Month: April 2012

It may seem hard to believe, but C4 Corvettes are quickly turning into classics as the 84 model turns 28 this year. Like other classic Corvettes from previous generations, one area of your Corvette that doesn’t age gracefully are your leather seats. If your early C4 leather seats have become worn, cracked or torn, check out this latest video from the interior experts at Corvette America who provided us with this in-depth look at just what it takes to recondition a set of 84-88 Corvettes seats.

While the process of reconditioning your Corvette seats for a C4 Corvette is similar to the previous midyear seat restoration videos we shared earlier this year, you will see the installer has to take extra time to carefully work around the area that holds the power seat controls.

Click here or the picture below to head over to Corvette America to watch the 1984-88 seat cover installation videos:

We have always said that one of the easiest ways to make your Corvette look better is to refresh the interior and the experts at Corvette America are here to help. Whether you do it yourself, or let a Corvette America master installer do it for you, we know you’ll be more than happy with the finished results.

Corvette America’s US-based manufacturing plant makes both vinyl and leather seat covers for 1959-2004 Corvettes plus they have all the hardware, seat foam and tools needed to complete the job. Visit them online at www.CorvetteAmerica.com or give them a call at 800-458-3475.

If you have a generation other than the C4 Corvette, here are the other videos in Corvette America’s seat cover installation series:

• 1961-1962 Seat Cover Installation
• 1963-1964 Seat Cover Installation
• 1965-1967 Seat Cover Installation
• 1970-1975 Seat Cover Installation
• 1997-2004 Sport Seat Cover Installation

Source:
CorvetteAmerica.com

Related:
Corvette America’s Seat Cover Restoration Videos
Christmas and Corvettes: Interior Products from Corvette America
Corvette America Shows How to Restore and Recover Your 1970-75 Corvette Seats

 

At this rather large gathering of car enthusiasts in Turkey, we see a black C6 Corvette doing some impressive burnouts and donuts. As the Corvette wraps up its little show for the crowd, two other cars get in the act including an unknown maroon sedan with the obligatory passenger with a handycam hanging out the window. What happens next can only be described with a face palm to the forehead.

Apparently, car enthusiasts in Turkey are as fond as we Americans when it comes to posting videos on YouTube. We found no less than four separate videos showing the Corvette’s donuts and the resulting fender-bender. Here’s an alternate view and this video (sort of) shows the damage to the Corvette’s front end afterward.

Source:
YouTube.com

Related:
[PIC] Instragam Captures Aftermath of Corvette Accidents
[VIDEO] Corvettes Crash During Street Race; Warrants Issued
[VIDEO] Aftermath of the Chrysler SRT8/Corvette ZR1 Fail

 

During its 5 year model run between 1987 and 1991, Callaway assembled over 500 total cars under the RPO B2K moniker. The Callaway option package was upgraded slightly each year of its 5-year run. The peak came in 1991 when the visually stunning Speedster body style was unleashed. Only 10 were produced and here’s your chance to score Speedster #007 before it’s gone.

The sleek Speedster body built on the already dramatic lines of the Aerobody equipped cars except the roof was now completely gone. It was replaced by an open air cockpit encircled by wrap around glass which easily created the best looking C4 Corvettes of all time.

Every Speedster assembled at the Old Lyme, Connecticut shop was the product of a partnership between the owner and Callaway therefore each one is unique. This example will appeal to both the James Bond and Jimi Hendrix enthusiasts in addition to the Corvette nuts. The dash plaque displays the Money Penny-approved serial number of 007 mounted in the Pink Clay Connolly leather interior. Outside, classic rockers will dig the Purple Haze exterior hue. That superb color combo is complimented perfectly by the deep red Wilton wool carpeting.

Resting under the twin snorkel hood lies the famous Callaway twin turbo L98 in its 1991 form pushing out 450 horsepower and 575 ft-lbs of torque. All that thunder gets to the Bridgestone wrapped OZ wheels via the mandatory 6-speed transmission. The automatic was no longer an option beginning with the 1990 model year. The car has travelled just 1,400 miles since new.

Callaway Speedsters don’t come up for sale very often. American Car Collector’s auction database shows only 5 results since 1998. The most recent sales listed are Speedster #008 for $121,900 in 2009 (we know what the market was like back then) and another formerly owned by director James Cameron sold for $155,000 in 2005. Based on those numbers we think the $160,000 asking price for #007 here could possibly be tick high, but each of the 2 previously mentioned whips did have higher mileage when they were offered. Plus, we think this one has the more striking color combo.

