Corvetteweb magazine

Beauty and the Beast Revisited

Tamara King and her outstanding C3 has graced the pages of our publication in the recent past. We found out that since her last debut the C3 has undergone some significant upgrades. Tamara and her C3 are well known to the on line Corvette community. Her beauty and class never fails to bring a smile to all who see her.

Tamara's 1980 C3 began its voyage with a wormed over LT1 350 that replaced the cars anemic L48. The LT1 was retrofitted with an Eagle rotating assembly, consisting of six inch rods and Keith Black 10:1 forged Pistons. A set of angle milled aluminum Dart heads topped off the new power plant. The valves are controlled by a comp street roller cam topped off with crane 1.5 roller rockers. The heads are fitted with 2.02 intake and 1.62 exhaust valves.

The power exits the car via a set of Hooker headers and 2 1/2 in flow masters. The combo is fed by an Edelbrock performance RPM intake manifold. And a Quick Fuel 650 CFM carb. The power is delivered to the ground via a Stage 2 THM 350 equipped with a 3500 Hughes stall

converter. I put to the ground with a typical corvette IRS rear end.driven

by A set of 3.73 Richmond gears turns the wheels and keeps the engine in the power envelope.

Tamara's toy dynos out at a very respectful 497 horsepower and 475 ft.lbs of torque at the rear wheels. A new metallic blue paint job finishes off the look of the Beast. return to index page

The Punisher Z06

Giovanni Guzzi a Navy Vet and retired Fire fighter is no stranger to the high performance Corvette hobby. He has owned and modified three Corvettes over the years. His latest venture into the world of speed involves a 2007 Z06. He purchased the 2007 "Z" in 2013 it had about 8400 miles on the odo and was completely stock. To put this in perspective we must remember that a bone stock LS7 produces over 505 hp and 475 ft lbs. of torque. Those numbers are not all that impressive in todays world of 650 horse plus super cars.

The C6 Z06's real secret advantage is that this car tips the scales at around 3,100 pounds. With a good driver a stock C6 "Z" can waltz down the 1320 in the low to mid 11's. The new breed of heavy weight super cars need at least 650 plus hp to match those numbers.

Most C6 Z06 owners soon tire of the factory supplied mega performance of the legendary LS7 and Giovanni was no exception. His aim was for a total super car transformation. The list of performance goodies is very extensive. The LS7's power was boosted via the use of a Pro-Charger D1 blower with flip drive and water meth. injection.

A reworked RPM TR6060 Trans and McLeod Dual Racing Clutch transmit the mega torque. A set of racing pistons, and a 660 lift and 220 duration cam keep thing moving nicely. To keep things coll a Dewitts Shorty Radiator and dual Rad Fan set up was installed.

All this translates into some very big power numbers. Rather than quote dyno figures Giovanni told us his best quarter mile run to date was in the high 9 second range. That my friends is super car territory. Getting the car to this point was not an easy task. Giovanni trusted the work to a local who botched the engine mods. It took over one and a half years to finally sort things out. Live and learn, the motto here is to exercise "due diligence" before trusting your car to anyone.

Giovanni's "Z" really stands out in a crowd. The engine and many of the interior parts have been hydro dipped. Carbon fiber rules on this baby, hood side skirts, extended splitter and rear spoiler accent the wild yellow paint. To keep the track operators happy a five point cage was also

installed.

Congrats Giovanni on a truly outstanding project. return to index page

High Horse C5

Erick Smith is a modern day "hot rodder" that applies his automotive talents in the Sun Shine state. Its amazing how many outstanding cars there are in Florida. Twelve months of summer weather and an endless supply of retired hot rodders make for a very interesting and unique situation.

Ericks 2002 C5 started out as a very street worthy Z06. Street worthy was not enough for Erick, he was looking for a "street killer". The transformation began with a total revamp of the "Z's" LS6 power plant.

The engine was treated to a set of ported and polished 243 heads, LS7 lifters and a Comp cam. American racing headers and "X" pipe with Borla axle back exhaust, vented catch can, LS7 oil pump, oil cooler, forged pistons, LS7 clutch and flywheel, 62lb injectors are just a few of the goodies that help keep this Z moving.

