What Corvette Was – and Should Be, Again . . .

Not able to afford a corvette when I needed one at age 16. But did have a 1962 Buick Le sabre with a 454. Drove that thing like a maniac, surprising that I survived. Had it up over 120 several times. It was the family car, back then most families had only one car. Wish I still had it but it was wrecked when my mom was hit by a drunk when she was turning into our driveway ( rear ended).

My favorite was the ’68-’69 (?) The were short and wide for a stingray, side pipes, 554 but also had some small run of a bigger engine, which also had a taller crest on the hood, T-top. Uncomfortable car to just putter around in. Got like 12 mph combined. Roared like a lion. Anyway, my buddy had this car and got it up to 170ish no problem. He said it could do a little over 200mph. It had modifications.

Just now reading this article. I always tell people that they killed the Corvette with this new rear-engine model. Like most things that are pure American that are slowly being killed off….the bastards finally got to the Vette too. You’re right, now it looks like any other foreign supercar. I call it the New World Order Vette.

Love you on David Knights show!

I highly recommend it….the Super 7

I wanted to get an air cooled car, but 911’s are over priced now…..I had a deal for a Porsche 959 speedster tribute..tube frame, 911 brakes, steering and suspension, fiberglass body, VW 2.2 liter air cooled engine, hotter cam, with twin Weber 40 dfi carburetors, 4 speed VW transaxle…the deal fell through…. the seller didn’t want to sell it, changed his mind…

So I went hunting and found a Super 7 clone…after doing research on the Super 7 I got more and more interested…I knew nothing about these cars….now I do….

I also considered a Cobra clone, but they are more expensive….I now prefer the Super 7…it is 1/2 the weight of a Cobra or a Miata…lightness matters

I found this….a 1978 super 7 clone, tube frame, 540 kg, 1230 lb. fibreglass and aluminum body. 2.0 lt. twin cam hemi Lampredi engine and 5 spd. trans., 4:44 diff., Weber 40 DFI 5 from a 365 Ferrari V12, custom side exhaust, fantastic sound…

it is totally analog….cable throttle and clutch, no brake booster, manual steering and 5 speed manual transmission, no vacuum lines, Weber carburetor, points and condensor, centrifugal advance, simple and easy to work on and diagnose, very light so it is easy on brakes, tires and fuel.

the Lampredi engine has as much history as the Super 7…

It is the most fun car to drive to drive….

The C8 Corvette went the direction of all the hypercars…too heavy…heavily computerized with AI doing the driving…no stick shift….horrible electric power steering….

Going the direction of the Gordan Murray T 50 would have been cooler…light 2174 lb…great sound 4.0 litre NA 654 hp V12 12,100 rpm…the best sound…6 speed manual transmission….fully analog…

The steering system is just as pure, with a simple rack-and-pinion setup that is unassisted at speed. Both are supposed to ensure an engaging driver feel. However, the T.50 is equipped with a low-speed power assist system for easier parking maneuvers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL76k2IuvJ8

Like Leno says….these new hypercars aren’t even fun till you are doing 100 mph then you are in jail…..You pay $100,000 to $1 million dollars for a hypercar and can only drive it at 3 tenths….what is the point?….it will only be fun on the one day a year, at a track….they aren’t useable or enjoyable the rest of the time….

You are better off with something that is fun at low speeds too…like a Super 7…at 60 mph it feels like 100 mph….just driving around at 30 mph is a lot of fun because it feels like an old F2 car you can drive on the street..even at 2 tenths it is fun…..the feed back from the car is sensory overload…you can feel everything the car is doing…the specs are close to an old F2 car….more fun then any other car….plus it can beat lots of super cars at the track….

or driving an old muscle car with all the sound and the vibration coming from the car going through your body…it is fun at any speed…..the new cars are too smooth, sterile….. lack the feed back to your senses…that the old analog cars gave….

For people who like driver’s cars they say there was one close to perfect car

1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7

The RS is the ultimate 911 and is special because of the way it drives. Sure it is rare and expensive, but it is the driving experience that elevates the 2.7 RS to icon status. The sound, the acceleration, the free-revving engine, the feel through the steering and chassis, the cornering poise, the wieldy dimensions, the look and smell of the thing. It is engaging, fun and it just sucks you in. Sure, 210 bhp and 188 lb/ft of torque doesn’t sound like much today but remember the RS Sport weighs only 900kg (2000 lb.) so that power is more than enough.

It is genuinely fast, in both outright acceleration and point-to-point pace. It hits 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds and tops out at 155 mph. It is small and narrow with deep windows and slim pillars, so there’s road to spare and you can see it all, it feels faster and the speed is more encompassing than in today’s models.

You can do 100 mph in a McLaren 720S and not even blink an eye. Doing 60 mph in the 2.7 RS it feels like 100 mph and you are enthralled by the experience. Too many modern cars of great pace slip up here; the 911 RS 2.7 is more usable and enjoyable than any of them.

