How to save GM and the Corvette

"Dad" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> "Uncle_vito" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I agree with you. I own a C2. A 1964 roadster with 327. Best
> >looking car ever. Then GM basically crapped out. About 1975 onward
> >they started making ???? I am not talking about technical innovation
> >here. Of course, the newest Vette has the latest technology. But
> >back in 1963, GM made the best car(s) ever. The Vette was better
> >proportioned than the Jag XKE that was similar. Performance of the
> >fuelly was on a par with the Ferrari. Looks also.
>
> Snip>
>
> Oh get a life, I had a new '63 Corvette and it was junk, so was the
> '64 that I traded for just to get rid of it. Design sucked and the
> front end started to float anything over 100. Looks has nothing to do
> with quality. That junk only got bigger when they went to the '68
> design. It didn't get any better until the C5 came out.


Well you both at least agree (with many people) that the C4 was no prize.
And I didn't say that you couldn't tweak suspension on the re-issue C2, you
just had to use the exaxct same outer body panels (which made with todays
materials would be thinner and lighter). My only other constraint is that no
new RnD funds go into the car, but you may re-use existing Vette technology
to improve the performance, handling, and mileage of the C2. The idea is to
make it cost about 1/2 the price of the Vette DuJour - and make it
"forever".

-W

"Uncle_vito" > wrote in message
...
> Is this you replying????
>
> Dad
> 05 C6 Silver/Red 6spd Z51
> 72 Shark Black/Black/4spd
> 64 Red/red/white top/4spd
>
>
> You sure have a lot of pre 75 vettes.
>
Actually I have no pre '75 Corvettes. Very little is not new, rebuilt
and/or hand fitted and is the only reason most of them have survived.
I'll say it again, looks has nothing to do with quality and that is
the only reason I own the C2 and the C3, looks. So I'll still disagree
with your statement that GM made the best cars ever in '63. They were
sucking hind tit until the C5 came out, prior to that Buick made
better cars than the Corvette. Why did it's assembly move out of St
Lousy?

Just one of the problems with my '63 was a cracked rear journal in the
crank. As the engine heated up the fly wheel would cock whipping out
the pilot bearing, transmission impute shaft, and bearing guide. GM's
fix, put in a new transmission and scold me for driving it to hard.
Second transmission, same thing, miles driven 1,500, now it's my fault
completely. No more warranty and I paid for the third transmission
which lasted about 2,000 miles. When I tore it down this time I let
the engine run until warm and put a dial indicator on the fly wheel
face. Dialed in dead nuts until it warmed up and then showed .09
something runout, jerked the engine and replaced it with a '58 283.
Problem solved and it ran like a kitten all the way to a dealer and
was traded in. Less than a year and 11,000 miles, then the '64 was
worse and was gone in 3 months. The Corvair that replaced it was a
better car by far and the next Corvette didn't come into my life until
I got the '92 and it was gone as soon as the C5 came out although it
was a '98 because of GMs great planning and a short production year.
During that 20 some odd years without one I rejected a '77 that I
ordered because it had mat showing through the finish surface 11
places and had already had the left front fender repainted.

"Clams Canino" > wrote in message
m...
> "Speaker of the Truth" > wrote in
> message
> ...
>> Remember, as a rule of thumb, there are few if any collectible
>> Corvettes
>> made after 1972. The really nice looking Corvettes were 1967 and
>> earlier.
>>
>
> Make an exception for the '78 pace car and to some degree the '82.
>
> -W
>
Hey, you would marry a flaming bitch because she looks good? Yeah I
know, I shouldn't go there. No question the mid year style will always
be a head turner, more so than the oversized shark.

"Speaker of the Truth" > wrote in message
...
> Remember, as a rule of thumb, there are few if any collectible Corvettes
> made after 1972. The really nice looking Corvettes were 1967 and earlier.
>

Make an exception for the '78 pace car and to some degree the '82.

-W

"Clams Canino" > wrote in message
m...
>
> "Dad" > wrote in message news:jJSdnbOy-
>
>> Just one of the problems with my '63 was a cracked rear journal in
>> the
>> crank. As the engine heated up the fly wheel would cock whipping
>> out
>> the pilot bearing, transmission impute shaft, and bearing guide.
>> GM's
>> fix, put in a new transmission and scold me for driving it too
>> hard.
>
> I can't condemn the '63 Corvette because of that alone.
> Sounds like a major "lemon" issue with that cracked journal that
> went
> undetected.
> That crank "could" have turned up in any production V8, but it wound
> up in
> yours.
> That makes you *very* unlucky. But I still think the '65 with 4
> wheel disks
> and FI was one of the "keepers" of the species.
>
If the crank had been the only problem I'd agree but it wasn't, how
about the back axle being .75 of an inch out of location on one side!
There's more.

