Posts Tagged ‘Corvettes’

The Fascinating History Of The 67 Corvette

The 1967 Corvette is a very well-liked classic automobile that will send tingles down the spines of Corvette lovers everywhere. The 1967 model turned out to be the very last year of the C2 generation. The 1967 was easily the smoothest driving Sting Ray to be placed on the market by Chevrolet.

The 1967 Corvette wheelbase of the convertible and the coupe models was equally 98 inches. Length was 175.1 inches. The width of the 1967 Corvette was 69.6 inches. The curb weight was 3360 pounds for both the coupe and the convertible. The standard axle ratio was 3.55.1. The RPO L71 had unique aluminum heads.

The 1967 Corvette included 11 inch disc brakes on the front and back. It came with a standard three speed manual tranny, but you could possibly pick a four speed manual or a two speed powerglide.

Some of the options incorporated things such as leather-based seats, power windows, headrests, soft Ray tinted glass, auxiliary hardtop, shoulder belts, air conditioning (amazingly only 3788 people added this option), vinyl covering, positraction rear axle, special front and rear end suspension, air injection reactor, transistor ignition system, heavy-duty brakes, the 390, 400, 435, 350, and 430 hp engines, aluminum cylinder heads on the L71, four speed manual transmission (close ratio or heavy-duty), powerglide tranny, 36 gallon fuel tank on the coupe, off-road exhaust system, side mount exhaust system, telescopic steering column, power steering, cast aluminum bolt on wheels, redline tires, speed warning indicator, AM/FM radio.

The rear engine of the 67 Corvette was really the L88. Many people considered this car as near to a racing motor for a production car that has ever been publicly released by Chevrolet. It can flat-out run like a scalded dog. It had 12:5:1 compression and a huge Holly 4 barrel carburetor. This nice engine could generate 560 hp at 6400 RPM but it had to be used with 103 octane racing fuel. Most people could not achieve the speed with the gasoline from their local gas station, but it undoubtedly showed a great deal of power anyway.

The year of 1967 was the year in which Corvette’s sales drop by 5000 units, due to a new redesign that was coming out. However, the 67 Corvette is considered one of the quintessential collector cars of all time. Its impact on the car collecting world has been tremendous.

Learn more about old cars for sale & 1967 Corvette for sale at Buy Old Cars.com.

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Factors To Think About When Purchasing A Older Corvette

Make sure that any time you are investing in a classic Corvette that you fully grasp everything that you can about that vehicle. Antique Corvettes are rather expensive and you need to understand what you are looking at.

An classic Corvette is going to cost a lot more than the normal vintage automobile, so you really should know a lot when you are out searching for the perfect Corvette that you’ve forever wanted. Keep in mind that the pricing on some Corvettes are certainly not for the faint at heart. In reality, old classic Corvettes usually are pretty high-priced, at times costing greater than a new home.

It’s terrible to suggest, but you by no means need to believe unxonditionally the person that is selling the car that it is flawlessly authentic. Not all classic Corvettes have been completely reconditioned with genuineness as their intended purpose.

Some Corvettes are merely worth a lot more than other cars. It’s essential that you learn the background of the Corvette that you are interested in buying. It really is necessary that you do the research to determine what the appreciation value over the years of the vehicle you are looking at has been. Likewise keep in mind that there has been low quality Corvettes, such is the 1983 and 1984 model years. The 1983 model with so poor that it didn’t even make the sales floor of Chevrolet dealerships (there is a prototype of that year but you most probably will under no circumstances get that). Many people call it the missing Corvette!

When examining old classic cars and the resell valuation on the Corvette, you’ll usually find that the cars that fall between the years of 1953 through 1972 hold the most value in the market. Nevertheless, it isn’t necessarily all about financial valuation when you are looking at vintage Corvettes. In case you had a specific Corvette as a teenager, that particular make and model has a distinctive value to you.

The main thing to consider when buying a traditional Corvette, is to really know your stuff and acquire what you like and can pay for, since there are some Corvettes out there that you simply can’t afford unless you’re Bill Gates! Have fun out there Corvette hunting!

MORE ON THE 1967 CORVETTE! – Find 1967 Corvettes For Sale online on www.BuyOldCars.com and watch a powerful 1967 Corvette presentation on Youtube !!!

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C6 Generation 2005 Corvette

When the 2005 Corvette came to pass it was quickly proclaimed by many critics and enthusiasts to be the best Corvette of all times. Yet there where a fair share of those who criticized General Motors (GM) because the newest generation of Corvette looked more like an improvement from its predecessor and not a total redesign.

