The official Newsletter of the Award Winning June 2020 Northern Illinois Corvette Club My oldest son and his wife and his two youngest kids Greetings for June are on a trip out west. It started as a business trip but the opportunity to take a family trip presented itself. This letter finds the status of the With the work destination being Montana, they laid out club to be mostly the same as last plans for the Black Hills (Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse month. While the coronavirus still is Memorial, Badlands, etc.), Devils Tower and forcing social distancing, it is Yellowstone. So far, they have been able to do most of impractical to hold our normal what they had planned, even when some locations are meetings and to conduct the events officially closed. It is interesting to see how my son we would be enjoying otherwise. wanted to take his family to see the same things we What I am feeling and am starting to had taken him and his brother to see many years ago. hear from some other people is: how can we get creative and start to try to do something All this reminds me of the importance of creating with our Corvettes. memories with family and friends. A small part of what we do as a club is to have some fun with our Corvettes, Individually, we now have some options to get out and but I think the larger part is to make memories. Right drive and maybe even get a snack. We made one trip to now, the memories we are creating may not be the Rock Cut Park and observed the large group gatherings greatest but let us hope that we can soon get back on that the newspaper reported. So driving is fine, we just track. Like I said last month, together we can make a lot cannot have a big group gathering yet. Last Sunday we of great things happen. NICC is waiting and ready to drove to Union Dairy for ice cream and sat outside. We start our activities again and we want you to be an ran into friends there and sat together at the same active participant. Keep watching for updates as things picnic table without any negative reaction from anyone get back to normal. around us. Contents These episodes are giving us the urge to get out and do Please stay connected Schedules...... ….2 something socially. With more liberal restrictions in with your friends and club Birthdays & Anniversaries ...... 3 members and stay safe Meeting Minutes ...... 4 Wisconsin it might be possible to have some sort of Father’s Day Recognition ...... 5 small group outings. As an Illinois based club, I feel we and healthy. VV Honor Roll ...... 5 still have to observe the guidelines established by our Governor’s Report ...... 6 If you have any questions NCCC Corvette Show ...... 7 Illinois Governor, but I think it is time to start looking at or concerns about the Poopys Car Show Flyer ...... 8 the possibilities. club, please let me know. Albany Auto Show Flyer ...... 9 Spring Corvette Rallye ...... 10 First Corvette Assembled ...... 11 It is not that I am sitting around with nothing to do. I Leon Gorsch NICC President Corvette Lineage ...... 12 have yard work to do all the time and the deck building Well Vetted ...... 13-16 project is still not finished. In fact, the progress has Rooftop Test Tracks...... 17-19 slowed a little in the past few weeks. The contractors 15 Corvettes ...... 20 Auto Trivia ...... 20 we hired for tree plantings and patio expansion needed From the Editor ...... 21-22 “supervision”, By the way, we included a fire pit in the LACEs ...... 23 patio expansion so maybe a hot dog roast can happen VV Potluck ...... 24 About NICC & VetteVisions ... 25 at our house again sometime. Classifieds ...... 26-27

Love ‘Vettes, Have Fun, Give Back! June 2020

2020 - Membership and Board Meetings Jun 28 6:00 PM - Social Hour 7:00 PM - Meeting Unless otherwise posted, all Membership and Board meetings are held on Jul 26 6:00 PM - Social Hour 7:00 PM - Meeting Sundays at: Aug 30 6:00 PM - Social Hour 7:00 PM - Meeting Sep 27 6:00 PM - Social Hour 7:00 PM - Meeting Sam’s Ristorante Oct 25 4:30 PM - Board Meeting 6075 E. Riverside Blvd. Rockford, IL 61114 6:00 PM - Social Hour 7:00 PM - Meeting

Nov 29 5:00 PM - Social Hour 6:00 PM - Meeting Members are welcome to attend the Dec 20 3:30 PM - Board Meeting Board Meetings. 5:00 PM - Social Hour 6:00 PM - Meeting Guests are welcome to attend the Social Hour and Membership Meetings. 2021 - Membership and Board Meetings Jan 24 5:00 PM - Social Hour 6:00 PM - Meeting If you have other appropriate events of Feb 22 5:00 PM - Social Hour 6:00 PM - Meeting interest that you’d like to see publicized Mar 28 4:00 PM - Board Meeting please send the details to the email address below. They will be included as space 5:00 PM - Social Hour 6:00 PM - Meeting allows. [email protected]

DUE TO COVID-19, ALL NICC ACTIVITES INCLUDING MEETINGS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. PLEASE WATCH FOR EMAIL BLASTS OR CHECK WEBSITE FOR LATEST UPDATES.

2020 - NICC Events - See website for updates & flyers Jun TBD TBD TBD Sonic Cruise Night Loves Park, IL Sun 21 9:00 AM NCCC Corvette Show Tinley Park, IL Jul Sat 4 TBD Cherry Valley Parade Cherry Valley, IL Tentative TBD TBD TBD Progressive Dinner Need hosts Sun 19 9:30 AM MWR Spring Corvette Rallye Brookfield, WI Aug Sa-Su 1-2 TBD Road America Elkhart Lake, WI 2020 - Other Events of Interest June 28 Corvette Sunday Funday, Savanna, IL website July 5-10 National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC) Convention CANCELLED July 15-18 Black Hills Corvette Classic, South Dakota website CANCELLED July 26 Turning Back Time Car Show, Sycamore, IL website August 20-21 St. Jude Corvette Drive to Memphis website August 29 Vettes on the River, Le Claire, IA website August 27-30 Corvettes at Carlisle, Carlisle, PA website September 11-12 Bloomington Gold 2020, Indianapolis, IN website September 11-13 Fall Corvette Adventures, Wisconsin Dells, WI website September 18-19 Corvette Funfest, Effingham, IL website September 25-27 Route 66 Mother Road Festival, Springfield, IL website November 21-22 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals website

For additions or corrections please contact: Check the Website for updates; [email protected] http://nicccorvette.com 2 June 2020

