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Chevrolet Corvette Z06

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#70 of 221 Z06 Test by motorhead1 Oct 23, 2005 (9:33 am)
I saw on Speedvision last night 10/22/05 Tommy Kendall and Jeff Gordon testing the Z06. I was really impressed with the car and so was the test drivers with the power and weight of the new car. One thing I didn`t understand was they said the car has a 427 small block. I thought all engines that big were big blocks, can some one help me understand this?
#71 of 221 427 cubic inch V-8s by xkss Oct 23, 2005 (11:30 pm)
Displacement is the volume that is swept as the pistons are moved from top dead center to bottom dead center.   Corvettes were available with 427 cubic inch big blocks from 1966 until 1969. The block of these engines was big in mass whereas today's 427 cubic inch LS7 is big in displacement of the engine (pistons).   The 1967 Corvette L-88 had a 427 cubic inch V-8 with an aluminum block and made over 500 hp, but Chevy underated it. It was a racing engine (all of it) and only 20 were built. It could only be ordered with all other racing options which meant no heater or defroster.   One Corvette L-88 set a track record at the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans (going over 171 mph), but it didn't finish the race.
#72 of 221 A little more simply ... by starrow68 Oct 24, 2005 (9:24 am)
The new 427, or 428 as some are saying, is put into the same size footprint as the small block engines from the original 265 ci up to the most recent 350/368 ci engines. Much smaller than the old RAT big blocks and much lighter.
#74 of 221 A little something new on long ride comfort ... by starrow68 Oct 26, 2005 (1:19 pm)
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2005/10/24/146309.html
#75 of 221 People laughed at me by sammyd1 Nov 01, 2005 (1:57 pm)
When I told people I was looking at buying one of these they laughed and said only old or middle aged men drive them. Sadly, that is pretty much true. Replies to this message: gbjerke (Nov 01, 2005 4:52 pm) starrow68 (Nov 01, 2005 6:56 pm)
#76 of 221 Re: People laughed at me [sammyd1] by gbjerke Nov 01, 2005 (4:52 pm)
Replying to: sammyd1 (Nov 01, 2005 1:57 pm) sammyd1-- Ya know, you're right. I'm 64 and am on my second Z06. Will have the new version when prices stabilize (local dealer just got one in---sticker + 25k)---LMAO! I see a lot of us grey hairs driving Vettes...and I think that is a good thing as I just HATE growing up and acting my age. The positive spin on this though is the fact that insurance rates are incredibly low on these cars, obviously because us old guys don't go nuts in them (at least the insurance stats don't show it). It's a gonzo performance sled and brings us old dudes back to the 50's when a V8 rumble was the ultimate. I'd love to be 20 again but that ain't gonna happen so my thought process is give her hell now.
#77 of 221 Re: People laughed at me [sammyd1] by starrow68 Nov 01, 2005 (6:56 pm)
Replying to: sammyd1 (Nov 01, 2005 1:57 pm) The question is, do you care? There was an article in Fortune just after I got my 2002 Coupe that said, in effect, if you want to be noticed at the country club drive a Vette, everybody else will have multiple copies of the German sleds and the Vette has arrived as a performance ride with something extra.      Now, after 4 years and 43k miles, with 2.5 years on six different road racing tracks and being a leading edge baby boomer, not 60 just yet, I can't believe how much fun I'm having. The kid is out of college, the wife recently finished Grad School and she wanted me busy so she could study. Boy am I busy! Not to mention that I roll in Sunday afternoons, tired as all heck, with what must be a stupid grin on my face which gets a laugh out of the wife and she then wants to know what exotic I got to pass that day, or if my lap times continued to improve. It isn't racing, done with some restraint, it can be fairly safe, but there are risks. Mechanical failure in your own car or others can be ugly, but the Vette is pretty bullet proof and faster than most other street cars, which does make it fun.       Now the question is, before I get to real maintenance, should I upgrade to a Z06? HUM .... BTW, most Z06 drivers are a lot younger than the demographic for average Vettes, WTG gbjerke! Randy
#79 of 221 Dying Demographic?? by spiritinthesky Nov 02, 2005 (5:07 am)
I'm not here to start a Porsche or BMW vs. Corvette debate, so please don't misinterpret my intentions. I am however, intelectually curious as to this forum's reactions about a very interesting discussion I had with the owner of one of the largest GM family of dealerships, who happens to be a Corvette nut. We have been business acquaintances and social friends for several years.    When "Bob" heard recently that I was debating between buying another friend's Ferrari 360 and ordering a new 911 S, he called me to invite me to drive his personal Corvette Z06. We went out drove it on some quiet backroads and highway stretches, following which I bought him dinner (at my country club, no less, starrow68!).    Our interesting discussion concluded with the following:    (1) The Corvette's greatest loyalty and appeal among affluent, educated professionsals is in the 55-65+ age demographic. That is the age demographic that grew up when GM was in its glory days. They remeber - and perhaps owned - GTO's, 442's, Buick SS's, etc. He indicated they often view getting a new Corvette as going back to a high school or college homecoming.    (2) The Corvette's appeal amoung younger affluent professionals, age 25-44, is far lower. They grew up in GM's darker days, with the Japanese beating them to death on quality. So they were more likely to grow up driving an Accord than a Malibu.    (3) The socioeconomic shift in the US has resulted in, on the one hand, a much deeper "affluent, educated, professional" segment of the population than existed 20, 30 and 40 years ago. There really is a lot more wealth in the US today. However, at the same time, this shift has resulted in diminished incomes for blue and grey collar workers, and fewer of them can afford a $35,000 car, let alone a $50-$60,000+ car.    (4) Bob made reference to a recent privately comissioned study by JD Powers. GM's "appeal rating" among households making less than $50k per year was a reasonable 45%. For households between $50k and $100k, it dropped to 20%. For households from $100k to $200k (the prime market for $50k+/-cars), it was 11%. For households over $200k, it was 6%. Needless to say, the Japanese and German brands fared far better among the affluent. Factoring in college and post graduate education levels resulted in an even greater decline by GM.   So, the question is, who are going to be the Corvette buyers in 5-10-15 years when those affluent baby boomers that remember the glory years of GM start to trade thier two seaters for walkers, or worse?   Bob has made an extraordinarily good living as a GM (and other brand) franchisee over the past 30+ years. He sold the underlying real estate for several of his dealerships to a REIT a couple of years ago and pocketed over $100 million. So his kids, grandkids and great grandkids are taken care of. But he did express much disappointment for GM's fall from grace. And in an ironic twist, he mentioned that all of his four kids have post graduate degrees, and none of them or their spouses drive GM's, save for a single 1999 Suburban. I almost felt sad enough to offer to buy the damn Z06, even though it's far more muscle and far less finesse than I am looking for. But then I remembered how he has cleaned my clock at golf for the past several years and I didn't feel so sad.

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