|
|
Please click this banner to keep this FREE site cruising, THANKS!
|
Please click this banner to keep this FREE site cruising, THANKS! |
| HOME | CLASSIFIED | PICTURES | ADVICE | RESEARCH | NEWS | FUN | DEALS | GIFTS |
| Vette Vibes |
|
Electron Blue Metallic will be a new paint color option for the 2002 Vette! It's a sweet dark blue metallic. I like it but for me black is where it's at! June 29th 2001 is "Drive Your Corvette To Work Day". Mid-America Designs, http://www.madvet.com/ , encourages Vette owners to drive to work. Cool idea. I'll be out and wavin'. Vettes took First and Fourth overall at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
That's exactly where a Vette should be, No. 1!!!
Later, |
A new year and a new VetteSite.com ! Check out the new look and features of VetteSite.com ! I've got a little time on my hands know that my Vette is in hibernation for the Chicago winter so I finally updated my site. Here is a summary:
There still are a few bugs that I'm working out. The search engine needs some fine tuning and a few of the pages do not work right. Please send me an email if you find something out of whack. I'll be fixing things as fast as I can. Also, I will be working over the next few months to add new pages and features to the various categories. I'll let you know when I get them done. Enjoy! Man, I miss driving my Vette. It's always a tough 3 months during the winter because I choose not to drive it after the restoration. I start it up every 2 weeks and drive it around the block but that just doesn't cut it. Soon I will cruise again. The only good thing about not driving my Vette for 3 months is, it makes that first spring drive awesome! Later, |
The past few months I've been driving my 1980 L-82 that I restored/modified and I'm very happy with the results. All the planning and hard work paid off. I haven't put it on a dyno yet but I think I added about a 100hp and increased the low end torque dramatically. My neck (cheap dyno) is sore from the whiplash! My goals were to build a smog legal street Vette with good low end torque and keep as many stock parts as possible. Here are the mods I made:
 All this and I passed the IL emissions test with no problem. It sounds mean and it's hell on wheels! On another note, I bought a new SUV and need to sell my '93 SL2 Saturn 4dr. Automatic, leather, ABS, A/C, loaded. It only has 72k miles and many new parts. It's a great running car that I drove when I wasn't in my Vette. It never has left me stranded, I wish I could say the same about my Vette. I'm located in the Chicago area. Let me know if you are interested. Later, |
I'm back in the saddle. I installed the new front differential carrier bushing and all is right in the world. I called my friend Doug at Corvette Repair and lucky for me he had a Vette Brakes and Products snubber bushing for a 1980 in stock. This saved me a lot of time because I didn't have to order it. Next, I called the shop who serviced and installed the rear differential and they agreed to pay for the new part. I like people who admit their mistakes and make them right. My plan was to turn my trusty Saturn into a mobile tool box, pick up the new part on my way to work the next morning, and fix my wounded Vette over my lunch break. When lunch rolled around I drove to my Vette at my relatives house and started the repairs. I popped open the trunk of my Saturn and hauled out all the necessary tools. Next, I jacked up the car and began the installation of the snubber bushing. Installing the snubber is not hard, it's just a pain in the butt! It's like trying to fit a round peg in a square hole. The amount of space to work in is very very small and the parts and my fingers barley fit. The pesky drive shaft has a habit of getting in the way. I found the best way to get the upper bushings and washers in is to go over the frame cross rail. The bolt is tricky too because I had to wiggle it around until I found the right angle. With patience I got the old parts out and the new ones in. The whole repair took about an hour. After the installation I put all the tools back in the trunk of the Saturn and fired up the Vette. The drive shaft wasn't harmed so I headed back to work. It was great crusin' again and I had a hard time heading back to work. Later, |
Today was not a good day in my Vette world. I was out cruisin', just minding my own business, when all of the sudden I hear a short grinding noise coming from the rear of the car. I pull over and take a close listen with the car in neutral. I hear nothing. So I cautiously keep driving. Then, I hear it again but this time a hear a loud clunk followed by a nasty grinding noise. It sounded like the rear differential tore itself apart! I check the rear view mirror and I see a few parts flying out the back. It looked like one of the rear spring cushions. I pulled over on a side street and took a quick look under the car. I couldn't find what flew off so I walked down the street to find the parts. I finally found some of them. It was the lower front differential cushion and washer. I couldn't believe it!!! I went back to my wounded Vette and sure enough the differential was hanging there. The bolt and both cushions were gone! I went back to try and find the rest of the pieces but the were M.I.A. . Lucky for me a relative lived close by so I limped my Vette to there house and parked it in their driveway. I have no idea how the nut came of the bolt but it might have something to do with the shop who serviced and installed the rear differential last weekend (that's another story). You bet I will be on the phone first thing to get to the bottom of this one. My guess is they forgot to install the very important lock washer! Later, |
I just added a bunch of killer pictures to the Visitor's Vettes web page. Thanks to everyone who has sent pics and keep sending them!!! It's getting close to the end of the month and that means it's time to send the Vette Thunder newsletter. I may try a new format this issue. I want to shorten up the length of the newsletter so I plan on giving a summary of all the new VetteSite.com listings. They will have links to bring up the details. This will make the newsletter shorter and easier to read. Let me know what you think when you get it. Later, |
I need your help! Some of the visitors of VetteSite.com have asked me to remove the old For Sale listings. It was always my plan to delete old listings but I don't know what criteria to use. Should I delete them after 3,6, or 9 months??? I need your help! Please email VetteSite.com and let me know what you think. Also if you have an old For Sale listing and you have sold your item please remove your listing. Thanks! Later, |
My '80 L-82 has awakened from it's slumber, ITS ALIVE! My wife, my friend Chris, and I fired up the rebuilt and heavily modified engine for the first time on Saturday 6/10 and it was AWESOME!!! What a cool thing to break in a engine for 20 minutes at above 2000 rpm. The sounds and smells of a new engine are amazing. I put my Vette on jack stands to start the frame on restoration on 4/13/00 and got the wheels back on the ground on 6/10/00. I removed the engine, transmission, and rear differential and had them rebuilt . With all that stuff out of the way I removed 20 years of grease and rust from the engine compartment and the under side of the Vette. Then I painted and detailed everything. While I was at it I rebuilt the front and rear suspension. All this in two months, WOW! It was a lot of work but fun at the same time. I enjoyed the challenge. I have never done anything like that but it was fun to learn. That first drive made all the work worth it. Make sure you do a lot of research and reading before you start a project like this. Talk to as many people as you can. The shop and assembly manual are very important. The right tools are essential. Also, make sure you have a few friends who can help you with the heavy stuff. I would like to thank all the people who helped me and are still helping me with this project. I could not have done it with out you. Have a good 4th of July holiday weekend. This weekend is always a great weekend for cruisin' and that is exactly what I intend to do! Later, |
