C8 corvette

[eyecu2]

Thought I would start a thread about the new c8 Corvette. I will say as a tall fella, 6 ft 5, fitting in these cars with somewhat of a concern, but once inside the interior is decently large, or at least accommodating. I've sat in every variety prior and really like the way the c7's looked best, but after sitting in the c8 and driving it, there's no comparison. For a car that's available as a convertible supercar for less than 85k with tons of options, it's a lot of fun to drive. Also the convertible top is really a work of art on how it operates.

Not sure would be a car I'd want to drive super long trips, but it would sure as hell be fun.

If you've not driven a new one, which one have you driven / own, like, or just simply covet?

[flows-with-water]

Friends FIL had 35 vettes.

[Jacuzzme]

They’re hot, nicest thing gm has done in a WHILE. I might be partial to the Lexus LC in that price range, if it were something I was gonna drive a lot. The vette is more of a super car to cruise the park on Saturday.

[Devo]

I own a C5 lightly modded, its a Z51, Z06 factory exhaust, air intake mods and a high flow MAF sensor, and, finally added a tuner, I had to go to Z06 sized rims, because it was a spin machine.

I have just over 10K on it, bought it new, I have not cared for the fitment of myself in the vettes since the C6, they tightened up the inside too much, my dealer would not pay for the tooling and training needed for the C6, he told me about 40K, and they don't service enough vettes to justify the cost, so I haven't had a chance to get in one since then, as no mechanic, you can't order one.

Further, I have had mine over 150, it shifts into overdrive at 142 MPH, I ran out of road, it is PA, and, its active handling and traction control have saved my life a few times, no shit, its amazing how fast it gets you back into control.

I was going to supercharge it, but, bluntly, it would have meant further improvements to the tires, because its just controllable as it is now, if you deactivate the traction control, and I NEVER, EVER, disable the active handling.

I have no intentions of going to the salt flats to see the potential of my Vette.

My feelings on all the modern high HP vehicles is this, all are just a chip failure away from being a deathmobile if something goes wrong.

We just had a guy killed locally a 2018 Corvette, or so, just flew off the road, and he was killed, it was rainy and roads were wet, I don't know if they will subpeona the brain to see what exactly occurred, as he only killed himself, but my bet is, either it lost control because the AH, and TC couldn't overcome the conditions and speed, or he had disabled them, if thats even possible anymore.

While I would love to purchase a new Vette, I have found Bring a trailer, and I would rather pursue a vintage vehicle of my youth, instead of pushing the speed envelope further.

These new ones are supercars at half the price or less, of a foreign made competitor, and a HUGE bargain, but, 100K is a lot for something you can't safely drive 9 months of the year, or in inclement weather.

I put a C3 backwards on a rainy day, at 45 MPH, and was actually babying it home, because it was unsafe on rainy roads, and I'm in the left lane going backwards, as, cars are passing me on the right, it wouldn't stop, still hydroplaning, until I just coasted to a stop, scared the fuck out of me, and, I have faced far worse and been scared less, bear in mind, the left lane wasn't a passing lane, it was a 2 lane, and if a truck had been coming, I'm fiberglass toast and moosh.

The other thing, is, without a trasmission, the C4 has a tunnel the drive shaft passes through the body in the "Hump", its fluid filled as I understand it, and, after about an hour on the road, it gets damned hot, I would not care to use it on long trips, plus, its not designed for comfort either.

All these new supercars, bluntly, make me afraid to drive one, for the reasons I stated above.

Too easy to get dead, and, I don't want to get dead for a while yet.

Honestly, I think if I had a 100K to play with, I'd look for a nice original, or well done, late 60s, but pre 72 US made muscle car, a 427 Vette would be nice, but, I have seen lots of nice chargers, and other mopar muscle, Ford, I'm just not a fan of.

Frankly, as an investment, its probably a good buy as, looking at where we stand now, the push from the left to go E, we are seeing maybe the last of the V8 naturally aspirated vehicles out there.

And please, I am NOT GETTING POLITICAL MODS, the push towards green energy is threatening what we are going to be able to buy.