The first of the C6 generation of Corvettes began to be put together, design wise, in 2000 and made Vette history by becoming the first Corvette ever to be developed in tandem with another GM model. The C6 Corvette was being developed at the same time as the 2004 Cadillac XLR was taking shape.

The priority was to be the Cadillac. It was to be launched first because it represented the reappearance of GM’s luxury car brand. After the XLR was complete GM would be able to give its full attention to the C6 project. Because of this the C6 could not be a total redesign.

Even though, the 2005 Corvette was extremely new in content it grabbed much of its inspiration from the XLR and used much of the same fit and finish composite type body panels, , interior design, and power train and road noise isolation. Some of the other most notable differences from the C5 generation included:

New Engine: The 2005 Corvette had an entirely new engine put into it. The LS2 was not only 50 horsepower more than its LS1 predecessor at a whopping 400 horsepower, but it came out a full 15 pound lighter as well.

Improved Chassis: The all independent suspension was the same as the C5 before it, but GM used all new and improved components through the suspension for an even better overall ride versus the C5.

Head Lamps: Taking cues from past generations of the Corvette, the 2005 Corvette and featured exposed head lamps.

Transmission: The 2005 Corvette, like the C5, offered a choice of six-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The automatic four-speed received programming called Performance Shift Algorithm, which it acquired from Cadillac, while the Tremec T56 manual six speed transmission featured a shorter shift lever and had more positive action.

Made Smaller: In an attempt to gain popularity and boost sales in Europe, GM decided to make the 2005 C6 Corvette smaller and less bulky. While this is certainly better for a more crowded pollution, they did receive much criticism for the move as some cited it was too small and compact for a true sports car.

OnStar: For the first time in Corvette history, the 2005 Corvette came with the option of OnStar, which is a voice activated system that can be used to call for help in case of an accident and can even assist in opening a locked door.

Though the 2005 C6 Corvette may have proved to be more of an evolution of the C5 as opposed to an entirely new automobile, the super car took huge steps in the way of refinement and performance. While it is true that it was made smaller than its C5 grand dad that just meant it was more agile and precise. The design showed flashes of the past and brought to mind the classic Sting Rays of 1963-1967 and above all else the 2005 Corvette represented true value. With all the improvements made its base price still came in under that of the last C5 produced. Power and performance; is there anything better?

For added info or questions about The 2005 Corvette C6 Generation please visit the SmokinVette Team at www.smokinvette.com

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The 1984 Corvette

The 1984 Corvette was the new C4 generation of Corvettes. This represented the first time in fifteen years that General Motors totally redesigned the Corvette. “Form follows function” was the mission statement for chief engineers and designers Jerry Palmer and David R. McClellan. This statement was followed in the past, however, the new generation had to prove to be worth the wait.

Design for the 1984 Corvette began years earlier and was intended to come out in 1983 so that Corvette fans could have a 30 year anniversary model. Unfortunately for the fans though, snags and glitches delayed the production and the new generation of Corvette would not go into production until March of 1983 but had to be released as a 1984 model. Still the 1984 Corvette was worth the time it took to get it right.

Other than the engine there was nothing in the design from top down in the 1984 Corvette from the Shark area. The new features in the 1984 Corvette include:

Improved Frame: Chevrolet and the 1984 Corvette made history incorporating the first ever uni-frame, or ‘birdcage’ frame.

Improved Steering: The 1984 Corvette featured rack-and-pinion steering design as opposed to the past recirculating-ball steering that General Motors typically used at the time.

Improved Suspension: The 1984 Corvette featured a Z51 Performance Handling Package. This package included 13.0:1 quick-ratio steering, heavy-duty shocks, and upgraded front and rear springs. The new Corvette also featured Formula 1 and Indy Car racing inspired V-Rated tires for a better overall grip.

Improved Braking: A new design of 11.5 inch rotors made their way onto the 1984 Corvette. These rotors were a special design from the company Girlock.

Improved Hood: The 1984 Corvette saw the birth of the clam-shell hood which made access to the engine much easier than previous models.

Improved Trunk: The 1984 Corvette had a bigger back piece of glass that opened as a hatch to give way to a much roomier trunk.

Improved Top: The new Corvette brought the first targa top with no centerline reinforcement for the muscle car.