Well, I'm at the half way point of my 1980 L-82 restoration! It's not a full restoration but it sure feels like one. I started with just a simple engine rebuild and then went all out and decided to replace/rebuild/restore the entire front suspension, engine, transmission, rear differential, and rear suspension. There are parts all over my garage and basement! I've spent weeks removing 20 years of rust and grease from the frame, engine compartment, and millions of parts! My hands are sore. I think I've worn my fingerprints off the tips of my fingers. I will be done cleaning after I remove the oil from the transmission tunnel and rear end. This past week I finished painting the engine compartment and the last of the parts. They look great. It makes all the mess and hard work worth it. My wife calls this the oooooooo factor. When the hood is opened everyone must ooooooo and aaaaaahhhhh! I got the engine and transmission back in a week ago. This wasn't too bad. It just takes patience and a few hands to help get everything lined up. The rear differential unit came back this past weekend and that goes back in next. After that the front suspension and engine accessories. It's hard not to get discouraged. It's a lot of work!!!! I can't wait to fire it up for the first time and take it for a spin! Later, |
I added a new feature to VetteSite.com! You can add a picture or logo to any listing in the VetteSite.com database. A lot of visitors have asked for this feature and I finally finished it. It is FREE to add your picture or logo to your listing if it is linked from your web site. There is a small fee if you want me to post your picture. Click here for details... Also, the database listings have a new format. I added the ability to show the listings in the new picture format of in the old text format. Use the select boxes in the yellow bar. I also added the ability to sort the records by various fields. Later, |
The restoration has begun! I started tearing apart the engine compartment of my 1980 L-82. GAME ON! My plan is to pull the engine, transmission, and rear differential myself and then send them to various shops. The machine shop will disassemble, machine, and rebuild the engine. I found a local transmission shop to fix the leaks and rebuild the transmission. I will UPS the rear differential to Drive Train Specialists to rebuild and ad a 3.55:1 rear gear. While most of the drive train is missing I will detail the engine compartment and the underside. Here is the engine before I started. Not bad for 20 years old! First I protected the garage floor by putting cardboard all over the floor. Then I got the tools out and started.
I've been keeping track of the parts when I remove them by putting them in zip lock bags with white labels. This works great because I can write what the parts are and where they came from. That was good for the first night. This weekend the rest! Later, | ||
One of the most difficult decisions during my engine rebuild planning has been which cam shaft to buy. I have narrowed it down, I think, to two. I started buy looking at the stock 1980 L-82 specs from the 1980 Corvette Shop Manual:
Lobe Lift + - .002: Intake = .3000 / Exhaust = .3067
It's hard to compare these stock specs to after market cam shafts. I called a few of the cam manufacturers and here is what the recommended for good low end torque, emissions legal, 3:55 rear gear, and good idle for street use. Comp Cams # K12-210-2
I like the Comp Cams cam because it is a single pattern cam which is good for low end torque. I may go with the Edelbrock because it matches the Edelbrock intake manifold I plan to use. It is very important to match the components so this may be the best choice. I let you know which cam I used when I document the complete engine rebuild in the future. Later, |
My home computer, like my Vette, has been in the shop. I was running out of space (all those cool Vette pictures) and I needed a new hard drive so I bought a 20.5 gig 7200 rpm hard drive and a CD burner. I ran into a few problems during the install and it took me a while to rebuild my machine. Does this sound familiar? I thought so, the same thing happens every time I fix my Vette. What seems like an easy fix or modification always takes a lot more time than planned. The good news is my computer is up and running so I will add 5 new pics to the Visitor's Vettes web page. Thanks for sending them in and keep them coming. While I was cruisin' yesterday, I saw a message written way up high in the dirt on the back of a white truck. It said, "STOP THE VIOLENCE!". I agree with that message and I wish everyone else did too. This would make cruisin' through this world in our Vettes that much better! Later, |
Check out the new VIN Verification web page. It has a ton of information about the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). It has facts, locations, and explanations. I'm still working on this page and I will add more information in the future. I need to add the explanations for the early years. Also, I will add an interactive feature that will let you enter a VIN and explain what each digit means. This will be added soon. Enjoy! Later, |
I've got some bad news! The Vette pros and I can't answer your questions for a while. Sorry! The good news is that over the coming months, I will be rebuilding the engine and restoring my 1980 L-82 Vette. Also, I will be adding many new features to VetteSite.com. Such as, a VIN number decoder, production numbers, and paint code information, my 1980 Vette restoration with detailed pictures, and a performance mods database. All these things take A LOT of time so I don't have the time to research, write, and publish your questions. We may start the Ask The Pros service up in the future. Please search the Ask The Pros answers below, the How To & Tech database, or the VetteSite.com Forums for the answer to your question. Holy winter wonderland Batman! We are getting some serious snow here in the midwest! I'm not talkin' about a little snow here, I'm talkin' about back breaking, shovel snapping, can't find the newspaper, I've fallen and I can't get up snow. Great for snow skiing, bad for Vette driving. It's a good thing I have my trusty 1993 Saturn to get me through the snow. My Vette is safe and sound in the garage! Later, |
Another aspect of the Vette hobby is researching those Vettes that are exported outside the USA! This is a part of the hobby that is not mentioned much. A VetteSite.com Visitor sent this information about his web page that has tons of information and cool pictures about those unique Vettes that are modified for use in other countries. I enjoyed looking over your web page...nice ! If you ever get any questions or comments on
"export" Corvettes , mainly C1, Corvettes...will you please advise me. I have been researching
early exports for 23 years. A few rare
Corvettes were shipped abroad to some very special customers...such as Kings,
a Prince, a US Ambassador just to name a few. The vehicles had export
modifications performed in the country to which they were shipped. If you
ever run across one, please advise me at exportcorvette@aol.com visit my
web site for some neat photos and research data...
