This guy is clueless about the Corvette

[Mark K.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

Well the Lotus headed ZR1 of the early 90's had lots of valves and lots of cams and no pushrods !! Don't make any more power or fuel savings over the current push valve Corvette V8.

Now Now. Keep in mind that you are comparing an engine developed in the late 1980s to the current LS3. That is 20 years of development time. The LT5 motor had planned to have a 450HP upgrade in 1996 (the prototype were already developed) - at the same 5.7L of displacement. That is about 79HP/L. Even the LS7 only puts out about 72 HP/L. And I personally know of punched out LT5s putting out about 630 HP without supercharging, that still give reasonable fuel economy, and can still balance a nickel on the plenum at idle.

Certainly the LS series are fantastic engines, but the LT5 was quite a remarkable engine itself. And we will never know how the LT5 might have developed because Chevrolet decided to take a different direction.

[Patrick H.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

Now Now. Keep in mind that you are comparing an engine developed in the late 1980s to the current LS3. That is 20 years of development time. The LT5 motor had planned to have a 450HP upgrade in 1996 (the prototype were already developed) - at the same 5.7L of displacement. That is about 79HP/L. Even the LS7 only puts out about 72 HP/L. And I personally know of punched out LT5s putting out about 630 HP without supercharging, that still give reasonable fuel economy, and can still balance a nickel on the plenum at idle.

Certainly the LS series are fantastic engines, but the LT5 was quite a remarkable engine itself. And we will never know how the LT5 might have developed because Chevrolet decided to take a different direction.

I would suggest that $$$ is what killed it.

It was absolutely a remarkable engine, and still is. However, the "education" that the powertrain team learned from it helped spawn the LT and LS engines since that time.

[Stuart F.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

It beats me how BMW has survived as long as they have producing the same appearing car for over 40 or 50 years. And, if you ask me, they haven't made a whole lot of technical progress either. I had a rented (Company) 68 2002si for nearly 2 years while in Thailand and I hated that rattley piece of junk. My own 67 Vauxhall Cresta would run away from it up to 120kph. When ever I visit Chicago I use my nephew's 2003 m3 coupe to run around there and SE Wisconsin. It sucks premium gas like crazy and handles poorly (saws through corners). I've pointed out what I thought was wrong with it and he continues to throw money at the dealer there to get it fixed, but they replace this, re-adjust that and it never gets better. And then there is the adjustible seats from hell! I will never figure those out! I have yet to find a comfortable position! No thanks, you can keep your premium sucking safety hazard BMW's. The only reason my Nephew hangs on to his is that it is Red, and he thinks that makes it a chick magnet NOT!

Stu Fox

[Tom M.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

Sorry about the off topic, but I thought it was relevant to our group:

http://www.automotivedesignline.com/...logs/218101435

He must work for Ford

[Tom P.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

This guy is clueless about the Corvette ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ as are so many Corvette owners.

I have found many of the above comments most interesting.

[Stuart F.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

Tom;

You're right. This one has been fun. I made my BMW diatribe just to pull the BMW lover's chain. They are great cars, but I don't see them as being THAT great. Lot of the owners are such snobs; my Beamer this and my Beamer that. Even my nephew who has one rode with me in my 2000 Impala and said it reminded him of a Beamer - how can you respond to a comment like that? I just laughed out loud. These people haven't a clue and won't until they get their fingers greasy/dirty putting a Chevy V8 into an early 50's Chevy, right?

Stu Fox

[Robert R.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

Hey did you ever hear this one?
What's the difference between a porcupine and a BMW?
...the porcupine has its *****s on the outside.

[Tom P.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

Tom;

You're right. This one has been fun. I made my BMW diatribe just to pull the BMW lover's chain. They are great cars, but I don't see them as being THAT great. Lot of the owners are such snobs; my Beamer this and my Beamer that. Even my nephew who has one rode with me in my 2000 Impala and said it reminded him of a Beamer - how can you respond to a comment like that? I just laughed out loud. These people haven't a clue and won't until they get their fingers greasy/dirty putting a Chevy V8 into an early 50's Chevy, right?

Stu Fox

And you know, you COULD substitute the word Corvette for BMW/Beamer in the above comments!
And a LOT of them (Corvette owners, mainly LATE model owners) treat me in the same manner (if I'm not in a Vette). And then when they see that I DO own a Vette, it's something like "Oh, that's an OLD one" as if the really early models aren't actually considered as Corvettes.
You DO NOT want to get me on this soap box!