Did you see the 1000 HP Camaro coming out, a naturally aspirated 10 plus liter ICE, but, its not going to be street legal, I mean, that's just sick, but in a good way.

[Devo]

Here is a BAT example I've been watching, a HURST, yes you read that right a HURST Chrysler, one of about 500 made, a 440, and, its just about 18 1/2 feet long.

I had a Newport with a 383, and it got 8 miles to a gallon driving nice, at high throttle it dropped to under 6, and honest to god, you could flog it, and watch the fuel gage go down.

This car, SCREAMS the excesses of the 60s, and the American love for muscle cars, honestly, if I had the cheese, I'd go to 100K for this.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...omments-anchor

Gentlemen, I present the 1970 Chrysler/Hurst 300.

[eyecu2]

I had a friend who has a GNX (yr?)and a 72 442 convertible. The ride on the 442 is just awesome. The way you can fit in that car is great too. They don't make em like they used to, but hands down, the new Vette is a LOT of car for the money. Some local dealers will sell at MSRP still so you don't get a complete ass-reeming.

As far as investment vehicles go, I'd imagine a split window 63 (if you could find one) would only go up, similar to cuda convertibles. ..watching Mecum auctions and you see these going for huge money.

And the shocking thing is that 99% of Mercedes that cost a fortune new, sell for peanuts later, cept that funky gullwing model.

Ever go to the Corvette museum?

[Devo]

Originally Posted by eyecu2

I had a friend who has a GNX (yr?)and a 72 442 convertible. The ride on the 442 is just awesome. The way you can fit in that car is great too. They don't make em like they used to, but hands down, the new Vette is a LOT of car for the money. Some local dealers will sell at MSRP still so you don't get a complete ass-reeming.

As far as investment vehicles go, I'd imagine a split window 63 (if you could find one) would only go up, similar to cuda convertibles. ..watching Mecum auctions and you see these going for huge money.

And the shocking thing is that 99% of Mercedes that cost a fortune new, sell for peanuts later, cept that funky gullwing model.

Ever go to the Corvette museum?

No, I did consider having mine delivered there, but, the one I wanted was available at another dealer locally, and my dealer procured it, I jumped when GMAC offered 0 percent financing, I mean, I used their money for 5 years to make payments, something I generally never do, in fact, my dealer had to fight with GMAC for two reasons, I never financed cars before, ever, and, I was 10 years too young.

No shit, the credit rep brought up the fact the guys who finance Vettes are usually over 50 and I didn't meet that critical data point.

I completely agree, the newest model, the mid engine one is just a freaking insane amount of tech for the money, but, its gone from the original idea for the Corvette, which, was something a gear head could own and work on, mine was almost at that level, but still moddable, these aren't because you don't need to.

That sort of robs the fun, and, with our shitty roads, and lack of open highways, I just can't see anywhere to really use these cars, short of a track.

I can make a gun allegory, a machine gun of any type is hugely expensive now, a Thompson is over 40K, I own one, and, its value has went up over 600 percent, a great investment, but, I rarely if ever shoot it, because its just a bullet hose, and ammo has gotten very expensive, and honestly, once the novelty wears out, its just another toy.

After I did all my mods, including factory rear brake vents, as I built the Z06 coupe which never existed, I took it out at midnight on a Saturday night, and ran it down a highway I have raced on since being in high school, and from a dead stop, at the light, ran it up to 152ish, or so, basically did 150 and backed off, I have never done it again.

My previous high was actually in my Pontiac Grand Prix 135 mph, a modded supercharged model, it was actually faster than my 85 Corvette, you believe that shit?

It was my favorite car ever, a true 4 door sleeper.

I was ready to run my C4 at Keystone the next year against my lifelong friend who had a built and very fast F body, late 80s Mustang, and he killed himself on his motorcycle not long after I ran my Vette up, and we never got to do that, and, in part, that forever changed the way I used my car, I sort of lost my desire to race anybody else but him, and never would.

So at this point, even if I had a 100K to blow, I don't think my heart is in that type of stuff anymore.