http://members.xoom.com/vipvette/vipvette
I can understand why special people outside the USA will do anything they can to own a Vette, I did the same thing to acquire my Vette! I'll send the questions and comments your way Jimmy. Later, |
I watched the movie Batman Forever again last night. Not as good as the first movie but better than the second movie. While watching Batman cruisin' around town in his Batmobile, I couldn't help but notice it looks a lot like my black 1980 C3 Vette! My theory is that the new style Batmobile was inspired by the Vette. Think about it, the Vette has curvaceous fender lines and an long and low profile, so does the Batmobile. The Vette has incredible corning ability, so does the Batmobile. The Vette has whiplash acceleration and eye ball popping braking ability, so does the Batmobile. While driving my Vette I have often thought "It's the car right? Chicks love the car.", Batman says this to the women he meets. The Batmobile designers added a few cool options that I wouldn't mind having on my Vette. The flame shooting rocket engine would be cool. I may add this modification when I re-build my engine. The ability to drive sideways is also a plus. The shields feature would come in handy when I have to park my Vette around town. Finally, the voice activated remote control feature would really impress the Vette show crowd. It would be cool to own the Batmobile, but I'm glad I have the original sitting in my garage. My Vette is always ready to roll when the Vette flags fly in the evening sky! Later, |
HAPPY NEW YEAR! VetteSite.com has been running over a year now! Thanks for visiting and supporting the advertisers. Sorry I have not updated the site or answered many of the Ask The Vette Pro questions. I was on vacation and needed to take a break, but I'm back for the attack now! I created a new VetteSite.com logo. This has been added to this page and there are many new graphics on the Link To VetteSite.com web page. I also began the engine rebuild of my 1980 L-82. I have not started tearing it apart yet, I'm in the planning and budgeting stage. This is a very important stage and spending a lot of time figuring out all the details. I have created a spreadsheet and I have listed all the things that I want to do and how much they will cost. I'm also interviewing engine machine shops so I can select the best one. I have gathered a lot of information from fellow Vette owners and I plan on using all of it. I will be documenting this engine rebuild on this site so check back soon. Later, |
I received this e-mail form a visitor of VetteSite.com . I have no idea if this is legit, but he went to a lot of trouble describing this Vette so I think it is. Read it over and if you want to buy a Vette like this it might be a good opportunity. Research all the paperwork before you buy a Vette from an owner/dealer that makes claims of this nature! ATTENTION - anybody ordering/buying a new 2000 Corvette, here is a truly “once in a lifetime opportunity” for you to be the luckiest Corvette enthusiast on Earth by purchasing the first new sold 2000 Corvette Convertible to be scheduled for delivery at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY on Sunday morning, January 2nd, 2000 at 10:00 AM. I had ordered this Convertible back in June to be assured of a perfectly optioned Magnetic Red II, 6-speed, Convertible with every option available, to take Corvette Museum delivery and have lots of fun driving home across America. But as Murphy’s Law dictates, things will go wrong as soon as you think everything is good. My small business didn’t do too good in November and December, so I need to release this perfect Corvette to the first person to call the dealer and make purchasing arrangements and get to the Museum. The description of this all optioned Corvette is: M.Y. 2000 1YY67 Corvette Convertible - $45,320; Destination Charge - $600; (R8C) National Corvette Museum Delivery in Bowling Green, scheduled for 10:00 AM, Sunday morning, January 2nd, 2000 - $490; (FE9) Federal Emissions; (MN6) 6-Speed Manual w/ 3.42 Axle Ratio - $815; (1SB) Base Equipment Group; (AAB) Memory Package - $150; (CJ2) Air Conditioning, Dual Zone Automatic - $365; (N37) Steering Wheel, Power Telescoping - $350; (AG1) Seat Adjuster, 6-Way Power Driver's; (AG2) Seat Adjuster, 6-Way Power Passenger's - $305; (GU6) Axle Ratio, 3.42 Standard Ratio; (B34) Floor Mats - $25; (T96) Fog Lights - $69; (JL4) Active Handling System - $500; (T82) Headlamps, Twilight Sentinel - $60; (UV6) Heads-Up Instrument Display - $375; (UN0) Radio, Bose AM/FM Stereo w/CD Player in dash - $100; (U1S) Radio Equipment, Remote Control Compact Disc Changer - $600; (AQ9) Seats, Sport Bucket - $700; (F45) Suspension, Continuously Variable Real-Time Damping - $1,695 New Model Year 2000 Options: (QF5) High Polish Option Aluminum 5 Spoke Wheels - $895; Exterior Color:(86U) Magnetic Red II Tinted Clear Coat - $500 Interior Color: 67* Light Oak Sport Seats Interior / Convertible Top Color: 67T Light Oak RETAIL COST FOR BASE CORVETTE: $ 45,320.00 PLUS OPTIONS ADDED: $ 8,594.00 FOR A TOTAL SALE PRICE OF CORVETTE: $ 53,914.00 PLUS FEDERAL LUXURY TAX ASSESSMENT:$796.00 FOR THE PURCHASE PRICE OF $54,710 (Plus your state’s sales tax, registration and license costs) If you want to purchase this Corvette Convertible as soon as you can pick up the phone and make a call, and you can be in Bowling Green at the National Corvette Museum on Sunday morning at 10:00 AM, January 2nd, 2000 with Mr. Adam Boca, the Museum Delivery Specialist doing all of the honors, waving at your friends on the Web Cams, and driving home in the most beautiful of all new 2000 Corvettes - then call Ms. Sharon Dibble at Steve Moore Chevrolet, 5757 Lake Worth Rd. in Greenacres, Florida at 800-891-3404 (or within Florida: 800-258-5757 or local 561-433-5757) or e-mail her at toddskelto@aol.com. This Corvette Convertible has VIN: 1G1YY32G6Y5113370, was released from assembly on Monday, November 22nd (according to Ram