after 36 straight victories, the Corvette was banned. So was the Porsche 944 turbo in 1988
Showing posts with label corvette. Show all posts
Showing posts with label corvette. Show all posts
1956 Corvette SR2
info and images from http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z15199/Chevrolet-Corvette-SR2.aspx
1957 Corvette SS
2009 ZR1
most expensive production car GM ever made, $103,300. A base Corvette was $48,000
Callaway twin turbo research Corvette
waaay, back in 1988 the Callaway Sledgehammer was driven from Connecticut to Ohio, hit the track and after a bit of tuning was clocked at 255rmph driven by John Lingenfelter.. who got out of the Callaway and got into his Corvette to go home, and said "You know, that goes 100 mph faster than mine?"
Watching the video will show you how they got all that into the engine bay, I was most impressed with their method of cutting out frame, patching it into the air system, and them reinstalling the piece of frame, with outputs to the turbos
Watching the video will show you how they got all that into the engine bay, I was most impressed with their method of cutting out frame, patching it into the air system, and them reinstalling the piece of frame, with outputs to the turbos
"official vehicle of America(tiny little 3 over the last a)"
in 1992, Chevrolet sponsored the America's Cup yacht America3 and so were able to designate the Corvette the "official vehicle of America3 "
So it's a small little thing that might be overlooked when you read the big headline "Official vehicle of America". Nice advertising gimmick.
So it's a small little thing that might be overlooked when you read the big headline "Official vehicle of America". Nice advertising gimmick.
The technical process that made Corvettes lighter, stronger, and better side impact crash testing.. 1992
Hydro forming, it uses 7000 psi water to bend steel, and when you don't heat steel, you don't lose strength. So by using cold water, they were able to use thinner side rails to increase interior room, and make getting in and out of the Vette easier.
1987 Callaway Corvette, 20 thousand dollars plus buying a Vette from Chevy
Chev's marketing planning director, Don Runkle, gave the Chevy turbo development results to Callaway, who made a 345 hp car that went 177mph. Chevrolet made the Callaway Corvette a RPO (regular production option) code, B2K.
The Callaway Turbo Corvette was available to 20 Chevy dealerships to service and sell, and while they hoped to sell 50, they got orders and sold 188
The Callaway Turbo Corvette was available to 20 Chevy dealerships to service and sell, and while they hoped to sell 50, they got orders and sold 188
Batman had a Corvette designed by GM's Chuck Jordan
yup, that is a mighty strange looking car
the 1967 Corvette.. behind the scenes
Duntov was so furious that the 67 Vette was on an unimproved chassis, he fired off a memo to the top GM brass. They canned his ass from engineering. Then they disbanded engineering, made Duntov do PR. Other engineers were sent to passenger car work.
Design was the favorite department, they made the Corvette look good, sell well, and GM was all about the profit, not about the racing. Makes sense from a corporate perspective, less liability in sports cars than race cars.
But the 67 was so bad, Car and Driver editor told the readers, it was unfit for a road test. The aerodynamics were so far off, it floated, and it's quality was horrible.
It looked great, but remember that at the time the unions were causing production problems, and GM couldn't handle that.
Pete Estes quickly got things back in order, restoring Engineering and named Duntov chief engineer. 12 months later, the 68 Vette was named "Best all around car in the world" by Car and Driver. That is astonishing improvement
info from Corvette Sixty Years page 98
Design was the favorite department, they made the Corvette look good, sell well, and GM was all about the profit, not about the racing. Makes sense from a corporate perspective, less liability in sports cars than race cars.
But the 67 was so bad, Car and Driver editor told the readers, it was unfit for a road test. The aerodynamics were so far off, it floated, and it's quality was horrible.
It looked great, but remember that at the time the unions were causing production problems, and GM couldn't handle that.