Important Club Member Dates

Birthdays If you just need a reason to celebrate: Birthdays are good for your health; the more you have, the longer you live. Jun 5 World Environment Day A FarmersAlmanac.com Philosofact Jun 7 National Chocolate Ice Cream Day Jun 9 Donald Duck Day June July Jun 10 Iced Tea Day Jun 18 National Splurge Day Lynn Foecking Barb Johnson Jun 19 World Sauntering Day Terri Zawiski Chuck Kruse Jun 21 Go Skating / Skateboarding Day Richard Woessner Jul 2 I Forgot Day Micki Stern Jul 3 Compliment Your Mirror Day C-1 Corvette 6/30/53 Jul 7 Chocolate Day Dale Samuelson Jul 10 Teddy Bear Picnic Day Onie Drewelow Jul 11 World Population Day Jul 13 Embrace Your Geekness Day Gene Stimart Jul 14 International Nude Day Jul 17 National Ice Cream Day Brad Lesher Jul 22 Rat-Catcher's Day Rod Bennett Jul 24 Cousins' Day Jul 25 Thread the Needle Day Jeffrey Drewelow Jul 27 Take Your Plants for a Walk Day Jul 28 National Milk Chocolate Day Susan Chamberlain Jul 29 National Lasagna Day Paul Zeien Courtesy of: http://www.holidayscalendar.com And your Vette Visions Editor Wedding Anniversaries

June Russ & Julie Moore NICC MEMBER CORVETTES Jack & Janet Wilson BY GENERATION Lee & Lynn Foecking Gene & Karin Alfors C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 George & Susan Chamberlain 1 6 9 12 10 15 24 0 Don & Barb Johnson Rod & Wendy Bennett TOTAL — 77 Gary & Anne Vosberg Joe & Jeanette Hansen Source: NICC Membership Roster Ken & Cindy Starzyk Steven & Bridget Goley NICC Sunshine Club

July Club Members: Dale & Carolyn Samuelson If you know of someone who needs to be remembered by our club, via a card or a note, please notify: Is your Birthday or Anniversary incorrect or Doris Hicks, Sunshine Club Chair, at missing? Please let us know! [email protected] [email protected] 815-885-2426

3 June 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE: THE MAY MEMBERSHIP WAS CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 AND THE ILLINOIS PHASE 3 GUIDELINES. IN LIEU OF MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES, PRESIDENT LEON GORSCH PROVIDED THE STATEMENT BELOW.

4 June 2020

2020 VETTE VISIONS HONOR ROLL VETTE GRINS

Members are placed on the Honor Roll for having their Finland has just closed their borders, so nobody will be article(s) published in Vette Visions. Having three or crossing the Finnish line. more articles published earns placement on the High Honors list. Have you submitted your article for publica- Due to the quarantine, I’ll only be telling inside jokes. tion? HONORS HIGH HONORS There will be a minor baby boom in 9 months. Then around the year 2033, we shall witness the rise of the Dale Samuelson Cindy & Ken Starzyk (3) “quaranteens.” Donna Mathews (2) Jeff Drewelow World Health Organization has determined that dogs cannot Linda Stimart contract COVID-19. Dogs previously being held in quarantine will be released. To be clear, WHO let the dogs out. Barb Jackson Jeanette & Joe Hansen I’ll tell you a coronavirus joke, but you’ll have to wait two Karin Alfors weeks to see if you got it.

5 June 2020

NICC Governor’s Report Submitted by Jack Wilson

Greeting to everyone, as another month of us trying to stay safe and well has passed. I hope that you and your families are all well.

NCCC and the MWR have taken a hard blow this year in having to cancel all the events through July, except for the NCCC Convention, which is still scheduled for July 5 thru the 10th.

Since our National and Regional Meetings in ST. Louis were canceled for May 2nd, the MWR decided to have a phone/video conference on May 2nd to primarily discuss the finances and competition schedule for 2020. The following items were covered:

1. The financial status of the MWR is still solid as of the end of April. Unfortunately, we did not have the in- come as planned, but we also did not have the expenses as planned 2. The MWR Fund Raiser for Memorial Weekend was cancelled as well as the Quincy, St. Charles, and Co- lumbus autocross events in June. Several other shows and rallies were also cancelled. 3. The NCCC RCDs did have a meeting and decided a number of safety protocols must be put in place for all events whenever it opens for the protection of workers and participants.

Following this teleconference, Badger State Vettes, Governor and myself, discussed our July 18 & 19 Twin Lakes Fund Raising Events and decided it was too soon to chance it, even with all the protocol requirements. Therefore, we cancelled that event.

I have been in conversation with the Crystal Lake Governor, and the Northern Rays LTD. Governor, regarding our next fund raiser to be held at McHenry College in Crystal Lake, IL on August 8 and 9. Since it is still 2 ½ months out, we are going to plan to have it and figure out what protocols we will have to have to maintain a safe environment. If we have another spike in the Covid-19, we may have to cancel that also. However, we will monitor the situation and do what is best for the protection of our members.

With that said, please plan on helping put on the August event as you did last year in support of this NICC Fund Raiser. As we get closer, I will be asking you to let me know if you will be there to help either day or both days. As always, I sincerely appreciate the support you have given the club and myself.

Stay safe and God Bless.

Jack C.Wilson NICC Governor

Reprinted from gmauthority.com

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10 June 2020

Workers assemble first Corvette in Flint, Michigan By History.com Editors at https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/workers-assemble-first-corvette-in-flint-michigan

On June 28 in 1953, workers at a Chevrolet plant in Flint, Michigan, assemble the first Corvette, a two-seater that would be- come an American icon. The first completed production car rolled off the assembly line two days later, one of just 300 Corvettes made that year.

The idea for the Corvette originated with ’ pioneering designer Harley J. Earl, who in 1951 began developing plans for a low- cost American sports car that could compete with Europe’s MGs, Jaguars and Ferraris. The project was even- tually code-named “Opel.” In January 1953, GM debuted the Corvette at its Motorama auto show at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. It featured a fiberglass body and a six-cylinder engine and according to GM, was named for the “trim, fleet naval vessel that per- formed heroic escort and patrol duties during World War II.” The Corvette was a big hit with the public at Motorama and GM soon put the roadster into production.

On June 30, 1953, the first Corvette came off the production line in Flint. It was hand-assembled and featured a Polo White exterior and red interior, two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission, a wraparound , whitewall tires and detachable plastic curtains instead of side windows. The earliest Corvettes were designed to be opened from the inside and lacked exterior door handles. Other com- ponents included a clock, cigarette lighter and red warning light that activated when the parking brake was applied–a new feature at the time. The car carried an initial price tag of $3,490 and could go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 11 or 12 sec- onds, then considered a fairly average speed.