Air Tony), and is patiently waiting for its new owner (lover) in Bowling Green. For a preview of what this beauty looks like, go to http://www.stevemoorechevrolet.com/ to look at the mag red Corvette Convertible on their home page. After completing the necessary purchasing arrangements with Ms. Sharon Dibble at Steve Moore Chevrolet (in my opinion, the best Chevrolet dealer for buying new Corvettes that I have worked with yet), you need to call Adam Boca and Judy Yanko (who is replacing the retiring Sherry Myers) at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, 800-53 VETTE to make your arrangements for being at the Museum Sunday morning, January 2nd to take the first sold Corvette delivery for the next 1,000 years. Then talk to Larry Hayes (NCM party arranger) about having a Corvette Forum party at the Museum on Sunday, invite all of your friends, invite the Assembly Plant employees from across the street, go live on the Web Cams, have a big barbeque, and enjoy this real “once in a lifetime opportunity” with the best automobile on this planet, the 2000 Corvette Convertible in Magnetic Red. Later, |
Illinois still has Vette shows even when the weather is not good for cruisin'. On Sunday, November 21 1999, my wife and I went to the "Chevy Vettefest". This show is held downtown Chicago at McCormick Place. This year it was in the East building. The last few years it was across Lake Shore Drive in the West building. I like it it in the east building because the parking is closer and the floor space seems bigger. I didn't drive my Vette to this show. My Vette has never been downtown Chicago because I'm worried that something bad may happen to it. The show was a lot of fun. Being indoors is a nice change from the blistering hot sun, dust, and rain that sometimes happens at the outdoor shows. Don't get me wrong, I still prefer a outdoor show when the sun is shinning and the Vettes are blinding me with their chrome. The first thing my wife and I did was hunt for a few parts for our '80 L-82 at the "Super Swap Meet". There were plenty of vendors to visit. They had tons of parts but we did not find what we were looking for. The search continues.... After swapping stories and getting advice from some of the vendors we cruised down the aisles to check out each Vette. The "Gold Spinner Concourse" had many original and restored Vettes to drool over. Next we walked down the "Custom Cavalcade" aisles. HOLY HORSEPOWER Batman! The time and money in the custom Chevy hot rods is amazing. The "Chevy Vettefest" is not just Vettes, it has many fine examples of all the awesome cars the Chevy has built. Finally we checked out a few of the Vettes for sale. I tried to convince my wife that we needed another Vette. You know, one for each day of the week! I can always dream. It was a fun show and I recommend it to anyone. I always enjoy looking at Vettes, Vette parts, and Chevys! Plus, every time I go to a show I learn so much about my favorite hobby, VETTES! Later, |
Both my 1980 L-82 and I are not feeling well. I caught a nasty cough and my Vette decided to break a valve spring and drop a valve, this made me feel even worse! I was sitting at a stop light and all of a sudden it started idling very rough. Lucky for me I was right down the street from the repair shop so I drove it in and it died. Doug at Corvette Repair fixed it the next day. He put a new valve spring on it and it's running ok. He recommended re-building the top half of the motor because it's in bad shape. My Vette has 70,000 miles but it sat for 7 years. So I'm at that point of a re-build. I don't know when I will start this but when I do I will document it on The Vette Site. A Vette Site visitor named Brian wanted to pass this news on to others. On Feb. 26th five large magazines will be putting on an ultimate street sports car challenge, one on the east coast and one on the west coast! A drag race, an auto cross, and a concourse! This event will be open to the first 150 per coast/event and there will be three classes with three $1000.00 + winners! Sports Compact and four other mag`s will be advertising it soon. Thanks for the news Brian! I went to the Chevy Vettefest in Chicago this past weekend. Always a good show. I will write about it soon. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Later, |
One of the visitors of The Vette Site and subscribers of the Vette Thunder Newsletter sent me an excellent suggestion. He wanted to encourage people to write about what aspect of the Vette hobby the enjoy the most. Basically, create a profile or a bio of you and your Vette. This is a cool idea and can be accomplished by using the Letters & Stories feature of The Vette Site. You can write all you want about you and your Vette. Do you race your Vette? Do you show-n-shine your Vette? Do you daily drive your Vette? Your profiles or bios will be saved in the Letters & Stories database and included in the Vette Thunder Newsletter. So get writing! Later, |
The roads in IL are getting worse by the hour. The pot holes, cracks, debris, and animals make driving around here like a video game. One of the roads I drive to work is killing me and my Vette! My neck is sore and I think one of the bumps I hit yesterday knocked a filling out of my tooth. My C3 Vette's suspension is slowly being destroyed. My Vette hits so many bumps, it thinks it's off roadin' with all those SUV's. Not only is the suspension taking a beating, the fiberglass is showing a few stress cracks. *#&$@! I hope the city fixes the roads soon. I have resorted to taking back roads and staying off the trashed roads. This makes for a better ride but it adds a lot of time to my commute. I enjoy driving my Vette so I guess this is the price I have to pay. Later, |
