf Sabye @ 707-374-5053 or [email protected] Also visit our club web site at www.riovistacorvettes.com Checks must be received no later than Sept. 17, 2014; No refunds after Sept. 22 .
Register early. Maximum capacity for program is 200 - 50/50 Raffle & Raffle for Corvette lift onto ship.
Hotel suggestions: Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham 1628 Webster St. Alameda CA. 510-522-1000 www.hawthorn.com/alameda
1/2 mile from the Hornet in Alameda, Nice fairly new basic hotel with free breakfast & rear lot parking. Mention USS Hornet for discount. 2015 Corvette Stingray’s Eight-Speed Automatic is Faster and Gets 29 MPG Highway
When the 8-speed automatic was first announced for the 2015 Corvette Stingray, most of us saw the main benefit would be an increase in fuel economy and that has come true as the new paddle-shift auto gets an EPA-estimated 29 MPG on the highway But the new automatic is also faster than than the previous 6-speed with a 0-60 mph time at 3.7 seconds.
In fact, the 8-speed automatic-equipped 2015 Stingray is 0.1 seconds quicker than the previous 6-speed automatic with a quarter-mile time of 11.9 seconds compared with the 12.0 seconds in the 6-Speed auto.
The EPA estimate of 29 MPG is a 3.5 percent increase over the fuel economy of the previous 6-speed too. The new 8-Speed is rated at 16 MPG in the city and 20 MPG combined.
“The Corvette Stingray is a great example of how we are leveraging engineering and technology to improve both efficiency and performance,” said Mark Reuss, GM executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing & Supply Chain. “No other car can match 460 horsepower, 0-60 mph in better than 3.7 seconds, and 29 mpg on the highway.”
GM achieves the better performance and efficiency with the 8L90 transmission primarily through its 7.0 overall gear ratio spread which gives the Stingray a more aggressive first gear ratio.
Non-Z51 Stingrays with the 8-speed auto have a new lower 2.41 rear axle which reduces engine rpms by 8 percent on the highway at 70 mph. Z51 Stingrays will continue to have a 2.73 rear axle ratio.
The Corvette Team tells us that they just barely missed reaching 30 MPG and Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Jeuchter does believe that number will be attained in the future. But at 29 MPG, the Stingray gets better highway fuel economy than some of its sports car competitors and even tops some conventional cars with smaller engines:
x Porsche 911 Carrera (28 mpg) x Audi R8 V-8 (20 mpg) x Jaguar F-Type R (23 mpg) x Nissan GT-R (23 mpg) x Subaru Outback six-cylinder (27 mpg) x Volkswagen Passat six-cylinder (28 mpg) x Mercedes-Benz C350 coupe (28 mpg)
Developed in house and built in Toledo, Ohio, the new Hydra-Matic 8L90 was benchmarked for faster shifts. The controller analyzes and executes commands 160 times per second. GM says this translates into wide-open throttle upshifts that are up to eight-hundreds of a second quicker that the dual cluth transmission offered in the Porsche 911.
“The Corvette’s new eight-speed automatic delivers the comfort and drivability of a true automatic transmission, as well as lightning-fast shifts and the manual control that enhance the performance-driving experience,” said Kavoos Kaveh, global chief engineer for eight-speed automatic transmissions. “It was designed to enhance the driving experience, with performance on par with dual-clutch designs, but without sacrificing refinement.” Valet Mode with Performance Data Recorder Coming to 2015 Corvettes
Production of the 2015 Corvette is already underway but that hasn’t stopped the Corvette Team from announcing even more content for the award winning sports car. One such feature is the Valet Mode with Performance Data Recorder.
The next time you hand your keys over to a valet, you can rest assured knowing that you’re valuables will be secured and your baby will be under the watchful eyes of the Performance Data Recorder when it’s out of your sight.
Introduced on the 2014 Corvette Stingray, Valet Mode is activated by entering a four-digit code from the settings menu of the infotainment touch screen. Once engaged, the center stack storage compartment behind the display and glove box are locked and the radio and infotainment center is disabled.
For the 2015 Corvette models, that system gets a boost with eyes and ears through the optional Performance Data Recorder. Once Valet Mode is engaged, the Performance Data Recorder is activated and starts recording HD video as well as in-car audio and vehicle telemetry – speed, engine RPM, gear position and G-force.
“Think of it as a baby monitor for your car,” said Harlan Charles, Corvette product manager. “Anyone who has felt apprehension about handing over their keys will appreciate the peace of mind of knowing exactly what happened while their baby was out of sight.”
Once you’ve retrieved your car from the valet, enter the code again to disable the system and then the video can be viewed instantly (while parked) on the Corvette’s eight-inch color touchscreen or downloaded to a computer to view later.
The Performance Data Recorder was developed with Cosworth, the same company that supplies the Corvette Racing team with their data and telemetry acquisition systems.
“Performance Data Recorder was initially designed as a tool for track days, allowing drivers to record their laps and improve their driving skills,” said Charles. “We soon realized the system could have many more applications, such as recording a scenic drive up Highway 101, or recording when the Valet Mode is activated.” Dr. G. Randall Forrester, DC. Auto Body & Paint 875 W. Ashlan, Suite 101 Clovis, CA 93612 (559) 299-0685 982 Barstow (559) 292-6191 * Fax 292-6193 Fax (559) 299-0902 Clovis, Ca. 93612
BEST UNIFORMS BILLIE TALLEY, OWNER HEADQUARTERS FOR YOUR OFFICIAL "CORVETTES OF FRESNO" APPAREL LAW ENFORCEMENT - POSTAL - FIRE INDUSTRIAL - TUXEDOS CUSTOM EMBROIDERY
5091 N. FRESNO #112 (559) 226-4235 S O CA 93 10 A ( 9) 226 42 0 Don Dukes: Owner 1570 Menlo Clovis, Ca 93611
Shop: 559-297-0552 Cell: 559-908-9782 Fax: 559-297-1304
CLARK CONSTRUCTION 559-906-0800 [email protected] JERRY CLARK: OWNER 1960 Corvette Rescued from Chicken Coop
If you found a tattered classic car in a barn, would you leave it like it is or restore it to like-new condition?
Both options obviously have their pluses and minuses.
Today, we hear from someone who is happy he chose the first option.
But Jeff Taylor of Hudson, Massachusetts, a 58-year-old heating and air business owner, didn’t find his 1960 Corvette in a barn – he found it in a chicken coop!
The classic roadster had obviously lived a hard life before Taylor finally rescued it in 2012 from a corner of the coop, where it had been attacked by rats and generally forgotten all about resting underneath a sheet.
Taylor found out from the previous owner that the Corvette had spent most of its early years on a California Air Force base, where numerous airmen had passed it around. Turns out that the coop actually was a respite for the Corvette – it had sat outside for 15 years in the weather before sitting another 19 years in the coop.
“There comes a time in every motorhead’s life when you ask yourself, ‘Can I save it or not?’” Taylor said. “Well, the answer with this car was simple: it was 80 percent there and most of the missing trim ended up being in the trunk and no matter what, it was a C1 Corvette. So yes, it was to be saved.”
Taylor decided early on, though, that this wasn’t going to be a trailer queen restoration.
He pulled the car’s replacement engine (a 327/360 from 1965) and replaced it with a 1962 327 he had just built. Then came a total brake system rebuild, complete wiring (courtesy of the mice), and some front end work, along with a good pressure wash inside and out to get rid of the smell.
But no fancy paint job or new interior.
“The car is in no way perfect,” Taylor admits, “and it’s not meant to be. I have had C1 ’Vette owners that have showroom condition cars come up and tell me to leave it just like it is because once you’re done bringing it back to its former glory, you may love the car but you’ll never have as much fun driving it as I do now. They worry so much about their cars that it takes the fun out of owning them.” Taylor says it’s almost like the car wanted him to find it. After all, he only went to the chicken coop to show a friend a 1967 Chevy that was one of several cars stored there.
As the friend looked over that car, Taylor walked around to look at the others and discovered the Corvette stuck down in the back corner half covered up with a thin sheet.
Friends told Taylor he wouldn’t be able to touch the Corvette for less than $10,000 to $15,000, but it turned out the owner was just happy to quit having to pay the monthly storage bill ($15 a month) and offered to sell the car for $3,000 if he would pay his back rent out of that and send him the balance.
“Think about it – a 1960 Corvette in storage 34 years for $3,000,” Taylor says. “I think the car gods were looking out for both of us and wanted us together.”
Sometimes a car’s story includes leaving it the way its journey through life has made it. Just ask Jeff Taylor.
Pricing for 2015 Corvette Stingray Is Now Out – Z51 Sees Increase
Late last week, GM released pricing to dealers for the 2015 Corvette Stingray Coupe and Convertible models as well as assorted options and accessories. The good news is that the non-Z51 Coupe and Convertible pricing for 2015 is the same as the final 2014 MSRP while the Z51 Coupe and Convertible models will see their starting MSRPs increase by $1,000 each.
For 2015, non-Z51 Corvette Stingray Coupes will start at $53,000 while its Z51 version will start at $58,000. The non-Z51 Convertible will begin at $58,000 and the Z51 version starts at $63,000. All four models still tack on the $995 delivery charge.
As far as pricing goes for the three trim levels, the 1LT is included in the base MSRP while the 2LT package is $4,160 and the 3LT is now $9,450. Compared to final 2014 Pricing, the 2LT price is $60 less while the 3LT price increases $1,445.
The newest option for the 2015 Corvette will the the availability of the new 8-speed automatic transmission. The previous 6-speed automatic transmission was optioned for $1,350 in 2014. The new 8- speed automatic with paddle shifters is priced at $1,725. Purists can still go for the 7-Speed Manual with Rev Matching which is included in the base and Z51 starting MSRP.
