Core Vette Summer

Mark Hamill

     Today, a friend asked me for an automotive reference. He is making a movie and he needed a Corvette that would fit his criteria. I though he was going to remake Corvette Summer.
I didn't know but if he did, he had to use Mark Hamill again. Luke, use the right hand drive Luke. Whoa, I know mixing movie references but I digress. The first Vette I thought to use was the 1963 Grand Sport, I always thought that was a great looking car, its rare because it was all but a prototype with release numbers.


1963 Corvette Grand Sport

He thought that would be a bit too much and he suggested a 62 Vette, nice.


1962 Corvette

All the 60's Vettes are still highly sought after and that makes me wonder if the beauty of the latest 2014 Corvette Stingray will last the test of time?
The first  Corvette was introduced in the 1953. It was originally designed as a show car for the 1953 Motorama display at the New York Auto Show, it generated enough interest to coax GM into making a production version. The name came from a lightly armored war ship used my multiple countries for coastal patrol. Now it known only as the classic American sports car's moniker.
The 2014 Vette uses an LT1 6.2 L V8, making 460hp. It features direct injection, variable valve timing, and an active fuel management system. Fuel injectors are located under the intake manifold. The Corvette remains rear-wheel drive. Transmission choices include a 7-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters. The new Corvette certainly has the makings of a great automobile and uses technology that was developed by GM and is widely used throughout the automotive "landscape". Features light magnetic ride control and suspension. Ferrari uses this technology these days too but don't be fooled, that tech is American not Italian.
The reason cars are "set up" the way they are today is because of the Cadillac. The reason you have a brake pedal in the center, the clutch pedal on the left and the gas pedal on the right is due to an early Cadillac and a configuration that people liked enough that the other manufacturers followed suit. Prior to this, there were many different automobile operational configurations.

1903 Cadillac

Cadillac is the reason you can get into almost any car in the world and know its basic operation, if you have a drivers license. In 1906 Cadillac was the first to sell a totally enclosed car and in 1912 they were the first to have electric ignition and headlights.
Real American ingenuity is still at work with the new Vette. I my opinion it is the absolute best Corvette that has ever been produced.


2014 Stingray

All the past complaints were addressed, the plastics in the interior, gone. The lack of interior quality, gone and replaced by hand stitching and quality materials. What you would expect from a world class car. Also the plastics which all but replaced the fiberglass on the exterior body panels are gone, kinda. Now, GM used some kind of process that blends carbon fiber and plastic to make those body panels much stronger, giving a quality feel and solid body parts. Great job GM.
The main complaint is that the Vette has been perceived and an old man's toy, so. Old men are usually the demographic that can afford to but your vehicles in bulk. There are only so many Justin Beibers who are young and rich enough to swing the 50 to 70 Gs to buy these cars. All expensive sports cars are old men's toys, deal with it and keep them moving off the show room floors.