This FREE service was created so Vette Site visitors would have a place to get advice about Vettes. Questions are answered by a team of people. Doug is an ASE certified mechanic who has been fixing Vettes for over 20 years, Ed has been in the parts business for over 25 years, and I (RJ) am the info who has been involved in the hobby for 9 years. Only Vette related maintenance, repair, or restoration questions will be answered at a high level, they will not replace the GM shop manual. We will answer as many as time and resources permit.
Check out the new Ask The Vette Pros web page. Later, | ||
I started my Vette up yesterday and heard that unbelievably loud and annoying chattering sound! It sounded like the engine was going to tear itself apart! I've heard it before so I didn't panic, it's nothing more than the fan hitting the top of the fan shroud. A few of the plastic mounting brackets of the shroud are cracked/worn so I can't get the thing exactly centered around the fan. This noise comes around every year when the temperature drops. My theory is that the plastic fan shroud shrinks in the cold weather causing the fan to hit the top edge and chatter like my teeth on a cold day! I could buy a new shroud but it's cheaper and a lot less work to just deal with it by moving it around. With the engine off, a few quick pulls usually does the trick. This works until I accelerate fast and put a lot of torque on the engine, which shifts the shroud, which causes the chatter to return. Honest officer, I wasn't speeding I was testing my fan shroud fix! Not a serious problem but kind of embarrassing when I'm sitting at a stop light and my Vette sounds like a diesel. I plan on buying and installing a new fan shroud next summer. Later, |
I've been busy making The Vette Site faster and easier to use, kind of like the engineers at Chevy did with the C5 Vette. The things I changed are the databases and the way the search results are displayed. I also added another FREE service called, Ask A Vette Pro. Here is a summary of the changes.
Please check these changes out and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for improvement. Enjoy.... Later, |
Today I will cruise until I can cruise no more! No particular place to go, just follow the open road to wherever it leads. The sun above my head and the pavement below. The weather in the midwest is perfect for cruising. It's not too cold or scorching hot, just right. I look forward to sitting back in my 1980 with one hand on the wheel, one hand hanging out the window ready to wave, and one heavy foot on the gas! The smells and sounds of the engine as it accelerates down the road is one of my favorite parts of cruising. There will be nothing to stop me, accept the empty gas tank or a few stop light along the way. Ahhhh, what a great feeling. I'm going to cut this Vette Vibe short because I need to wake the Vette up and start on my way. See ya on the road......
Later, |
One of the many things I enjoy about owning a Vette is when I get to fire it up to begin my day. The ritual of starting a car is never boring when it's a Vette! First I open the garage because the dual exhaust creates a ton of fumes. Next I slip into the seat and get comfy. Then I pump the accelerator once or twice, depending on the temperature, to set the choke. I stop for a second and enjoy the smell of the gas as it fills the bowls of the carburetor. Finally I turn the key and wake the beast from it's slumber. Ahhhh. The engine roars to life and idles high at about 11,000 rpms. I wait a while and than rap the accelerator to knock the rpms down to around 6000. The headers create a low rumble as the engine warms up. I rev the engine a few times to get the gas flowing and then I cruise to my destination. What an experience! Later, |
The water pump decided it should pump water out of the weep hole instead of through the hoses. I decided to save some money and replace it myself. The key word here is SAVE. I guess I have saved some money but I bought a whole bunch of parts "while it was apart". This always happens. I decide to replace all the parts around the leaky pump. This makes sense but takes a lot of extra time and money. Here is the parts list: new water pump, top and bottom radiator hoses, hose clamps, new 180 degree thermostat, A/C water control valve, fan clutch, heater hose, heater hose connector, new bolts, antifreeze coolant, radiator cleaner solution, gasket sealer, locktite thread lock, anti seize stuff, and EGR vacuum control switch. I got all the old parts off and spent some time cleaning the surrounding areas. Twenty years of oil and dirt is tough to remove! The air pump bracket broke when it was removed. This is ok because the air pump was removed by a previous owner. I decided to not put it back on. I also busted a EGR vacuum control with when removing the thermostat housing. The wrench slipped and that thing is just plastic. Whoops! The installation went well. The freshly painted water pump bolted into place. The new fan clutch was easy to install. The A/C water control valve wasn't to hard to put in. The rest of the parts were easy. My Vette is running about 180 degrees, even with the A/C on. That's the best it has ever been. That makes all the time worth it! Later, |
Have you every noticed the passion and enthusiasm in which kids look at Vettes? Pay attention some time because it is awesome! I'm not talking about all of us big kids, I'm referring to the little ones. When my 5 year old cousin-in-law saw my Vette he ran up to me and said "It's Batman's car, I love black!" I have to admit that my black 1980 does look a little like the Batmobile. The curves and the super long hood give it away. Wait a minute I see a light in the sky, never mind it wasn't the bat signal. I get the best reactions from the kids. I've had them cheer and wave with both arms up in the air as I drive by. I see kids in the back seats of cars point at my Vette. They are probably doing what I did at that age, asking Mom or Dad "What's that car?" . I did the same exact thing when I was a youngin' and I saw a Vette. Then I would talk about it all day and night. This same passion is what made me buy the 1980. I haven't changed much because every time I see a Vette I point it out to my wife and she has to listen to me talk about it for the rest of the day. What can I say? I'm still a kid at heart who still loves Vettes. Later, |