The other two options that I am sure you want to know about is the Performance Data Recorder and RPO ZF1. The PDR is combined with Navigation and is available as an option in 1LT and 2LT trim packages and is included in the 3LT package. The NAV/PDR system is priced at $1,795. The ZF1 option gives a non-Z51 Corvette Stingray the same external appearance as a Z51 model and it is priced at $1,995. One more point DERXWWKH=&RXSHDQG&RQYHUWLEOHVWDUWLQJPRUHWKDQLQƍVILQDOSULFHV,Q 2015, the Z51 will now include the NPP Performance Exhaust which previously was a $1,195 add-on. So for those that wanted a Z51 Coupe or Convertible and the NPP exhaust, now they are saving $195 over ƍVSULFHV
Missing from the pricing and options list are the two Design Packages – the Atlantic Convertible and the Pacific Coupe. We’ll follow up with that info when its available. We’re also still waiting on pricing for the 2015 Corvette Z06. Now that the Stingray pricing is released, we believe the pricing for the new Corvette super car is just days away. Below is a list of pricing and options for the 2015 Corvette Stingray:
Corvette NON Z51 Coupe $53,000* Corvette Z51 Coupe $58,000* Corvette NON Z51 Convertible $58,000* Corvette Z51 Convertible $63,000*
*base model price PLUS $995 destination charge
1LT PKG PRICE $ 0.00 2LT PKG PRICE $4160 3LT PKG PRICE $9450
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS: BV4 – PERSONALIZED INTERIOR PLAQUE – INCLD WITH R8C $200 D30- COLOR COMBO OVERRIDE $500 R8C – CORVETTE MUSEUM DELIVERY (dest NOT waived) $990 ERI – BATTERY PROTECTION $100 J6E – YELLOW BRAKE CALIPERS $595 J6F – RED BRAKE CALIPERS $595 FE4 – MAGNETIC RIDE CONTROL (Z51 ONLY) $1795 NPP – DUAL MODE PERFORMANCE EXHAUST $1195 FAY – CARBON FIBER DASH – N/A 1LT $995 1L* – MICROFIBER SUEDED SEAT INSERTS N/A 1LT $395 AE4 – COMPETITION SEATING $1995 AE4 – COMPETITION SEATING WITH SUEDE INSERT $2495 IWE – UPPER SUEDE TRIM / A & B PILLAR / QTR WINDOWS 3LT ONLY $995 106 – NAVIGATION – AVAILABLE ALL TRIMS; INCLS NEW UQT PDR FRONT CAMERA $1795
TTV – CARBON FLASH MIRRORS & SPOILER Z51 ONLY $100 5ZU – Z51 PAINTED STYLE SPOILER $600 5ZV – Z51 STYLE SPOILER CARBON FLASH $600 CFZ – CARBON FIBER GROUND EFFECTS $2995 EYT – CARBON FLASH EXTERIOR BADGE $100 WA8 – CLEAR PROTECTIVE FILM $1300
E57 – CARBON FOBER TONNEAU INSERTS $995 EFX – SHARK GREY PAINTED VENTS $595 EFY – BODY COLOR PAINTED VENTS $595 5YN – INTERIOR TRIM BADGE STINGRAY LOGO $100
OPTION PAINT OPTIONS GYH – LAGUNA BLUE TINTCOAT $995 G1H – DAYTONA SUNRISE $495 G8A – VELOCITY YELLOW TINTCOAT $995 GBE – CRYSTAL RED TINTCOAT $995
ROOF COUPE OPTIONS C2M – EXPOSED CARBON & GLASS 2/3LT $2995 C2Q – FULL PAINTED CARBON FIBER & GLASS 2/3LT $1995 C2Z – VISIBLE CARBON FIBER $1995 CC3 – TRANSPARENT GLASS $995
WHEEL OPTIONS Q7E – CHROME WHEELS – $1995 Q7T – BLACK PAINTED – $ 495 Q7S – SILVER PAINTED – $ 0 QX3 – CHROME WHEELS $1995 QG6 – STANDRAD SILVER PAINTED $ 0 ZF1 – Z51 APPEARANCE w/o Z51 $1995 QCC- NEW Z51 BLACK MACHINE FACED WHEELS $1495 QX1 –NEW 5 SPOKE NON Z51 BLACK WHEELS $495 RPK –NEW 5 SPOKE NON Z51 BLACK MACHINE FACED $1495 5YU – 5 SPOKE TORQUE CHROME w/o TIRES $4440 5YU – 5 SPOKE TORQUE CHROME W/ TIRES $6080
STRIPE OPTIONS DTH – FULL LENGTH STRIPE /CARBON FLASH $950 M DTN – FULL LENGTH STRIPE /CYBER GREY $950 DTP – FULL LENGTH STRIPE /SILVER $950 DTQ – FULL LENGTH STRIPE /ORANGE $950 DTR – FULL LENGTH STRIPE /CRYSTAL RED $950 DTZ – HOOD STINGER – CYBER GREY $500 DTW – HOOD STINGER – CARBON FLASH $500
ORDERABLE ACCESSORIES OPTIONS S2L – CORVETTE 5 PIECE LUGGAGE (ordered as a set) $920 VYW – STINGRAY LOGO MATS (retain factory set) $165 VLI – STINGRAY LOGO CARGO MAT $205 V8X – STINGRAY LOGO SILL ( retain factory set ) $275 RXJ – STINGRAY LOGO CENTER CAPS (retain factory set ) $210 VRS – LOGO CARGO SHADE $130 RWH – INDOOR CAR COVER BLACK $410 VDN – INDOOR CAR COVER GRAY $410 WKP – INDOOR CAR COVER KALAHARI $410 WKQ – INDOOR CAR COVER RED COLOR $410 VTE – UNDERHOOD LINER – STINGRAY LOGO $280 S3Z – DECKLID LINER WITH STINGRAY LOGO $195 VTB – REAR FASCIA PROTECTOR $95
TRANSMISSIONS MEP – 7 SPEED MANUAL WITH REV MATCH $0.00 M5U – NEW 8 SPEED AUTO WITH PADDLESHIFT $1725 Actor and Former Corvette Racer James Garner Dies at 86
Over the weekend we learned that actor James Garner had passed away. Garner was a favorite of ours back in the day with great character roles like Bret Maverick and Jim Rockford. But did you also know that he was a serious race car driver who owned a Corvette racing team?
After filming the moving Grand Prix in 1966, Garner was bit hard by the racing bug and eventually became one of the team owners of “American International Racers” or AIR. Joining Garner in the effort was Dick Guldstrand and Bob Bondurant.
With help from Bob Wingate of Clippinger Chevrolet, Garner purchased the first three 1968 L88 Corvettes off the line via a Central Office Production Order (COPO). Two of the cars were for racing while the third car would serve as a show car or parts donor if needed. The three Corvettes were delivered to Dick Guldstrand shop in Southern California where they were prepped for the 1968 Daytona 24 Hour race.
The two AIR Corvettes didn’t perform that great in the 1968 Daytona 24 with the No.44 Corvette finishing 29th while the No.45 Corvette was a DNF due to an engine failure. The Corvettes were expected to race at Sebring, but AIR decided to move up in class and raced a Lola chassis instead.
The L88 Corvettes were sold and Garner would eventually move on and fulfill his racing bug with other types of racing including off-road baja racing and giving rides in his custom designed 4-seater Indy car.
1962 Corvette Owned for 40 Years Stolen from Calgary Street
Some people say locks just keep honest people out.
The 73-year-old owner of a red 1962 Corvette convertible wouldn’t argue with that.
Kenneth Jelley’s classic ‘Vette was locked, covered with a tarp, and parked outside in its parking space in the 9600 block of Bonaventure Drive SE, Calgary, Canada.
That is, until someone snipped the padlock and left it behind – but took the Corvette with them sometime between 7 p.m. on July 12 and 5 p.m. the next day.
Now police are hoping someone out there might be able to help them solve this crime. We know the owner is heartbroken after owning the Corvette for more than 40 years. It had just 54,000 miles on the odometer.
“We’re in mourning … for Betsey. She was a kind ol’ girl. She gave us a lot of fun,” said Jelley.
At least one Corvette specialist, though, believes the car is likely long gone.
“It’s most likely in an enclosed trailer or container off to be shipped somewhere,” said Lawrence Block of Western Corvette in Calgary.
Chevy Working Out Details for the 2015 Corvette Z06 Engine Build Experience
The new 650-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 monster engine that will power the upcoming 2015 Corvette Z06 will be assembled in two locations.
But only the engines that are put together at the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky., will be eligible for the build-your-own program, according to a report on Edmunds.com.
All of the C6 Z06 engines were built in one location – GM’s Performance Build Center in Wixom, Mich., so any Z06 owner since 2011 who was willing to shell out an extra $5,800 could help a GM technician build their motor during an eight-hour session.
However, production of the Z06 powerplant for the C7 has been moved to Bowling Green and Tonawanda, N.Y., and GM has indicated that it will offer the “build-your-own” program only at the Kentucky facility. “This is where it gets tricky,” Monte Doran, a Chevrolet spokesman, told Edmunds. “It depends on if your engine is going to be built in Bowling Green or Tonawanda.”
Doran says GM is still trying to figure out exactly how the program will operate.
“We plan on doing that program for the seventh-generation cars,” he said. “(But) we have not quite worked out all the details. How will the process work? How much does it cost? How do the functions of that experience work for the customer?”
The effects of having three options previously closed to Z06 owners – targa roof coupe, open-air convertibles and automatic transmissions – are yet to be seen, however. While just 807 of the fixed-roof Z06s were sold last year, that number obviously could climb substantially because the potential market will be larger thanks to those expanded options.
We’d be surprised, though, if Chevy doesn’t somehow find enough room for any customer willing to pay the extra fee to build their engine, except of course maybe for those people who wait until near the end of the model year when time might become a limiting factor. One good side effect about building some of the engines in Bowling Green, however, is that enthusiasts who go on a tour of the Corvette assembly plant starting in early 2015 may have a chance to see several of the LT4 V8 engines being assembled as part of their experience.
“If you take the tour, you will be able to see Z06 engines being assembled — not for every Z06, but for several of them,” Doran said. “It kind of adds to the experience in Bowling Green. You can see basically the assembly of almost all of the major parts of the car under one roof.”
Parked C6 Corvette Sparks Garage Fire in Houston
The good news about this Corvette garage fire is that no one was injured and firefighters managed to save the rest of the house from going up in flames, too.
The bad news is that the C6 ‘Vette is apparently going to need some serious restoration after being “heavily involved” in the garage fire, according to Senior Captain Charles Martin of the Houston (Texas) Fire Department.
Firefighters believe an electrical issue is responsible for starting the fire in the garage that was attached to a southeast Houston home on Friday night.
The homeowner noticed something wasn’t right when he was driving the car earlier, he told firefighters.
“There was a mechanical issue we believe, based on talking to” the owner of the Corvette, Captain Martin said.
Fortunately, firefighters, who arrived at the Jean Street home about 9:30 p.m., answered the call soon enough to keep the blaze from spreading to the rest of the house, or this story could have been much worse.
Corvettes on eBay: A One-Owner 1966 Corvette Barn Find
There’s gold to be found on eBay and I swear I get a funky feeling inside when I come across the occasional barn find on the auction website.
Here’s a one-owner 1966 Corvette big block that’s been tucked away in a barn since 1981. The owner passed away a couple years ago and now his widow is selling the property which forces the sale of the Sting Ray.