I run with a '65 fulie and he is well versed on all the problems they
had and will not drive it on long tours because of it's special needs.
Well over $6,000 in the injection upgrade to keep it stock and
running, but it does run nice. Trailers it everywhere except close by
shows. You should see the '40 Willies he is building.

I was going to send you a picture and noticed the bot killer email,
neat......

Remember, as a rule of thumb, there are few if any collectible Corvettes
made after 1972. The really nice looking Corvettes were 1967 and earlier.

"Dad" > wrote in message news:jJSdnbOy-

> Just one of the problems with my '63 was a cracked rear journal in the
> crank. As the engine heated up the fly wheel would cock whipping out
> the pilot bearing, transmission impute shaft, and bearing guide. GM's
> fix, put in a new transmission and scold me for driving it too hard.

I can't condemn the '63 Corvette because of that alone.
Sounds like a major "lemon" issue with that cracked journal that went
undetected.
That crank "could" have turned up in any production V8, but it wound up in
yours.
That makes you *very* unlucky. But I still think the '65 with 4 wheel disks
and FI was one of the "keepers" of the species.

-W

"Dad" > wrote in message
.. .

> I was going to send you a picture and noticed the bot killer email,
> neat......

What you couldn't figgure out how to get around the bot killer?

-W (has no picture yet

I will grant you that. Quality control sucked. Big gaps in the door jams.
My 64 in the garage still shows the uneven gaps. I bought it in 91.
I love to run it through the gears. Sounds like tearing silk cloth.

Newer vettes do not even have a lope and with a Flowmaster exhaust, sound
like someone is giving a raspberry when they accelerate

Vito


"Dad" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Uncle_vito" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Is this you replying????
>>
>> Dad
>> 05 C6 Silver/Red 6spd Z51
>> 72 Shark Black/Black/4spd
>> 64 Red/red/white top/4spd
>>
>>
>> You sure have a lot of pre 75 vettes.
>>
> Actually I have no pre '75 Corvettes. Very little is not new, rebuilt
> and/or hand fitted and is the only reason most of them have survived. I'll
> say it again, looks has nothing to do with quality and that is the only
> reason I own the C2 and the C3, looks. So I'll still disagree with your
> statement that GM made the best cars ever in '63. They were sucking hind
> tit until the C5 came out, prior to that Buick made better cars than the
> Corvette. Why did it's assembly move out of St Lousy?
>
> Just one of the problems with my '63 was a cracked rear journal in the
> crank. As the engine heated up the fly wheel would cock whipping out the
> pilot bearing, transmission impute shaft, and bearing guide. GM's fix, put
> in a new transmission and scold me for driving it to hard. Second
> transmission, same thing, miles driven 1,500, now it's my fault
> completely. No more warranty and I paid for the third transmission which
> lasted about 2,000 miles. When I tore it down this time I let the engine
> run until warm and put a dial indicator on the fly wheel face. Dialed in
> dead nuts until it warmed up and then showed .09 something runout, jerked
> the engine and replaced it with a '58 283. Problem solved and it ran like
> a kitten all the way to a dealer and was traded in. Less than a year and
> 11,000 miles, then the '64 was worse and was gone in 3 months. The Corvair
> that replaced it was a better car by far and the next Corvette didn't come
> into my life until I got the '92 and it was gone as soon as the C5 came
> out although it was a '98 because of GMs great planning and a short
> production year. During that 20 some odd years without one I rejected a
> '77 that I ordered because it had mat showing through the finish surface
> 11 places and had already had the left front fender repainted.

I had a 69 that I bought in 94. 427 with the tripower, convertible. Sold
it a few years later. Drivability sucked. Big block weighed an ungodly
amount and looks were good from some angles, gaudy from other angles. Disk
brake calipers leaked. Doubled my money on that sale.

My 64 is a keeper for life, unless I trade for another midyear.

Vito


"Dad" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> "Clams Canino" > wrote in message
> m...
>> "Speaker of the Truth" > wrote in
>> message
>> ...
>>> Remember, as a rule of thumb, there are few if any collectible Corvettes
>>> made after 1972. The really nice looking Corvettes were 1967 and
>>> earlier.
>>>
>>
>> Make an exception for the '78 pace car and to some degree the '82.
>>
>> -W
>>
> Hey, you would marry a flaming bitch because she looks good? Yeah I know,
> I shouldn't go there. No question the mid year style will always be a head
> turner, more so than the oversized shark.