The real power maker is on the intake side of this monster. A 90mm throttle body, and 92mm Fast intake FEED an A&A supercharger. The combo puts out over 671 rwhp and 600 ft lbs. of torque on a Mustang dyno. All of this mayhem is contained within the factory LS6 block.

A MGW short throw shifter, pfadt bushings, LG GT2 coil overs, G1 sway bars help to reign in those extra horses. Stopping power is provided by two piece rotors up front with steal braided brake lines all the way around. C6 Z06 wheels wrapped in the Nitto help to motivate the car.

Erick started building his C5 five years ago when a friend of his got him into road racing. His friend had a winning C6. This motivated Erick to build a car that would out run him. Nothing like some friendly rivalry to bring out the bet in people, especially hot rodders. I Erick tells us that his "Z" was a great build experience and is still a very street-able. The car is a head turner. At stop lights windows get rolled down when they hear the music of that beautiful exhaust note. return to index page

Military Grade Supercharged C7 Carlos Brito is an Army Vet that spent his life defending our nation. He spent fifteen of those year at the Pentagon and survived that fate-full day on September 11th 2001. Carlos tells us that he loves the Corvette and car scene because it is a common denominator that brings people together regardless of race, religion or background. Corvette people are in a unique position as they have an almost instant common bond with each other.

Erick's toy is a 2014 velocity yellow C7 that was equipped with the factory Z51 performance package. Factory performance was not nearly enough for Carlos. The C7 is currently pushing out over 710 WHP and 640 TQ on a stock bottom end thanks to some nasty little mods.

The mods to this modern day rod includes an ECS Supercharger kit with 3.7 pulley, a Fasterproms E85 flex fuel and Alky Control dual nozzle meth kit. A 170 degree thermostat, ported throttle body, MGW short throw shifter and Vitesse Throttle Controller help. A K&N Air Filter, 2" long tube headers with a 3" X-pipe move the exhaust to the rear. A set of 255/335 Cup2 tires transmit all of those horses to the ground.

Carlos's C7 is not only all "go', the car has a lot of "show" built into it.

The body mods include a high tech G3 Carbon splitter, rockers, rear diffuser, and carbon fiber spoiler. An ACS wide body kit, Z06 grille and spats, Oracle LED Side Markers, Xpel front end, black wrap and eyelids

by Redline Design update the C7. An airbrushed hood liner by Big Boy Airbrushing shows off Carlos's military inspired redesign. The C7 is

Erick's third Corvette.

Like so many of us family and career placed his high performance dreams on hold until life calmed down a bit. Carlos's C7 sees duty as daily driver and on the track. His best quarter mile time of 10.39@134, 154 mph on the half-mile and his best lap at Palm Beach international was 1.26 with a backstretch speed of 155. That my friends makes for a very interesting street car.

Carlos spends his spare time running the Central Florida Corvette club and of course modifying his C7 with the help of family and friends. return to index page

C7 Z06 Crowd Pleaser

Al Bender took delivery on his new Z06 in early 2015. What he received was a shark gray top of the line "Z" fully equipped with a 3LZ option package. To add a little spice to the package a set of dual crystal red racing stripes and painted vent 's were added to the mix. According to Al only twenty two Z06's were ordered with that option in 2015.

To further enhance the "show-ability" factor Al had most of the engine parts hydro dipped to give a red carbon look. A custom air brushed hood liner finishes off the new look.

Other than the cosmetic additions the car is stock. Al tells us that he places, mostly first, in every show the car is entered into. Remember when you had to work on your rod for months to even get noticed at a show. Not any more just go out and buy a new Vette, put some "bling" on it and take home a prize.

The "Z" is Al's third and favorite Corvette. He had many street rods through the 80's and 90's . Al tells us that he really enjoys driving a luxury car with 650 horses to play with. return to index page

Low Cost / High Impact Mod Rim Blades We came across a product at a local car show that really caught our eye.

We all can agree that the styling of stock Corvette wheels are nice but not especially outstanding. This is especially true when comparing the stock GM alloy wheels to some of the after market beauties that are available out there.