Improved Transmission: The 1984 Corvette had a new four speed automatic transmission like no one had ever known before. Dubbed the ‘4+3,’ the new transmission was basically a regular four speed transmission with three planetary gears attached to the rear which acted as a step down or overdrive reduction in the top three gears when signaled by the computer.

Even though the engine was a carryover from the 1982 model, the 1984 Corvette was able to put out five additional horsepower and five additional foot pounds of torque thanks to a more efficient radiator fan and accessory drive. The 5.7-liter 350 V-8 featured twin throttle-body electronic fuel injection and ‘CrossFire’ manifolding with dual ram-air intakes.

In early 1983, the 1984 Corvette had its official unveiling. Surprising to enthusiasts and critics the 1984 Corvette came out. Because of the extra long model year the 1984 Corvette sold 51,547 units which were the second highest in Corvette history. Even though, it took General Motors a long time to create another generation of a Corvette it was worth the wait.

For more info and queries in regards to 1984 Corvette please visit the Smokinvette Group at www.smokinvette.com

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Why A Corvette Forum Matters

In 1990 I received a free AOL disc in the mail and used it to go “online.” AOL was fun for a variety of years, but a friend told me back in 1995 that you do not need AOL to surf the Internet. In all honesty I didn’t know that at that time. A few days later, I said good-bye to AOL and “HELLO!” to the superhighway of information. People that previously had no interest in PC’s are now running to computer stores so they could surf the internet and retrieve their e-mail.

Back at that time the Internet was really different. Just about everyone was on dial-up, so sites and web pages were simpler. The net hadn’t yet been taken over by commerce sites so it was easier to find “information” then. Chat rooms and forums had been around since the early ’80s, but they were difficult to use. AOL’s interface helped make it much easier.

While blogging began around 1994, it didn’t start to take off until ‘99 with the introduction of “blogging tools.” When political pundits glommed on to blogs in ‘02, the blogosphere really took off. Now, there’s a blog for everything. This is good news and bad news. For researchers like me, when I do a search, nearly half of the links are for product, services, books, auction listings, and forum or blog comments. At first, I was kind of annoyed with the Corvette forum links because searches often linked to things such as, “I like side-pipes too.” But when I took some time to go to the Corvette forum’s home page, I was pleasantly surprised to find a rich, comprehensive information source.

SmokinVette.com is a Corvette forum. The Corvette fad is very big, because it spans a 57 year lineage of cars in six distinctive generations. SmokinVette has a Corvette forum for all six generations. Upon viewing your generation’s forum, look around, look around, and check out the topics. All of the forums are unique, so take some time searching the links, drop-down boxes, and controls. It’s like being in a big box or even a home improvement store. At first it can be overwhelming, but it does not take long for you to figure out what you want to look for.

Sometimes I’m just in the mood to look at pictures. SmokinVette has a HUGE collection of Corvette photos. And what would a high-testosterone topic like Corvettes be without a collection of Corvette Girls? BORING! You won’t find anything too over the top at SmokinVette, but you WILL find lots of SMOKIN babes. That’s a compliment, ladies.

Owning a Corvette isn’t as economically challenging as owning a pleasure boat, but you WILL be spending some cash either refurbishing or personalizing your Corvette. The “Vette Parts” section of SmokinVette can help you locate anything from a supercharger or crate engine to a LED lights or used parts. You’ll find stuff you didn’t even know was being offered! Corvette people are VERY creative.

It’s hard to be just a voyeur. After you finish the free registration, you can give your input to any forum, start a new forum topic, and ask a Corvette question, or even post images and/or photos. Corvette people are very friendly and helpful. Once you own a Vette or are simply an enthusiast, you belong to a uniquely American club. The whole “Save the Wave” thing started as a way for Corvette owners to recognize one another on the road. Corvettes are not just your ordinary car, they are something more special. It’s indescribable the feeling you get when you drive one. It’s a genuinely sensual experience when you drive one. You do not just “ride” in a Corvette, you DRIVE a Corvette, because they are made and designed to be DRIVEN. I have lost count of how many times I have read or heard a new Corvette owner say, “I never really understood this car until I drove one.” That’s the “GOTCHA!” moment.

So clear out some time, get comfortable, and check out some Corvette forums, such as SmokinVette.com. Its fun, entertaining, educational, and a way to meet like-minded people that “get” the Corvette obsession. Nuff said! – KST

For more info or queries in regards to Why A Corvette Forum Matters please visit the Smokinvette Team at www.smokinvette.com

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