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Corvette

choose your eternity

PCH, Ten Grand To Glory Edition: Acura NSX or '59 Corvette?

The extremely cheap, extremely sketchy (putatively) NSX-engine-powered Acura Legend obliterated the dime-a-dozen turbo Civic in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll, which is about what we expected. So what if we could find not just an NSX engine but an entire car for cheap (well, maybe entire isn't the right word here, but you get the idea)- what then? Well, then we have quite a dilemma when trying to find something to stack up against the Acura, a car that's equally cool, in spittin' distance of the NSX's price range, and hideously expensive when it comes to part obtainment. Perhaps it's an impossible task, but let's see how things sort out in today's Detroit-versus-Japan matchup!
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novelties

1963 Corvette-Inspired Speedboat Takes Retro To Sea

Inspired by the split rear window and svelte shape of the 1963 Corvette, Bo Zolland created this speedboat as homage. The designer pictures it at SEMA, being towed by some monstrous GM SUV, but we'd rather use it to run up and down the river outside the RenCen to remind the General that they used to make cars that inspired people. Honestly, with all the retro rip-offs that have gone around, why hasn't someone re-made the '63 Vette? Bo pictures the boat being powered by anything from an LS-9 marine engine to a Volvo diesel putting out 550bhp, but we see a Viper engine peeking out in at least one of the pictures, never purists, we'd take ours with a V10.


novelties

How to Assemble A GM LS2 V8 In Under Three Minutes

Have you ever wondered how GM's LS2 V8 fits together? If so, today is your lucky day because this video goes through the process in a quick, orderly and computer generated environment. While it's not quite as cool as watching the engine building races on Hot Rod TV, it doesn't require the tolerance of deep a southern drawls and arduous product placement commentary. This only makes us wonder if there's one of these animations explaining how to build the rest of the Corvette. [Mechanical Engineering TV]

custom cars

Corvettamino ZR-1 Is Pulling Our Leg, Still Awesome

Who needs a Pontiac G8 ST when you can have a bitchin' camino-ized C4 Corvette ZR-1? Nobody that's who. Fortunately for our still beating hearts, this is not really a ZR-1 turned truck/car — it's an '84 Vette smooshed together with a '91 with custom molds and bodywork to create that smooth Vettamino effect. According to ClassyAuto (misnomer?) this was the brainchild of the original owner of Bayliner Boats and took over $115K to create. Wow, that's camino love right there. We have no idea how up to date their website is, but the sale price at one time at least was a steal at $35,000... cough, cough, choke.... WHAT!

[ClassyAuto]

2009 corvette zr1

2009 Corvette ZR1 Trying To Set Record Lap?

To say the 2009 Corvette ZR1 is a fast car, that would be an understatement. But just how fast? Well it looks like the General has taken aim on setting a record time at the Nürburgring. Rumors are swirling of smack-talking engineers claiming the big bad 'Vette can out-pace the Nissan GT-R. Those claims would mean the ZR1 would have to set a time of less than 7:29 around the Nordschleife.

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lee johnson chevrolet show

The Vintage Chevrolet Club Of America Shows Off Rain-Soaked Detroit Iron In Seattle

When commenter of the super-stars, Startlton_Heston, offered up some photos from the Lee Johnson Chevrolet 75th Anniversary Car Show we assumed there would be a dozen or so photos to throw into a gallery. Little did we know, although we probably should have assumed, Mr. Heston was insane enough (in the best way) to send us more than one hundred lovingly taken photos detailing 69 years of Chevy metal. Being Seattle, the VCCA meet was a little rainy. A report from the Omega Man as well as some more photos below the jump.
1930 Chevrolet Coupe