It’s such an easy car to drive fast too. The rear engine and the plentiful high-revs torque simply make this a car steerable on the throttle. The sound is unmistakable – a deep bass driven yowl overlapped with fast-paced tapping and the rush of accelerated air. The higher the RPM, the better it sounds.

Chris Harris reviews the Caterham Supersport R
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAwNfgvF_Ww

From an article I wrote about why the Fiero was cancelled. Mr. Peters’ article sounds like why GM should bring the Fiero back! All monetary amounts are in 2022 dollars.

GM raised the base price on Corvettes from 1968 through 1982 by almost $16,000 over the rate of inflation – with the increases gearing up in 1977. To put it another way, an ‘82 Corvette should have cost in the vicinity of $38,350, not $54,248. Granted, there were some modifications during the C3’s lifecycle: Pollution controls, 5 mph bumpers, continually less powerful engines, interior/exterior tweaks, and finally a hatchback in ‘82. Nothing worth an extra $16K. Note that not all manufacturers raise prices on popular models. Miatas still sell within a thousand dollars of their inflation adjusted 1989 MSRP.

Note that these prices are for base Corvettes – not more profitable Special Editions, Anniversary Specials, convertibles, or other upgraded models. This excess profit carried over to the C4. From ‘84 to ‘88 MSRP rose an additional $11,000. Convincing customers to spend more for the same car isn’t easy and GM did not want to sacrifice excess profit to a far less profitable vehicle.

To put these funds in perspective, the Fieros development budget was somewhere in the range of $300 to $400 million over the late 1970s/early 1980s, or about $970 million to $1.3 billion in today’s money. In 1982 alone, Corvettes generated an extra $403 million (2022 dollars) when only 25,407 Corvettes were produced in a strike shortened year. That’s about a third of the entire Fiero development budget in one, exceptionally poor, model year. From the start of GM’s price increases in 1977 through 1982, at least $2.5 billion extra dollars went into the General’s vault. In other words, about double the amount spent developing the Fiero.

I suppose GM has surrendered the affordable sports car category to Mazda, Toyota and Subaru (Miata, GR86, and BRZ). They probably don’t want to sell too many Corvettes to upset their CAFE numbers ;).

If I had a choice between a new Corvette and a restored VAZ-2101; I’d go for the latter as it wouldn’t scare the dog. Oh my, do the new cars get uglier every year or what?

Zora Arkus-Duntov, nicknamed The Father of the Corvette, had been pushing for a mid-engine Vette since the late 50s, and had 3 prototypes (CERV I, II and III) built, but couldn’t get a mid-engine production car approved by management. The guys working in woke GM in 2019 managed to get a new platform (and a new flat plane crank engine for the Z06 version) approved, I can’t even imagine how, but it’s quite amazing they did. The Z06 engine revs to 8600 rpm and sounds absolutely glorious in doing so. So as car loving guys, we should enjoy these cars, new or old, for as long as we can. GM also offers a manual transmission Cadillac CT5 V Blackwing with 668 hp. Yes, manual, RWD and crazy HP lol. So go buy one of them!

The only way GM could offer the Corvette as a RWD, semi-affordable “American Sports Car” is by totally cannibalizing their market for the Camaro. Personally, I think that would be a Good Thing.

The only way you’re going to get a GM performance car that’s not too ugly to be seen in is to buy one of those Caddys.

But it’s all hypothetical to me because I would NEVER…..EVER…. buy any GM product.

I’ve collected sports cars for years, but will not indulge in any computer-controlled, plastic-fendered toys, regardless of their performance. The classic Italian vehicles were crafted; hand-built engines that you could identify the builder through the sound and performance, fenders that were hand-hammered on wooden bucks and finely crafted by artisans, not stamped out a hundred at a time but 300 ton presses. The older cars were valued in part for their performance, but also for their artistry, their hand crafted uniqueness, not because they could flame the Nurburgring. The current performance levels of these super cars can only be fully utilized on a track, not on a weekend drive through the mountains or on a weekend getaway to someplace rural. I can enjoy going a bit slower and prefer driving a hand-built simpler vehicle with even wind-up windows, no cup holders, and no AC, but with a sound and a feel from a bygone era in coach building.

I cannot understand the desire to own a new Corvette. Sure, it goes really fast but where can you safely and legally do that? There is no open car experience and no feeling of just breezin. I own a 1964 Corvette convertible that is fun to drive around in town or the countryside. I don’t need a car that will go 200 mph and has ten speeds. I love shifting my old 4 spd Muncie and downshifting going into curves. I put my ’64 in a local car show beside three brand new 2022 Corvettes and I had a much larger crowd asking me all kinds of questions and reminiscing about their youth and this model Vette.

As much as I like to bask in the memories of yesteryear, I would purchase a 2023 Corvette if I was in the market for another sports car. The article draws conclusions around production numbers that ignore the context of the current sports car market. Today there is much more competition in the sports car market than 54 years ago. Chevrolet is limited in production capacity at the Bowling Green plant where they have been running 2 shifts. Importantly, GM wants to keep production slightly behind demand.