We recommend taking your freshly received income tax return and heading out to Arizona to take a look this rare Corvette. Odds are you won’t see another one for a while.

Source:
DuPont Registry via AutoGuide

Related:
Callaway Announces the Return of RPO B2K with Special 25th Anniversary Edition
Corvettes on Craigslist: 1999 Callaway C12
Corvettes on eBay: 1991 Twin Turbo Callaway Corvette

 

It’s no secret that the average age of a Corvette owner is getting older and older with each passing year.

But the National Corvette Museum is hoping to put the brakes on that trend with a permanent children’s exhibit that is set to open in the fall.

“We’ve been looking for several years to find the right fit for a children’s exhibit,” said Katie Frassinelli, marketing director for the museum. “Parents wanted stuff that children could do and touch.”
Mission accomplished.

The exhibit will be housed in a 1,000-square-foot storage space and an unused nearby classroom. It’ll include a mini auto shop complete with a child-size car and small tools that make sounds like those used in a real auto shop and will also have an interactive assembly line exhibit from the Louisville Science Center.

Frassinelli said adults will supervise the exhibit, and scouting groups will likely use the classroom for members to complete an automotive badge.

Since museum officials expect to see increased attendance thanks to the new exhibit, the Bowling Green Area Convention and Visitors Bureau climbed on board, preliminarily approving $40,000 on Monday to help pay for the $106,000 exhibit. City and county governments still have to OK the expenditure from Special Tourism Projects funding. A $42,500 private donation will also be used to pay for the exhibit.

Officials hope the exhibit draws more families to the museum, and they are conservatively estimating it will up attendance by about 20 percent a year – which would add up to $125,000 more a year in admissions, $30,000 in café sales, and $160,000 more spent in the museum store.

That would also be good news for the local economy, since Frassinelli believes the impact might be worth about $370,000 to businesses if 25 percent of the new visitors wind up spending the night and spending about $74 a person. CVB Executive Director Vicki Fitch believes the number might be closer to $450,000.

Chairman David Wiseman and other CVB members unanimously approved the project. “I really think this speaks to our mission,” Wiseman said, noting that the CVB’s goal is to promote tourism spending in the community.

Source:
BG Daily News

Related:
Corvette Museum’s Zoning Request for Motorsports Park Clears Next Hurdle
Corvette Museum Member Establishes Education Endowment for Underprivileged Children
2012 Corvette Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

 

Article contributed by Dave Salvatore / Kerbeck Corvette

There has been much talk on the net about the final year of Sixth Generation Corvette and the 2 special editions Chevrolet will be offering. Also being talked about was the new color Night Race Blue (GXH) that will be available for the 2013 Corvette Model Year.

After already having four different blues during the generation (LeMans Blue 2005-07, Jetstream Blue 2008-11, Supersonic Blue 2011-13 and Carlisle Blue 2012) many people wanted to know what this color would look like. The trend in Corvettes Blues have gotten away from the dark blue since the end of LeMans Blue and the name Night Race Blue led many to think and hope that this would be a dark color. Pictures started hitting the web of what the new blue would look like, but those of us who saw the actual paint chip confirmed that Night Race Blue was even darker than it was being represented to be.

So now we’re happy to be able to show you an actual picture of the first 2013 Night Race Blue to come off the assembly line. This is a 2013 427 Convertible in Night Race Blue with a Blue Top, very similar to one that we already have on order that is scheduled to be produced during the week of May 21st.

This car is one of the early 2013 Corvettes produced for use by the Corvette Team in Detroit and will be on display and the Corvette Birthday Bash at the National Corvette Museum from April 25th to April 28th.

Also pictured here is a 60th Anniversary ZR1 with a really good look at the new stripe package as well as another 427 Convertible with the 60th Anniversary Package. Keep in mind that these are not official GM pictures and these cars are missing things like center wheel caps and splitters. Both the ZR1 and the Anniversary 427 do not yet have the carbon fiber “skirts” attached but they will be done before the Bash as part of the PDI (pre-delivery inspection) process as well as the center caps and splitters.

These pictures will also help point out the difference between a 60th Anniversary Corvette and a Corvette 427 Convertible. When Chevrolet first announced the two special editions, they put out a picture of a Corvette 427 Convertible with a 60th Anniversary Package which has led to much confusion. Many people think that the car pictured is the only way to get a 427 Convertible or the only way to get a 60th Anniversary Package.

As you can see in this pictures, the 427 Convertible will be available in all ten colors and in three different equipment groups. The 60th Anniversary Package will be available in all 7 Corvette body styles. And, of course, the two can be combined to into one car that was originally shown off to the public at this year’s Barrett Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, AZ. Hopefully seeing a 427 Convertible in another color and seeing a 60th Anniversary Package on a non-427 Convertible will help end all of the confusion.

