Buying Used Corvette Car

March 3rd, 2012

Unlike ordinary cars, Corvette sports car do not decrease in value as they get older. The value of Corvette cars increase as the years go by which means this car is a very good investment. Older Corvette cars also appeal to a wide variety of people, the old and vintage Corvettes has a more classic look while the newer models have a more sporty look and the performance is more powerful.

A good advice when buying a Corvette is to bring a mechanic who has deep knowledge in Corvette cars. There are also Corvette mechanics who specialize on just newer Corvettes and they will not work on the older models. You have to talk to your mechanic about the particular Corvette model that you are interested in.

Corvettes with salvaged or reconstructed titles are very hard to re-sell. The buyers would most likely turn down the car if this is the case. It would be easier to sell classic Corvettes that have mechanical problems because some car enthusiasts love to repair and rebuild classic cars.

When buying a used Corvette, it would be hard to spot if the parts are still the original ones. The most obvious indicator that the Corvette car uses original parts is its asking price. If the price of the Corvette is expensive, chances are that it has original parts and it is a fully restored Corvette car. There are organizations such as the National Corvette Restorer’s Society who gives a seal of approval or certificates for fully restored Corvette cars. You can be sure that the Corvette cars that has their certificate of approval has authentic Corvette parts.

 

 

Role of Fiberglass in Corvette

March 1st, 2012

Fiberglass has a huge role in the production of Corvette cars. Almost every Corvette enthusiast know that the body of the Corvette cars are made of fiberglass materials. This kind of material was brought about because of the innovation and the creative minds of the Corvette engineers.

Harley Earl envisioned an American sports car that could rival the European sports car during the 1950s. This was the time when Americans have developed a thirst for fast and stylish cars. When the engineers were collaborating on what material their sports car should be made from, they decided to do something different. They decided to use fiberglass for the body of the car. The engineers opted for the fiberglass because it is more lightweight and it has a high durability.

One major problem that the Corvette engineers confronted was the fact that this was the first GM car that will use a fiberglass body. This means that most of the first Corvette cars that were produced in 1953 were hand made. However, this drawback became an advantage because the engineers realized that the fiberglass is material that is very workable. Ordinary steel could not replicate what a fiberglass material can do and this means better styling refinement than any other car available that time.

The tradition of using fiberglass materials for the main body of the Corvette still continues until today. Corvette also mixes some materials along with the fiberglass such as the carbon fiber hood of the ZR1. The people behind the Corvette will still continue to explore and innovate ways on how to improve the look and the design of the Corvette. However, the continued preference of fiberglass material will still remain with the Corvette for a long time.

Corvette Parts That are Hard to Find

February 28th, 2012

It is not always easy to find genuine Corvette parts in the market, especially if your Corvette is a limited edition model. Sometimes these parts are also very expensive which makes it rare and hard to find. The Corvette car also has parts that are only specific to their sports car model. This means that the parts like the alternator, camshafts, distributors, fuel pumps and other Corvette parts should be real genuine Corvette parts. Other parts that are not specific to Corvette will not fit or match the Corvette sports car.

Since Corvettes are high performance cars, you can be sure that Chevrolet uses high quality and precision made car parts just for a specific Corvette model. Each succeeding models have modified parts so this means that a car part for a Sting Ray will not fit or work with a ZR1 Corvette.

The area in a Corvette car that has a lot of hard to find parts is the engine. The modifications done in the Corvette engine through the years are very intricate and complex. The engine parts have to fit exactly with each component in order to get the maximum car performance that the Corvette is renowned for.

Corvette alternators are known to be a difficult part to find because it has different accessory parts that are also hard to find. One good tip when you are looking for alternators and alternator part, you have to match the Corvette generation and the year it was made from. It is easier to find parts when the particular Corvette model was in production for a long time. For example, the C3 lasted for two decades which means that it is easier to find the parts for that generation. The C2 was in production for only a short period of time so it means that it is harder to find the car parts for the C2 generation.

Another part that can be hard to find for the Corvette is the carburetors. These carburetors are also like alternators and it has lots of accessories and sub parts. Each accessories for the carburetors should match or else it would not work.

