Corvette The American Dream Machine

I recently heard someone say if Chevrolet only made one car, it would be the Corvette. 

The Corvette lives.  It will continue on as a 2010 model and beyond.

That makes sense to me, but there has to be other models for the American family to choose from.   In fact, there has to be other trim levels from Buick and Cadillac and GMC to please the wide variety of buyers out there.

We lost Oldsmobile a few years ago and in the process alienated a big portion of the loyal GM buyers.  Many of those buyers have purchased Toyotas since then.  Now we are losing Pontiac because the GM board did not make the price point and the trim upgrade levels a high enough step up from Chevrolet to Pontiac.  So there it goes also.

Will GM get things right this time??  They are in bankrupcy.  Who knows!

I even heard announcers at one of the collector car auctions make a statement about several of the classic 60s and 70s GM musclecars and he couldn’t believe that GM stopped making such fun cars!!  That is part of the problem.  The cars are not as fun as they used to be.  The other problems are reliability and the cost of replacement parts.

If GM can improve the fun factor, increase reliability and reduce the cost of replacement parts, they will be huge winners in this Global Economy.

The loyal GM customers are still out there.  They are waiting to buy cars.  All GM has to do is to tell them that they have the products they are looking for.

I just finished watching the Mecum Auction from Indianapolis this past Friday and Saturday.  Prices still respectable considering the economic conditions.

What I am most impressed about is the price that COPO Camaros and Chevelles command at these auctions.  These cars are powered by the L-72 427 Corvette engine which was introduced for the 1966 model year, and then in 1967 it acquired a triple 2bbl Holley carb setup (tripower) and was re-coded as an L-71.  In 1968 and 1969, a lower profile intake manifold was used to clear the hood of the new C3 Corvette.

If you wanted to lighten the car or improve the handling, the L-88 aluminum heads were available as an option.  The L-71 engine would then become an L-89.  The L-89 was available on Corvettes in 1967 only.  In 1968 and 1969, the L-89 was available on the tripower L-71 427 Corvette, but in the Camaro and Chevelles, the L-89 was available on top of the L-78 396/375 engine and was fueled by a single 780 cfm Holley carb.

I’m going to feature and discuss the COPO Camaros and Chevelles in my companion book to Corvette Racing Legends.  The 1969 COPOs were factory 427 cars, that led to the release of the 1970 LS6 454 SS Chevelle.  I made brief mention of that in my book, but you really have to look hard to find it.  That’s why I’m working on the companion book.

But anyway, there were more Corvettes with the L-71 tripower 427 built in 1969 than all the COPO Camaros and COPO Chevelles combined.  That’s why the COPOs command more money at auctions.  There were over 4000 LS6 Chevelles built in 1970.  That’s a lot.  Must not be too many of them remaining. 

I saw one L-88 Corvette at the auction, but it was a no-sale.  The reserve price was not met.  If you want to see more authentic L-88 Corvettes, take a look here: www.TheL88Corvette.com  That site will always have new photos each year after the Bloomington Gold Corvette Show.

While you are waiting for my new Corvette and COPO book, you will have to settle for my current book at: www.CorvetteRacingLegends.com 

I also have a new forum at: www.TheChevroletCorvette.com  Its for everyone and it contains free classified ads for Corvettes and Corvette parts for all of its members.  Join up now!

Long Live The Corvette!

Pete

GM experimented with rotary engines at one point in time.  The idea was this: less moving parts, lower production costs and lower operating costs.  GM even designed cars around the rotary powered design.  Two experimental Corvettes were built with 2 and 4 rotor engines.  Even the Chevrolet Monza,  Buick Skyhawk, Oldsmobile Starfire & Pontiac Sunbird were all originally designed with the intention of being rotary powered.

But the rotary design which was believed to have been purchased from Wankel (the rotary engine designer), turned out to be a low efficient engine that delivered poor gas mileage during that time at GM (early 70s). 

As a result, GM ended up being two years behind on its engine emission/fuel mileage plan exactly when the first gas crisis of the ’70s hit in 1973. 

Is there still a future for the rotary engine?  Who knows?  Perhaps a small displacement multi-rotor engine with turbocharging assistance could be the answer to lowering costs and improving gas mileage.

Computer controlled fuel injection systems have allowed large Corvette engines to achieve way over 24 MPG on the highway and also deliver 12 second quarter mile time slips before heading home.

These same computer managed fuel injection systems might make a huge difference in the future of GM.

All it would take is a new attitude.

A new Corvette Grand Sport model has recently been unveiled for the 2010 model year.  With the possibility of bankruptcy looming this summer and cleaner cars being mandated by our new government leaders, can the Corvette as we know and love it, survive?