Kerbeck Corvette of Atlantic City, the World’s Largest Corvette Dealer since 1994, already has over 150 2013 Corvettes on order, most scheduled to be built in May! Check out the remaining 2012 inventory as well as our inbound 2013 Corvettes on our New Corvette Inventory Page.

This article was contributed by Dave Salvatore of Kerbeck Corvette, the world’s largest Corvette dealer since 1994. Looking for a new 2012 Corvette or want to get on the list for a 2013 model? Call Dave at 877-537-2325 or visit them on the web at www.Kerbeck.com.

Source:
Kerbeck Blog

Related:
The 2013 Corvette in Night Race Blue
New “Midnight Race Blue” Color Option Coming to the 2013 Corvette
GM Unveils New 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible and 60th Anniversary Package

 

Two C7 Corvette prototypes were sighted earlier this month driving on the streets of Holly, Michigan which is just North of Milford. According to the photographer who spotted the Corvettes, there were two C7 prototypes in a group of about eight cars with the others being Z06s and a ZR1, as well as a Porsche 911S.

Here are the comments from Tony, who spotted the Corvette prototypes and uploaded the photos to TheGearPage.net:

I live not that far from the proving grounds and often see camouflaged cars. There was about 8 cars total mostly z06s, one ZR1 and bringing up the tail, a new Porsche 911S. As soon as they saw me and my camera, they quickly pulled into a DQ and pulled out the covers. They had nothing to say to me. It sure sounded mean. I don’t like the exhaust either but boy did it sound good. Very pretty redhead was driving one of the two C7s. The head of the Corvette department was there and when I circled back the second time, he got a good laugh out of it because his guys were scrambling to cover up the car.

Here is also a quick video he took:

The C7 Corvette will debut in 2013 as a 2014 Corvette. It’s widely expected that the official debut will come during January 2013′s North America International Auto Show in Detroit. Check out our C7 Corvette archives for the latest news and spy shots of the next generation of America’s favorite sports car.

Source:
TheGearPage.net
Photo Credit: Tony Foran

Related:
[VIDEO] GM Corvette Seminar at the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring
Motor Trend Predicts the C7 Corvette Model Rollouts
C7 Corvette Illustration on Cover of Car and Driver’s April 2012 Magazine

 

Mid-engined Corvettes have been the grist of the rumor mill for decades. Some are even hopeful the upcoming C7 Corvette might break the current rear-wheel drive mold.

But if you just can’t wait and see what General Motors is going to do with the next-generation Corvette, then you might want to check out the Alessi Fiberglass AR-1 since this exotic beauty gets its power courtesy of a Corvette LS3 motor mounted behind the cockpit.

But you better hurry because Alessi says it is making only 50 of the cars that come with a five-speed transmission, a fiberglass body reinforced by steel, and a weight of about 3,200 pounds.

Standard equipment includes a custom interior, cut-pile carpeting, dual power side mirrors, alarm system, rearview mirror with backup camera, air conditioning and heating, power-operated tail section, power seats with AC and heat, GPS/DVD/radio, dual batteries, runflat tires with sensors, and tilt steering wheel.

The suspension uses C5 components in both front and rear, while an air suspension system allows adjustable height and spring rate.

The company offers a supercharger kit that makes 600-hp and 580 lb.-ft. of torque, and a twin-turbo option ups the output to 750-hp and 690 lb.-ft. of torque.

According to Alessi’s website, the company “maintains the old world standards of craftsmanship while integrating today’s most innovative automobile technologies. Our expert craftsmen are specialist in their field and demonstrate their pride in workmanship by inscribing a plaque in the engine compartment. Not less than four craftsmen are assigned to build your AR-1.”

The 43-inch-tall and 178-inch-long Alessi can surge from 0 to 60 in 3.4 seconds and covers the quarter-mile in 10.7 seconds, with an estimated top speed of 200 mph.

Of course, all this craftsmanship and performance doesn’t come cheap. We couldn’t find a price on the Internet, but Alessi says it will provide the cost upon request, which likely means we Joe Doelesses can’t afford it.

For more information on the AR-1 check out alessiar-1supercar.com.

Source:
GM Authority

Related:
[VIDEO] Hand Built Falcon F7 Powered by the Z06 Corvette’s LS7 V8 Engine
New Renderings of the Corvette-based Endora SC-1
[VIDEO] The Rossi SixtySix Corvette Visits Jay Leno’s Garage