In 1954, the Corvette went into mass production at a Chevy plant in St. Louis, Missouri. Sales were lackluster in the beginning and GM considered discontinuing the line. However, rival company Ford had introduced the two-seater Thunderbird around the same time and GM did not want to be seen bowing to the competition. Another critical development in the Corvette’s sur- vival came in 1955, when it was equipped with the more powerful V-8 engine. Its performance and appeal steadily improved after that and it went on to earn the nickname “America’s sports car” and become in- grained in pop culture through multiple references in movies, television and music.

11 June 2020

Corvette Lineage 101 By Don Sherman for Hagerty.com at https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2020/03/23/uniting-mid-engine-c8-corvette-with-c1- and-c4-brethren

C1 1953–62 Born with a modest 150-hp inline-six and a two-speed automatic, the Corvette roadster received a 195-hp 265-cid V-8 and three-speed stick option in 1955, followed by a reskin in ’56. The next year, a 283-cid V-8, fuel injection, and a four-speed stick were added, followed by a 327-cid V-8 in ’62. C2 1963–67 A comprehensive body and chassis overhaul resulted in the addition of a coupe body style and inde- pendent rear suspension. A 396-cid big-block and four-wheel disc brakes arrived in 1965. C3 1968–82 The “Shark” era began with fresh styling, standard T-tops on the coupe, and a three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic option. Small- and big-block V-8s both grew in size. In 1979, sales topped the 50,000 mark for the first time. Production moved from St. Louis to Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1981. C4 1984–96 Chevy skipped the ’83 model year because the new C4 Corvette met ’84 federal regs and was un- veiled in March 1983. High-sided frame rails increased structural stiffness, and a digital electronic instrument cluster revolutionized the cockpit. Engine advancements included Bosch fuel injection, a Callaway twin-turbo option, and a Lotus-built DOHC V-8 producing 405 hp. C5 1997–2004 Were it not for Chevy general manager Jim Perkins, Corvettes would have expired after the C4. Perkins appropriated $2.5 million from his marketing budget to construct the C5 prototype, which earned production approval. The C4’s high side-frame rails were replaced with a backbone design facilitated by an 8.3-inch wheelbase stretch and by relocating the transmission to just ahead of the differential. The new-for- 2001 Z06 provided 385 hp (later 405). C6 2005–13 The sixth-gen Corvette was shorter but rode on a longer wheelbase; design efficiencies yielded more luggage space. The were fixed for the first time since 1962. A new 6.0-liter V-8 provided 400 hp. A six-speed paddle-shift automatic arrived in 2006. The V-8 grew to 6.2 liters (coded LS3) in 2008, in- creasing output to 430 hp. For 2006, the Z06 rode on an aluminum space frame and was powered by a 7.0- liter 505-hp V-8 with aluminum block and heads. In 2009, the ZR1 debuted with dry-sump lubrication and a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 delivering 638 hp. C7 2014–19 Designers borrowed exterior details from the C8 for the comprehensively reengineered C7. Notable features included a new 455-hp LT1 V-8, a seven-speed manual transmission with rev matching, an alumi- num space frame for all trims, and a few carbon-fiber body panels. The 2015 Z06 supercharged LT4 V-8, de- livering 650 hp, was available with a new eight-speed automatic transmission. The ZR1 returned for 2019 with 755 supercharged hp and a 212-mph top speed. The last C7 was manufactured November 15, 2019. C8 2020–? The new Corvette’s wheelbase, length, width, weight, rear tire size, and rear wheel width are all greater than those of the C7. Occupant space has been increased by longer seat travel and greater backrest recline. Coilover suspension units replaced the C7’s composite leaf springs. The new LT2 V-8 features dry sump lubrication, while a paddle-shift dual-clutch eight-speed automatic is the sole transmission choice. Pro- duction commenced in February, 2020.

12 June 2020

Well Vetted: Uniting the mid-engine C8 Corvette with its C1 and C4 brethren California’s Highway 33 made into a slice of heaven. By Don Sherman for Hagerty.com at https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2020/03/23/uniting-mid-engine-c8-corvette-with-c1- and-c4-brethren

Two days dicing three Corvettes on California’s heavenly Highway 33 north of Ojai is as close as any mortal will come to a taste of the afterlife. Three Hagerty scribes and a photo crew binged on this banquet of lefts, rights, climbs, and dives on the impeccable asphalt meandering through the Los Pa- dres National Forest and the Topatopa Mountains. Ravines were dabbed in brown, green, and fire-ravaged black, peaks were crowned with sunbeams, and Richard Pardon we enjoyed glimpses of the sky-blue Pacific. That old chestnut, “…to die for,” was surely coined here. The mission was to put the already well-publicized 2020 Corvette Stingray into historical context and thereby deter- mine if the new car is indeed a true Corvette or, as some cynics would have it, just a cut-rate Ferrari pretender. Over eight generations of production, the American dream machine has endured, through 67 years of station-keeping and also moments of radical change. Surely relocating the engine behind the seats qualifies as the latter. So we gathered up a new C8 as well as two generations of Corvette that were also turning points in the model’s bloodline. An immacu- late 1956 C1 stood in for the first Corvettes to get V-8 engines, while our well-preserved 1986 C4 represented GM’s first all-in effort to give the Corvette truly modern performance through a whole-car approach to chassis rigidity and suspension tune. With our two veterans flying in formation with the C8, we hoped to glean answers to our burning questions: Was mov- ing the engine behind the cockpit wise? Has advanced technology drained fun-to-drive from the Corvette’s soul? Is this newbie a legitimate heir to the Corvette throne? Fetching in Rapid Blue, the 2020 Corvette is all swoops and angles. It’s all B-pillars, too, and they impair rear visibility something fierce. Let’s start with a spoonful of history. Like every worthy performance stride, the mid-engine movement began in mo- torsports. A 1925 Benz Tropfenwagen piloted by Adolf Rosenberger was the first mid-engine Grand Prix winner, fol- lowed by Dr. Porsche’s indomitable Auto Unions in the 1930s. After World War II, single-seaters by John Cooper and others revolutionized Formula One before modernizing Indy. The seminal mid-engine sports car for the road was the Mercedes-Benz 150H, twenty of which were sold in 1935–36. Thirty years later, Lamborghini invented the supercar with its stunning transverse mid-engine Miura, while the Lotus Europa served as the supercar-lite archetype. The Toy- ota MR2, Fiero, and many more mid-engine two-seaters followed. Today, front-engine sports cars are a dying breed. Corvette patron saint Zora Arkus-Duntov joined the club in 1957. After his front-engine, magnesium-bodied Corvette SS racer cooked driver John Fitch’s feet at Sebring, Arkus-Duntov concluded the “heat source [the engine] must be be- hind the driver.” The Auto Union victories he witnessed before WWII, and his 1954 class win at Le Mans driving a mid- engine Porsche 550 Spyder, also shaped his thinking. Before retiring from Chevrolet in 1975, Arkus-Duntov built half a dozen mid-engine proto- types; after his departure, like-minded GM engineers and designers cre- ated six more. Unfortunately, the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mindset ruled GM then, delaying the mid-engine Corvette for decades. Finally, in 2005, the year the C6 Corvette launched, assistant chief engi- neer Tadge Juechter convinced his superiors that the front-engine gambit was tapped out—that adding more power up front accelerated nothing but the generation of tire smoke in back. Although bosses Tom Wallace, Bob Lutz, and Rick Wagoner all became believers, GM’s bankruptcy would Richard Pardon delay the arrival of the mid-engine Corvette another 15 years.