The main problem in retrofitting your pride and joy with a set of after market rims is the high price of admission. A nice set of alloy's can decrease your bank account by several thousand dollars.

We found a very cost effective product that will increase the "wow" factor of your stock wheels while at the same time offering some degree of curb scrape protection. The product is marketed under the name of Rim Blades. Rim Blades are high quality colored plastic coverings that easily apply to the outside edges of your existing wheels.

The Blades come in a variety of colors that will enhance or contrast the color of your ride. The nice people at RimBlades sent us a set to try out on our Victory red C6 Z06. The Z is equipped with a set of GM chrome spider design wheels. Nice wheels but a little dated as compared to some of the after market offerings available.

The mounting surface of the wheels were cleaned with alcohol wipes, this is a very important step as any grease or petroleum based residue will inhibit the adhesion of the product.

3M adhesion promoter is included in the package, it was then applied to the outside edge of the rim. Starting at the top of the rim the Rim Blade covering was installed by pressing it into the outside rim edge and working it around the wheel. Pull the 3M adhesive tape off the blade as you apply it. Cut the blade off and apply one of the connectors to achieve a seamless look.

The end results are spectacular. The wheels on our "Z" now have an updated look. We chose the red colored Rim Blades to complement the Victory red paint. The new look is a outstanding. The car has been used over the past several years to showcase various after market products from our sponsors. The positive response to this product has been overwhelming.

For more information on Rim Blades go to the manufacturers web site at https://www.rimbladesusa.com/

return to index page

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7/1/2017

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Move over Z06 The 2018 ZR1 will sport an all new super charged LT5 engine that displaces 6.2-liters.

The new mill will use direct injection and variable valve timing. The blower will be an all new Eaton R2650. The new combo should push the LT5 well into the 700hp range. The war of the super cars continues.

C7 Production Numbers In 2015 Chevrolet built 34,240 Corvettes that represents a production decrease of 8% for Corvette Stingrays built in 2014.

The Stingray Coupe led the way in terms of volume. 20,757 Stingray Coupes were produced in 2015. The Z06 Coupe came in second with 6,980 built . The Corvette Stingray Convertible’s production was 4,830 and the Corvette Z06 Convertible total was 1,673 Stingray Coupe 20757 Stingray Convertible 4830 Z06 Coupe 6980 Z06 Convertible 1673 _______ _______ TOTAL 34,240

60.6% 14.1% 20.4% 4.9%

C7 Z06 Engine Self Destruct Problem Solved (Maybe) GM engineers have figured out why some early production C7 Z06 motors came apart during spirited driving sessions. It seems that debris from faulty oil filter connections may have been the cause. GM is now recommending that all Z06 owners change their oil after the 500-mile break-in period to make sure that it’s clear of any debris before any of it gets mixed into the moving parts of the engine.

Class Action Suit Filed by C6 Z06 owners A group of C6 Z06 owners have filed a class action suit against GM. The suit states that the GM LS7 engine installed in the C6 Z06 2006 thru 2013 have an engine related issue that may cause the engine to self destruct. The problem is that on some of the LS7's the valve guide specifications were not adhered to.

GM claims that only a very small percentage of the LS7 engines produced have this problem. They also state that the only time the affected engines will have a problem is when owners modify them http://www.corvetteweb.com/news.html

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with after market performance parts and track the cars.

Our advise is if you have an LS7 equipped vehicle try to get a GMPP extended warranty. We would also advise against modifying the engine but we know that will fall on deaf ears. As far as the class action suit the chance of a small group of car owners winning a law suit against Government Motors is at best slim and none.

C7 Z06 Performance Numbers Released

Detroit - The 2015 Corvette Z06 was recently put through its paces by GM's test division. The numbers are very impressive for a factory stocker.

The time tested benchmarks of hot rodding, 0-60 mph and trap times through the quarter were used in GM's press release.

The new "Z" will do 0-60 mph in 2.94 seconds and fly through the quarter in 10.94 seconds. The big surprise here is that these numbers were attained with the new 8 speed automatic tranny.