1931 Chevrolet Five Passenger Sedan

1936 Chevrolet Standard Sedan

1937 Chevrolet Coupe

1940 Chevrolet Business Coupe

1941 Chevrolet Club Coupe

1941 Chevrolet Master Deluxe

1946 Chevrolet Half Ton Pickup

1952 Chevrolet Bel Air Deluxe

1952 Chevrolet Pickup

1953 Corvette

1954 Chevrolet 210 Two Door

1954 Chevrolet Bel Air

1957 Chevrolet Pickup

1960 Chevy Corvair

1960 Chevy Impala

1962 Chevy Nova II 400

1962 Corvette

1963 Chevy Corvair Monza Convertible

1964 Chevy Impala Two Door

1964 Chevy Impala Four Door

1965 Chevy Nova II Wagon

1968 Chevy Camaro SS

1973 Chevy Camaro Z28

1975 Chevy Caprice Classic Convertible

1989 Chevy Cavalier Z24 ConvertibleReport From Starlton below the jump: More »

2009 corvette zr1

2009 Corvette ZR1 Power Numbers Finalized: LS9 V8 Hits 638 HP!

We got a release from the folks at the General yesterday, and we were told we could run it at midnight-plus-one, but then we forgot about it. These things happen, you know. We mean, who gets excited about something as fait accompli as the 2009 Corvette ZR1 getting just over 620 HP? Well, if your answer is everyone, you're probably right. And why shouldn't we be excited about Zee new Really fast One from Chevy? Especially since they've now got officially certified power ratings on that beautiful Jakegasmic LS9 engine — 638 HP, nearly 103 horses per liter — and 604 lb-ft of torque, which'll let the new supercharged Corvette ZR1 break that all-important 200 MPH speed barrier. We knew there was a reason we liked this from the moment we first exploded the LS9 for all to see. Next question however is whether Wes will be back in the road test saddle in time for what we're expecting will be a summertime drive of the new ZR1 or whether it'll have to be one of us other Jalops jumping behind the wheel of the supercharged new Corvette. This may be the first time we've ever hoped someone wouldn't get better as quickly as possible. We kid. On the square. Anyway, what we do know is we've got the full press release after the jump.

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top gear

Clarkson Still Thinks America Sucks, We Still Love Him

You ship your typical automotive journalist to Southern California and hand him the keys to a blown Callaway Corvette packing 616 horsepower, you figure you're going to get a review that could be summarized in one word: "AIIIIIEEEE!" You send Jeremy Clarkson, however, and you get a review that starts off with ten paragraphs loaded with jabs like "They can get our immediate help in the Gulf, but we had to beg for assistance against the Nazis and the Argies. With America, the world is a one-way street" before you even hear about the car (which, though Clarkson describes it as "nailed together by apes," he does allow that he "absolutely bloody loved it.") Now, as the author of a novel targeted at the tepid BDSM proclivities of the Brits, I have the ammunition to come back with some bashing of Mr. Clarkson's benighted, caned-by-stern-headmistress, forever-tainted-by-British-Leyland island... but we take the high road here at El Jalop! [Times of London]

choose your eternity

PCH, Molten Sulfur Edition: V8 Peugeot 404 or Corvette Limo?

The Detroit (well, actually South Bend) machine put up a good fight against the Detroit-powered British Leyland product yesterday, but it's tough to beat a PCH Superpower and thus the voters gave the victory to the V8/IRS MGB-GT in yesterday's poll. But are we giving up on America as a credible PCH contender? Hell no! That's the thinking behind today's Detroit-versus-Paris matchup, and we'll see how things sort out.
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2009 corvette zr1

2009 Corvette ZR1 Raptured, Leaves Behind Carefully Labeled Carbon Fiber Clothes

Here's a pretty slick wall display from Plasan, the supplier of the carbon fiber parts for the 2009 Corvette ZR1. Instead of just stacking their stuff on the floor and making a path for people to walk through, like we do in the home office, they decided to utilize the wonders of vertical storage and even went all the way with a clever labeling scheme. Here we find out the weights of all the carbon fiber bits they supply for the mega-Vette.

offbeat news

1959 Corvette Stolen, Be A Crimestopper

The Pederson family may have taken inspiration from the case of the 8-fingered Skyline thief, and have turned to the web to try to recover a stolen 1959 Corvette once owned by their late uncle. After saving his whole life and finally purchasing the red and white 'Vette, the uncle discovered he had cancer and died in late 2007. Only two months later the car was swiped from its Ronkonkoma, NY garage and hasn't been seen since. A VIN search turns up registration in Florida, but you know how accurate those thing can be these days. So, just in case you're in the market for vintage Corvettes (Junkman, we're looking right at you) keep your eyes peeled for a car with the following description: More »

concept cars

Fireblade Concept Is The New 2009 Corvette ZR1

There's little doubt we're fan-boys when it comes to the new 2009 Corvette ZR1. Any time you take a Corvette and give it more power, lighter weight, bigger brakes and a more competent suspension, you're talking about all the ingredients to send our supercar-loving hearts thumping right out of our chest, sign in hand proclaiming, "Do Want!" Then we found this — the Fireblade design concept — a re-skinning of the already potentially iconic Corvette ZR1 by South African designer-wannabe Idries Noah. Now we know it's nothing more than a 3D dream car rather than even a one-off design, it's still making at least one of us feel a level of pants-tightening excitement we haven't felt since the first time we spotted the ZR1 in an embargoed press event the month before the Detroit Auto Show. True, one of us did say...