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Continued from Page 13 Physics is what drives engineers to the mid-engine format. Shifting engine mass rearward improves acceleration by increasing rear-wheel propulsion traction. During hard braking, vertical loading shifts forward, allowing all four tires to contribute more equitably to the deceleration cause. Another important variable is the polar moment of inertia about a vertical axis through the center of gravity. Minimizing the polar moment by locating heavy engine and transmission parts near the center of gravity expedites Richard Pardon turn-in and diminishes the tire force required to straighten the car exiting a bend. But such science wasn’t part of the equation way back when GM’s designers sculpted the 1956 Corvette bodywork over chassis and powertrain parts sourced from Chevy sedans of the day. The fact that rack-and-pinion steering, disc brakes, power assists, and electronic gadgets were far in the future didn’t matter, because these creators knew beauty when they drew it. So they made the second iteration of the first-generation Corvette an art object, with alluring pro- portions, attractive details like the famous side scallop, and a sporting mien. Their reskin, extinguishing the Blue Flame six-cylinder engine and adding power to the new 265-cid small-block V-8, didn’t do much to dent Ford Thunderbird sales, but the 1956 update did set a performance-oriented course that has served the Corvette well for decades. Hagerty father/son members Harry and David Bogosian, of Santa Clarita, California, have owned this Arctic Blue ’56 for only four months. It has enjoyed a frame-off restoration, an engine rebuild by California’s Corvette Mike, a stunning base-coat/clear-coat paint job, and two upgrades from factory specs: a four-speed manual transmission (up from three) and the installation of 205/75R-15 radial tires. Hagerty magazine editor Aaron Robinson’s preliminary assessment of the C1 says it all: “America’s Jaguar XK120 is lovely to look at, but the driver seems to have been left out of the design equation.” Indeed, cockpit entry by today’s drivers is a challenge. Even with the seat slid fully back, scrunching is required to slip behind the wheel and to wriggle lower limbs through the tight door opening. The vi- nyl-clad seats are, in essence, solo benches lacking any hint of a bucket’s lateral restraint. The Bogosians’ 210-hp V-8 topped with a single four-barrel Carter carbu- retor murmurs contentedly, delivering satisfying spurts of torque. It’s easy to see why V-8s became America’s ultimate gift to the motoring world. The old Corvette loafs along with snorty grunts best enjoyed with the top Richard Pardon stowed. At 50 mph in fourth, the tach registers only 2100 rpm.

This Corvette’s dirty little secret, however, is the “praying mantis” driving position, with forearms cocked and your chest only a few inches behind the steering wheel. It was deemed necessary back then because the steering effort, es- pecially at parking speeds, is abysmally high. Once you get rolling, there’s steering slack to deal with, which makes us wonder how drivers like Bob Bondurant enjoyed so much success racing Corvettes in the ’50s. Finding first in the H-pattern was a challenge, but the synchros worked as intended and shift efforts were light. Our drivers reported smooth clutch takeup and reasonably good braking performance, and they enjoyed wrapping thumbs around the plastic steering wheel spokes in cruise mode. There was no hint of brake fade when this veteran Corvette had to hustle to keep pace with its descendants. Our man Cameron Neveu observed: “This Vette handles like a sedan with some body roll and noticeable pitch when you brake hard for a tight bend.” It’s clear the Corvette’s engineers and designers weren’t sitting on their hands during the 30-year span between our elder test cars. Though the Stingray badge was collecting dust on the shelf in 1986, every pore of Chevy’s fourth- generation sports car was crammed with notable advancements: Tall peripheral frame rails for major improvements in chassis rigidity. More precise power rack-and-pinion steering, instead of the manual worm-and-roller gear. Fat radials supported by a fully independent suspension system, with fiberglass leaf springs at both ends of the car.

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Continued from Page 14 Realizing they had a weapon capable of fighting sports cars from Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, and Porsche, Corvette engi- neers used showroom stock road racing to develop the Corvette’s brake system. As such, meaty disc brakes with Bosch ABS were part of the package. Two transmissions were offered: a four-speed Doug Nash manual with a two-speed electric overdrive, and a four-speed automatic with overdrive top. The was back (after a nine-year hiatus) and the base coupe had a removable roof panel. The fully electronic instrument displays were reoriented to improve direct sunlight legibility. Hagerty father/son members Vince and Armen Kachatorian of Glendale, California, have owned the C4 we enjoyed on Highway 33 for 14 months. It’s an original California car powered by a 230-hp 350-cid V-8 and the automatic. The most notable option is the Z51 performance handling package, which includes 16-inch radials; stiffer springs and anti-roll bars; firmer Bilstein dampers and stiffer suspension bushings; quicker steering; and an engine oil cooler. Next to the pierced, winged, and scooped C8, the C4 is a composition of simple, elegant forms. Its long nose has few curves or creases. The basket-handle Bpillar rises proudly over the sweeping lower body. There’s ample glass to provide occu- pants with a clear view of their world. Compared with the C8, the C4 is a tidy two- seater: its wheelbase is 11 inches shorter and its overall length is 5.8 inches less. The fourth-generation car is 5.1 inches narrower in width, and it’s 1.9 inches shorter from road to roof. Our calibrated eyeballs rated the C4 “tiny” in compari- son with its C8 successor. “Today’s cars—not to mention the people they trans- Richard Pardon port—are, in my opinion, just too damn big,” read one logbook entry. The 1986 Corvette’s handling doesn’t bowl you over after you’ve driven the C8, which benefits from more than three decades of improvement. The steering lacks linearity, and there’s minimal road feel. When you’ve pushed the C4 to the point when its tires are howling, you’re not sure which end of the car is about to break loose. Though the transmission holds each gear to 6000 rpm, the power-to-weight ratio (13.4 lb/hp) isn’t that terrific, and I was surprised to find the brakes less impressive than I remembered from my days racing them in the SCCA. This car clearly illustrates just how far Corvette speed and agility have advanced. Others thought the C4 felt good considering its age. “Flat in the turns, solid grip, reasonably fast,” said one logbook note. “While the Las Vegas light show instrumentation is fun to look at, it’s tough to read at a glance.” The tall sills and a center tunnel that dominates the cockpit make this interior feel small and cramped. Emissions controls had taken the edge off the original exhaust note, so the Kachatorians fitted smaller cans to the back. The melody they produced provided all the more reason to remove the roof when possible. There’s surprisingly little cockpit turbulence when the sun shines in. The preproduction 2020 Corvette loaned to us by Chevrolet came loaded with practically every available extra-cost upgrade: the top 3LT trim, the Z51 performance package, magnetic dampers, nose-lifting equipment, competition seats, spiffy wheels, and more. Options totaling $23,830 drove the $59,995 base price to $83,825, which still undercuts a base Porsche 911 Carrera by nearly $15K. Moving 500 pounds of engine back several feet and shuffling 250 pounds of transmission parts aft of the rear axle yields a front/rear weight bias of 40/60, a notable improvement over the C7’s 50/50 disposition (a rear weight bias is better for handling). Even in the car’s “burnout mode”—which disables traction control and engages the clutch in first gear at the 6500-rpm redline—there’s precious little tire spin accompanying the head-yanking forward acceleration. Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter is deathly afraid of lift-throttle oversteer, the result of trauma he experienced riding with a fighter pilot father who owned Porsches. So, in spite of the C8’s rear weight bias, we noticed no hint of loose-tail shenanigans on Highway 33. Even lifting late into bends and tromping the right pedal hard upon exit won’t disrupt this Corvette’s secure grip. We saw several 1.1-g readings in the g-meter that is part of the head-up display, and without sensing much under- or oversteer. The steering feels almost telepathic. The driver picks a spot on the road where she wants to be, commands the car through the steering wheel, and is instantly locked onto the heading of her choice with no second thoughts or corrections required.

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Continued from Page 15 The magnetic dampers are simply magnificent in how they contain body mo- tion without imposing harshness, and the car gives the driver a choice of modes depending on his mood. It can seem a lot smaller and lighter at speed than it looks. The steering and brakes both feel organic, and the chassis digests the road with unflappable competence. The squirming and porpoising that testers once felt in previous Corvettes are absent. Surprisingly, no one griped about the lack of a clutch pedal and shift lever in the new Corvette. The transmission interacts with the shift paddles in so many ways that there’s really no loss of entertainment with the new powertrain. As you attack Highway 33 flat out, your hands and thoughts are fully occupied, so we found it a relief Richard Pardon not to have to deal with clutching, rev matching, and shifting procedures. With eight ratios to choose from, the dual-clutch automatic is astute at serving up the right gear for practically every occasion. Even though the C7-to-C8 weight gain is roughly 70 pounds, the fortified LT2 small-block feels energetic at work. The combination of enhanced traction and slightly improved power-to-weight ratio (7.21 vs. 7.25 lb/hp) yields 0–60 accel- eration below three seconds and quarter-mile trap speeds topping 120 mph, according to Chevy. That’s enough to meet or beat a 911 in straight-line acceleration. Nonetheless, our logbook reflects mixed emotions about the latest small-block: “The engine is quiet and subtle back there, but the discordant clicking of injectors is audible, and the 6500- rpm redline feels low in a supercar that isn’t turbocharged.” Still, there are inevitable trade-offs between low-end punch and top-end verve. GM’s engine team has wrung an amaz- ing amount of vitality out of its 6.2-liter small-block without the added expense and weight that the overhead-cam, multi-valve alternative would impose. In other words, given the $60K base price, a buyer should be very happy with everything the small-block and dual-clutch pairing brings to the Corvette party. The cockpit is riddled with switches, but we all came to terms with it quickly. Outward visibility, however, was another matter. Some of us couldn’t believe GM thought the huge over-the-shoulder blind spots would fly. “It’s not driving, it’s spelunking,” commented one wag. One problem is the vast sweep of bodywork behind the B-pillars over the engine bay. The other is that the hatch glass tapers aggressively toward the rear and is angled so close to horizontal that re- flections yield a largely opaque view. To solve this dilemma, a two-way center mirror is standard equipment. One setting provides a conventional look through the two glass panels between the cockpit and the outside world. The other setting is an HD camera view unobstructed by the aforementioned reflec- tions. The downside with the second mode is that your eyes need a split second or two to focus in on the electronic look at what’s behind the car. The C8’s Z51 package includes bigger brakes; an electronic limitedslip differential; Michelin Pilot Sport tires; performance exhaust and suspension; and aero aids. There is no such complaint about the C8’s overall quality, however, especially as fitted with the $11,950 3LT trim. The stitched and ventilated leather, the nappy suede, the polished metal accents, and the matte-black display frames are impec- Richard Pardon cable, while color-keyed hard plastic tactfully guards the door openings. There’s no doubt that the C8 is a real Corvette. Moving the engine to the middle of the car is an initial step (or three) up the performance ladder while also enabling enticing future possibilities. Electrification, all-wheel drive, and forced induction could all arrive in this generation. Like the stingray from which it takes its name, the Corvette will thrive by swimming forward. GM knew that as long ago as 1955, when it executed the first significant changes to the model. Since then, each successive generation has moved the needle to varying degrees—but they have all moved it. Those hoping the Corvette will remain the same forever are hoping for extinction. Instead, GM has chosen to draw from its history what it needs while sending its beloved sports car off and running toward its future.

