How would you improve the Corvette?

Bob G. wrote:
> 1.Although my wife receives her pension check from Alcoa..I'll stick
> with the current material they use for the Body..(it is not fiberglass
> btw).
> 2.Personally I for one am Not interested in a Northstar tyoe of engine
> good old pushrods.... ok.. I could live with a little new Tech...
> 3.This I could live with (vbg)...but I would still order a 6
> speed..even if they charged more for it
> 4.YOU GOTA BE FRICKEN KIDDING ....
> 5.I would not stop using a wind tunnel I would just give up some aero
> effeciency for better and more agressive looking styling...
> ============================
> I would make the car much less of a "cruiser"...I do not need a ton of
> the standard "options" now offered... I would also like to see the car
> shrink down in size ..at least get closer to the size of a Miata.. lol
> Just my opinions...
> Bob
> 64 72 76 79 & 95 Corvettes...

Agreed, it wouldn't be a terribly difficult decision on the part of GM
to get back to a "real" car at least from a technical standpoint. Forget
all the hung on crap ... errr creature comforts and toys. I'd buy a new
one every few years if they'd remember why these cars came by their
reputation ... "THE American Sports Car"... not "The American immitation
of a sports car because we added so much junk"

Sports cars by their very definition have always been lacking extra toys
as shown by some of the best examples such as Ferrari's Enzo. Hell, they
don't even have a basic radio... but they go like stink and handle
incredibly! Just a little overdone for my pocket book though.

As far as I'm concerned GM could cut the heads up display, multi speaker
stereo, keyless entry, dial up handling and jsut about everything else
they've thrown in. horse power, HOLY SH** torque, a decent box,
tight-ass suspension, amazing brakes, decent looks and a seat that
doesn't kill my butt are mostly what makes a legend. The rest is crap.

However, regardless of what each of us may think or even want, GM will
continue to destroy the perception of a smart looking basic vehicle,
with plenty of go power and excellent handling, instead adding more
gizmos than any purist wants. GM has the ability to wow the masses but....

Money talks... 'till the next company comes along with the real deal as
happened, albeit minimally, with the Viper. If Chrysler had the noodles
to put this on the production line and keep it simple it'd be 1/2 it's
current price but they'd probably sell 5 times as many... and possibly
make more money per unit.

Cheers

Richard
"dealing on his 3rd Vette in the garage.. a tidy '53"

"Mean Mr Mustard" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> 1. Dump the fiberglass body for aluminum
No.
> 2. Retire the LS* and replace with a Northstar/Aurora derivative
No.
> 3. Replace the auto with a manumatic shifter
No.
> 4. NO convertibles! Just targas and coupes
No.
> 5. Stop letting the wind tunnel dictate design.
Yes.

Bring the curb weight back to 3000 lbs. Bring the size back down to under
175 inches in length. Bob's idea of a Miata is good, but they can't get a V8
in a body that small, and have America passengers. (maybe Italian or
Japanese)

Pull off the bells and whistles and put them on the option list.

Make each engineer that designs go out and do a full maintenance on the car
and major work like pulling the engine, pulling the transmission, and
pulling the rear suspension. Have them do the minor repair stuff, too, like
replacing a fuel pump, replacing a water pump, etc. Inside stuff, too, like
changing the radio, lights on the dash, etc.

After they bleed and cuss each other out like I have, then maybe they will
have an idea of how to design a good car.

Then take 5 protos to Arizona to the GM track and run them 12 hours flat out
a day, for 5 days. Make them do NASCAR-style pit repairs, and see what they
missed in their first educational exercise.

Hire stylists that love cars, and if any think the Avalanche looks good,
shoot them on the spot. Have them design the look from the heart, then
refine it in the wind tunnel so it is good to 160. Anything faster isn't
much use anywhere, regardless of what we think. Very few track days guys
get any courses like Daytona that permit faster speeds. Even if you do
track days events on courses like Roebling Road, IRP, and so on, most will
rarely get over 160 and will usually only hit 160 for about 20 seconds at a
time. (20 sec * 234 ft/sec = 4680 ft. - not many courses have any straights
that long that you don't have to brake hard at the end)

Hide the headlights.

'How would you improve the Corvette?

'

REPLY: Make it look more like a C3 with some lines.

I gotta agree with "Tom in Missouri".

Build a corvette you can work on. Climb under the hood. One, your not
forced to haul to a GM Goodwrench mechanic. GM would sell more parts.
The aftermark is where the money is.

Dump the wind tunnel, and bring back the Mid-years rear end. One that
doesn't look like your flashing your ass at someone; when you by.