The 7 speed manual can do 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and the quarter in 11.2 seconds. In this case humans will have to take a back seat to vehicles equipped with super computers. To put this in proper perspective a stock C6 "Z" if properly driven can do 0-60 in 3.4 seconds and the quarter in 11.4 seconds. A .2 and .4 second improvement is not a quantum leap but it is a step in the right direction of muscle car insanity.

The Vettes traditional rival, the $200,000 Porsche 911 Turbo beats the "Z' by a hair with a 0-60 time of 2.6mph and a quarter mile time of 10.90 seconds.

GM Recalls C6 Problem with the low-beam headlights http://www.corvetteweb.com/news.html

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Recall: 2005-2007 Chevrolet Corvette Customer Satisfaction Program repair: 2008-2013 GM has issued a recall notice for all 2005 thru 2007 Corvettes. This recall is part of a campaign which affects 111,889 U.S. vehicles. The recall was issued to remedy a serious problem with the low-beam headlights.

According to GM “When the engine is warm, the underhood electrical center housing could expand, causing the headlamp low-beam relay control circuit wire to bend slightly.” The problem arises when the circuit breaks which will disable the low-beam headlights.

The problem also affects 2008-2013 Corvettes. GM stated that those vehicles will be repaired through a Customer Satisfaction Program, rather than a recall.

NEW "Z" CAR A REALITY

Detroit - GM introduced the 2015 Corvette Z06 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 13th.

The new Z will deliver supercar levels of performance via a blown 625 hp small block, chassis refinements and ebhanced aerodynamics.

The Corvette 2015 Z06 will enhance Chevy's overall lineup, that will include the addition of the Corvette Stingray Convertible, Camaro Z/28 and SS sedan. The new ZO6 should hit the show room floors by the fall of 2014.

Alan Batey, senior vice president, Global Chevrolet said in a recent interview,“Chevrolet is America’s favorite performance car brand, and for 2014 we are going to offer enthusiasts more choices than ever http://www.corvetteweb.com/news.html

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before”. “No other manufacturer will be able to match the breath of performance cars from Chevrolet.”

The 2014 Corvette Stingray has won the North American Car of the Year award. The award was chosen based on the input of 48 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada. They voted to recognize the most outstanding vehicles of the year based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.

C7 Retail pricing and performance data released DETROIT – The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray coupe will have a suggested starting retail price of $51,995 for the coupe and $56,995 for the roadster.

Chris Perry, VP, Chevrolet marketing, stated “The 2014 Corvette Stingray perfectly embodies Chevrolet’s mission to deliver more than expected for our customers.” “The Corvette Stingray delivers a combination of performance, design and technology that very few manufacturers can match, and none can even come close for $52,000.”

As per the latest GM tests the C7 equipped with the Z51 Performance Package will yield the following track numbers: 0-60 MPH: 3.8 seconds ¼ mile acceleration: 12 seconds @ 119 mph Braking distance from 60 to 0 MPH: 107 feet Maximum lateral acceleration: 1.03 G Not too shabby for a new 455 horse base entry. Imagine what this car will do with an anticipated 200 horse upgrade via the ZO6 package.

http://www.corvetteweb.com/news.html

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60th Anniversary Special Edition Rag Top Chevrolet has announced the release of the 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition. The anniversary Corvette will be the fastest convertible ever produced by GM. The 60th Anniversary Package will be available on 2013 Corvette models.

According to Chris Perry, VP, Global Marketing and Strategy for Chevrolet “The 2013 model year will be historic for Corvette, marking its 60th Anniversary and the final year for the current ‘C6’ generation,”. “We couldn’t think of a more fitting way to celebrate these milestones than bringing back one of the mostcoveted combinations in the brand’s history – the Corvette convertible and a 427 cubic-inch engine.”

The 60th Anniversary convertible edition will make their public debut at the Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Jan 21. The car should be available at Chevrolet dealers early this summer.

The Corvette 427 Convertible is a Z06 and ZR1 hybrid. The new package intent is to send the C6 model off with a bang and to create the fastest convertible in Corvette’s history.

2012 Upgrades Report The 2012 Corvette may be the last of its kind for the C6 generation.

The C6 will be going out with a performance bang. The following are some of the performance upgrade codes that will be available for what may be the last C6.