Well I'm back. Sorry I have not made any updates to the Vette Site in awhile. I've been out of the country on bussiness for the last 9 days! I was in Malaysia! I stayed in the city of Petaling Jaya, which is on the outskirts of Kula Lampur. It was HOT but it was a nice city full of very friendly people. The country is made up of Malaysians, Indians, and Chinese people. For a country that is half way around the world, it is similar in a lot of ways to the United States. No, I didn't take my Vette with me even though it would have been nice. I didn't see any other Vettes there. I heard there were some but they are so rare, they are hidden away in collectors garages. I did see some cool cars. I saw a a lot of Porshes, Nissan 300 Z's, and Toyota Supra's. The Porshes were the new 911's, nothing special. The Z's and the Supra's were heavily modified for the race track. Looked very cool on the road. I checked my email once or twice (expesive phone calls) and I will be making a few updates to the Vette Site this week. I have a bunch of new friends to add to the Friends Links page and a few new pictures to add to the Visitor's Vettes page. I also will add a few more pics to the Vette Voyage page. Check back for these changes. It's good to be home and driving my Vette! Later, |
I've been busy! Check out all the new stuff on the Vette Site.
Thanks for cruising the Vette Site! Later, |
My wife and I drove our 1980 L-82 to Bloomington last Saturday, 6/26/1999. What a great drive. We started from the Northwest suburbs of Chicago and took 53/355 to I-55. On the way we joined a few other Vettes. We traveled for a while with a caravan made up of a '98, '67, and '62. We also followed a forest green ZR-1 for a short time. Nice car. It eventually took off at a faster pace then I wanted to travel. I kept it slow because I saw a undercover black Ford mustang police car on the opposite side of I-55 and I did not want to see it up close. It's bad enough to be pulled over but to get stopped by a Mustang, what a slap in the face! We arrived at the show and parked our 1980 with all the other Vettes. What a cool site. A sea of fiberglass. I though my Vette was unique until I looked around the parking lot. We then proceeded to walk through the rows and rows of Vettes, checking them out along the way, and eventually entered the show. We stopped by a few of the dealer and vendor tents. Then the rain started! :( It rained on and off for a while, at least it wasn't hot and humid like last year. We moved into the indoor area. We checked out the perfect Vettes in the special collection area. Beautiful Vettes in there. Then we stopped by a few more vendors and then headed back outside to the auction area. The rain let up and we enjoyed looking at all the Vettes for sale. No we didn't buy another one even though I had my eye on a '67 427! We then headed over to the outdoor vendor area. We bought some lunch and watched the Dyno testing. Around 4:30-5:00 we headed back to our car and joined the parade. We followed a thunderous silver '66. What a good time. It feels good waving to all the people along the way who enjoy looking at Vettes. I have to admit I used a little extra gas and my tires have a little less rubber after showing off to the crowd. The funniest thing I saw along the parade route was a gorilla who attacked a 40th anniversary Vette. The gorilla was on the side of the rode waving and it looked like the legs of the owners were sticking out of the ruby. There were a few intruders of the parade. A Dodge Viper snuck in the ranks but the crowd booed it. I saw a red Diablo pull along side of the road. I like that car so I guess it's ok! I also saw a Honda Civic. Which one is not like the other ones? We headed home right after the parade. Our Vette ran perfect on the way home. We saw a few Vettes on the way and waved to all of them. Nothing beats driving my Vette into the sunset after a long day of enjoying one of the best cars ever produced. After I get my pictures of the show developed I will create a new web page and add them to this story. Later, |
Happy 4th of July! What a great time to celebrate family, fireworks, and FREEDOM. Freedom to drive a Vette all over the USA! I saw so many Vettes on the road this past weekend. Americans everywhere enjoying the holiday and the freedom to drive their favorite car anywhere they please. What a great way to celebrate our independence! I'm still working on the Bloomington story and I should have it done soon. I've been busy updating the Vette Site and enjoying the holiday! Later, |
I'm back from Bloomington and my Vette ran perfectly! What a great time. I enjoy spending the whole day surrounded by cool cars and great people. My wife and I decided last minute to go on Saturday instead of our original plan of Sunday. The forecast predicted rain on Sunday and those of you who were there on Saturday know that they predicted wrong. In spite of the rain we had fun. Check back in a few days because I will have the story and pictures posted. Later, |
This weekend I'm cruising to the Bloomington Gold Corvettes USA show in Bloomington-Normal, IL. I always look forward to this show because it's one of the largest in the U.S.. I went last year and had a lot of fun even though it was 100 degrees and extremely humid. Driving to and from the show was HOT!!! As anyone who owns a Vette, especially a early model Vette, knows, the heat from the engine can make the cockpit uncomfortable. My 1980 has air conditioning but it quit on the way home last year. Blew the compressor! At least mine is not as hot as my parents 1969 427! That thing throws so much heat it's like a sauna on hot days. My parents had to stop a few times to get out and cool off! I hope to meet up with a few Vettes on the road. I'm driving from Chicago and will be traveling on I-355 and I-55. I sure I will see many Vettes along the way. Watch for a black 1980 L82 with a hand a wavin'. I'll should be at the show on Sunday. My wife and I will be wearing white Vette Site shirts so if you see us please say hi! I would like to hear from you! Check back next week because I will write about the show. Later, |