Those are the parts that are going to be difficult to find in car dealers and market. If you own a vintage and special edition Corvette, you have to know where to get most of its car parts.

History of Corvette – Elfi Duntov

February 27th, 2012

Elfi Duntov has a very close association with Corvette because she is the wife of Zora Duntov. She exudes charm and she is still energetic even in her old age.

Elfi was born in Berlin and she moved to Paris, France when she was 17 to work as a Blue Bell Dancer. She is a very talented dancer and she knows tap dancing, modern dance and African dancing. It was in Paris where she met Zora and they eventually got married. They moved to New York and Elfi continued to study and perform dancing. Since she was a really talented dancer, she was asked to join the Jackie Gleason’s June Taylor Dancers in 1953.

Elfi had to sacrifice her career to follow Zora in Detroit when he was hired by Chevrolet. Elfi always goes with Zora when he travels but Chevrolet does not encourage wives accompanying husbands on business trips. Zora takes Elfi on his own expense.

Elfi became Zora’s partner when he test drives a car or races a car. Of course, being a wife, she was worried for his safety. She knows that her husband always prioritizes safety when test driving cars and this knowledge eases her concerns.

There was a major incident when Zora was involved in an accident. He broke his neck in that accident and recovery was a bit slow but he went back to full health again. Through it all, Elfi was there beside him. She understands that her husband loves his job so much and that she just gives a stoic attitude on the dangers of Zora’s profession.

Zora is renowned for his driving but Elfi also has her share of driving Corvettes. She is a Corvette enthusiast and one of her favorite Corvette car is a 1956 home built Corvette. It is a special convertible car that has an 8 cylinder fuel injected engine. It was originally painted yellow but the styling group repainted it silver blue with racing stripes. They eventually sold this car and has changed owners several times. She hopes to visit the owner and see her car once again someday.

There were many stories regarding Zora and Elfi’s test driving of the Corvette. Some of them were quite amusing, like the one were the seat of the car had been fitted with metal fibers which cut through Zora’s trousers during the test drive. Elfi told Zora to show his trousers to the designers as a proof that the metal fibers on the seat is not a good idea.

After Zora’s retirement in 1975, they never fail to attend Corvette shows and they get invitations for these shows. Elfi likes meeting new people when attending these Corvette shows as well as seeing new Corvette cars.

Her life is full of rich experiences and she does not regret leaving her dancing career to support her husband. She enjoys all the adventures she went through with her husband and shares his love for the Corvette cars.

 

History of Corvette – Larry Shinoda

February 26th, 2012

Larry Shinoda is the man behind the 1963 Corvette Stingray. This Corvette model was considered as one of the most beautiful American sports car ever created. Other cars that Larry Shinoda designed were the Z-28 Camaro and the BOSS 302 Mustang.

Larry Shinoda started working in Ford Motors in 1955 when he got kicked out of the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. He only worked for a year in Ford and then moved to Packard but the company was in financial trouble so he also has to take a leave. After working on a car that won the Indy 500, he went to work in General Motors. This is where he started designing the 1959 Sting Ray sports car in clay model. However, GM does not allow sports car racing so the Sting Ray still does not have the Corvette emblem in it. This design would be the guide and the foundation for the popular 1963 Corvette Sting Ray.

Shinoda designed the 1963 Sting Ray as a roadster and then the Rear Split Window was incorporated into the coupe. He worked with Bill Mitchell and Zora Arkus-Duntov to make the 1963-1967 Corvette Sting Ray as the best and most desirable Corvettes of all time. Larry’s task for the Sting Ray was to make it into a production car and he was the only designer in the studio at that time.

The 1963 Corvette has all the best qualities you want in a car, it has an edge and it looks exciting to drive. Chevrolet built 20,000 Corvette Sting Rays on its first year growing to 27,000 in 1966. Corvette was considering the idea of putting a backseat on the Sting Ray but it did not push through.

Shinoda continued designing for the Corvette even in his old age. He designed the Shinoda Kit for the Corvette C4. His other works involve a limited run of Shinoda designed C5 Corvettes and the Cragar wheels on a 17″, 18″ and 20″ Shinoda design series. Shinoda also  worked on the graphic design for the Mid-America traveling Corvette exhibit.