[Stuart F.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

Tom;

I suppose you're right, but I don't pay any attention to C-4 thru C-6 owners/drivers unless they ask me if I would be interested in trading. They are in another world, but I do recognize that they are gaining in numbers and we are shrinking. I used to subscribe to most every Vette publication, but I have dropped several after their coverage went heavily to C-5/C-6, because that is just not where my interests lie. In fact, I haven't given any Corvette past say 1970 a second look until the new C-6/ZO-6 and ZR-1's came along. I'll probably have to wait a few years for an even trade for one of them (and when my left leg don't work no more).

Stu Fox

[Clem Z.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

Tom;

I suppose you're right, but I don't pay any attention to C-4 thru C-6 owners/drivers unless they ask me if I would be interested in trading. They are in another world, but I do recognize that they are gaining in numbers and we are shrinking. I used to subscribe to most every Vette publication, but I have dropped several after their coverage went heavily to C-5/C-6, because that is just not where my interests lie. In fact, I haven't given any Corvette past say 1970 a second look until the new C-6/ZO-6 and ZR-1's came along. I'll probably have to wait a few years for an even trade for one of them (and when my left leg don't work no more).

Stu Fox

the C-5/C-6 corvette owners is what saved the national corvette museum because most of the owner of older corvettes never joined. too cheap,don't care i have no idea.

[Henry S.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

Tom;

I suppose you're right, but I don't pay any attention to C-4 thru C-6 owners/drivers unless they ask me if I would be interested in trading. They are in another world, but I do recognize that they are gaining in numbers and we are shrinking. I used to subscribe to most every Vette publication, but I have dropped several after their coverage went heavily to C-5/C-6, because that is just not where my interests lie. In fact, I haven't given any Corvette past say 1970 a second look until the new C-6/ZO-6 and ZR-1's came along. I'll probably have to wait a few years for an even trade for one of them (and when my left leg don't work no more).

Stu Fox

You can put many of the new "sport vehicle" (Corvette, BMW, Harley) owners in the same basket. Many of them bought their joy ride to impress someone, and several couldn't find the dipstick or check their own oil if their life depended on it. My brother-in-law who has been riding Harleys for almost 40 years laughs when he passes all the bikes on trailers on his way out to Sturgis.

Hey Stu, you can get the paddle shifter when your leg quits working!!

[Terry M.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

You can put many of the new "sport vehicle" (Corvette, BMW, Harley) owners in the same basket. Many of them bought their joy ride to impress someone, and several couldn't find the dipstick or check their own oil if their life depended on it. My brother-in-law who has been riding Harleys for almost 40 years laughs when he passes all the bikes on trailers on his way out to Sturgis.

Hey Stu, you can get the paddle shifter when your leg quits working!!

I work with some BMW enthusiasts, and I discovered some Bimers don't have dipsticks. That may be why they don't know how to find it. One of these guys told me: "BMWs (I think he was talking about the 5-series) don't need dipsticks!" He was trying to explain to me the electronics that tell the driver when the oil is low. Sort of an interesting concept.

[Edward C.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

My Jeep Grand Charokee Limited will tell me when the oil is low and when to change it but it still has a dipstick. Sounds like some BMW's are owned by dipsticks. Ed

[Duke W.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

I work with some BMW enthusiasts, and I discovered some Bimers don't have dipsticks. That may be why they don't know how to find it. One of these guys told me: "BMWs (I think he was talking about the 5-series) don't need dipsticks!" He was trying to explain to me the electronics that tell the driver when the oil is low. Sort of an interesting concept.

That's correct with a number a new cars. Also, nowadays, many (automatic) transmissions don't have dipsticks, nor do they have any way to add oil to the transmission.

Nuts, isn't it?

Maybe it's "right" for newer generations of people who are clueless how the world around them works, but I don't care - I have enough vintage cars (that I understand and can actually work on) to last the duration for me.

Duke

[Clem Z.]

Re: This guy is clueless about the Corvette

That's correct with a number a new cars. Also, nowadays, many (automatic) transmissions don't have dipsticks, nor do they have any way to add oil to the transmission.

Nuts, isn't it?

Maybe it's "right" for newer generations of people who are clueless how the world around them works, but I don't care - I have enough vintage cars (that I understand and can actually work on) to last the duration for me.

Duke

they have left the dip sticks out of auto trans because too many people would read the dip stick with cold fluid and add trans fluid which would over flow and catch fire as the fluid heated up and expanded out the trans vent. think lawsuits. remember "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing"