Category Archives: Corvette

Eli Manning and 2012 Corvette Grand Sport – Come on now.

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I’m going to take issue with Ms Hargrove…read this and then watch the UTube vid.

Eli Manning Snubs GM By Turning Down Keys to 2012 Grand Sport

Lauren Hargroveby on February 6, 2012

You just won the big game and received the MVP award, and with it, a brand new car! But it’s a Chevy, and you’ve been helping sell Toyotas for years… Awkward! Millions are watching live on TV as one of the major sponsors of the game presents you with the keys to a brand new 2012 Corvette Grand Sport convertible – what do you do? Keep it simple and classy, saying “thank you” to at least acknowledge the prize, without seeming like an entitled jerk who is worried about burning bridges with the foreign company that’s been writing you checks for years?

Nope! If you’re Eli Manning, you leave without a word or the keys…

Kevin and Bean of Los Angeles radio station KROQ performed a mock interview with the MVP this morning; according to their “correspondence” with the game winning quarterback the current plan is to use the C6 as a planter. It is unlikely that the Corvette will actually face such a harsh fate, but it does leave ‘vette lovers and football fans wondering will happen to the C6.

While playing in, let alone leading a team to victory in the Super Bowl is an achievement few of us could even begin to comprehend, and the pressure of post-game interviews and ceremonies must be enormous, how hard is it to say “thank you” and pocket the keys? Even if your fear of offending Toyota is so great that actually accepting and driving the gift is unthinkable, at least raffle it off for charity or something…

If anyone at GM is actually reading this, I am sure there are plenty of armchair quarterbacks who would graciously receive the Corvette and provide it with a loving home if Manning never does pick up the keys.

NOW…watch the video…..and see if Eli doesn’t say Thank You.

[vodpod id=Video.16073197&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26]

2012 Grand Sport, posted with vodpod

Thanks for reading

Tim

Corvette, Mustang and the Pres.

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No matter what your politics are, everyone appreciates American Muscle.

BleuCartel

Obama Loves American Muscle

As the Washington D.C. auto show took place, President Obama decided to make a visit. Truly impressed with the American muscle & sports cars. Though he checked out many new models and the likes of the controversial most iconic American sports car, Chevy Corvette(photo above), it seemed like the new Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Super Snake; or simply Shelby GT500; is what really grabbed his attention by stating, “This is sick”.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

1963 Corvette – Needs Paint

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Looking over my morning emails, I come across my Hemmings daily email.  Love getting these and sometimes I share an article from them.

On the right hand side they spotlight (or maybe as a seller you have to pay extra for the placement) some of the cars that are listed with them for sale.  Today there is this 1963 Corvette:

For just over $15K you can pick this up. Worth it? Tires and rims look new!!!
 
Little elbow grease, super glue and an engine.
Thanks for reading
Tim
 

Buy a Car get a Track Day!!!

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So I’m read a few articles online and a few have touched on Fiat and all the issues they are apparently having with bring the brand back to the US.   There are some individual that say the 500 won’t be back and that they tried too
soon or that they didn’t have any dealerships lined up to handle the turn.  But I don’t really care much, I’ll never buy a Fiat, unless is an older classic, and then maybe….ummm…naaahh…not even then.

But I did notice that they are now offering a race ready version of the 500 Abarth.  That’s right 160 hps of rubber melting power, not too bad when you are starting out with 101 hp.  Drop a turbocharger and you’ll get 160.  They
tuned the suspension for the track and its light curb weight might make it a bit fun to drive..might.

160HP..enough said...HEY..who snickered???!!!

But the cool part is that included in the price is a ‘Track Day‘.  Supposedly you will get (I think car will be available in the spring) a day at one of the Richard Petty Driving Experience events.  What would be really cool is if you could return it right after that!!!

Anyway, I got to thinking if any other auto makers offer a track day.  We all know that the Big Three are making track ready cars’ some for track only and some for street and track.  Here is what I found out.

Fiat got the idea from Chrysler.  They are  offering a track day with the purchase of some of their SRT models (300 SRT8 and the Challenger SRT8).

GM via Cadillac offers their own at various tracks across the country.

Purchasing a Corvette ZR1 will get you a trip to Ron Fellows Performance Driving School or Bob Bundurant School of High Performance Driving, in Chandler, AZ.  (OK….even you can’t afford the ZR1, sell the spouse’s daily driver, rent out your man cave (gal cave) and go to the Bundurant school.) They have a lot of classes at all levels and some fair prices.  I did the Formula 1 event at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) and it was outstanding.    Here is a link:   http://www.bondurant.com/?gclid=CJD93Luc2K0CFQduhwodNyU1mQ

2012 ZR1 Vette

Not to be out done Ford as a similar deal with the 2012 Boss Mustang. This is at the Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.  I chatted with one of the Miller Motorsports reps at the 2011 Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction in Scottsdale and he showed off some video of their facility and it is extremely nice. I’d make that trip.

2012 Boss 302

If you got to have an “import” (and the Fiat ain’t doing it for ya) Mercedes-Benz will be offering a track day at course across the US if you purchase their top of the line models. (Although I didn’t find mention of which ones.)

So if you are going to spring for a new car, you’ve got some options if a Track Day  is part of the deal. Of course the Fiat will run you about $22K and the ZR1 about $108K, tough choice?

Thanks for reading

Tim

Corvette Club steps up and honors a returning soldier | Hemmings Blog: Classic and collectible cars and parts

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Read it on Hemmings Blog. 

Corvette Club steps up and honors a returning soldier | Hemmings Blog: Classic and collectible cars and parts.

 Great Story.

Beautiful 1980 Vette Great job done by Classic Glass Corvette Club of Marietta, Georgia

 

Corvette Club steps up and honors a returning soldier | Hemmings Blog: Classic and collectible cars and parts.

Another First @ Barrett-Jackson Auction – 427 Corvette

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C6 performance convertible and its 60th Anniversary Package will be unveiled at Barrett-Jackson, where the first public version will be auctioned off for charity.

Some features:

The 427-cubic-inch (7.0L) LS7 engine  is from the Corvette Z06. Rated at 505 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque.  The 427 Convertible is only available with a six-speed manual transmission.

The LS7 was co-developed with the Corvette Le Mans-winning GT1 engine with:

– lightweight titanium connecting rods and intake valves

–  racing-inspired high-flow cylinder heads

– a dry-sump oiling system

Suspension/Brakes/Wheels

– the same driveline and rear axle system as the Corvette Z06

–  Magnetic Selective Ride Control

– 19-inch front and 20-inch rear lightweight machine-face Cup wheels

–  ZR1-style Michelin PS2 tires

–  PDE performance packages – come standard and include unique gray-painted pockets.

–  a rear-mounted battery

The 427 Convertible Body has:

–  Carbon fiber raised hood (introduced on the 2011 Z06 Carbon Edition)

–  Carbon fiber Z06-style fenders

 –  Carbon fiber floor panels

 –  The “CFZ” carbon fiber front splitter and rocker panels

Weight:

427 Convertible’s curb weight to 3,355 pounds.

Other specs:

 – 505-horsepower LS7 engine, it gives the 427 Convertible a power-to-weight ratio of 6.64 – or one horsepower for every 6.64 pounds of vehicle mass

– one of the fastest convertibles in the world, delivering estimated 0-60 performance of 3.8 seconds, quarter-mile performance of 11.8 seconds, lateral acceleration of 1.04 g and a top speed of more than 190mph.

DO YOU WANT ONE NOW??? 

HOW ABOUT NOW???

2013 Corvette-427-Convertible-Collector-Edition-1

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

 

Leilani Münter “Life is short. Race hard. Live green.”

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You are going to like this story.  I’m as green as a guy that believes dead dinosaurs  are for burning (fossil fuel…get it?), but I do recycle including oil.  Here is something I can get behind as well.

Leilani Münter “Life is short. Race hard. Live green.”.

Race Car Driver and Eco-Activist Leilani Münter is Getting in Gear to Take “The Cove” Movie to the High Banks of Daytona
Activist Raising Funds For A “The Cove” Themed Race Car to Help Raise More Mainstream Awareness of Dolphin Captivity and Slaughter

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Daytona Beach, Florida (Jan 3, 2012) Leilani Münter, race car driver and passionate environmentalist, is bearing down on her goal of driving a “The Cove” themed race car at Daytona International Speedway, arguably one of the most famous race car tracks in the world. The ARCA race at Daytona is February 18 and will air live on SPEED television, which is available in 79 million homes. This will be the first ever ocean awareness themed race car to race the high banks of Daytona. Münter is seeking corporate and philanthropic donations for the remaining funds required, which is $30,000. Leilani has already raised $15,000 in donations prior to this story. To make a tax deductible donation, please visit opsociety.org/securedonation.htm and be sure to write “For Daytona” in the notes.The Academy-Award winning documentary “The Cove” exposes the annual slaughter of thousands of dolphins in a small cove in Taiji, Japan. It also exposed the undeniable connection between dolphin parks and dolphin captivity, and the largest slaughter of dolphins in the world.

“The Cove forever changed me. I know race fans will respond to it, they just need to know about it,” said Münter. “The race falls on my birthday, and my greatest wish is to end the slaughter and the ongoing abuse of these beautiful ocean creatures.”

This campaign in designed to educate and engage 75 million race fans in the United States. Director of “The Cove” Louie Psihoyos has committed to giving away 1000 DVDs of “The Cove” at the race, and in addition, will be in attendance for the race alongside dolphin activist Ric O’Barry autographing DVDs of the film. People donating $50 or more will be entered into a raffle to win two pit passes for the Daytona race and two other lucky fans will win two garage passes each. Münter will be wearing a helmet painted for “The Cove” during the race, which will then be auctioned off with all the proceeds going to Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project to continue the fight on the ground in Taiji. To donate to “The Cove’s” awareness campaign at Daytona, click here and be sure to write “For Daytona” in the notes.

Münter is a biology graduate turned race car driver and environmental activist who adopts an acre of rainforest for every race she runs and promotes only environmentally conscious companies on her race car. Since seeing the film, she has traveled three times to Taiji, Japan to document the slaughter first hand and has organized several screenings of the film. Most recently, she spearheaded a campaign to turn the lights of the Empire State Building red to raise awareness.

At Münter’s last race at Daytona, she was driving the first ever 100% eco sponsored race car, with six environmental companies coming together to get her car on the track. The race was watched by 2.4 million people live on SPEED television and 100,000 people were watching the race trackside. The media exposure she received included the front page of the sports section of the New York Times.

“The Cove” received 47 awards including the Audience Awards at Sundance Film Festival and the Oscar for best documentary film. New York Magazine described it as “Passionate, exciting, and frightening” and Cinematical called it “A stunning, shocking story. The film itself is an act of heroism.” Over 2.3 million people from 151 different countries have signed a petition asking for the slaughter to end. The grassroots movement to spread awareness has spread to social media, with over 500,000 fans of the movie on Facebook.

For more information on the cause visit thecovemovie.com, opsociety.org and dolphinproject.org and for more information on Leilani, visit carbonfreegirl.com.

Driving Difference

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Since I’ve gotten the 4 speed ( T-10 from 1967 Shelby) in the Mustang, I’ve been driving it a lot more.  I’m surprised at how much of an improvement it has made in the drive ability.  Of course there is more power going to the ground which is remarkable and the RPMs are put to much better used.  The original three speed top out pretty quickly and nothing left but engine noise.

Of course with more power hitting the ground, my current tires (wide and hard) tend to grip a lot less and spinning them through 2nd gear is common.  That will required some new, softer tread before long.

After driving the Mustang a few days in a row, I took the Vette to work.  Now you would expect there to be a difference, especially with the 120 hp disparagement in power  the Vette (about 420) and the Stang (about 300 – maybe a bit less) , but what I notice is how both cars arrive at top speed.

Both car’s like to launch, but the Vette does so with much less rear hunching then the Mustang.  The Vette feels lighter as it gets up to power – less down force on the road.  The Mustang is much different.  You can feel it, feeling the road.  I can actually feel the power longer and deeper in the Mustang as it move on up through the RMPs and the gears.

I think I’m ready to at a tach to the Mustang, I need to see the RPMs it’s turning out and then I’m going to have it dyno’ed.  It will be a good baseline before I get the  351 CJ head and intake installed.

Thanks for reading

Tim

 

Bondurant And SMS To Auction Special Camaro For Charity At Barrett-Jackson

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January 6th, 2012 aunik_aronno

 
Awesome car!!! 

 

Barrett-Jackson‘s upcoming Scottsdale event later this month is shaping up to be an exciting affair, with all sorts of classic and modern hardware crossing the block. One of the latest to join the party is the SMS-Bondurant Camaro.

Presented by Steve Saleen and Bob Bondurant, the special SMS supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 Camaro gets a rating of 620 horsepower, 570 lb-ft of torque, a six-speed manual transmission, Borla exhaust, “Red Butterfly” hood, Eibach S suspension, custom 20-inch SMS wheels, and the autographs of both Saleen and Bondurant on the dash.

It’s production car #001 of the new collaboration, and it’ll be auctioned to benefit the Make A Wish and COX Charities foundations.

Bob Bondurant at his driving school in 2007

Image via Wikipedia

Performance Parts Pout

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Well, I’m officially depressed. No it’s not because of the holidays, or the rapidly approaching  June when I’ll move too  far into the 50’s  to be able to fool myself that I’m just barely 50, nope none of those things.

I’m looking at GM’s (bastards!!) Performance Catalog and all the shiny things in it.  Like the ported LS3 heads, and the LS376 – 525…yes  525 hp in a crate engine, drop in and drive.  I realize two things, I need an older Chevy to play with (or upgrade the C6 Vette) and that I’ll need a second job if I even want to touch any of this stuff and where will I live when the better half finds this stuff laying around the garage? (Tell me you aren’t depressed now?!?!!…It’s ok…admin it!!!)

Note:  It’s gonna get worse… I have the Ford performance parts catalog as well…all I can say is thank GOD!!!  I don’t have a Morpar to drive around….oh….the therapy…bills….!!!  Why, OH Why didn’t I drink the family KoolAide when I was a kid..I would have been able to shun the Fords and Mopars and just be a normal one brand car guy??

There is some awesome stuff the Chevrolet Performance Team is put out, everything from small block crates to LSX monsters, to circle track crate engines.

Over the next few post I’m going to cover a few highlights and a couple unexpected – like engines for the Chevy Cobalt and some V6 engines.  (Have just read some specs for the upcoming 2013 Mustang V6 – I want to see what Chevy’s got.)

In fact let’s start with something off the wall.  Like the 900  V6 Intake for a 4 barrel carb!! What???!!!!  It’s an aluminum high-performance for the 3.8 or 4.3 liter V6.  So go ahead bolt on that 390 cfm carb..oh heck….grab that 600 cfm 4150 and drop it on top.

Chevy's V6 - 4 BBL Intake Manifold - about $265.00 (Part 10134390).

That is not a bad price.  Of course it’s not for all heads, like it  won’t fit the 3800 V6 or the 18 degree heads and you might have add a bump to your hood for clearance!!!

Thanks for reading.

Tim