Larry Shinoda had a kidney failure and he had a heart attack and died on November 13, 1997.

History of Corvette – Zora Arkus-Duntov

February 22nd, 2012

Zachary Arkus or Zora was born on December 25, 1909 in Belgium. His parents were both Russians and they went back to their homeland which is Leningrad. Zora’s last name, Duntov, came from his stepfather. Out of respect for both men, he took Arkus-Duntov as his last name.

During his early childhood in Berlin, he dreams of becoming a streetcar driver but this enthusiasm was later directed on motorcycles. His parents do not approve of him riding his motorcycle on the racetracks and through the streets of Berlin. His parents insisted that he trade his motorcycle for an automobile, he bought a racecar. His racecar was called Bob which is set up for oval track racing.

In 1939, Zora married a German dancer named Elfi Wolff. Soon, war broke out and Zora and his family escaped from Portugal to New York by boarding a ship.

Zora and his family settled down in Manhattan and he set up his own business company along with his brother. They supplied parts in the military and manufactured aluminum heads for the flathead Ford V8 engine. Zora’s engineering company, Ardun, grew employing 300 people but it later closed down and went out of business. He later went to England and worked on the Allard sports car which he drove at the Le Mans in 1952 and 1953.

In 1953, Zora attended a General Motors event in New York and he saw the Motorama Corvette on display. That same year, he joined General Motors when he wrote a technical paper proposing an analytical method of determining a car’s top speed. General Motors were impressed by what he proposed and invited him to Detroit. In May of 1953, Zora started his job in Chevrolet as an assistant staff engineer.

During his earlier years in Chevrolet, he submitted a document to his bosses which was entitled “Thoughts Pertaining to Youth, Hot Rodders and Chevrolet.” This document was the basis and the foundation of the company to create the most successful performance parts program. Zora became the director of high performance in Chevrolet and transformed the company from its conservative status to a youthful, aggressive and exciting image. Zora helped introduce the small block V8 engine to the 1955 Corvette model. This gave the sports car its much needed power and speed. Other achievements that were made by Zora include setting a Corvette record in Daytona Beach reaching 150 mph over the flying mile. He also developed the popular Duntov high-lift camshaft which brought fuel injection to the Corvette in 1957.

Zora launched the Grand Sport program in 1963. This is a program that will race the Corvette on the international circuit and it will go up against other GT Class cars and prototypes of Ferrari, Porsche and Ford. However, the policy of GM prohibits this from happening but five Grand Sport cars were still created.

Even at 81 years of age, Zora still remains passionate about the Corvette. He retired in 1975 and passed his job over to Dave McLellan. Zora was a member of the Drag Racing Hall of Fame, Automotive Hall of Fame and Chevrolet Legends of Performance. He attended different Corvette events and happenings even in his old age. Six weeks before his death, he was even the guest speaker of a Corvette event.

 

 

The First Corvette Emblem

February 19th, 2012

Robert Bartholomew designed the first Corvette emblem in 1953. He was an interior designer for the Chevrolet company. The first emblem was designed for the 1953 Corvette prototype that will be shown for the first time in public at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in January of 1953.

The initial design for the first Corvette emblem has two staffs crossing each other, a checkered flag on the right and the American flag on the left. The American flag was used in the emblem to show that the Corvette sports car is an American made car. However, the GM management team quickly informed Bartholomew and the rest of the styling team that the American flag should not be included. It is also against the law to use the American flag in an emblem of a car. So a few days before the car was shown to the press, the emblem was replaced.

The new emblem that replaced the first one was designed with a black and white checkered flag and a red Chevrolet bow tie and fleur-de-lis. Here is the image of the first Corvette emblem.

2010 Corvette Specifications

February 18th, 2012

The 2010 Corvette has a number of features that are not found on the previous models. These features include standard side air bags, interior console trim pattern and cashmere interior on the Z06 and the ZR1 models. Here are the main specifications for the 2010 Corvette sports car.