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found on ebay

The De Lorean Car That Never Was: 1964 Pontiac Banshee For Sale


Back when John Z. De Lorean was coming up with cars like the GTO for the Pontiac Division, he also had this crazy idea for a "Mustang killer" that would be cheaper and lighter than a Corvette. Unfortunately, the Banshee was also faster than the Corvette, so the General's overlords- still pissed about the way John Z. sneaked the GTO out the door- axed it (though much of its styling lived on in later Corvettes and Firebirds). Only two roadworthy prototypes were built, a convertible and a coupe... and now that coupe can be yours! Just pony up the Buy It Now of a mere $1,500,000 and you'll own the Coolest Pontiac Ever. [eBay Motors]

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new york auto show

Karvajal Designs ZX-1 Custom Couchbuilt Corvette

We caught the rebodied and power massaged Karvajal Designs ZX-1 C6 Corvette downstairs a bit ago andare still mulling over the changes. The widebody stance appeals to our inner 17-year-old, but the hastily styled vents make us want to hate them. The rear end is where the bulk of the changes happen, and we see styling borrowed from the Porsche Carrera GT where once there was a back window. The rump gets stealthy hidden tail lights a modest reshaping. Under the hood there's an Eaton supercharger pushing 10 psi of wind into the 6.0L V8, which delivers 560 HP and 529 lb.ft. of torque as a result. Learn more about at the flamboyantly soundtracked website: Karvajal Designs


retro

1957 Chevrolet Corvette Airbox Car

Now this is very cool. Three brothers and Corvette enthusiasts scooped up a messy old 1957 Corvette race car and have brought back from the rough. It all starts out like many car stories - at a bar talking cars - where Kevin Hussey was shooting the breeze with a friend and the topic of Vette restoration came up. The friend asked Kevin how much it would cost to fully restore an old Vette he owned. After viewing the car, Hussey answered honestly with a high number, but if the friend ever wanted to get rid of it, Kevin would be interested. Fatal last words. Eventually the exchange took place, but the pedigree of the Vette didn't come to light until after the car had changed hands.

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used cars

Malaise Era Corvette Begins Long Journey To Czech Republic


In a vivid demonstration of how this here internet thing has made the world shrink, BobAsh (our Czech Tatra 603 road-testin' friend) has arranged with me and Señor Loverman to inspect, buy, and deliver an East Bay 1981 Corvette to a shipping container bound from the Port of Los Angeles for the Land of Kafka. The Loverman's role was to handle the "buy and deliver" part, an adventure he covered in his usual style at his current place of employment. But before that Late Malaise machine could head south, it had to be inspected by yours truly; make the jump for the story and more photos.

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found on craigslist

Man Generously Selling First Batch Of Corvette ZR-1's, Only $350,000

We wouldn't blame someone for wanting three 2009 Corvette ZR-1's, as the supercharged V8-powered promises to be the fastest Corvette ever. We guess we can't blame him for selling the other two because, you know, what are you going to do with three of them? But call us old fashioned, because we think charging $350,000 a piece is somewhat uncool. There's no final official price for the car, but a tax slip from the Big BJ Vette Auction let slip that it may only be $99,000. Will the market bear a price 3.5 times the sale price? Probably. The ad below the jump.

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autorama

Street Legal Cheetah Replicas To Hunt Cobras

There's no question that Cobras are cool, even in fiberglass kit form. But you've got to admit that the fiberglass snakes are becoming somewhat common now with all the companies being sued by Carroll Shelby making their own versions of the V8 roadster. So for those seeking an alternative, Ruth Engineering & Racing will be producing kits for streetable Cheetah replicas. The coupes can be fitted with any Chevy powertrain of your choice; this particular one with a 383 stroker. Suspension bits come from a donor C4 Corvette, but the leaf springs have been replaced by independent coil-overs. That means the new Cheetah should be able to tear up a road course, making this not just a cool cruiser, but a tactical trackday toy too. We'll take ours with an LS9. [RER - AmericanCheetahRacing.com]