Pete Estes quickly got things back in order, restoring Engineering and named Duntov chief engineer. 12 months later, the 68 Vette was named "Best all around car in the world" by Car and Driver. That is astonishing improvement
info from Corvette Sixty Years page 98
Duntov Turbo Corvettes, Chevy didn't make them
Chevy never could get Turbos to work well before Duntov retired, and after he did, he worked with some company to market the Duntov 1980 Convertible Turbo Corvette. It wasn't smog legal in California
those damn Chevy engine reference codes I've never learned
L36 390 hp 427
L48
L68 400 hp 427
L71 435 hp 427
L72 425 hp 427
L78 425 hp 396
L79 350 hp 327
L88 480 to 560 hp 427 only 60 pounds heavier than the L79 (327) but with 130 more hp, it cost $950 more
L89 aluminum heads on the L88 only 16 sets made
the 36 gallon fuel tanks for the coupe were only made in 2 corvettes
L84 mechanical fuel injected 327 360 hp
LT1 370 hp 350 with solid lifters and a carb until 1972, then 255 hp
ZL1 was a special L88, in 1967 20 were made, in1968 80 were made, in 1969 116 were made. 69 went to Gibb Chevy for Camaros, and Duntov got 2 put into customers cars, 1 for his developement mule, and 3 in engineering cars
ZR1 stands for Zora Racer 1.0 (1970-71) this was a drivetrain package with the LT1 engine, M22 trans
ZR2 Zora Racer 2.0 (1972)
LS5 365 hp 454 (1970-71)
LS6 425 hp 454 (1970-71)
8 of the ZR1 LT1 packages were made
12 of the ZR2 LS6 packages were made
Both were heater and radio delete for racing
If anyone knows a source for more of these codes and what they meant in simple terms, please email me a llink at jbohjkl@yahoo.com
L48
L68 400 hp 427
L71 435 hp 427
L72 425 hp 427
L78 425 hp 396
L79 350 hp 327
L88 480 to 560 hp 427 only 60 pounds heavier than the L79 (327) but with 130 more hp, it cost $950 more
L89 aluminum heads on the L88 only 16 sets made
the 36 gallon fuel tanks for the coupe were only made in 2 corvettes
L84 mechanical fuel injected 327 360 hp
LT1 370 hp 350 with solid lifters and a carb until 1972, then 255 hp
ZL1 was a special L88, in 1967 20 were made, in1968 80 were made, in 1969 116 were made. 69 went to Gibb Chevy for Camaros, and Duntov got 2 put into customers cars, 1 for his developement mule, and 3 in engineering cars
ZR1 stands for Zora Racer 1.0 (1970-71) this was a drivetrain package with the LT1 engine, M22 trans
ZR2 Zora Racer 2.0 (1972)
LS5 365 hp 454 (1970-71)
LS6 425 hp 454 (1970-71)
8 of the ZR1 LT1 packages were made
12 of the ZR2 LS6 packages were made
Both were heater and radio delete for racing
If anyone knows a source for more of these codes and what they meant in simple terms, please email me a llink at jbohjkl@yahoo.com
Corvette Sixty Years, by Randy Leffingwell
5 chapters
129 pieces of paper between the covers
Quality photos: about 378 (I may have miscounted a couple) 232 are color photos. Regardless of color or black and white, the images are outstanding and high quality
Period ads: none, but plenty of period publicity photos. Good ones. Plus plenty of design sketches and drawings
Something that is important to remember when reviewing this book, the primary focus of it was information and photos NOT in the authors previous 4 Corvette books, and the other best Corvette books on the market. It makes it less simple to judge the book based on information you might be looking for but not finding, as that might be very well left out intentionally if published in "Corvette 50 years".
form and layout
Lots of photos per page to illustrate the text.
Chapters
1 In the Beginning, the birth of the Corvette
the design process, the prototypes, and the mistakes made
2 Domination to Disco, the 2nd and 3rd generation Vettes
3 Reclaiming the throne, the 4th, 5th, 6th generations
4 Racing, Beating the worlds best
5 Community action, the people and places
what do I know about Vettes not covered in the book
Most expensive, most rare, and stats like that. This book has each model stat by engines, convertible vs hardtop, etc, and purchase price.
things I learned that I did not know
The author, Randy, has 4 books previous to this on Corvettes. I'd say that makes him an expert. Randy has 130 Corvette books in his collection, and unknown amounts of magazines
The breakdown of options that customers preferred, as in, the most ordered option, the most ordered color, the least desired option almost no-one bought.
Duntov's rocky road and near firing when working at GM. Intriguing reading of how GM design, engineering, and management mishandled the Corvette.
overall impression
Thoroughly well done, you're getting more than your dollars worth with this book. It's a damn good book, a damn fine written documentary, and exhaustively researched look at the Corvette history
Surprise
The last chapter on the Corvette specific car shows, websites, car clubs. Very cool to see this in a book, as most authors ignore the mundane reality of what happens when a car is in use, by it's owner. Randy did a great job of telling the history of the Carlisle event, the NCCC, etc plus websites dedicated to the Vette
Complaints
I had hoped the engine designations would be explained so they are understandable ie: L71, L79, L36, L68 etc etc
The 4 sidebars of the V-8 engine, isn't that a good clue that you should have made a chapter on the engines, power trains, and engineering, instead of breaking into the chapter storyline like a news bulletin?
Editing was not good (I'm self editting for years, and it's easy to criticize if you can tell how to improve it) and print on pages 98 and 103 was blurry (printed in China)
The U-6S was mentioned once, but never explained, (so I still don't know if it meant the paint, turbo, or outsourced engineering) page 135
an example of how Google book search works:
http://books.google.com/books?id=qgFK7fwC9v0C&pg=PA135&lpg=PA135&dq=rpo+%22u-6s%22+corvette&source=bl&ots=STRzuPP-Bw&sig=0cJmvbgvanjOPxGvXpSyF3ogj_I&hl=en&sa=X&ei=RpkdUKqmKKyujAKU3IGABA&ved=0CD0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=U-6s&f=false
I don't like the "Continued on page ..." format when I'm reading. I read books, and that's not the way to make a good book. Take all the interruptions, and make a chapter of them. A chapter on Zora Duntov alone would have been a good editing choice, instead of interspersing information about his moments throughout the other chapters
In this book, the interruptions of the storyline are all the biographies of the guys, and some design sidebars, that made the Corvette happen in many ways, those are great. No complaint about the number, quality of research, editing, or plethora of information ... just the inappropriate locations that are out of context, and better off as a chapter to themselves
Sidebars
Bios: Sloan, Earl, Duntov, Mitchell, McLellan
Design: The Blue Flame engine, Corvettes in American culture (x2), fiberglas, the V-8(4 sidebars), fuel injection, 63 Split Window inspiration, acronyms of the body models, smog legislation, factory show cars, Callaway Vettes, production numbers by year chart, product change vs model longevity (engrossing and thought provoking), the 2013 model convertible news, CERV I, CERV II, Grand Sport, pace car editions, Le Mans,
For a terrific interview with the author, from the experts on Corvettes, Vette Magazine http://www.vetteweb.com/lifestyle/vemp_1204_corvette_history_0_to_60_years/index.html
Price, about 30 dollars from various retailers on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Corvette-Sixty-Years-Randy-Leffingwell/dp/0760342318/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344118702&sr=8-1&keywords=corvette+60+years
The Briggs Cunningham 1960 Le Mans Corvette #1 has been found, and will be displayed at this months Corvettes at Carlisle
the number 4 car is pictured at http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z9082/Chevrolet-Corvette-LeMans-Racer.aspx
of Cunningham/Kimberly (#1),
Thompson/Windridge (#2),
and Fitch/Grossman(#3)
#2 is now owned by Bruce Meyers, #3 is owned by Lance Miller
Why is this news? Kevin Mackay has been searching for years, and had it tracked to Florida in 1974, and that was the last anyone had info about it.
It turned up in a warehouse with cars and furniture, in Florida, and covered in dust, which is how we're told it will be displayed at Carlisle.