The seller gives some history on the car in the eBay listing. The 1966 Corvette Sting Ray with a 427/390 horsepower V8 was purchased brand new from a Chevrolet dealer in Hillsboro, Oregon by “Louie” in 1966 when he got out of the military. Over the years, the Sting Ray accumulated 61,000 miles and then at some point, Louie stopped driving the Corvette and it was parked with the Oregon license plates reading 1982.
Louie passed away in February 2011. His widow is now selling the house they lived in together for 40 years so she is finally letting go of his car.
Louie’s 1966 Sting Ray Convertible has some great options and looks to be in good condition considering how long it has been sitting. The car retains its matching numbers L36 427/390 V8 which is coupled to a 4-speed manual transmission. Options include an AM/FM stereo with power antenna, auxiliary hard top, power steering, teak steering wheel and power windows.
That car has even retained the original air cleaner and spare tire. However, the jack is missing. Despite the 1966 Corvette’s one-owner history, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t molested. At some point, Louie removed the front bumpers and mounted a set of fixed headlights into the grill. The headlight buckets were removed and the former headlight areas were “glassed over”. We also see a black 1967 Stinger-style big block hood on the car as well.
The seller says the car started up after changing the points. According to Louie’s widow, he would occasionally put some fresh gas into the car and drive around the block. So that helps to know the car runs. The seller says he added a new master brake cylinder (I would want the original if he has it) and so now the brakes work but are slightly spongy.
The best part of the story is the seller recapping how he found the car. When the widow decided to the sell the car, the seller found it with the windows and top up and the car locked. It was surrounded with household stuff in a barn. The hub caps were off the car and were hanging on a wall in the house. Who hangs Corvette hubcaps on a wall in the house? Corvette people do, that’s who!
Calgary Police Find Betsy, the Stolen 1962 Corvette
Who says the news is always bad?
For a Corvette enthusiast in Calgary, Canada, what started as a sad story wound up having a very happy ending.
We asked you a few days ago to be on the lookout for a red on red 1962 Corvette convertible that was stolen July 13 from a parking lot near Kenneth Jelley’s apartment.
At least one expert felt that Jelley would never again see the prized Corvette he had named Betsy during the past 41 years he had owned the car.
But Wednesday, Jelley got the thrill of a lifetime when police told him they had found the Corvette in a field in the De Winton area.
Jelley won’t get the car back until the CPS forensics lab gets through testing it for evidence, but he’s just happy that Betsy is safe and sound again. “It won’t be in my hands today or tomorrow,” he said. “The point is, it’s secure.”
The quick police work drew praise from Jelley, who said the car was appraised at $35,000 about six months ago. She was priceless to him, though.
“After the first couple of days, I kind of felt like it wasn’t going to happen,” he said. “I’m delighted.” Rest assured, Jelley will be parking his beloved Corvette in a safer place from now on.
“Then I can take it out when I want to take her for a drive, and keep her happy,” he said.
Corvette Racing at Indianapolis: Corvette C7.Rs Place Fourth and Fifth in GTLM
Antonio Garcia and fellow class championship leader Jan Magnussen saw their four-race winning streak in the TUDOR Championship’s GT Le Mans (GTLM) class come to an end with a fourth-place finish. Magnussen in the No. 3 Corvette C7.R was running in the top-five early before he was hit by a slower car and spun just past the 20-minute mark.
After dropping back to 10th after the collision, Magnussen worked his back up to third before handing off to Garcia with 53 minutes left. The Spaniard was able to maneuver around Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 Corvette for fourth in the closing minutes.
Gavin and Tommy Milner went from 10th in class at the start to finish fifth. It was the best result for the duo in the No. 4 Corvette C7.R since a third-place showing at Long Beach in April. Milner gained four spots in the first 10 laps and held a steady pace throughout.
“The No. 3 and No. 4 Corvette C7.R drivers and crews again demonstrated their ‘never-give-up attitude with strong runs that netted them fourth and fifth finishing positions despite numerous challenges during the race,” Campbell added. “It was a total team effort focusing on maximizing their opportunity for good finishes and championship points.”
Garcia and Magnussen maintained their lead in the GTLM driver’s championship, as did Chevrolet in the auto manufacturer standings.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“Who knows… (without the contact) we may could have fought for the podium at the end. We’ve been fighting really hard the whole season to be up there. We were not necessarily the fastest but we did it by being smart. Today we had probably the slowest car out there and still managed to place fourth and fifth. I hope there will be a time where there will be a Corvette fight like we had except for P1 and P2. It was fun and really good but would be even better if it was for a win.” JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“It was such a shame about the contact out there. I’m not sure what happened. I think the guy on the inside lost it and hit me, and spun me around. Up until then, the car was pretty decent. We were fighting with everybody. Traffic was really bad out there. It is really, really hard to do anything other than follow the guy ahead. I don’t know if the car got damage, but it seemed we lost a little bit after the contact. We’ll have to maximize our points score today. Hopefully we will have a better race at Road America.”
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“I think we’re gaining on the car. Chuck Houghton (No. 4 engineer) worked pretty hard on that overnight. Tommy drove a great first stint. It was pretty crazy there especially when Jan spun around, there was a lot of smoke everywhere and Tommy did a great job of missing that. When I got in, we knew it was going to be tough to the end fighting with Antonio. I had a little bit of a braking issue. I got balked up in traffic too on one lap and Antonio got by. This track makes for hectic and crazy racing. Both our cars finished with plenty of bumps and scraped. We certainly made some progress and it was good to get a good, solid fifth place with no problems. Onward to Road America to see what we can get there.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“That was a long stint but a lot of fun. Sometimes you are in the car for a long time, whatever that was, and you are racing nobody or anything, and it is boring. But that was the complete opposite of boring. That was chaos. It was just madness on the race track everywhere…every lap. There may have been three or four laps total that I did that were very calm. But it was a lot of fun. The car felt good, so the guys did a great job getting the car to where it needed to be for the race.”
Wake County Sheriff’s Office to Keep its Confiscated Corvette Z06
What Top Gear magazine once called the fastest police car in America apparently will remain the property of the Wake County Sheriff’s Office in Raleigh, N.C., for the foreseeable future.
The sheriff’s office has been using the black 2007 Corvette Z06 for the past five years after seizing it from a drug dealer convicted of felony schedule II possession.
When first taking possession of the car, Sheriff Donnie Harrison and Deputy County Manager Joe Durham said it would be used temporarily as a department vehicle. When it became a burden to the county, they said, it would be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Wake school system.
Now, though, the sheriff apparently has changed his mind. He says the Corvette will eventually be used for public relations efforts at local schools instead of being auctioned.
He said he didn’t know when the Corvette would be retired to “desk duty” but when that day does come, he believes the car can always be useful as an anti-drug message aimed at young people. “We’ll probably use it as a car for displays,” said Harrison, sheriff since 2002. “We get calls wanting cars to come to schools, and it’d be a good thing to say, ‘If you sell drugs and get caught, this is what will happen.’ ”
Not everyone agrees with that philosophy, however.
A veteran Latin teacher at Broughton High School for the past 27 years, Jennifer Cates, believes the Corvette won’t be effective in delivering that public relations message.
“It seems like the message would be that this is what a drug dealer had,” she said, “and boys, especially, wouldn’t hear the part about it being taken away.”
Despite the difference of opinion, one thing is certain. Lawmen have definitely made good use of the Z06 – racking up about 141,000 miles during the past five years as they used it to make 1,400 traffic stops resulting in more than 1,000 citations. The Corvette has also taken more than $250,000 worth of drugs off the street, the sheriff said.
It’s used by the sheriff’s Impact Team, which saturates areas with high crime rates and targets areas where communities might be suffering from large numbers of burglaries, for examples, according to Capt. Jimmy Stevens. He added that the Corvette is also used for traffic enforcement and for Drug and Vice Team efforts.
“It’s done more good for the county than it would have with money for the schools, I can tell you that,” Harrison said. At the time it was seized, the Corvette was worth about $57,000. Now with 152,000 miles on the odometer, it’s worth between $16,701 and $19,335, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Michigan’s Fantasy Week for Corvette Enthusiasts
What happens in Michigan the second and third weeks of August is virtually a fantasy of automotive nirvana. Though any car enthusiast worth their engine oil has heard about Detroit’s Woodward Dream Cruise and Flint’s Back to the Bricks show, surprisingly some Corvette enthusiasts do not realize the acclaimed Corvette specific events that are a part of both of these outstanding activities.
Let’s start at the beginning. If you arrive in Michigan a few days early you will probably want to take in America’s Corvette Club of Michigan Car show which takes place in Clarkston, Michigan on Saturday August 9th, just a few days before Corvettes On Woodward kicks off August 13th. America’s Corvette Club of Michigan show, celebrating its 14th anniversary this year, draws automotive enthusiasts and participants from across Michigan and from as far away as California and usually hosts close to 200 Corvettes. This year the show will take place at Sellers ReNew Auto Center on Dixie Highway in Clarkston, Michigan. This show is nationally recognized and is a nice warm-up event for the Corvette activity-packed week ahead. Both the Woodward Dream Cruise and the Back to the Bricks show are among the top twenty automotive events (excluding racing events) in the entire country. Individually each event draws in excess of a half million people despite the fact that they both take place on the same day, this year that day is Saturday, August 16th. In both cases the events have grown so popular and so large that a week’s worth of related activities take place throughout the entire week before the “official” event day.
Each evening the entire week prior to Saturday’s Dream Cruise offers the same opportunities to cruise up and down Woodward Avenue. Virtually, thousands of spectators line miles of Woodward Avenue each evening prior to Saturday to watch classic, custom, performance, muscle, and sports cars slowly cruise the strip showing off the special and in some cases not so special rides. Each year more and more participants and spectators that show up for the Dream Cruise realize that they can actually have the equally enjoyable time viewing the cars during the weekday evenings and not have to fight the enormous crowds on Saturday. In addition by enjoying the Woodward Dream Cruise during the week leaves Saturday open to attend the Corvette Reunion and Back to the Bricks event which takes place only sixty five miles to the north of Woodward in Flint, Michigan.
There are still thousands of enthusiasts who travel to Michigan specifically for the Dream Cruise that are unaware that another equally exciting event takes place in Flint, Michigan, less than an hour to the north and the home of GM and the Corvette. The Dream Cruise and the Back to the Bricks events are not mutually exclusive; both events can be enjoyed with a little preplanning.