Most corvettes I see are every day drivers; not driven on race track. GM
needs to build a corvette that can compete curbside on 10 ft two lane
city street infested with potholes.

That's reality.



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..
>
>Make each engineer that designs go out and do a full maintenance on the car
>and major work like pulling the engine, pulling the transmission, and
>pulling the rear suspension. Have them do the minor repair stuff, too, like
>replacing a fuel pump, replacing a water pump, etc. Inside stuff, too, like
>changing the radio, lights on the dash, etc.
>
========================
Hey Tom.... I know you are very knowledgeable about Corvettes...

So I know you know that the 1st rule when doing any repairs on a
Corvette is to disassemble the entire car....

My next door neighbor who was until last year, when he retired, Was
a Factory Rep ..for of all things ..GMC Trucks.. Plus he was a "car
guy"...which according to him was common 30 years ago BUT not now..
the newer reps act more like insurance adjusters..and accountants..oh
well !.

BUT
Over the years the two of us have had many long discussions about
the subject of working on our vehicles.... and the problems of
"getting to" a lot of the parts....

Basic explanation... Those engineers are handed a design from the
"art" department... and given the task of stuffing everything INSIDE
the envelope so to speak...

IT would be a hell of lot nicer if those engineers did their
thing...then handed their finished work to the styling department and
gave them the task of WRAPING the package...with a body

Ain't gona happen... so I just keep a supply of Band aids in the
toolbox so I can deal with all my scraped knuckles ..

==========

Another Poster asked if Drum brakes and Power Steering were
"gadgets" that could be removed.... Well on that score I have to
admit that I like Disc brakes ( have added them to the front of both
my 64 Vette and to my 68 Chevelle) but I do not really need power
brakes ... Power Steering is another thing I live without on both of
these cars (the Chevelle is a Tank btw) ... and I have seriously
though about fixing the chronic leaking power steering control valve
on all 3 of my sharks by just removing the power steering
components...and be done with it...

Bob G.

DAVE number TWO----You may wish to change your name in this group as
there is another dave (one fast1970vette on webtv)that everyone here
ignores as a fundy idiot who takes his vet to WalMart for service and
drives 55 in the fast lane

ken

#1. less weight
#2. fewer gimmicks I.E. no traction control, keyless entry, ABS, etc
as standard equipment. Remember the Capri's that were the same as the
mustang gt's if you ordered them right, but a few hundred pounds
lighter?) so you could get a light weight base model
#3. the ability to order AWD
#4. better (higher numerical gearing options) i mean when was the last
time the most of use went much past 120?
#5. more power options with out having to get the Z06
#6. Smaller overall
#7. more factory parts for hi-po use, at a competitive price. it
would be nice to be able to build a big inch motor with factory parts,
with out having to go out and buy a Dart or a World products block,
which are less than a bowtie block
#8. little things, like bosses in the intake manifold for drilling
nitrous fogger nozzles.
#9. a hood that opens like the c4 does.
#10. lower cost
On 8 Mar 2005 09:38:05 -0800, "Mean Mr Mustard" >
wrote:

>1. Dump the fiberglass body for aluminum
>2. Retire the LS* and replace with a Northstar/Aurora derivative
>3. Replace the auto with a manumatic shifter
>4. NO convertibles! Just targas and coupes
>5. Stop letting the wind tunnel dictate design.

ahh.ok.. how's this ?

=== you must first take out MYUGLYSISTER to email me privately ===


> wrote in message
ups.com...
> DAVE number TWO----You may wish to change your name in this group as
> there is another dave (one fast1970vette on webtv)that everyone here
> ignores as a fundy idiot who takes his vet to WalMart for service and
> drives 55 in the fast lane
>
> ken
>

I think the biggest thing GM can do is go ahead and step up to the plate
when it comes to the same things breaking on the car.

Rocking chair, targa tops peeling, etc. I like the C5's. If I hit the
lotto I'd probably get a c6, I must say though when the same things go up on
both of my C5's, it makes me start having that wandering eye.

Other than that:
Add the following options from the factory:
Headers
Blower
Lingenfelter Cam/Heads
Electronic cut outs (somebody stope me..)
RK Sport style hood (ram air style but maybe even taller)
MP3 Player or at least a jack on the radio
Built in garage door opener in the visor
Hood to open like C4 (somebody said this..but I second it)

-Stan

"Mean Mr Mustard" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> 1. Dump the fiberglass body for aluminum
> 2. Retire the LS* and replace with a Northstar/Aurora derivative
> 3. Replace the auto with a manumatic shifter
> 4. NO convertibles! Just targas and coupes
> 5. Stop letting the wind tunnel dictate design.
>