16 June 2020

These 3 rooftop test tracks will blow your mind By Ronnie Schreiber for Hagerty.com at https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/rooftop-test-tracks/

It’s difficult to design, develop, and manufacture cars without some kind of test track, and it’s nice to have one close to development and manufacturing facilities. When the Dodge brothers broke away from supplying Henry Ford to start making their own self-branded automobiles in 1914, one of the first things that they did was construct a test track right next to the Dodge Main factory in the Detroit enclave of Hamtramck. It was “paved” with wooden boards and had an elevated section to simulate hill climbing. Dodge’s wooden-slatted circuit was the first automotive test track in the world to be built on the grounds of a car factory. Ford converted Ford Airport, on the grounds of its own Dearborn complex, to what would become the Dearborn Proving Grounds in the late 1930s. Packard, on the other hand, decided to build a modern, high-speed, 2.5-mile squared oval test track—as fast as the speedway in Indianapolis, in fact—at what it named the Packard Proving Grounds in Shelby Township, about 20 miles north of the Packard plant on Detroit’s east side. Packard even built a small private airport on the track’s infield and constructed an engineering lab adjacent to the track. As Detroit and its suburbs developed, the major automakers fol- lowed Packard’s lead, taking advantage of the open spaces in the regions be- yond the city. In 1924 General Motors started developing its 4000-acre proving grounds in Milford, about a half hour northwest of Detroit. A bit farther west, Photo by National Automotive History Chrysler dedicated a 3850-acre facility in Chelsea in 1954, and Ford built its Collection - Detroit Public Library own exurban test track on its 3880-acre proving grounds in Romeo soon after. Not every car company had the option of using thousands of acres of land for testing, and while there are all sorts of tests that can be accomplished at a large test track, including high-speed and endurance testing, it’s also nice to be able to do some immediate real-world testing. For example, in addition to Ford’s tracks in Dearborn and Romeo, its transmission plant in Livonia, Michigan, also has its own little-known, oval test track right next door. If next door is convenient, how about putting the test track in—or I should say on—the factory itself? Might not have been your first thought, but that’s exactly what at least three car companies did in Italy, Argentina, and Belgium: They put test tracks on the roofs of their factories. The first, Fiat’s former Lingotto factory in the middle of Turin, is fairly well known even to some folks who aren’t car enthusiasts. That’s because it was used as a filming location for part of the climactic chase scene in the original The Italian Job starring Michael Caine. Lingotto is arguably the most famous building in Turin, a city so closely tied to Fiat that it is part of the company’s name: Fab- brica Italiana di Automobili Torino. The four-story factory stretches for half a kilometer. Designed by architect Giacomo Mattè Trucco in 1916 and finished in 1923, the Lingotto plant had an assembly line that started at ground level and spiraled up to the top floor where the finished cars would be driven out for testing on the banked oval track on the roof. Two ramps led Photo by De Line Pictures from the roof down to street level. With the construction of Fiat’s giant Mirafiori plant, Lingotto, whose multi-story design proved to be less than efficient, became superfluous and production ended there in 1979. Still, more than a million Fiats were produced at Lingotto in the intervening years, each one tested on the rooftop track. It’s even rumored that some high performance and racing cars were tested up there, despite the track’s paperclip profile. For an industrial building, Lingotto is fairly attractive, which partly explains why it was repurposed as a hotel, shopping center, and convention facility. Though no longer in regular use, Lingotto’s rooftop test track is still extant.

17 Continued on Page 18 June 2020

Continued from Page 17 The same can’t be said for the Argentinian entry in this trio of test tracks that topped car factories. Just five years after the first car ran on the roof of Lingotto, in 1928 the then-new Chrysler corporation’s distributor in Argentina opened the Palacio Chrysler in the Palermo Chico neighborhood of Buenos Aires. A multipurpose, three-story building, it had showrooms, administrative offices, warehouse space, and workshops for assembling knocked-down kits of Chrysler cars. Still more facilities provided repair and maintenance services. Palacio Chrysler was designed by Mario Palanti for entrepreneur Julio Fevre, who had secured the rights to represent the new automaker in Argentina. Fevre had Palanti put a deep, bowl-shaped roof on the building, which had a mile-long banked test track at its rim and amphitheater space in the center for up to 3000 people to watch the cars run or to attend special events.

Photo by FCA Photo by Nathan Petroelje

Unlike Lingotto, which was built in an already-bustling Turin, Fevre didn’t build a track on the roof of his building be- cause of a lack of space on the ground. Period photography shows farmland adjacent to the Buenos Aires facility. The rooftop track on the Palacio Chrysler was likely there to promote cars at least as much as to test them. Over the years the Palermo Chico neighborhood got built up and subsequently gentrified. In 1990 a development com- pany took ownership of the Palacio Chrysler and started converting it to apartments, offices, and retail space, renam- ing the building Palacio Alcorta. The rooftop track and amphitheater were demolished, replaced with a swimming pool in the middle and apartments around the edges, where the track used to be. I found out about a third rooftop test track when, offended by all the “ruin porn” that was being published about my hometown of Detroit—and particularly by photos of the old, abandoned Packard plant—I started looking for aban- doned car factories in other parts of the world. I found one documented by photographer Harald Finster in Nesson- vaux, near Liège, Belgium. Have you ever heard of Impéria? Impéria was a Belgian automobile manufacturer that was in business from 1906 to 1957, making its own cars as well as others using components and designs licensed from companies like Adler, Hotch- kiss, and Superior-Triumph. A major player in the Belgian auto industry during the interwar period, the company even briefly owned the highly regarded Minerva brand of luxury automobiles. Impéria also had a technical and financial as- sociation with the well-ahead-of-its-time Avions Voisin, giving it a foothold in the much larger French market. Originally based in Liège, Impéria moved to Nessonvaux in 1907, where it remained for the rest of its history. Though not well known today, the company was innovative in its day, making a front-wheel-drive production vehicle as early as 1933 and producing one of the first closed cars with what we now call a sunroof. The company also raced, compet- ing at the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, placing two Impérias in the top 10 in the 1930 Belgian Grand Prix. Impéria’s chief research engineer, Louis de Monge, developed torsion bar suspensions and worked on an early auto- matic transmission. Hired away by none other than Ettore Bugatti, de Monge would go on to design the beautiful Bugatti 100P race airplane. For the first two decades of its existence, Impéria tested its production cars on the public roads in and around Nesson- vaux. Perhaps inspired by Lingotto and the Palacio Chrysler or, just as likely, due to the complaints of locals who didn’t want their town used as an automotive proving grounds, in 1928 Impéria built an almost 1 km-long banked test track on the perimeter of the sawtooth factory roof, running down to ground level where it circled the employee soccer pitch and then ran back up a section elevated on trellises to the roof. Residents of Nessonvaux would watch the cars from a nearby hillside as they ran around the track.

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Continued from Page 18 In 2009 a revival of the Impéria brand was announced, with the retro-styled, hybrid Impéria GP said to go on sale in 2013. So far, however, it appears that the revived company stalled at the prototype stage; its website has not been updated since 2015. It’s not clear, however, if those prototypes ever ran on the roof at the old Impéria factory in Nes- sonvaux. Come to think of it, that would have been a great PR stunt. According to a comment on a post about the company at prewarcar.com, the current owner of the Impéria factory is planning on demolishing most of the building. For the time being—at least per Google maps’ latest satellite photos— the rooftop sections of the Impéria test track still exist. Lingotto and Palacio Chrysler were both multi-story factories. Today, automotive assembly plants are sprawling, single- level affairs that occupy millions of square feet—more than enough to put a decent-sized test track on the roof. That’s not going to happen, though, since every major automaker in the world has at least one large-scale proving grounds. Even companies as small as Ferrari and Lotus have their own private tracks and independent companies and startups can rent time at facilities like Ohio’s Transportation Research Center or Aisin’s Fowlerville, Michigan test track. We will likely never see another rooftop test track.

Photo by Impéria

Photo by Nathan Petroelje

Photo by Nathan Petroelje Photo by Nathan Petroelje

19 June 2020

15 Corvettes That Will Go Down In History...For The Wrong Reasons Despite being an American classic, the Corvette got off to a rough start and had plenty of bad models along the way. By Chris Flynn Reprinted from TheThings.com at https://www.thethings.com/corvettes-that-will-go-down-in-history-for-the-wrong-reasons/

Editor’s Note: The next several months Vette Visions will feature one of the Corvettes from the above referenced article. Fas- ten your seatbelt and come along for a ride down the road of 15 historical Corvettes.

The Corvette is an iconic car synonymous with the American dream that was first released in 1953, and is still enjoying amazing sales today. It is a car with a very rich history, having gone through several major changes throughout its 67-year history. Today, the car was transformed into an absolute monster that can rival much more expensive super cars, but it wasn’t always that way, with several Corvettes turning out to be flops. The first two, for instance – which we began our list by discussing – were not exactly huge successes, but it was the beginning of something great, as Americans later found out. We have compiled a list of 15 Corvettes that will go down in history, but unfortunately, for the wrong reasons. Have you ever seen the 1998 Pace Car? The design team must not have been greatly inspired for that one! Anyway, without further ado, let’s begin. 12. 1979 Corvette

The third-generation Corvette had a really long production run, from 1968 all the way to 1982. Under the , it was a lot less powerful than its predecessors, coming equipped with a lousy engine only able to produce 225 horsepower. However, it still garnered lots of interest, with around 54,000 sold that year.

AUTOMOTIVE TRIVIA Submitted by Jeff Drewelow How much do you know about automotive history? Or would you like to learn tidbits of automotive factoids? Check Vette Visions for the next several months for automotive trivia provided by NICC member Jeff Drewelow.

Q. What car was the first to have it’s Q: What car used the first successful radio antenna embedded in the wind- series - production hydraulic valve lift- shield? ers?

A: The 1969 . A: The 1930 Cadillac 452, the first production V16.

20 June 2020

From the Editor Editor: Preston Morgan

On Saturday, June 8, 2019, the NICC Spring Run destination was Pontiac, IL. There were 35 members and guests with 18 Corvettes for that run. We spent the day in Pontiac taking in the sites and enjoying the local camaraderie. The Pontiac Oakland Automobile Museum was one of the popular attractions that we toured. If you participated in the “Behind the Scenes” tour, you probably viewed the concept car drawings including the Pontiac Banshee. The following article points out the connection between the Pontiac Banshee and the Corvette. It also lets you know where you can purchase the first Pontiac Banshee prototype. And it is even available at a reduced price!

First Pontiac Banshee Prototype Is for Sale at a Kia Dealership By Mitch Talley for Corvetteblooger.com at https://www.corvetteblogger.com/2020/04/22/first-pontiac-banshee-prototype-is-for-sale-at-a-kia- dealership/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=corvette_sales_news_ lifestyle_daily_recap&utm_term=2020-05-16

Back in the day, General Motors wasn’t afraid to put out multiple versions of essentially the same vehicle across its lineup. Hence, the Pontiac Grand Prix, Chevy Monte Carlo, Buick Regal, and Olds Cutlass, along with the Chevy Camaro and . What if the General had allowed the Chevy Corvette to be morphed into an Olds or Pontiac version, too? Well, back in 1964, GM executive John Delorean (yes, of the “Back to the Future” Delorean) pushed for such a Pontiac version of the Corvette. He even produced a one-off proto- type coupe of the “Corvette killer” that he eventually dubbed the “Banshee.” The Banshee, which looked a lot like the 1968 Corvette but with its own twists, had a straight-six engine and a light fiber- glass body that meant it might have put the performance hurt on the Corvette. GM bosses quickly nixed the idea of having the Corvette one-upped, however, and quickly canceled any such notions. That silver Banshee prototype, however, has survived for the past 56 years and believe it or not, it’s now up for sale at Na- poli Kia in Milford, Connecticut. The good news is that the dealership is offering a discount of $3,950. The bad news is that still leaves the asking price at a whopping $750,000! As to how the car wound up for sale at a Kia dealership, that’s a good story. It seems that Len Napoli’s father owned a Pontiac dealership starting in 1958, and Len eventu- ally took over, holding the franchise through the early 2000s. Now Len is a Kia dealer. Just before Pontiac’s long and glorious history came to an end in the midst of GM’s financial troubles, Napoli was able to buy the one-and-only Banshee coupe. (A white convertible prototype also was produced, by the way.)

Continued on Page 22 21 June 2020

Continued from Page 21

Delorean and his team originally got the green light to create the Banshee to compete with Ford’s radical and wildly successful new Mustang. Lead engineer Bill Collins used a 1963 Corvair Monza GT as inspiration for the Banshee, adding a new fiberglass body over a steel frame with a 165-horsepower straight-six under the hood, connected to a four-speed manual transmission. The idea was really a sort of /Solstice forerunner, a fun yet affordable two-seater that could be upgraded with multiple op- tions to give each individual owner his own piece of paradise. In fact, the aforementioned white convertible Banshee packed a 326 V8 under the hood. Speaking of the hood, we’re wondering what our readers think about that weird “dinosaur” bubble in the middle? After Delorean’s idea was shot down by GM brass, the two historic Banshees (originally known as XP-833s) were relegated to a garage for years, with Collins and colleague Bill Killen eventually being al- lowed to buy them from GM in 1973. This silver coupe eventually came back on the market in 2006, crossing the block at Barrett-Jackson for $214,500. Other subse- quent attempts at selling the car have ended unsuccessfully, de- spite bids as high as $400,000 at Mecum in Monterey in 2013. The unrestored car has covered less than 1,500 miles in the past 56 years, leading a very pampered life be- tween trips to car shows. It’s interesting to note that the design elements of the Banshee eventually showed up in later Pontiacs, as we can see the production Firebird all over the rear end and rear roof line. What do you think? Should there have been a Pontiac version of the Corvette?