I learned about the Back to the Bricks event several years ago while discussing an upcoming Dream Cruise with some well known enthusiasts. They told me that “real car enthusiasts” are in Flint on Saturday, “not fighting the traffic and crowds on Woodward.” I was somewhat skeptical thinking there were few automotive events that could equal the iconic Woodward Dream Cruise. They went on to explain something that I had already come to realize, that everything that can be seen and takes place on Saturday on Woodward could be seen and experienced Wednesday through Friday evenings. The same cars cruising Woodward on Saturday were also cruising the legendary strip on the weekday evenings. So like the “real car enthusiasts” I made the trip to Flint and was astounded by the size and quality of the Back to the Bricks show. That year I learned how to take part in and enjoy two huge, equally exciting automotive events the same week. I became a “believer” and now would not do it any other way. In fact if it were not for Larry Courtney’s “Corvettes on Woodward” event which has become an important part of the Dream Cruise the Back to the Bricks/Corvette Reunion would surpass Dream Cruise hands down.
Corvette enthusiasts simply can’t miss one of the best Corvette events that has become an important part of the Woodward Dream Cruise, Corvettes on Woodward, which takes place on the Wednesday prior to the official Saturday. Around noon on Wednesday over 600 Corvettes begin gathering in the parking lot of the Bloomfield Hills Radisson hotel to party before the massive Corvette cruise down Woodward begins. Larry Courtney organized the event shortly after he moved to Michigan from Illinois to benefit the Open Hands Food Pantry, located in Royal Oak, Michigan. The price of admission is $5 or a food donation to take part in the fun. It is an impressive sight to see, let alone participate in, a parade of over 600 Corvettes cruising five miles down legendary Woodward Avenue. Like the Dream Cruise, Corvettes on Woodward has also become a multiday event. For a nominal charge, to benefit charity, Courtney has organized tours of GM’s Heritage Center, Lingenfelter, Stahl’s Automotive and what Larry says is one of the best of his organized tours, a trip to a private 10,000 square foot wildlife museum where the animals are displayed in their natural environment. All activities require advance reservations by contacting Courtney at [email protected] and the space is limited.
Then following a few evenings of cruising the Woodward strip with the hundreds of other performance, muscle and show cars and checking out the cars you will want to get up early Saturday morning and head north for a different but equally enjoyable day at the Back to the Bricks and Corvette Reunion car show. Unlike the Dream Cruise where you either cruise the strip at a snail’s pace or watch the cars cruise by you can take your time and inspect the thousands of cars displayed on almost every street in downtown Flint. Literally thousands of cars line the downtown streets of historic Flint, Michigan, in a car show second to none in the country. Under the leadership of founder and chairman, Al Hatch, the event has grown to be chosen as one of the top twenty automotive events in the country. Recognizing the importance of the event General Motors has signed on as a major sponsor of the event and has recently decided to restore the eighteenth century Durant Dort Carriage Factory, recognized birthplace of General Motors.
Over the ten years the impressive car show continued to grow and attract cars from as far away as Europe. In addition Al Hatch and his dedicated team have continued to improve not only the number and quality level of cars being shown but also the logistics and amenities. A few years ago the event had grown so fast and large that, like the Dream Cruise, traffic congestion and parking had become a major problem, but that has been addressed and rectified. The local Flint police and event coordinators have worked hard to make the event easily accessible.
Five years ago, Gary Drago, owner of Drago Corvettes and a well known Flint Corvette enthusiast came up with the idea of grouping the approximately hundred Corvettes that were parked sporadically throughout the large Back to the Bricks show into one large group, and the Corvette Reunion was born. Today the Corvette Reunion is an “event within an event” and though still a part of the Back to the Bricks event it is organized and operates differently. If you want to participate in a “judged” competition you can pay the minimal fee and vie for a trophy or you can simply enjoy showing your Corvette and enjoying the event free. Each year from its beginning, the Corvette Reunion has grown significantly larger and last year there were more than 600 Corvettes that attended. This year Drago has made provisions to accommodate 800 of America’s Sports Car.
The Back to the Bricks/Corvette Reunion also hosts a week long list of pre-events and activities which include daily cruises of surrounding towns, local concerts and a free drive in movie. All proceeds from Back to the Bricks are designated for charity and specifically the statue project which funds life size bronze statues of automotive pioneers which have played an important part in the history of Flint. To date the Back to the Bricks event has sponsored statues of William “Billy” Durant, Louis Chevrolet, David Dunbar Buick, Walter P. Chrysler, Charles W. Nash, and coming soon Otto P. Graff.
The week in Michigan is particularly exciting if your tastes run not only to Corvettes but all things automobile related. It gives you the opportunity to not only participate in and inspect hundreds of outstanding Corvettes but also thousands of classic, hot rod, restomod, muscle, and sports cars in a full assortment of venues. If you have never been to the Motor City for these events here is a recommended agenda to help get you to make the most of your time in only four and a half days.
Police Recover Stolen 2003 Corvette Z06 after High Speed Pursuit Ends in Crash
The good news is police found a red 2003 Corvette that was stolen in Moses Lake, Washington last Thursday morning.
The bad news is by that time, the alleged thief had crashed the car through a fence and into the back yard of a house in the 8800 block of Hillcrest Drive in Moses Lake.
Earlier, the suspect had led police on a wild chase that reached speeds of 125 mph. Police said he drove through two construction sites, putting the lives of about 20 workers at risk. He even came back through one of the sites again. The chase began after a friend of the Corvette’s owner saw the car and notified 911. That led to a Grant County Sheriff’s Office deputy giving chase through residential areas, onto state Route 17, and back to Stratford Road.
During the pursuit, the suspect allegedly drove through a pond, onto a bike path, and nearly hit Sheriff Tom Jones’ car as he was in pursuit. Eventually, the driver lost control of the car, winding up in the back yard of a house on Hillcrest Drive and fleeing on foot.
Police searched the area for three hours before an alert neighbor a few houses down from where the car was abandoned helped locate the suspect under a tarp on the back deck of his home. The man told police he checked his property a second time before going out of town and noticed the tarp that wasn’t there earlier. Police looked and found 41-year-old Gary Hutt of Moses Lake hiding under the tarp.
Hutt now faces a multitude of charges, including attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, burglary in the second degree, attempted residential burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, malicious mischief in the first degree, malicious mischief in the second degree, reckless endangerment, attempted assault in the first degree, and driving while his license is suspended.
Hutt was booked into Grant County Jail Thursday afternoon.
Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson Reviews the Corvette Stingray and Calls it a Masterpiece
We wondered when Top Gear’s British pontificator Jeremy Clarkson would give his low-down on the new Corvette Stingray.
Well, we don’t have to wait any longer, and believe it or not, Mr. Clarkson speaks very highly of Chevrolet’s latest creation from across the ocean.
“I’m going to make no bones about this,” he writes. “I drove the Stingray to, and then round, the Top Gear test track the other day, and while I admit that a clear blue sky can make any drophead seem acceptable, I absolutely loved it.”
In fact, in his review of the car, he used words like “excellent,” “tremendous,” “a masterpiece,” “a greatest-hits album,” and “fun” to describe the new Stingray. Are you sitting down?
Here comes praise for the Corvette rolling out of Clarkson’s mouth:
“Corvettes have always been good-looking,” Clarkson notes, “but this one is a masterpiece. Yes, it has four huge exhaust tailpipes and a bonnet that’s more sculpted than the Himalayas. So I’ll agree it’s childish, but what’s wrong with that? The Lamborghini Aventador is childish. The Ferrari 458 Italia is childish. The Jaguar F-type is childish. And the Stingray looks as good as any of them. Better, in fact, from some angles. It’s one of the most beautifully proportioned cars I’ve seen.”
Clarkson points out that Chevy has taken all of what’s good from the best of Europe and Japan and put it into the new Stingray.
“It has the same sort of unpronounceable suspension and electronic differential that you get in Ferraris, the same sort of throttle-blipping technology that you get in a Nissan 370Z, the same sort of head-up display that you get in a BMW M5 and a system that shuts down half of the cylinders when they’re not needed. The same as you get in a Bentley,” he says.
Furthermore, he praises the Stingray for not only delivering “impressive” straight-line performance but says that this generation of Corvette “can do something else as well. It can go round corners. Both kinds — left and right.”
He even calls the few issues he found about the car “tiny.” Not even the nose “graunching” going over speed humps and a ride on “the wrong side of firm” could make a dent in his love for the Stingray.
Clarkson said he didn’t mind those minor issues “because I was having too much fun. With all eight cylinders engaged, the bellow when you accelerate is intoxicating, and this is a car that behaves like a Mercedes SLS. It’s happy only when there’s 40 degrees of opposite lock up front, a grinning driver in the middle and enough smoke pouring off the rear tyres to hide a battleship.”
To hear such words from a previously harsh critic of the Corvette is probably like music to the ears of folks like Tadge Juechter.
Still, lest you think Clarkson has renounced his British citizenship and is ready to move to a double-wide in Alabama, read his parting comments:
“There is just one thing, though. If you drive a Jaguar, you are welcome to drop round at my house any time for tea and buns. If you drive a Corvette Stingray, you are not.”
Nevertheless, he gives the new Stingray 4 stars on a scale of 5. What’s next? The Queen Mother greeting the peasants sitting on the back deck of a red Stingray convertible? Corvette Museum’s Blue Devil Corvette ZR1 to be Restored by GM in September
We’ve apparently learned the fate of at least one of the eight Corvettes swallowed up by the sinkhole at the National Corvette Museum in February.
The museum has announced that the 2009 Blue Devil ZR1 prototype – the property of General Motors and among the least damaged by the sinkhole – will be heading back to GM for restoration after the NCM’s upcoming 20th anniversary celebration on Labor Day weekend. No one has said where the Blue Devil will be displayed after repairs are made.
Likewise, no one is saying for sure what will happen to the remaining seven cars, which are in various states of disrepair depending on where they happened to be in the pile in the sinkhole.
GM said the day after the sinkhole that it would oversee the restoration of all the Corvettes, but since they’ve all been removed from the earth, the automaker has been mum – merely saying it is discussing with the museum what to do with the cars with no date for a final decision having been set.
GM also owns the 1993 ZR-1 Spyder prototype that suffered extensive damage, perhaps too much to be repaired, so its fate is believed to rest entirely with General Motors.
The 1962 Corvette, according to the museum, was among the least damaged, and the museum has indicated that it will be restored under GM’s supervision.
Several restoration experts have already expressed interest in repairing the car, which likely would be returned to the museum for display when completed.
The millionth Corvette built, a white 1992 convertible, suffered extensive damage but is felt to be worth saving due to its historic nature.
The 1993 40th anniversary Corvette was also badly damaged but is not historically significant since 6,748 others were built with the same package. In fact, a replacement has already been donated to the museum.
Perhaps this is a good candidate to be left “as-is” for display there.
Three other cars also have questionable futures.
The 1984 PPG Pace Car had its rear section sheared off by a heavy slab of concrete. Some wonder if a restoration would just be a recreation of the original since so much fabrication would be needed.