(PDE) ZR1 High Performance Package Includes (RUV) Black cup style lightweight 19″ front and 20″ rear wheels, (XFH) Michelin PS Cup tires and (MH3) 6-speed close-ratio manual transmission.

(Z07) Z06 Ultimate Performance Package Upgraded from its initial 2011 release and renamed the “Ultimate Performance Package”, the Z07 package now includes Performance Traction Management (PTM) which was previously exclusive to the ZR1.

In addition to Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, Z07 includes (XFH) Michelin PS Cup tires (optimized for warm, dry weather performance with reduced tread wear rating), (RUV) Black cup style lightweight aluminum wheels and (F55) Magnetic Selective Ride Control.

(F55) Magnetic Selective Ride Control for Z06 (F55) Magnetic Selective Ride Control is now available with Z06 and includes Performance Traction Management (PTM), (RUV) Black cup style lightweight aluminum wheels and (XFG) Michelin PS2 tires.

2011 ZO6 Gets Best Rating From Consumer Reports http://www.corvetteweb.com/news.html

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Consumer Reports has never been a Corvette fan. Over the years they have taken every opportunity to dissuade their audience from purchasing a Corvette. The tide has turned in a big way. The 2011 Corvette ZO6 scored 92 out of 100 in the reports extensive tests. This ranked the ZO6 as one of the ten best cars to own in 2011. Now that's a spectacular turnaround to say the least.

Learn How to Drive Compliments of GM

In a last ditch effort to bolster sagging Corvette sales GM announced that it will offer free tuition to a driving school with all new Corvette purchase made by February 28th. This is the same driving school offer that was reserved for new ZR1 owners.

New Corvette owners will be able to choose between the Bondurant school in Phoenix or the Ron Fellows driving school in Las Vegas. The offer includes two days of training at either facility. Travel and lodging are not included. ZR1 owners will get a third day of school on GM. New Carbon Edition ZO6 Available

http://www.corvetteweb.com/news.html

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The Z06 is now offered in a limited "carbon edition" package. The carbonized Z's will sport a set of Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, black 20-spoke wheels (19" front, 20" rear) and a Magnetic Selective Ride Control damping system to soften the ride.

Chevrolet will build 500 Z06 Carbon edition cars that should be available by late-summer of 2011.

The Carbon Z's will be available in either Inferno Orange or Supersonic Blue. The Carbon's exterior will features blacked out headlamp surrounds and mirrors. Other body improvements will include a ZR1 spoiler, a high profile ZR1 carbon fiber hood without the silly "peek-a-boo" lexan window, carbon fiber rockers and front splitter. Suspension improvements will make the carbon Vette about 3 seconds faster on a roundy round race track like Laguna.

The Carbon Vettes interior will include some needed upgrades as well. The current Vettes interior is a disgrace, sorry if that offends you but we tell it like we see it. Refinements will include new suede leather and lots more carbon fiber accents. The steering wheel, dash and seats will remain, courtesy of Chevy Impala. GM will also offer a Z07 performance package that will include all of the mechanical and chassis upgrades of the Carbon Vette. The price of admission for a fully loaded Carbon Z will be in the ninety thousand dollar range.

A Nice to Have Second Car First and foremost Corvette owners are car guy's that really appreciate an out of the ordinary piece of engineering even if the car in question was not born in Bowling Green. How about a carbon fiber wonder that sports a dual turbo 2000 hp V8? 0 to 60mph comes in at a tad under 1.5 seconds and has a top speed of 300 mph. 6.6 second Quarter mile times will make you an instant contender at any sanctioned racing event. The monster we are talking about is being produced under the name of Dagger GT. The price of admission is a paltry $450K.

http://www.corvetteweb.com/news.html

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Exclusive Build Your Own Engine Option to be Offered on 2011 ZO6 and ZR1 Corvettes DETROIT – For enthusiasts who want to be personally involved in creating their Corvette, Chevrolet’s new Corvette Engine Build Experience allows them to literally build the engine for their new car. Corvette customers who order a 2011 Corvette Z06 or ZR1 can choose an option to help assemble their cars’ LS7 or LS9 engines at General Motors’ Performance Build Center (PBC) in Wixom, Mich.

