"If I Had Only Bought That..."

[Chuck S.]

(Select the appropriate answer) L71...L72...L89...L88. How many of us have thought that to ourselves?

Today, GM unveiled the 2006 Z06. After considering the mechanical specs, I thought to myself this car may be the closest Corvette has come to making another L88, albeit with refinement the old L88 never had.

Back in 67-69, I would no more have considered buying an L88 than running off to Mexico with a common street *****. I was eager take on adult responsibilities and to own a car that said "this driver is responsibile". Now, most of those responsibilities are completed, and in the last few years, I have found myself thinking, "If you hadn't been such a nerd, you would have bought an 66 L72 Corvette instead of that..."

This new Z06 could offer us wannabees a second chance. The thought flitted across my mind..."Live a little; be crazy". This car could even become collectible if kept until gasoline powered cars become an anachronism. Imagine having in your garage (well, your heir's garage) one of the last production vehicles able to turn a quarter mile in the 11's while all the neighbors are driving big brother's computer-guided hybrid or electric putters.

But...Would I (we) really do it? Mmmmmmm...Nah, probably not...I have to maintain my responsible geezer reputation. But, I do admire those with the cajones take one on.

[Justin N.]

Re: "the one that got away"

Chuck,
I remember back in the late eighties, when I was seventeen, my buddy Jeff and I took out his Dad's 66 Bigblock coupe. We left Sacramento up highway 80 up towards Tahoe about 2pm after school one day. We got it up to 160mph and he could barely keep it in the lane. I swear the hood was going to fly off it was rattling so badly! We had tears running down our faces we were laughing so hard. Then, the speedo needle stuck on 160 as we were slowing down. It remained there even after the car was shut off and garaged once again. Eventually the needle just fell pointing to the bottom. Yah, his Dad figured it out, we borrowed the car without asking. I remeber asking Jeff about the car years later and his Dad had already sold it. It had such high gears, we didn't shift into second until 55. All four gears left rubber as we fish-tailed down the street. This is part of the reason I bought my 67 sb coupe. I wish I could find that car again!

Justin #41362

[Duke W.]

Re: "If I Had Only Bought That..."

Now that most of the "official" specs are in, the Z06 turns out to be more than I expected, and, of course, it will cost more.

I think Lutz played a major role. I'm fairly certain that the orignal engine plan was a 6.4L. Over the last 50 years the engineers have learned to be "conservative" knowing that GM's conservative management was loathe to take too big a bite.

I think Lutz told Hill go go back and give it more power and use technology to make it lighter. He wanted a Viper killer, and he got it. Imagine what Duntov could have achieved under Lutz!!! The new Z06 may well be "Lutz' Corvette."

In addition to the breathetaking performance, the Z06 will also be a car that you can drive to work, take your buddy golfing, or your significant other for a romantic weekend at a B&B at the end of an interesting two lane road. Unlike the Viper - or an L-88 - the Z06 is not cramped and hot - has ample room for plenty of gear and is relatively easy for us geezers and near geezers to ingress and egress; and my bet is that it will beat the guzzler tax when the final EPA numbers are in - a very socially responsible sports car. I'm sure the Sierra Club would approve!

The line of responsiblity is between the brain and right foot, and I certainly understand that better now than I did 40 years ago. Also, if I buy another new car in the next few years it should last until they take my driver's licnense away. It's tough to imagine a 600 HP C7 Z06, but I didn't think a 500 HP C6 Z06 was in the cards, so who knows?

I don't NEED 500 HP, 1+g cornering, an 11-second quarter mile, or near 200 MPH top speed, but it would sure be nice to KNOW that kind of performance is available if appropriate circumstances arise. With over forty years or racing and hot lapping experience I think I can still handle it!

Duke

[Justin N.]

Re: "excuse my ignorance..."

are we talking about Bob Lutz? Wasn't he the main guy at Chrysler? He pushed to have the Viper progress and headed the Magnum trucks to where trucks are today? I live in an isolated town, as all three canyons are currently closed from rain along with PCH. Not much news goes on around here except the fires and mudslides.

Justin #41362

[Chuck S.]

Re: "If I Had Only Bought That..."

Duke, I think you should go for it. You would certainly be better qualified to drive a car like the Z06 than some of the rich twenty-somethings that will end up having them. You could drive a Z06 and have a high probability of dying from old age complications...not so sure about of some of these young whippersnappers.

[Duke W.]

Re: "excuse my ignorance..."

Justin! You're in Malibu, not Greenland!

Bob Lutz took the job of GM vice-chairman, and "car czar" two year ago. I think he reports to Rick Waggoner, but Lutz is THE GM product guy. Everthing must have his seal of approval.

He did a lot for Chrysler, and most observers think he will get GM out the the either/or cookie cutter/bizzare car (That weird Pontiac thingy.) doldrums.

Shortly after he took his post at GM he had a product review. Word was that he turned thumbs down on the C6, which was a partial reason why it was delayed to '06, from the original '05 schedule, but there were some other factors in the delay, and his "input" only affected the front and rear facias.

The Corvette Team and GM Powertrain had an extra year to work on the Z06, and I think Lutz told them to pull out the stops and kill the Viper.

Duke

[Paul B.]

Re: "excuse my ignorance..."

So now I see why the C6 has a Viper look to the front end!!!

[Duke W.]

Correction

The original C5 program had it scheduled to debut as an '04 model. Lutz' input and some other issues delayed it to '05.

Duke

[Wayne C.]

Re: "If I Had Only Bought That..."

I did do it when I was young; unfortunately I wasn't smart enough to hold onto the car (who knew?)....

A couple of months after I got out of high school and started my first full-time job in 1956, I went with my Dad to a local Chevy dealer because he was thinking of getting a new car. Sitting on the showroom floor was an India-ivory '56 Chevy convertible with the rare 225hp 2x4 engine. It was a very low-mileage (5k) car that had been traded on a new '57, obstensibly because the owner's wife hated the stick shift. It looked brand new, and very striking in all-white with all those 2-tone cars around it. I was instantly smitten, HAD to have it! Cost me over half my salary for the next few years, but I still lived with my parents and could squeak by on the remainder. My Dad was feeling guilty about having uprooted me during my senior year to move us out-of-state to his new job, and he could see how badly I lusted for that car, so he agreed to co-sign the loan. It was my daily driver until I graduated from college in 1963. Then I was quickly smitten by a low-mile Hondouras maroon '61 Vette with a base engine, and the old Chevy (cosmetically restored the year before) had to go, 'cause I couldn't afford to insure two cars. C'est La Vie.

At the time I bought the Chevy, my Dad's boss had a then-new '57 T-Bird with the super-rare factory supercharger option... I can't imagine what that car would bring today!

Hmmmm, maybe I need to go look at that new Z06......