Then there is the 2009 Corvette convertible that is the 1.5 millionth Corvette built. It suffered heavy damage, and some are wondering if it is worth restoring despite its numerical importance.
Finally, the last Corvette recovered from the bottom of the sinkhole, the 2001 Mallett Hammer, suffered the worst damage of any of the cars. Since it was an aftermarket tuner, some might question the level of its historic value. There are thoughts it might be best left as-is as a reminder of the damage done by the sinkhole.
Apparently, the sinkhole or at least part of it will likely remain as a permanent attraction since attendance and revenue at the museum are up substantially since. July 2014 Corvette Sales General Motors released the sales report for July 2014 this morning and Corvette sales remain strong as the 2014 Corvette model year winds down. The report show 3,060 Corvettes were sold during July 2014, a 356% increase over the 671 C6 Corvettes sold in July 2013. Compared against -XQHƍV&RUYHWWHVVROGDQGZHVHHDLQFUHDVH
For the calendar year 2014, 20,804 Corvettes have been delivered between January 1st and July 31st, a 227.9% increase over the sales of 6,344 C6 Corvettes during the same time period in 2013.
July was the last full month for production of the 2014 model year. Production of the 2014 Corvette Stingray is scheduled to end on August 8th and the 2015 Corvette Stingray will begin production on Monday, August 11th.
Last year there was a long hold on releasing the new Corvette Stingrays as they underwent additional quality checks. We aren’t really anticipating much of a delay in getting the new 2015 Corvettes to their owners but we’ll be sure to check it out when we are in Bowling Green later this month for the 20th Anniversary Celebration at the NCM.
Corvette Delivery Statistics for July 2014 Month Calendar Year-to-Date Month 2014 2013 % Change Months 2014 2013 % Change July 3,060 671 356% Jan-Jul 20,804 6,344 227.9%
Corvette Sales Monthly Archive:
Archived Monthly Corvette Delivery Statistics Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Total
2014 2,261 2,438 3,480 3,514 3,328 2,723 3,060 20,804
2013 908 980 1,053 974 905 853 671 655 831 3,929 2,527 3,005 17,291
2012 629 927 1,376 1,396 1,219 1,475 987 1,210 1,351 1,167 1,104 1,291 14,132
2011 721 955 1,163 1,454 1,304 1,299 1,291 936 1,147 946 910 1,038 13,164
2010 854 624 955 1,089 1,428 1,405 1,199 1,135 1,109 1,011 836 979 12,624
2009 842 1,027 1,183 1,407 1,643 1,396 966 746 1,585 1,154 952 1,033 13,934
2008 2,015 2,071 2,692 3,190 2,904 2,082 1,870 4,242 2,318 1,170 1,093 1,324 26,971
2007 2,234 2,784 3,158 3,227 3,300 2,377 2,377 2,877 2,837 2,484 2,438 2,914 33,685
2006 2,579 3,058 3,655 3,516 3,317 2,938 2,794 2,990 3,056 2,761 2,773 3,081 36,518 Paul Reinhart’s 1963 Corvette Z06 to be Auctioned at Mecum Monterey
With the all-new 2015 Corvette Z06 just months away from being sold to the public, it’s highly appropriate that one of the original 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Z06s will be on the auction block at the Mecum Monterey sale.
This blue 1963 Corvette Z06 has belonged twice to California dealer and racer Paul Reinhart, who had earned the respect of Chevrolet for his efforts behind the wheel of Corvettes since 1957. He had won division championships in 1960 and 1961 in SCCA Pacific Coast B-Production and was chosen to be on the prestigious list of the first six people chosen to get the Z06s, including the likes of Dr. Dick Thompson, Jerry Grant, Dave MacDonald, Doug Hooper, and Bob Bondurant.
Zora Arkus-Duntov’s intention all along was for the Z06 to be used on the race track, and that’s why he added heavy duty competition-oriented suspension parts like much stiffer springs, special shock absorbers, and heavier sway bars. The Z06 also was the only ’63 Corvette to use power- assisted brakes with a unique dual-circuit master cylinder, along with sintered metallic brake linings, cast iron finned drums, and ventilated backing plates with screened openings. Perhaps the most visible addition was the use of a 36-gallon fiberglass gas tank in the passenger compartment behind the seats.
Five owners were able to debut their cars at the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix at Riverside in October 1962. Unfortunately, delivery of Reinhart’s car was delayed so he had to sit that one out. Finally, he was able to climb behind the wheel at Riverside in February 1963 – after removing the bumpers and spare tire and its carrier. He also used straight-through rear-exit pipes in place of the factory exhaust and used Koni shocks in back and Gabriels in front instead of the factory setup.
Once they started competing, Reinhart and his fellow Z06 racers became discouraged with the threat from the Cobra and Chevrolet’s subsequent withdrawal of factory racing support, so by the end of the 1964 season, Reinhart decided to sell his Z06. Ironically, nearly two decades later, Reinhart became interested in vintage racing and accidentally found his old Z06 in the San Francisco area.
After restoring the car, he and others have used it at venues like Montery, Wine Country Classic, and Coronado Speed Festival over the past 30 years.
Now it’s been restored again and will be perhaps the most highly sought after car at Mecum’s auction in two weeks. One of just 199 Z06s produced in 1963, the car is expected to bring $1.5 to $1.7 million. C7 Corvette Stingray Vandalized with Paint Stripper
It’s very sad that someone who works hard and enjoys nice things can’t have them because people are jerks. Renee Hughes of Hoover, Alabama found that out when she woke up Friday morning to find that her Black 2014 Corvette Stingray had been vandalized by someone who poured paint stripping gel all over her new car. The incident happened August 1st between 12 midnight and 4 am at The Abbey at Riverchase Apartments in Hoover.
Initially she thought acid had been pour on the car based on the damage but a user on StingrayForums noted that it was actually paint stripper gel.
The paint stripper gel was poured over the top of the carbon fiber hood which dripped down the bulge and around the air extraction vent. The driver side looks to have gotten the worst of it as the paint has literally fallen off the car. The rear hatch got it as well and the gel also ran down the rear fascia damaging the tail lights well. Renee says the car is going into the shop and it will probably be there for a month as they attempt to fix the damage.
Unfortunately, when she gets the car back, it could potentially be a target again as she lives in an apartment complex.
A $1,000 $3,050 reward has been posted for information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the vandal(s). Renee says on her Facebook Page that police are involved and a local television station was going to do a segment on her damaged Corvette.
The Corvette-Powered Strand Craft V8 Wet Rod Jet Ski
With all the modes of transportation that a Corvette engine has been put in over the years, it’s hard to believe that no one has thought of putting one in a jet ski.
But that’s what yacht designer Kurt Strand is working on right now.
Bearing the somewhat naughty name of the Wet Rod, the jet ski will reportedly have a Corvette 5.7-liter V8 motor capable of 300 horsepower and propelling the personal water craft to speeds of 65 mph. That sounds absolutely terrifying to this writer, but we’re sure there are thrill-seekers out there who will love the Wet Rod.
Of course, they’ll have to be thrill-seekers with a big wallet since the Wet Rod will start at $49,000!
The 16-foot jet ski will have a carbon fiber / epoxy body. Options include wood or carbon fiber inlays, custom paint and/or wrapping, custom trailer, sound system, chrome engine dress-up kit, and GPS navigation. You can even store drinks (perhaps champagne?) in an ice box under the seat, and it will even feature a waterproof luggage box.
The Wet Rod will go on sale later this year.
Of course, if you think that’s a lot for a jet ski, we understand that Strand is planning a $25 million Strand Craft 122 yacht, which even includes its own supercar able to be stored on board when you’re not using it. No word on whether that supercar is a C7 Stingray.
A Group of Aspiring Engineers Visits the Corvette Assembly Plant
Who knows? Perhaps one of the college students who recently took part in a unique learning experience at the Corvette Assembly Plant will come back one day and help General Motors design its C8 or C9 Corvette.
The aspiring engineers – members of the National Society of Black Engineers – belong to three chapters of NSBE at University of Tennessee-Knoxville, University of Illinois- Urbana/Champaign, and University of Pittsburgh.
They were selected to participate in the GM-NSBE Chevrolet Corvette Experience Tour which offered them a first-hand look at what a career in engineering can lead to.
“I liked seeing the plant and seeing how everyone worked together,” participant Sierra Ellis of UTK said afterwards.
University of Illinois student Matthew Duncan said he liked seeing the final product at the end of the line “and being able to learn more about engineer’s work from the GM employees.”
Of course, one of the highlights of the experience came when they were actually able to try their hand at some of the ways used to assemble the Stingray. Then they even got to drive one of Chevy’s C7 Corvettes on a closed track.
What a field trip, huh?
But the student engineers weren’t the only winners in the experience. “From a corporate perspective, this program continues to represent GM’s commitment to the development of NSBE students and the enhancement of our partnership with NSBE,” said Arvin Jones, Manufacturing Manager, Vehicle Manufacturing. “We’re giving the students opportunities to learn about our industry and its workforce, and to utilize that learning in their career development.”
It wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that one of the students could one day return to GM and help design future vehicles. After all, they’re among the best and brightest with cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or higher, and their majors are in engineering disciplines needed by the auto industry.
To that end, the GM-NSBE Recruiting Team selected students for the tour from three university chapters based on execution of programming in academic excellence, pre-collegiate initiative, community outreach, and professional development and membership retention.
More Power, High MPGs and Faster Shifts Await C7 Corvette Z06 Buyers
It’s not nearly as challenging to build a high- powered car if you don’t have to worry about gas mileage. But the engineers at Chevrolet do, thanks to government mandates, so they are buckling down and taking it a step further for the upcoming supercharged Corvette Z06, according to a story from Automotive News.
Not only will the Z06 have the highest horsepower of any General Motors production car ever produced at 650, but it will also be one of the most fuel-efficient cars of its kind. Apparently that means it will get even better mileage than the much-lower-powered 2013 Z06, which was rated at 24 mpg on the highway.
Months before its introduction, the Z06 continues to amaze as its new eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission will reportedly shift faster and smoother than the dual-clutch automatic in the Porsche 911 Turbo S, according to Larry Nitz, GM’s chief engineer for transmissions.
That’s even more impressive when you consider the Z06 will have 90 more hp and 134 more lb-ft of torque than the 911, while expected to weigh several hundred pounds less than the Porsche. We don’t know the exact weight of the new Z06, but the 2013 model (without the new lightweight aluminum frame of the 2015) weighed nearly 400 pounds less than the 911.
Buried in this story, though, was even more interesting news for Corvette enthusiasts. GM and Ford are collaborating on a new generation of nine- and 10-speed automatic transmissions, with one to make its debut in late 2015.