The 2010 Corvette offers four different styles for their buyers. The first one is the basic Corvette model which is priced at $48,930. The second one is the Grand Sport which has a much expensive price tag of $54,770. The Z06 is the third model which commands a base price of $74,285. The last model, which is also the most expensive, is the ZR1 and it was priced at $106,880.

The base model for the Corvette and the Grand Sport was equipped with a 6.2 liter V8 engine that produces 430 horsepower at 5,900 rpm. The more powerful Z06 model has a 7 liter V8 engine that produces 505 horsepower at 6,300 rpm. The top of the line ZR1 Corvette model has a 6.2 liter V8 engine that can produce 638 horsepower at 6,500 rpm. All these models have engines that feature 16 overhead valves. The standard transmission for all the models is the six speed manual but there is also an option for the six speed automatic transmission with paddle shift control.

In terms of performance, the base Corvette model can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. The Grand Sport model can go from 0 to 60 mph in 4 seconds. The Z06 can achieve that same speed in only 3.9 seconds. The ZR1 is a lot faster and it goes from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.4 seconds. The ZR1 has a reputation as being one of the fastest cars in the world today.

For the dimension of the 2010 Corvette models, the length measures at 175.6 inches. The height is at 48.7 inches and the wheelbase is at 105.7 inches.

The base model and the Grand Sport has a fuel consumption of 16 miles per gallon in the city. In the highway, the base model has a mileage of 26 miles per gallon.

2009 Corvette Specifications

February 17th, 2012

The 2009 Corvette is part of the sixth generation of Corvette or the C6. The C6 has more of a European body style that features bulbous fenders. The models for the 2009 Corvette include the coupe, convertible, Z06, ZR1, GT1 Championship Edition and the GT2 Models.

For the engine of the 2009 Corvette, the base model was equipped with the 6.2 liter V8 engine that produces 400 horsepower and 424 foot-pounds of torque. The Championship Edition model has an engine that can produce 426 horsepower and 428 foot-pounds of torque. The ZR1 also has a 6.2 liter V8 engine but it can produce 638 horsepower and 604 foot-pounds of torque. The GT2 model has a 6.0 liter engine that can produce 470 horsepower and 535 foot-pounds of torque. The Z06 has a 7.0 liter V8 engine that produces 505 horsepower and 470 foot-pounds of torque. These powerful engines of the Corvette are matched by a six speed manual transmission.

The base model of the 2009 Corvette has a total length of 174.6 inches. The ZR1 has a length of 176.2 inches while the Z06 measures at 175.6 inches. All the Corvette models have a width of 72.6 inches and 49.1 inches tall. All the 2009 Corvette models have a wheelbase of 105.7 inches.

The 2009 Corvette features hydroformed aluminum frame with aluminum and magnesium chassis and structural components. The body panels were made of composite and carbon fiber.

The features that are included in the 2009 Corvette model include the electronic traction control and active handling system. All their models also has a front and rear double wishbone suspension system, monotube shock absorbers and transverse-mounted composite leaf springs.

2008 Corvette Specifications

February 12th, 2012

The 2008 Corvette models were available in three body styles, the coupe, convertible and the superior Z06 model. The 2008 version offers great luxury and more powerful performance which makes the Corvette a leading American sports car.

The LS3 engine was introduced in the 2008 Corvette. The LS3 is a 6.2 liter V8 engine which produces 430 horsepower and 424 feet-pounds of torque. The six speed manual transmission is standard for the coupe and the convertible but buyers can also choose the automatic transmission. For the Z06, it has the 7.0 liter LS7 engine with a manual transmission and it can produce 505 horsepower and 470 ft-lbs of torque. The Z06 can go to a quarter of a mile in 11.7 seconds and it can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in 3.6 seconds.

The 2008 Corvette has standard amenities that include air conditioning, air filtration, auto-dimming mirrors, reading lights and leather interior components. For entertainment, standard features include AM/FM radio with CD, satellite radio and MP3.

In terms of safety, the 2008 Corvette has several driver assistance technologies which include stability control, traction control and brake force distribution. The superior braking system consist of four wheel disc brakes. The driver and the passenger is protected with airbags, three point safety belts and sports seats.