I'm sorry to say I did not make it to the Rt. 66 Corvette show this past weekend. It rained buckets, I mean a lot, the whole weekend. My Vette may have floated away if I took it out of the garage! I'm bummed because I enjoy seeing all those Vettes and talking to their owners. The good news is that I did see a few Vettes this weekend. Not at a big show but on the big screen. I watched a bunch of movies because of the nasty weather. The first one I saw was Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. A most shagadelic movie! One of the best parts was the car that Felicity Shagwell, the american secret agent, drove. She drove a white 1967 Vette that was painted as a giant american flag. Yeah baby, yeah! The second movie I saw was October Sky. Another excellent movie. There was a short scene with a beautiful red and white 1959 Vette. I'm pretty sure it was a '59. It was such a short scene that it's hard to tell. I think I will call the director and ask him to include the Vette in more takes next time! On Sunday I decided to throw Heat in the VCR. Great movie! The character of Chris (Val Kilmer) drove what appeared to be a black 1989. There were two very short scenes, one in the dark, where the Vette made an appearance. Cool! I'll report any more Vette sightings in the future! I think that all movies should include a Vette and they should be rated accordingly! Later, |
This Saturday I will be going to the Rt. 66 Corvette show in Joliet, IL with my wife and my parents. I look forward to the ride to and from the show as much as going to the show! It's fun cruising with my parents, even though I'm usually behind the prime 1969 at the top of this web page. My 80's 350 is no match for the 69's 427! I hope we meet other Vettes along the way. It's always fun to join others on the way to the show! There's nothing like a Vette on the open road! I'll be doing a lot of waving. I've never been to this show and I'm anxious to attend. I enjoy drooling, I mean looking at all those Vettes gathered in one place. What a beautiful thing. I also enjoy hunting for those missing parts for my Vette. Keep an eye out for us at the show. We will be wearing Vette Site t-shirts. Please stop and say hi, I would like to hear from you! Check back next week, because I will give a complete write up of the show. Later, |
Here are a few words from the Vette Site's new advertisers, Zip Products and Jean Seat International Inc.
If you would like to join these advertisers, check out the Vette Site's affordable advertising options! Later, |
Check out the new Vette Voyage web page on the Vette Site. It's a trivia timeline. You enter your Corvette's year and it returns all kinds of statistics and trivia. You will learn about Vettes, sports, movies, and much more. I hope you enjoy the new Vette Voyage page. Have fun on your voyage through time! Later, |
Those of you who enjoyed watching the T.V. show, The Dukes of Hazzard will like this story. It's not about a Vette but it's still a cool story. My wife and I went camping this past weekend at an Illinois state park and could not believe what we saw while on a bike ride! The General Lee! That's right, the General Lee was parked all alone in a small parking lot! That un-mistakable, bright orange, law out runnin', creek jumpin' machine. It was like a vision. I had to rub me eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things! We immediately rode over to take a closer look. It was restored perfectly. From the roll cage on the inside, to the rims and tires. It looked like it just rolled out of the T.V. show. This 1970 Dodge Charger had the 01 decals on the doors and the confederate flag on the top. The decals looked exactly like the originals. The paint color was perfect. The interior was immaculate. It even had the tree catcher bumper guard up front. I expected Bo and Luke Duke to come running from behind the trees, slide across the hood, and fire it up. The only thing that did not match the original were the doors. They were not sealed shut. The owner said he was going to seal the driver's side door shut but leave the passenger side. I asked the owner what size the engine was and he replied, "A 383 with about 400hp". I asked him if he restored it and he said, "No I bought it in this condition from a guy down south". I'm sure he gets a lot of attention and questions about his car so I left him alone to play catch with his friend. I wasn't in Hazzard County, but I felt like it. What would have made this picture perfect, besides a Vette parked next to it, was "Dixie". That's right, Daisy Duke's white Jeep with the gold eagle on top. What a sight that would have been! Later, |
Another cool part of the Corvette hobby is all the comments I get while cruising in my Vette. Last night while waiting at a stop light during rush hour, a guy in a T-bird turned and yelled "Nice car!". I said, "thanks", and drove on. This happens a lot. People just like the Corvette. The Corvette has some strange power to bring people to make comments. They may be good or bad comments, but it always gets attention. I received a bunch of nice comments this past weekend while I was parked waiting for my wife at a Walgreens. A man, his son, and a friend were also waiting in the car next to me. The man rolled down the window and started asking me various questions about my Vette. Questions like, "What year?", "Is that the original paint?", and "Is is fast?". They all said, "Nice car!". The young boy's questions were great. He kept asking his Dad about the car and then he asked me. It reminded me of me at his age. I always asked my Dad about cars, ecspecially Vettes. Don't worry, my head is not getting bigger and I don't brag about my car.