Ford is engineering the 10-speeds to be used in rear-wheel-drive vehicles, while GM is working on the nine-speeds for front and all-wheel-drive vehicles.
We wonder if that means the eight-speed automatic offered in the 2015 Stingray might be replaced by an even more impressive 10-speed automatic in the coming years? After all, the Corvette is a rear-wheel- drive car. Is this the Worst C7 Corvette Crash Yet?
Looking at the pile of twisted metal and body panels, it’s hard to believe that this was once a 2014 Corvette Stingray. After reviewing the photos from the Insurance Auto Auctions website, this has got to be the worst post-crash Corvette we’ve seen and believe us, we’ve seen a lot of them.
The Arctic White pile of parts is not quite ready for sale yet. The IAA listing says the car was lost in a collision with damage primary listed as “All Over” with secondary damage to the suspension. Considering that the drivers side front wheel is completely missing must have been a dead giveaway. The engine appears to be damaged as well and won’t start but interestingly, the driver and passenger airbags are still intact.
Before it met its doom, this Corvette was nicely appointed with the Z51 Performance Package and a 3LT Ebony interior. The front drivers side wheel is gone, but another picture from the rear shows it wearing black wheels. The mileage is listed as unknown as the odometer is broken.
The VIN on the car ends in 1226 which means that it was an early production model that was completed during the first month or so of production. That’s a shame too as it means the owner waited months and months after ordering to be among the first to own the Stingray. Now he’s one of the first to actually total a Stingray.
Larry Traded a New 2004 Corvette for a ’66 427/390 Big Block Convertible
The Major League Baseball trade deadline was last week.
Larry Potter doesn’t have to worry about deadlines like that.
You see, back in 2004, he made the trade of a lifetime – gaining the keys to a friend’s beautiful 1966 Corvette roadster if Larry would just buy a new 2004 Corvette and throw the keys to his friend.
Larry did, and the rest is history.
How many people have owned a Corvette and never even driven it?
But Larry knew he wanted this super nice ’66, which was loaded with a 427/390 big block with a four- speed transmission, not to mention power steering, brakes, and windows, a telescoping teak steering wheel, leather interior, factory sidepipes, AM/FM radio with power antenna, and factory air!
Wow! Baseball teams often look back on trades and sometimes wish they hadn’t gone through with the swap. Larry has no such regrets, though, as his ’66 is now worth probably eight to 10 times what the 2004 is today.
Larry is no stranger to Corvettes. He bought his first one, a ’60, in the mid-1980s. Since then, he’s owned eight more, including a ’64, ’68, ’69, ’70, ’73, and ’02, not to mention his current “babies,” the ’66 and a 2011 Grand Sport. If you want to get picky, he’s owned a total of 10, counting the brief time he had the ’04 before making his trade.
“Every time I drive it, it is an interesting experience,” Larry said of the ’66.
Perhaps his most interesting experience came at a car show at the Yuba County Airport in Marysville, where he and his wife, Bev, posed his ’66 Corvette and her ’69 Camaro with their Turbo Mooney airplane, which he describes as “the Corvette of the sky.”
The couple had a little drag race afterwards, and Larry says he won, hesitating before he adds, “Well, at the very last, I backed off and let her win.”
Not sure if his wife would agree with that version of the outcome.
Corvette Central to Sponsor the Corvette Museum’s Motorsports Park
The NCM Motorsports Park keeps picking up sponsors as it readies for its Grand Opening on Thursday, August 28th. The latest company to go racing with the Corvette Museum is our friends at Corvette Central.
Making the announcement for the company was Scott Kohn who said the following in a release on the NCM Motorsports Park website:
“We have been a Lifetime Business Member of the Museum since 1999, have a Walk of Fame Brick and have supported America’s Sports Car magazine with advertising through the years. The NCM Motorsports Park is just another way we can support the Museum, and a great way to connect with customers.”
Corvette Central has indeed been one of the innovators in Corvette restoration business.
%DFNLQWKH ƍVZKHQWKH&RUYHWWHUHVWRUDWLRQKREE\ZDVVWLOOLQLWVLQIDQF\-HUU\.RKQIRXQGWKDW parts for early Corvettes were either unavailable, of poor quality or overpriced. With his background in the tool and die trade, Kohn began manufacturing his own Corvette parts, starting with the grille teeth for 1953-1960 Corvettes. Today, the Sawyer, Michigan-based company manufactures over 3,000 parts and sells over 60,000 Corvette parts and accessories in their catalogs and websites.
Corvette Central is a Garage Sponsor of the NCM Motorsports Park, which includes signage about their sponsors garage as well as track signage and other benefits. “Corvette Central is a leader in researching, developing and manufacturing parts for Corvettes,” said Mitch Wright, NCM Motorsports Park General Manager. “We’re excited to have them on board with our project, and appreciative of the fact that they are long standing supporters of the Museum. Coincidentally, Jerry is National Corvette Museum Lifetime Member #11, and Scott is #12.”
The Grand Opening of the NCM Motorsports Park will be held on Thursday, August 28th at 9am CT as part of the Corvette Museum’s 20th Anniversary Celebration and the 5th National Corvette Caravan.
Corvette Racing at Road America: Sixth, Seventh for Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs
Corvette Racing’s two Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs placed sixth and seventh in a hectic GT Le Mans (GTLM) race at the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America. Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen led the team’s charge in the No. 3 Corvette C7.R with Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Corvette following at the finish.
The result was enough for Magnussen and Garcia to retain their lead in the GTLM driver’s championship, as did Chevrolet in the manufacturer standings and the No. 3 Corvette C7.R in the team championship.
Both Milner and Garcia were jostled around on the opening laps. An early stop for two tires and fuel was a strategic move but it was undone by a tire going down due to debris on Garcia’s No. 3 Corvette and a one-minute penalty call on Milner for leaving pitlane with the exit closed.
Things settled down in the middle part of the race with Gavin running as high as fifth before a late-race incident with another GTLM competitor moved him back down the order.
The next TUDOR Championship event for Corvette Racing is the Oak Tree Grand Prix on Sunday, Aug. 24 at Virginia International Raceway.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“It was quite a nightmare out there. The debris puncture on our tire put us out of sequence; we were already out of sequence a little bit. I found myself trying to defend even on new tires. The car was good but we were getting hammered out there.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“It was a very hectic and crazy race. We tried a gamble early by taking two tires. The second caution coming out soon after that hurt our chances, along with a piece of debris puncturing one of our tires. We scored the maximum amount of points that we could today, which was the goal. We will turn our focus to VIR now and hopefully be in better position to fight for a win and podium.” OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“It was another day that kind of summarizes our year. The call for two tires early was a good one but unfortunately the penalty pushed us back down the order. My stint started well and I could run pretty good lap times and stay with the cars directly in front of me. The incident with one of the Vipers ruined any chance we had for a good result. It’s a shame as the team did a fantastic job getting us up to fifth. But we will regroup and be ready for VIR and hope for a repeat of our 2012 victory.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“It was a pretty rough couple of laps at the start. Both the driver’s side and passenger’s side and the rear bumper and front bumper all had contact. In some places, I was trying to make room for myself around people who didn’t want to give me room. It’s how the racing is, trying to get around PC cars. The car wasn’t bad.”
2014 Corvette Stingray Production Comes to an End
It was rocking year for the 2014 Corvette Stingray and now it has come to an end.
Production of the 2014 Model Year Corvette officially ended on Friday, August 8th and its the 2015 Corvette Stingray that is now heading down the assembly line in Bowling Green.
The Stingray was a gift that Corvette needed so bad. Following the “carpocalypse” in 2008-09, production fell from an average of around 30,000 units down to 13,000 and they never came back. The low sales were partly due to the harsh economy, but also partly due to an aging design.
Then the 2014 Corvette Stingray arrived and everything changed.
Autowriters couldn’t stop talking about the Corvette and that especially helped to hype up the car between the Corvette’s reveal at NAIAS 2013 in January through the summer months until the first C7s were built in August.
Organizations, car magazines and websites offered up so many awards for the new Corvette that the PR folks will tell you it was the “most awarded” new car launch ever. The crown jewel for the Corvette Team was the Stingray being named the 2014 North American Car of the Year.
Buyers flocked to their Chevrolet dealers in the Spring and summer of 2013 as ordering opened up and plucked down their hard cash for a car many had not even seen in person. By October 2013, Corvettes were shipping like crazy out of Bowling Green, all wrapped up in white transit covers like big gifts for their new owners.
Nearly 4,000 Corvettes shipped out in October 2013 and the delivery pace only slowed in the winter when the weather turned bad. So how many Corvette Stingrays were built during the first year of production? The numbers are not yet official, but a user on the Corvette Forum was at the assembly plant on Friday and he witnessed the build of not only the final 2014 Corvette Stingray but also the very first 2015 Corvette Stingray.
According to DaveGuy68, the final 2014 Corvette Stingray was white and had a VIN sequence number of 35523. Which means that 35,523 Corvette Stingrays were built. But don’t forget the 1,050 Premiere Coupe and Convertible editions which had their own VINs. So if no VINs were skipped, we are looking at a total 2014 MY production count of 36,573.
Today, all the Corvettes on the line are 2015 models. Leading the way and wearing VIN 00001 was an Arctic White Corvette.
The 2015 Model Year also marks the highly anticpated return of the Corvette Z06. Production of the new Z06 won’t begin until later this year with deliveries expected in early 2015.
The 2014 Corvette Stingray is now part of Corvette’s 61 year history. An amazing turn-around from where we were just a few years ago when many wondered if Corvette would survive during GM’s bankruptcy.
Corvette Power! Hennessey’s Venom F5 Shooting for 290 MPH!
Nobody likes being No. 2.
Hennessey has its sights set on recapturing the title of the world’s fastest car with its whirlwind Venom F5 named after the most powerful tornado.
You might want to start saving up now for this performance standout due out in 2015.
Of course, this monster, expected to deliver at least 1,400 horsepower with its Corvette-based engine, won’t come cheap – it’s estimated to cost about $2 million.
“We are very excited about this next chapter of the Venom, which brings forth an all-new design that is not only a powerful and unique statement that our clients are looking for, but a vehicle that will achieve even higher performance through improved aerodynamics,” said company president and founder John Hennessey. “We learned a great deal during the development of the Venom GT in breaking the 270-mph barrier, and we bring that experience to this new design as we look toward raising the performance bar even higher.” 7KH)ƍVSUHGHFHVVRUWKH+HQQHVVH\9HQRP*7DOUHDG\RZQVDFRXSOHRIVSHHGUHFRUGVLQFOXGLQJ fastest run from 0 to 186mph (13.63 seconds) and fastest run from 0 to 200 (14.51 seconds).
The GT accomplishes this speedy fun with a unique twin-turbo 7.0-liter V8 that’s based on the engine from the C6 Corvette Z06.
The twin turbos make all the difference, though, as the Z06 delivers “just” 505 hp compared to 1,244 hp from the GT.
Hennessey’s GT broke the record for top speed run at 265.7 miles per hour, but the Bugatti Veyron came back and topped that with a speed of 267.856 mph. Hennessey went back to the track and thought it had regained the title with another run of 270.49 mph, but Guinness Book of Records requires that at least 30 vehicles have to be built for the record to apply to production cars. Hennessey made just 16 Venom GTs.
Now, though, Hennessey believes it can regain the title for sure next year after it produces 30 of the Venom F5 models to meet the Guinness requirements. Their goal – with an even more super tune of a GM 7.0-liter engine – is an amazing 290 mph, which would shatter the current record owned by Bugatti.
Can you imagine a street-legal car that comes close to 300 mph, thanks to Hennessey’s magic with a heavily modified Corvette engine?
The new Venom F5 will be based on the Lotus Elise chassis, with new even lighter bodywork expected to yield even better aerodynamic performance than the GT.
An Extra Crispy C7 Corvette Stingray
Don’t ask because we don’t know.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t lament the passing of another Corvette Stingray.
We came across this pic on Facebook and since then our mind has been filled with horrible imagery. Let’s hope the owner was okay as well as anything that was parked next to the C7 when it went up in flames.
No car makes it through fire well and Corvettes tend to look even worse after the composite and carbon fiber panels are melted off the car. Even the roof panels and rear hatch are gone as the fire had time to work its way throughout the car.
Last week we wondered if this Arctic White Stingray might have been the worst post-crash Corvette we’ve seen yet. Although we’re not sure if a crash caused this fire or if it was the result of something electrical. Regardless,
I think we have a new champ. The Rumor Mill Heats Up Again with Talk of a Mid-Engine Corvette ZR1
If you’ve been following Corvettes for sometime, you are probably aware of the oft- repeated rumor will basically goes like this: The next generation Corvette will feature a mid-engine design. As in the engine goes behind the seats, but in front of the rear axle.
Motor Trend came out yesterday with a “hot scoop” saying they have multiple sources that tell them that Chevrolet is indeed working on the next version of the Corvette ZR1 and that it will be mid-engined. Not only that, but the C8 Corvette will also feature a mid-engine design as well.
We’ve seen this time and again, so what makes this time any different than previous mid-engine design rumors? It was Zora Arkus-Duntov, Corvette’s first Chief Engineer, who pushed hard for a mid-engine design for &RUYHWWHVLQFHWKHHDUO\ ƍV0DQ\SURWRW\SHVZHUHGHYHORSHGRYHUWKH\Hars including the CERV concepts, the 1969 XP-882 (the Aerovette) and even later concepts like the 1985 Corvette Indy, but none ever came to fruition.
When the C7 rumors first started around 2007, the mid-engine design rumor was there front and center. An early C7 blog post on CorvetteBlogger from Jan 2007 featured an article from AutoExtremist.com’s Peter DeLorenzo who talked about the internal debate that happening inside the Corvette team. Those discussions, according to DeLorenzo were about diversifying the Corvette lineup by offering a regular edition (ie front-engine/RWD) Corvette that would come in both base and performance models (which turned out to be the Stingray/Z06) and then a smaller limited edition run of an advanced mid-engine Corvette that would run six figures and would “deliver blistering performance that will surpass exotic sports cars from around the world costing hundreds of thousands more.”
The word on the street at that time was that GM was taking a good long hard look at offering a mid- engine Corvette and that some engineering and design studies were done to support the new model. Taking a lead role in championing a mid-engine Corvette was GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz.
And then the carpocalypse of 2008-2009 descended on the automotive industry. Following the GM bankruptcy and a government bailout, the Corvette as a model was saved from extermination, but it came at the cost of a more focused budget that accomplished the first goals of the C7 program, but left the more exotic idea of a mid-engine supercar on the shelf.
Until now.
General Motor’s recent trademark application for “Zora” for use as “motor land vehicles, namely automobiles” once again put the mid-engine Corvette rumor back into play. With a name as influential and revered in Corvette circles as Zora, GM can’t put out just any Corvette that would wear the Chief Engineer’s name. Nope, this one has got to be something a little more than just special paint and decals.
The Motor Trend scoop goes on to make the case why the C8 Corvette in a mid-engine configuration makes sense based on the future offerings of other vehicles coming from General Motors – mostly because the next generation Camaro which bows in 2016 is expected be close to the power and weight of the base C7 Stingray, while Cadillac needs a sports car to compete with the likes of Audi’s R8 and R10 coupes. It’s a compelling case and one that bears watching.
We’ve always been part of the camp that says Corvettes should be allowed to diversify their lineup. A sixty-one year heritage as America’s Favorite Sports Car allows GM to do this. However, unlike the Motor Trend rumor which says that all C8s may go mid-engine, we believe that careful consideration from GM is needed so as not to alienate the current legions of Corvette owners and enthusiasts who have the ability to plunk down the $50K for a base front-engine RWD model but the starting price of $150K for a mid-engine C8 Corvette may be out of their reach.
The price point for a mid-engine Corvette has always been seen as one of the roadblocks to going all in on a mid-engine design. Until that can be overcome, we’d like to see the two-platform plan for the C8 which gives the masses their “budget” sports car as a front-engine RWD configuration that evolves from the current Stingray as well as a high performance Z06 which basically serves as the ass-kicker model in the series. The mid-engined Zora/ZR1 would become the new halo model and while it is still most definitely branded a Corvette, it’s freed from the shackles of Corvette’s 61 years of design and allows Tadge, Kirk and Harlan a new playground on which to run.
2015 Corvette Z06 Coupe’s Curb Weight is Confirmed at 3,524 pounds
Thanks to a friend, we have the latest version of the 2015 Corvette Order Guide which now includes all the ordering and package information about the Z06 (except the price!). One of the most interesting specifications we’ve been waiting on is the curb weight of the new super car and now we know. The 2015 Corvette Z06 Coupe will come in at 3,524 lbs while the Z06 Convertible comes in at 3,582 lbs.
How does this compare to the previous generation? In 2013, the &RUYHWWH=ƍVFXUEZHLJKWZDVOEVZKLOHWKH=5FDPHLQDWOEV7KH&RUYHWWHZLWKWKH highest curbweight in 2013 was the 427 Convertible which weighs 3,355 lbs which was most likely due to the convertible top and mechanics.
Despite the weight savings of the new aluminum frame structure, the 2014 Corvette Stingray weighs in 3,298 lbs which is 90 lbs more than base 2013 Corvette Coupe’s 3,208 lbs. How did the new Z06 put on all this weight?
:HFDQVSHFXODWHWKDWWKH=ƍVweight gain of 349 lbs over the 2013 model comes from the increased mass of the car which now includes the Eaton supercharger as well as the assorted aerodynamic bits and pieces. And let’s not forget that the Z06 is now using a heavier 5th generation engine with all the fuel savings of the Stingray including variable valve timing and direct injection. And finally, the 2015 Corvette also comes with more standard options than the 2013 Z06 like the Magnetic Selective Ride Control and Performance Traction Management.
We’ll be seeing Tadge and Harlan next weekend at Corvettes at Carlisle and will make sure we get their take. Now, if we only knew pricing and performance specifications… Valet Mode with Performance Data Recorder Coming to 2015 Corvettes
Production of the 2015 Corvette is already underway but that hasn’t stopped the Corvette Team from announcing even more content for the award winning sports car. One such feature is the Valet Mode with Performance Data Recorder.
The next time you hand your keys over to a valet, you can rest assured knowing that you’re valuables will be secured and your baby will be under the watchful eyes of the Performance Data Recorder when it’s out of your sight.
Introduced on the 2014 Corvette Stingray, Valet Mode is activated by entering a four-digit code from the settings menu of the infotainment touch screen. Once engaged, the center stack storage compartment behind the display and glove box are locked and the radio and infotainment center is disabled.
For the 2015 Corvette models, that system gets a boost with eyes and ears through the optional Performance Data Recorder. Once Valet Mode is engaged, the Performance Data Recorder is activated and starts recording HD video as well as in-car audio and vehicle telemetry – speed, engine RPM, gear position and G-force.
“Think of it as a baby monitor for your car,” said Harlan Charles, Corvette product manager. “Anyone who has felt apprehension about handing over their keys will appreciate the peace of mind of knowing exactly what happened while their baby was out of sight.”
Once you’ve retrieved your car from the valet, enter the code again to disable the system and then the video can be viewed instantly (while parked) on the Corvette’s eight-inch color touchscreen or downloaded to a computer to view later.
The Performance Data Recorder was developed with Cosworth, the same company that supplies the Corvette Racing team with their data and telemetry acquisition systems.
“Performance Data Recorder was initially designed as a tool for track days, allowing drivers to record their laps and improve their driving skills,” said Charles. “We soon realized the system could have many more applications, such as recording a scenic drive up Highway 101, or recording when the Valet Mode is activated.” GM’s Mark Reuss Shows Off His Restored 1954 Corvette Roadster
Mark Reuss had the honor of talking about the new C7 Corvette when it was unveiled to the world last year.
It’s good to know that he likes classic Corvettes, too.
In fact, the GM head of global product development, purchasing and supply chain, was in Royal Oak, Michigan this week for the Woodward Dream Cruise, and he drove his 60-year-old 1954 Corvette to the annual event.
Reuss bought the car a year ago from the St.Louis Car Museum for a good deal because it needed some work.
“This is a beautiful car,” Reuss said. “It’s not a fast car.”
He just finished the interior restoration a few weeks ago and even got some advice about a missing screw on his headlamp cover from IndyCar racer Helio Castroneves after a radio station Q&A this week at the Dream Cruise.
“I put in new seats, new carpet and all that,” Reuss said. “I love doing that stuff.”
Reuss said he doesn’t pretend to know how to lay up fiberglass but does have some experience with the mechanicals.
“When we got it here, one of the cam lobes had worn off, so it wasn’t opening the valves all the way,” he explained. “The carburetors were interesting, and it was a 6V system that had been converted to a 12V starter. The electrical piece of it was not good, either. None of the dash lights worked. The Powerglide (transmission) is an old cast-iron Powerglide so there’s lots of things, mechanical linkages that I had to replace.”
Reuss was quick to point out that he didn’t trailer his ’54 to the Dream Cruise. “I drive that car,” he said. “I drive all my cars. I will drive that up to Flint and do all that too, for Back to the Bricks (a Buick- sponsored classic-car event Aug. 12-16 in Flint, Michigan).”