Harley Earl designed and built the original prototype Corvette as a “skunkworks” project without the knowledge of the GM Board of Directors. When they saw it following a meeting at the GM Tech Center it was approved for production on the spot.

I agree there is too much complexity in modern cars. Simple is good.

A four door car is what, exactly? Back in the day anyone who’d soup-up a four door would be asked: “What are the extra doors for….to take grandma to the track?”

In short, the Corvette has become a parody of the exotic cars. And, it’s an ugly parody.

I believe the standard transmission was a 3 speed manual, not a 4 speed.

If anything, Corvette could be more than one model. The current mid engine model could be like the Ford GT, limited due to its big price. It could still sell more then the Ford GT since its not as expensive as the GT.

Then have the main model a traditional Corvette setup, more affordable and rear drive. That would be the main sales model. The exotic Corvette could be the test bed for the future normal Corvettes to some extent.

Then develop the Camaro (not branded as Corvette) as the entry level to that. They all should still carry Chevy badges too.

We used to have a ladder for folks to move up. Now a days the lower rungs have been kicked out.. So people don’t even get on the ladder anymore let alone move up…..

The big three should have not only fought off government regulation in the 1960’s but also the insurance mafia. Insurance is a huge weight holding sports cars back.

‘The new Corvette looks so much like a Ferrari – or a McLaren or a Lamborghini – that most people have to look closely before they establish what it is they’re looking at.’ — eric

Demographically, it’s the perfect vehicle for idle-rich thirty-something playboys to pick up a vapid, buxom supermodel at an exclusive L.A. nightclub and ferry her to the marina for a ride in his fast boat.

Well, that ain’t me, Jack.

Don’t need to impress nobody with some exotic car, or breast-enhanced blonde bimbo.

But it goes beyond that. I rigorously shun Woke, Leftist businesses assaulting my values, whether it’s the warmongering Mainstream Media or General Motors, an egregious collaborator of Big Gov in its crackpot mission to fight cliiiiiiiiimate change.

Not one penny will I spend on GM vehicles. EeeVee Mary can kiss my ass.

Idiot wind
Blowing every time you move your mouth
Blowing down the back roads headin’ south

Idiot wind
Blowing every time you move your teeth
You’re an idiot, babe
It’s a wonder that you still know how to breathe

— Bob Dylan, Idiot Wind

Or for that matter, why not a two door car? Every car has four doors. I guess because the B pillar is at the driver’s shoulder so it is impossible to pass a side impact test with a large door that will make for access to the back seat. And the front adult sized child seats probably can’t have the latch and hinge either.

There is a market for a “classic” corvette style vehicle, but it can’t be made. So instead Chevy goes safe and makes an overpriced exotic they know will sell to collectors instead of something that might be fresh and innovative.

They will never be the ’67s . Should have kept the factory in St. Louis , despite it being a war zone today .

The “transformer” styling these days is way overdone. I don’t think it ages well, either. Smooth and flowing is more natural and will look good far longer. Case in point, Dino 246GT…

https://www.classicargarage.com/archives/ferrari-dino-246-gts-1972

Really not interested in a McFerraGhini. They are however nice to look at.
I am however always on the lookout for a serviceable (read: affordable) ’64 – ’66 Stingray. A timeless design that just gets better with age. But they seem to just get more expensive as time goes on.

I was thinking on the same lines last week (like the old Corvette example)…build a small economical car with no frills. Hand crank windows, mid 90’s corolla motor and minimalistic in little or no high-tech screens and computers. What could it sell for in today’s dollars? Wouldn’t people want to buy a cheap new car that would be guaranteed to roll 300K + miles and last well over 20 years easy?

Rename it the Monza and work on a new corvette

That’d be the simple solution, but like anything else govt, cant be bothered to fix a problem they created

Were it not for regulations like crash safety, emissions, etc. we as consumers should be able to buy a brand-new, exactly 1 for 1 replica of a 1969 Corvette. And like you mentioned with modern manufacturing processes, it wouldn’t be that expensive for Chevrolet to build. Just imagine how much road fun we could have for very little money if government got out of the way.

“The mid-engined layout is without question superior in terms of weight distribution”
Yet somehow, Mazda managed a nearly perfect front to rear weight balance without a mid engine layout in the Miata. In fact, in my very limited experience with mid engine cars, they feel butt heavy.

Lately, I’ve been daydreaming about Cobra kit cars. Factory Five, Superformance, ERA, etc. Turns out, pretty much the price to finish one, while keeping it pretty basic, but with a very nice paint job, is about $65k. (e.g. the sticker price on a new Vette, like you cite). Also daydreaming about brand new Mustang GT convertible too. (I’m having a mid life crisis, you know…) They’re about $55k or so. However, *what you get* with the Cobra, is the basic raw driving experience. Think four-wheeled motorcycle. More specifically *what you avoid* with the Cobra, are all the high-tech stuff, as well as the nanny state stuff. The Cobra looks better and better all the time! (Wish they had a kit Willy’s Jeep, or a kit old-school pickup truck that’s practical.)