22 June 2020

L.A.C.E.s (Ladies Awesome Corvette Experiences) By Nina Morgan

Well, here we are—still in paradise! Looks like it will be another 4-5 weeks before we head for home, but we are enjoying our extended vacation. This article is some satirical relief to lighten up our claustrophobic situation! I hope you have a few laughs and can relate a little to “The Laughing Mom” and midlife crisis!

Enjoy!

“Why Midlife Women Don’t Drive Corvettes By Terri L. Spilman for The Laughing Mom at https://thelaughingmom.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/why-midlife-women-dont-drive-corvettes/

I can honestly say that I have never met a woman going through a midlife crisis who has the urge to trade in her mini-van for a Corvette. We tend to make midlife splurges on high power shape wear, department store anti-aging cream and for the especially brave and vain, Botox.

Menopause brings with it a lower libido so why in the world would we want to drive a Corvette?

Who wants to smash their reading glasses into the top of their head while crouching into the car? Our minds can’t afford to get any foggier.

It’s hard to look sexy while catching your rear on the outside of the car while trying to gingerly lower yourself into the driver’s seat – eventually dropping down like a lead balloon.

Nostalgic about Prince’s song, “Little Red Corvette”? Think again, after child-birth our little red Corvettes have grown into slate gray pick-up trucks with no pick-up.

Where would the children sit? Where would the children’s friends sit?

You would need a bullhorn to reach up to the fast food drive thru speaker.

How would we get the groceries home?

If you get pulled over for speeding, you wouldn’t be able to get out of the car fast enough, then you would get arrested for resisting arrest.

That’s why midlife women don’t drive Corvettes.”

23 June 2020

Vette Visions Potluck

All members are encouraged to submit their favorite recipes for publica- tion in Vette Visions. If there is a story surrounding the recipe, submit that as well as we are all interested in history and/or interesting fac- toids. Members are free to submit as many recipes as they wish. You are encouraged to submit a picture of your completed dish. If you are crea- tive and to add some fun, rename your recipe to align with automotive terms, such as Jalapeño Piston Poppers, Sidepipe Salad, 3LT Pie (3-Layer Taco) or Carburetor Chocolate Chip Cookies. Although not a requirement for sharing your excellent cuisine ideas, have fun in renaming your recipe as we will all enjoy your creativeness. Recipes can be emailed to: [email protected].

“No Lemon Corvette” Lemon Cream Cheese Bars Recipe by: Pamela Souza LeBlanc https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/237181/lemon-cream-cheese-bars/

"Nothing brings a recipe to life like fresh lemons! For a change of pace from the standard Southern-style lemon bars, you need to look no further! This recipe is easy and the taste is divine. I have also made this with Splenda® and low-fat cream cheese and they were just as wonderful."

Prep—15 min Cook—30 min 24 Servings

Ingredients  Cooking spray  2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent roll dough (such as Pillsbury® Recipe Creations®), divided  2 lemons, zested and juiced, divided  2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened  1/2 cup white sugar  2 tablespoons butter, melted  3 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with cook- ing spray. 2. Press 1 can crescent roll dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, stretching to the edges. 3. Mix the zest of 1 1/2 lemons and juice from 2 lemons together in a bowl. Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar into lemon zest mixture using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; spread over crescent roll dough layer. 4. Unroll the second can of crescent roll dough and layer over cream cheese mixture, gently stretching dough to the edges. Brush melted butter over crescent roll dough layer. Mix remaining lemon zest and 3 tablespoons sugar together in a bowl; sprinkle over butter. 5. Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Lift dessert from baking dish using foil; transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares, leaving on foil. Return dessert to the baking dish and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.

24 June 2020

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25 June 2020

LOU BACHRODT AUTOMALL 7070 CHERRYVALE NORTH BOULEVARD ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS 61112 bachrodt.com

Lou Bachrodt AutoMall is proud to be your hometown Rockford, IL dealership. With our excellent selection of new and used cars, trucks and SUVs, we provide our customers with friendly, no-hassle sales. We invite the drivers of Rockford and Beloit, WI to come see our Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC dealership or give us a call at (815) 580-4539. We're conveniently located at 7070 Cherryvale North Boulevard, Rockford, IL 61112. We are looking forward to serving Beloit, WI Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC customers!

Latest Update: Now more than ever, cleanliness is of the utmost importance. That's why we are committed to using enhanced vehicle cleaning measures with CDC-approved cleansers before de- livering your vehicle after purchase or service; including cleaning your instrument panel, hard and plastic surfaces, seats and carpet*. This is just another way that we go above and beyond to show we care.

* At participating dealers. As part of the Chevy Clean Program, participating dealers commit to follow CDC guidelines regarding the cleaning of facilities and vehicles. Neither the Chevy Clean Program nor a dealer’s enrollment in the Program should be deemed to state or imply that any dealer’s cleaning activities can eliminate or prevent transmission of any virus, illness or disease. Each dealer is independently operated and solely responsible for adherence to Program rules and CDC guidelines. Cleaning methods may vary.

WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU.

When our country is faced with adversity, we find a way to get through it. To help keep you on the road, our Certified Service Experts are here and ready to help.

Should you require parts, routine maintenance or repairs, Chevrolet and our dealership remain committed to your vehicle needs.

To make an appointment and for service hours, give us a call or check online.

26 June 2020

Classifieds Web-Link to Classified Ads: http://nicccorvette.com/index.cfm/nicc-advertisers/nicc-classifieds/

Member / Non-member Want-Ads Members are encouraged to use Vette Visions and our website to buy and sell Corvette related items. This service is free of charge to members. Member ads may contain photos and those might only appear on the website. Member ads will automatically renew until we are told to stop running the ad. Ads for non-members will be published, subject to editorial restrictions, at a fee of $5.00 per month for a business card size ad. Non-member ads must be renewed each month on or before the Wednesday following the monthly meeting. Mailing and email contact information is on the previous page.

Web-Link to Classified Ads: http://nicccorvette.com/index.cfm/nicc-advertisers/nicc-classifieds/

Love ‘Vettes, Have Fun, Give Back! 27 June 2020