You can tell he has a respect for his classic Corvette.
“I love the car, the way it makes me feel,” he said. “I’m not a big hot rodder. It’s really hard for me intellectually to take a car that I know was put into production and do something like that to it, because I know what it took to get there. It’s hard. This is a hard business.
“So that car – I know what happened in the company when it was being done. This is the first American sports car. It started it all. Ed Cole (former chief engineer and later GM president) and those guys put that car together and got it into production – all that history. I get to touch it.
And I get to ride in it, and I get to drive it because I couldn’t experience it.”
He sums up his feelings well when he concludes, “So for me, it’s pretty amazing when I go out to the garage.” Corvette Enthusiast Ed Glazer Sponsors the Corvette Museum’s Motorsports Park Skid Pad
Edward Glazer has fond memories of Corvettes dating back decades.
Now he and his wife Shari have made a generous donation to the new National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park, which will feature the Edward and Shari Glazer Vehicle Dynamics Area when the facility opens on Aug. 28 as part of the Museum’s 20th Anniversary Celebration and 5th National Corvette Caravan.
“One of the best memories I had with my father was going with him to pick up his first new Corvette back in 1984. That’s really when my love for the car began,” Glazer said. “I’ve been fortunate to own many Corvettes since then and have taken delivery of a couple of them at the Museum. It’s an incredible experience for anyone buying a Corvette.”
Motorsports Park General Manager Mitch Wright says that the Glazers’ donation is typical of the way Corvette enthusiasts across the nation have supported the Museum since it was just a dream.
“For several years, the fundraising for the Motorsports Park was a grassroots effort,” Wright said. “Nearly 200 Corvette enthusiasts and clubs stepped up, contributing funds towards purchasing acres of land to not only get the project off the ground, but to show potential sponsors the kind of support that existed for the track. Ed’s contribution is a big boost to our on-going fundraising efforts.”
Glazer says he hopes lots of fathers and sons or daughters will have a chance to create their own Corvette memories at the Park or at the Museum, the way he did with his own father.
The Los Angeles man is no stranger to Corvettes, having taken delivery of a 1999 Light Pewter Corvette coupe in September 1998, then winning a 2008 Black Z06 Corvette in a Museum raffle and took delivery in April that year.
The Glazer Vehicle Dynamics Area will see lots of use, including high performance drivers’ education, recreational racing, teen driver safety training, emergency vehicle drivers’ training, corporate hospitality events, manufacturer testing, and a resource for engineering, math, and science disciplines. MotorTend Head 2 Head: 1967 Corvette 427 vs 1968 Porsche 911L
We’ve seen all kinds of road tests with the 2014 Corvette Stingray going head to head with many other competitors over the past few months.
Today, though, we take a step back into the past with Motor Trend’s Head 2 Head, hosted by Jonny Lieberman, senior features editor at the magazine.
He puts a 1967 Corvette with a 427 V8 against a 1968 Porsche 911L with a 2.0- liter flat-six.
We won’t tell you who won this battle of the icons.
Just suffice it to say both cars have their strong points, but the glorious sounds coming from the dual side pipes of the Corvette, which made 435 horsepower at a time when Ferraris were still in the upper 300s, plus the classic design of the Sting Ray leave Lieberman constantly smiling and laughing and basically just having a ball.
He’s like a kid in a candy store, though he does brush his teeth one time and point out that the Corvette’s outdated steering and brakes don’t quite live up to all that power.
The Porsche, on the other hand, doesn’t generate nearly as much horsepower (only 130), with Lieberman comparing the sound of its puny engine to “an angry sewing machine.”
Despite the lack of oomph, Lieberman notes that the car’s light weight (around 2,000 pounds) means that it doesn’t take as much horsepower to move it around the curvy roads of California.
In fact, Lieberman admits that the Porsche is “such a delight to drive” along the Pacific Coast Highway, with a man-machine connection that isn’t there with the Corvette. The steering almost feels like that of a modern car, he notes, though the 911L is 46 years old.
Numbers-wise, the Corvette is – surprise, surprise – the clear winner, going from 0-60 in 5.5 seconds versus the Porsche’s 8.8 and doing the quarter in 13.8 seconds at 104 mph compared to 14.6 seconds at 95 mph for the 911.
Lieberman concludes that he can see why people love Porsches, but he doesn’t feel like he himself is in love with the car, calling it a “lovable oddball.”
The Corvette, on the other hand, is at the top of the Corvette pyramid, he says, adding that the Sting Ray “just screams cool.”
In fact, he further describes it as an “incredible car,” “a high-water mark,” and “a masterpiece.”
Well, while we didn’t tell you who won this battle of the icons, we will tell you that it should be pretty obvious that Zora Arkus-Duntov and Bill Mitchell would be pleased with the final outcome. 2015 Corvette Stingray’s Eight-Speed Automatic is Faster and Gets 29 MPG Highway
When the 8-speed automatic was first announced for the 2015 Corvette Stingray, most of us saw the main benefit would be an increase in fuel economy and that has come true as the new paddle-shift auto gets an EPA-estimated 29 MPG on the highway But the new automatic is also faster than than the previous 6-speed with a 0-60 mph time at 3.7 seconds.
In fact, the 8-speed automatic-equipped 2015 Stingray is 0.1 seconds quicker than the previous 6-speed automatic with a quarter-mile time of 11.9 seconds compared with the 12.0 seconds in the 6-Speed auto.
The EPA estimate of 29 MPG is a 3.5 percent increase over the fuel economy of the previous 6- speed too. The new 8-Speed is rated at 16 MPG in the city and 20 MPG combined.
“The Corvette Stingray is a great example of how we are leveraging engineering and technology to improve both efficiency and performance,” said Mark Reuss, GM executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing & Supply Chain. “No other car can match 460 horsepower, 0-60 mph in better than 3.7 seconds, and 29 mpg on the highway.”
GM achieves the better performance and efficiency with the 8L90 transmission primarily through its 7.0 overall gear ratio spread which gives the Stingray a more aggressive first gear ratio.
Non-Z51 Stingrays with the 8-speed auto have a new lower 2.41 rear axle which reduces engine rpms by 8 percent on the highway at 70 mph. Z51 Stingrays will continue to have a 2.73 rear axle ratio.
The Corvette Team tells us that they just barely missed reaching 30 MPG and Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Jeuchter does believe that number will be attained in the future. But at 29 MPG, the Stingray gets better highway fuel economy than some of its sports car competitors and even tops some conventional cars with smaller engines:
x Porsche 911 Carrera (28 mpg) x Audi R8 V-8 (20 mpg) x Jaguar F-Type R (23 mpg) x Nissan GT-R (23 mpg) x Subaru Outback six-cylinder (27 mpg) x Volkswagen Passat six-cylinder (28 mpg) x Mercedes-Benz C350 coupe (28 mpg)
Developed in house and built in Toledo, Ohio, the new Hydra-Matic 8L90 was benchmarked for faster shifts. The controller analyzes and executes commands 160 times per second. GM says this translates into wide-open throttle upshifts that are up to eight-hundreds of a second quicker that the dual cluth transmission offered in the Porsche 911.
“The Corvette’s new eight-speed automatic delivers the comfort and drivability of a true automatic transmission, as well as lightning-fast shifts and the manual control that enhance the performance- driving experience,” said Kavoos Kaveh, global chief engineer for eight-speed automatic transmissions. “It was designed to enhance the driving experience, with performance on par with dual-clutch designs, but without sacrificing refinement.”
Black C7 Corvette on Forgelines Is Latest Crash Victim
Add another C7 to the growing list of Stingrays that have “drowned,” so to speak.
This black 2014 Corvette, sitting atop some Forgeline GA3R wheels, was once a great-looking car, but no longer.
It’s now sitting in an insurance company’s holding lot and will be sold through Insurance Auto Auctions. If you were looking for a way to “autopsy” a Stingray, this might be the one as you can get a peek underneath the front and rear skin and see the fuel tanks as well as the inner workings of the door.
The back glass is gone, and the front windshield is shattered. The driver’s airbag went off, so we can only hope that he or she was prevented from suffering any major injury by that fact.
We have no details on the accident, but we have to wonder if the fancy high-tech features on the Stingray are making drivers feel like they are invincible and have suddenly become Richard Petty Jr.
That $1,000 driver’s course offered with each new 2014 Corvette might be the best investment an owner could make. Chevrolet Announces the MSRP for the 2015 Corvette Z06 Will Start at $78,995
Chevrolet has finally answered the question that has kept Corvette enthusiasts wondering since the 2015 Corvette Z06 was introduced back in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit: How much is America’s newest supercar going to cost?
Well that answer arrived this morning and it’s going to put a smile on your face.
The all-new 2015 Corvette Z06 Coupe with 650 hp will start at an MSRP of $78,995. The Corvette Z06 Convertible will start at $83,995. Prices include the $995 destination fee.
“The 2015 Corvette Z06’s performance and technical capabilities place it in the elite fraternity of supercars,” said Harlan Charles, Corvette product and marketing manager. “Very few cars in the world deliver 650 horsepower, true aerodynamic downforce, carbon fiber and performance technologies such as Magnetic Ride Control, Performance Traction Management and an electronic limited slip differential – and none gives the driver a transmission choice or the choice of a coupe with a removable roof panel or a full-power-top convertible.”
Not many will be content to have a base car and so the Z06 allows customers the opportunity for upgrades and add-ons including the Corvette Racing inspired Carbon Fiber Ground Effects package which produces aerodynamic downforce at high speeds for increased stability. The package adds a carbon fiber front splitter, side rocker panels and a larger rear spoiler and will run $2,995. For the same Ground Effects package in visible carbon fiber, the price is $3,995.
For the ultimate experience in the Corvette Z06, buyers can add the Z07 Performance Package which adds the Brembo Carbon Ceramic brake roters, Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cub Tires and adjustable front and rear aerodynamic components to the Carbon Fiber Ground Effects Package. Checking the box on the Z07 Performance Package will add $7,995.
“The Z07 performance package enhances overall performance to make the Corvette Z06 one of the most track-capable cars you can buy off the dealership floor and still drive it to work every day,” said Charles.
Like the Stingray, the Corvette Z06 is being offered in three trim packages ranging from the standard 1LZ to the nicely appointed 3LZ. Pricing for these packages is is not listed in the press release, but a leak on the forum suggests that the 2LZ equipment group will cost $3,270 and the 3LZ will cost $8,650.
Production of the 2015 Corvette Z06 will start at the end of the year with customer deliveries anticipated to begin in 1st quarter 2015. P.O. BOX 26223 FRESNO, CA. 93729-6223 www.corvettesoffresno.com