"was found sitting in the middle of one of two warehouses in Florida that were filled with cars, parts and furniture. Decades earlier, the car had been rescued from a Florida scrap yard by the warehouse owner's father.
When discovered, the Corvette was covered in dust--a real “barn find.” The new owner plans to display the car in this condition at the Carlisle event, Berman says, before launching the restoration"
top image from http://www.themaseraticlub.com/Kimberly.htmlbottom image from http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120731/CARNEWS/12073995
for everything you could want to know about these Cunningham Corvettes: http://www.sportscardigest.com/le-mans-corvette-1960-car-profile/5/
Corvette's hit the big 60 year anniversary next year... Petersen Museum is going to celebrate!
Friday, March 1
Corvette Values Seminar- What's your Corvette worth in today's market, and how will it perform as an investment in the future? Find out at this seminar from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Ticket price: $25.
Corvette Racing Panel Discussion- Several iconic figures from Corvette racing history will talk about the car's illustrious racing heritage. 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Ticket price $25.
Corvette 60th Anniversary Gala- Festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. with cocktails, dinner, memorabilia auction, and a panel discussion with some of the biggest names in Corvette history. Only 350 tickets to this special event are available. Ticket price: $125. This event will sell out!
Corvette Racing Panel Discussion- Several iconic figures from Corvette racing history will talk about the car's illustrious racing heritage. 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Ticket price $25.
Corvette 60th Anniversary Gala- Festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. with cocktails, dinner, memorabilia auction, and a panel discussion with some of the biggest names in Corvette history. Only 350 tickets to this special event are available. Ticket price: $125. This event will sell out!
Saturday, March 2
Corvette Day Car Show-in the Petersen Parking Structure from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Space is limited to 500 Corvettes. Register early to guarantee a spot! Spectator admission to Corvette Day is included with Petersen Automotive Museum admission.
Corvette Restoration Seminar- Learn restoration tips and techniques from the pros. 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Ticket price $25.
Corvette Restoration Seminar- Learn restoration tips and techniques from the pros. 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Ticket price $25.
Corvette Exhibit- Twenty historic Corvettes will be on display in the museum. This not-to-be-missed Corvette exhibit runs February 27 through March 31, 2013.
These events have limited tickets available and will sell out! Buy your tickets early. All Corvette Day proceeds benefit the educational programming at the Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit educational institution. Event tickets and car show registration are available online or by filling out the attached form.
Petersen Automotive Museum
March 1 & 2, 2013
Car Nut 1 Blogspot has some cool photos!
Barn finds, a year in review of what's been pulled out, put up for sale, or auctioned off
now here are the Corvettes
58
So keep your eyes on http://www.barnfinds.com for the ones that come out of hiding in the future... you never can tell what rare or previously unheard of custom will be found
I found a new website that celebrates cool photography, airplanes, celebs, motorbikes, race cars, etc.. Silidrome.com very cool stuff, not much info, but cool photos
I posted last November... wire wheels, not that common
... notice the banner hanging from the handlebar, it says US Tires
there is a lot about their story, so late in life the youngest kid's wife and daughter put together a book. The boys were raised by their dad, and somehow got hooked on being exploited for cash prizes, ala the cross country ride, drive, or whatever - craze that newspapers were using to sell papers... beginning at age 5 and 9. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0966216601/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=giftbasketsfr03-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0966216601&adid=1DDBRAT23E67XAH6S6N3&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vanishedamericana.com%2Fkids%2Fmore-information-on-the-abernathy-kids%2F
So what is the name about? A silodrome is the "Wall of Death" like the one that Fearless Elbert and his Racing Lion rode on... and that was one of his first posts... he has a lot of cool stuff I've posted years ago, like Elbert and the lion, Burt Munro, the Fonz, old race cars, old motorcycles, and so on... so much cool stuff, that the above is just a glimpse at the ones I liked the most when browsing through http://silodrome.com/ enjoy!