If your priority is on a modern STEROIDED muscle cars, these really are likely the last of this golden age, and likely never to be seen again, due to regs and all the bullshit.

[Chase7]

I don’t care for the newer vettes. I had a 2007 Z06, I sold it with only 1,200 miles on it.
My main issue was I wouldn’t drive it any places I wanted to eat and drink, some asshole may key it, so it mainly sat in the garage. I didn’t care for the run flat tires, major road noise.
My favorite Corvette is the 62. I’ve considered buying one but haven’t because I’m to fing lazy to take care of it.

[Jacuzzme]

If you just want balls out power, the the Dodge SRT Hellcat is like 800hp and does the qm in 10 something, for around 100g. I’ve never been a mopar fan, but the hellcat is bad ass.

[eyecu2]

Originally Posted by Jacuzzme

If you just want balls out power, the the Dodge SRT Hellcat is like 800hp and does the qm in 10 something, for around 100g. I’ve never been a mopar fan, but the hellcat is bad ass.

Indeed badass. They built a jeep with that motor in it also...which seems like a horrible idea due to aerodynamics n shit. Like the old GMC Typhoon back in the day, but even badder. I almost bought a dodge SRT 10 truck, which had the viper motor. I missed out though, and could have snagged a 10 yr old truck with 30k miles for about 13k. I Fucked up.

[Devo]

Originally Posted by eyecu2

Indeed badass. They built a jeep with that motor in it also...which seems like a horrible idea due to aerodynamics n shit. Like the old GMC Typhoon back in the day, but even badder. I almost bought a dodge SRT 10 truck, which had the viper motor. I missed out though, and could have snagged a 10 yr old truck with 30k miles for about 13k. I Fucked up.

I have a pre EyeTalian Jeep, total piece of shit, nothing but one issue after another, I'll never buy another Chrysler product again, after speaking with my Mechanic, a lot of other people won't either.

As for keying, you gotta live with that, along with every fucking moron on the road who thinks he has to prove his 1993 Oldsmobuick smoking like a James Bond car, is faster than your corvette.

I was on 28 up north but before Kittanning, a stretch I know a few guys use to air out their euro high end cars, and I had two guys in a newish Suburban something or other, I'm going 75, they catch up, I blow it up to a 100, they catch up, I blow it up to 125, they try REALLLY hard and get to 125, and I just waved "Buh Bye" and put it up around 145, you gotta understand at 150 its taching about 2400 RPMs, with the mods and gearing, we figured it could do about 190, 8 miles an hour more, than the rated top speed.

The Z06 has a higher rear end, and while quicker it loses top end, the Z51 had a gear about half way between a normal coupe and the Z06, giving it better power but also a bit more top end.

I've beat stock Z06s, BTW, usually because the fucking morons can't shift a manual for shit, and, the automatic is just a machine, same performance every time, I even added back the 200 RPMs GM limited off their tuning profile, so I get a shift light with an auto transmission.

[Devo]

And Chase7 I agree, the run flats suck, heavy and lousy traction, at 4000 miles I added the Z06 rims, and standard tires, the factory chrome rims and tires have lived in my shed ever since.

I coated the new rims flat black, so the brake dust doesn't show, plus I DESPISE chrome, and as for tire gel and that shit, NEVER ever use it, if it gets on your rotors or tires you have a SERIOUS stoppage issue after using it, trust me I know, but I wasn't in my car when it happened, but it sure scared the fuck out of me.

[eyecu2]

Scary braking issues are no joke. I've been in two cars when a line ruptured or the worse one, was when a rear axle seal coated the entire brake with axle grease and I tried to stop in front of one of Pittsburghs tunnels...it was so scary navigating dual lanes of traffic while the smell of hot grease wafted in the cabin. Scared to shit out of me. Both cars were stick shift which was the only reason I didn't end up crashing.

[Jacuzzme]

When I was young and dumb(er), drove a pos ford ranger from the airport to Murrysville with a blown line. Luckily, it was midday and there was no traffic on greentree hill.