I just like when people like cars as much as I do. It's one of the many fun parts of Corvette ownership.
|
A few visitor's of the Vette Site have asked me this question so I decided to write about it. Here are a few of the things that I looked for when I bought my Vette. The first thing to decide is what you intend to do with your new Vette. Do you want a show car or do you want a daily driver? Maybe you want to build a 1000+ hp dragster? If you want to restore and show your Vette you need to find an original, numbers matching (engine, trans, frame, etc. match v.i.n. ) Vette. The all original Vette will cost more and could be worth more in the future. "Could" being the key word. A non-numbers matching car will cost less but will be just as fun. Get the Corvette Black Book. This has all the numbers. I bought a numbers matching daily driver. The paint needs work and the engine has been modified. I want to drive it now and not worry about a paint chip or two. If I want to show the car, I can restore it later. Watch for rust. The body doesn't rust but the frame does!! It can be fixed but it is costly. Get the car on a hoist and check for leaks and rust. Check the brakes, trans, engine, shocks, and rear end housing for leaks. Any leak needs to be inspected because the can be costly to fix. Drive it. See if the engine accelerates smooth, the trans shifts properly (try all gears both parked and moving), and the ride is good (alignment, shocks don't drift). Check the paint. If it has been repainted check for overspray, bumps, strange marks. Also, check the body for stress cracks. Check for original receipts. Some kind of documentation to put together what has been done to the Vette in the past. Remember there are people who will try to re-stamp numbers and roll back the miles to try to increase the value of their Vettes so it doesn't hurt to have things documented. These are some of the big things to look for. In addition to the tips above, take the Vette you
are looking to buy to a mechanic that you trust. Have him/her look over the car and listen to their
advice. Most importantly, be patient! Their are a lot of Vettes for sale, wait for the right one!
|
I picked up my Vette from the shop yesterday! The good news is it was a easy problem to fix. The better news is that the bill was only 60 bucks! The pre ignition or pinging was caused by the vacuum advance advancing the timing too much! The mechanic found that a previous owner added some sort of spring kit to get more performance. This was advancing the timing too much during average acceleration. The cap and rotor also needs to be replaced. I plan on doing this tonight. Later, RJ |
Not a good way to start off the week. I'm Vetteless! I had to take my Vette into the shop this morning. It has a nasty ping or valve chatter during normal acceleration. It gets worse when the engine warms up. I've adjusted the timming, replaced the EGR valve, replaced the distributor cap, rotor, coil, ignition module, and the carb has been rebuilt and adjusted. I've done all I can so it's time to take it to the experts. I'll let you know what the outcome is. The next few days I'll be driving around town in my Saturn. For some reason it's not the same. Soon I will be
back cruising in my Vette.
|
Here in the suburbs of Chicago I can't find gas without ethanol! I used to buy Amoco Ultimate because it was the only one without ethanol. Around November of last year, Illinois passed some law that requires up to 10% ethanol in gasoline. What's up!!! The old carbureted V-8's were not made to run on that stuff! That stuff burns hotter and can cause problems like pre ignition. I understand it is supposed to burn cleaner and produce less pollution
(this is a good thing), but I wish I still had a choice for my carbureted car!
I have not been able to find a brand of gas without ethanol in it.
If I find some I'll let you know.
|
Yesterday I rode in a Mitsubishi 3000 GT that belongs to a good buddy of mine. It's a 1997 SL, red, black leather, and chrome rims. He added a K & N air filter for a few more horses. Sweet ride. It handles extremely well and it has impressive power for a six cylinder. It also has one of the coolest features I've seen in a long time. A manual crank for the moon roof. This can be used when the car's electrical system fails and it gets stuck open. I never thought about that but it would sure come in handy if you needed it, say during a rain storm. After the ride in the 3000 GT I jumped in my 1980 L-82 and felt right at
home. I have no need for a manual moon roof crank because of my glass
T-Tops! I fired up the V-8 and took off. Ohhhhh Yeahhhhh!
|
The weather has been in the 80's the last few days here in the Chicago area. You know what that means, the cool cars come out to play. I saw a bunch of Vettes. A black 1980, a silver 1998, a dark green 1996, and many more. I also saw a few other cars worth mentioning. Hey, I have a passion for all cars and never put down another person's ride. On Friday night I saw a white Lamborghini Countach in a parking lot! WOW! What a wicked car. It's so cool it was about ten degrees colder around it. Saturday night I saw an old Mercury chop top parked at a local ice cream shop. A deep dark purple with light blue and purple flames. Cool. Yesterday I saw a yellow Dodge Viper. I know it's supposed to be "the Corvette killer" but you have to admit that that is one mean looking car coming at ya! A few minutes later a triple black 1999 C5 flew past me and I forgot about all those other cars. I got a wave and remembered why I prefer Corvettes. What a beautiful thing! Later, RJ |
The Vette Wave. What a cool thing! It makes you feel good when your driving down the road and you see another Vette with a hand sticking out the window! That friendly gesture sure beats all of the nasty ones I see in rush hour traffic! It's one of the many reasons I drive a Vette. What is the wave you ask? It is what happens when two or more Vettes cross paths while cruising. Here are a few types of waves:
SAVE THE WAVE!
|
VetteSite.com last modified on 9/2/2010
| A RTD Services Creation. | Copyright © 2010. All rights reserved. |
All trademarks are the property of their respective holders. |
Home -> News -> Vette Vibes
| HOME | CLASSIFIED | PICTURES | ADVICE | RESEARCH | NEWS | FUN | DEALS | GIFTS |
|
Please click this banner to keep this FREE site cruising, THANKS! |