The self engine build option will cost about $5,800. The option does not include travel arrangements to and from Detroit.A Chevrolet Rep.will schedule the engine build and coordinate the customer’s activities at the Performance Build Center.

The customer builds the new engine under the supervision of and support from skilled technicians. After the engine is assembled, a personalized nameplate is added to the engine next to the builder’s name. The engine is then sent to the Corvette assembly plant for installation in the customer’s car.

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky — The Chevrolet Corvette was named the official state sports car of Kentucky Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear said the fact that the Corvette plant has been located in Bowling Green since 1981 was the impetus for the legislation. "As home to the Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Kentuckians have long considered the Corvette to be Kentucky's sports car," Beshear said in a statement. The official bill was signed into law on April 26 during a ceremony that took place at the Bowling Green plant.

Corvettes Recalled for Steering Problem General Motors is recalling over forty thousand Chevrolet Corvettes equipped with the tilt and telescoping steering column because a signal interruption in the column could cause the brakes to apply. The recall affects cars built between March 2004 and January 2006.

Repeated movement of the steering column a signal interruption within the column. This will cause the message, "Service Active Handling System" to appear in the driver information center,which will cause the brakes to apply to one or more of the wheels. This could cause the vehicle to pull to the right or left. "If the driver does not respond to the change in vehicle movement, a crash http://www.corvetteweb.com/news.html

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could occur," said the automaker. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, the recall was set to start April 30.

"Fuel leaks may prompt recall for 2004 Chevrolet Corvette" An estimated 33,000 2004 Chevrolet Corvettes are being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for possible fuel leaks. NHTSA said in its defects investigations summary. "The 04 Corvette is equipped with two fuel tanks. In 12 of the reports, a fuel tank was either replaced or identified as the source of the leak." In other documentation, NHTSA reports no crashes, injuries or fatalities linked to the complaints.

"C6 Roof Panel Recall" General Motors is recalling over 22,000 2005-2007 model year Corvettes with removable roofs. The recall was issued due to a problem with the adhesive between the roof panel and the frame. The failed adhesive could cause roof panel separation while the car is in motion.

"If there is a complete separation, the roof panel may detach from the vehicle," according to the NHTSA. "If this were to occur while the vehicle was being driven, it could strike a following vehicle and cause injury and/or property damage." Dealers will install a new design roof panel free of charge to correct the problem.

Repent The End is Near Our sources at GM tell us that the Corvette will remain a viable production platform into the near future. GM may halt production of its high horsepower entries, ZO6 and ZR1 after the 2011 run. GM may target the Corvette as a starting point for political correctness. The Corvette brand may take the bullet to allow power upgrades to the Camaro and Caddy. Oh well it was nice while it lasted.

Corvette Chief Retires Tom Wallace, Corvette Chief at GM, will be retiring from GM in November of this year. His retirement was announced during a ceremony honoring Corvette history at the Peterson Museum.

While no reasons were given for Wallaces's retirement, there is speculation that he may have been at odds with GM over the postponement of the long awaited C7. Wallace may have been unwilling to commit to the C7's postponed launch.

The C7 was originally set for a 2012 model-year release, it has been pushed back to 2014. Wallace had a keen sence for performance-car marketing and a real love for the Corvette brand. His sudden departure will be a blow to GM's efforts in rebuilding the company.

Political Rides John McCain's first car was a 1958 Corvette! I wonder if he still has it. His current ride is a Caddy CTS

http://www.corvetteweb.com/news.html

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Obama's first car was a Ford Granada.

He now gets driven around in a bullet proof limo.

More troubling news from Europe Mercedes will announce the release of a new grocery getter that will out power the current version of the Corvette. The soon to be released beastie is an E class sedan that has been massaged by AMG. It will sport a supercharged 6.3 liter v8 that will have more than 500 horses on tap. Come on GM wake up.

550HP Nissan GT-R, a ZO6/ZR1 Beater Nissan's newly released super car boasts 550 HP a 0-60mph time of 3.3 seconds and tops out at 193mph. You can get one for about $71k. Sorry GM you should have seen this coming. This new rice burner has a 3.8 liter twin turbo V6 under the hood. Want more bad news? Nissan plans to release a more powerfully version of the GT-R in the near future.

"She's ugly but she sure can cook" New ZR-1 Sells for $1MILL. at Barrett Jackson The first ZR-1 off the line sold for $1 million dollars at the Barrett Jackson auction. This was a Jay Leno charity deal for the United Way.

http://www.corvetteweb.com/news.html

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2008 Corvette Makes Car & Driver's 10 Best Cars List Car and Driver If it seems like Corvette is always making Car and Driver's annual 10 Best Cars List, that's because it has earned a spot on the coveted list for seven years straight. Calling the Corvette a poster car for continual development, the new 2008 Corvette boasts 22 significant updates over last year's entry. Car and Driver's staff focuses more on the improvements they say are dynamic to the driving experience. While they liked the upgrades to interior, especially the wrap-around leather option, it's the upgrades to the steering, manual shifter and the clutch that won them over for the seventh straight year.

Oh and let's not forget the fact that Corvette's mid-cycle upgrade included the new 6.2 liter LS3 engine that expands the horsepower envelope from 400 to 430. Everyone loves more ponies and the 2008 Corvette delivers. Car and Driver calls the Corvette one of the world's best high performance buys.

Here is the full list of cars that made Car and Driver's 10 Best List for 2008: BMW 3- Series Cadillac CTS Chevrolet Corvette Chevrolet Malibu Honda Accord Honda Fit Mazda MX-5 Mazdaspeed 3 Porsche Boxter/Cayman Volkswagen GTI

Mobil 1 and the Corvette celebrates 15th anniversary ExxonMobil and GM are celebrating the 15th anniversary of the relationship between the companies flagship Mobil 1 synthetic engine oil and Corvette.

Since 1992, Mobil 1 has been the factory recommended lubricant for all Corvettes manufactured by General Motors. More than 490,000 Corvette vehicles have left the production line filled with Mobil 1 engine oil. u [

http://www.corvetteweb.com/news.html

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C6 Clutch Maintenance - You Can Do It

by The Vette Nut's

If you have been driving your C6 and have experienced a soft or hanging clutch peddle there is an easy remedy. The C6 hydraulic clutch system has a propensity for accumulating prodigious amounts of dust, water and other nasty material.

If left unchecked this fouled fluid will cause erratic clutch action and may even leave you with a clutch peddle that hangs up between shifts. Fortunately the fix and prevention is an easy task.

For starters take a look at the color of the hydraulic fluid that resides in your cars clutch reservoir. If the fluid is a murky brown in color the fluid need to be changed. Go down to your local GM dealer and purchase a few bottles of super duty DOT-4 brake and clutch fluid GM PN# 88958860. This is the fluid that is recommended for use in your C6. Be prepared to pay about $9 for an eight and a half ounce can of this stuff.

The jury is still out on the use of cheaper DOT-4 fluids available in the Mart stores.

Most people we know say they use Prestone brand DOT-4 synthetic fluid with good results. As far as we are concerned you should listen to the General and stick with the factory brand.

The clutch reservoir is located next to the brake fluid reservoir.

Protect your fenders and the surrounding areas as clutch fluid will eat through your paint.

http://www.corvetteweb.com/clutch.html

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Carefully twist and pull to get the cap off. Clean off the rubber fluid gasket under the cap with a clean rag.

Using a syringe, turkey baster or other fluid drawing device, suck out the dirty fluid in the clutch reservoir. We used a rubber infant nasal aspirator with great results.

Squeeze the old fluid into a plastic bottle for proper disposal.

Refill the reservoir with fresh fluid. Place the cap back on the reservoir.

Get in your car and repeatedly depress the clutch peddle to the floor about thirty times. Repeat the drain, refill and clutch peddle depress process until the fluid in the reservoir looks clear. It took us ten refills until the fluid cleared up.

This procedure may have to be repeated once per week over the course of a month until the fluid remains clear. This may sound like a pain in the ass but the results are definitely worth it.

The Vette Nuts

http://www.corvetteweb.com/clutch.html

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C2 Featured Articles

67 Big Block Heaven

The Black Widow 63

C2 Classic

64 Rest Mod

Store bought Resto-Mod

Killer Resto Mod

Rare 66

The Holy Grail

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C3 Featured Articles

Hot Rod C3

Awesome 76

The Extreme 80 C3

C3 Transformation

Black Thunder

Beauty and the Beast

CorvetteWeb Index Page Page

C4 Featured Articles

ZR1 Odyssey

High Mileage Show Winner

The last C4

The C4 Story

Darth Vaders ZR1

C4 Street Sweeper

The Grand Sport Experience

Extreme 80

CorvetteWeb Index Page Page

C5 Featured Articles

New to the Game

C5 Art

Street Credit

Motivated C5 - Blown and Ready

Street / Track Super Car

A different Kind of Speed

North West C5

C5 SouthWest Show Stopper

The "Lucky" C5

Mid West C5

The Double D C5

The Fastest Street Driven C5

Star Ship C5

The "Girly" C5

Sweet Cherry Wine

Twin Turbo Mayhem

Rolling Art Form

Speed Racer C5

CorvetteWeb Index Page Page

C6 Featured Articles

C6 Z06 Show and Go

End of an Era

The Beast

Once Bitten

Race Girl

Veterans C6

Show and Go GS

Bat Man

Corvette Crazy

Z06 Hyper Vette

Veterans Vette

A Special Vette Girl

Loma GT 2 Z06

ZO6 Legend

Cooksie ZO6

Black Stallion ZO6

The Red Roar ZO6

Maximim Grand Sport "Pushing the GS Envelope"

Edelbrock "E Force" Super Charged C6

NASCAR inspired ZO6

Street and Show ZO6

Hot Wheels Inspired Show Winner

Rag Top Exotica

Hooked on the Big One

Military Dream

The ZR1 Beast

Euro C6 Power

Re-Engineering the C6

Show and Go GS

Extreme Z51

Wicked ZO6

08 Low Profile Custom

The "Regular Guys Show Car"

Redlines Z06 Super Car

Rare GS

Show and Go 2011GS

Living the Dream

Vette Girl June 2015

Double Take

The Juice

Rare Bird CorvetteWeb Index Page Page

C7

The Z06 as an Art Form

Power and Beauty

Rock n Roll C7

C7 Show winner

Supercharged C7 Fun

Daily Driver

Lipstick Corvette

The Vette Nuts return to index page

Readers Rides

Terry Day's 2012 ZR1. Terry is the proud owner of this #10 of the 11 Carlisle Blue Metallic ZR1s ever produced. It was originally made for GM and put on the auto show circuit but was bought by his local dealer in 2012

John Thomsen from Hilton Head SC, 97 C5 This was John's dads car, he drove it until he passed away at 91.

John now has it and keeps it as a tribute to his dad, the tag says it all, "1KULDAD"

Bob Schwab from Bolton Landing NY shows off his 95 coupe.

Tawnya Pierce from Pennsylvania poses with her slick 07 blacked out C6

Bobby Wright's show winning C5 from South Florida. Bobby never ceases to amaze us with his ongoing customization of this beautiful C5. You can see the full story on this outrageous show car at Star Ship C5

Marvin May from Chicago IL. shows off his own style of customization on his 98 C5

Lars Oskarsson's drives the fastest car in Sweeden. His ride is a 710 hp Lingenfelter ZR1. This Northern European Vette is equipped wiyh AHR headers,Akropovik exhaust system, PFADT parts, Katech parts, GM Cup Wheels / Michelin Cup tires

Anita Johanson's drives her red 79 C3 in Norway

Ellery Orcls' 08 C6 roams the nothern streets of Sheet Bay Novia Scotia

Joe Macaluso's 2004 Torch Red C5. Joe named the car "Lucille"Â

Jim Hutchinson's 2010 torch red Grand Sport

Steve McGilvrey's threesome include an all original 1980, a 2000 C5 equipped with Comp cam, Stainless Works headers, Corsa sports, LS6 intake, Blackwing CAI and PCM tune. His latest addition is an 08 with a widebody kit, Vararam CAI, and 3.42 gears.

John Dents 2002 supercharged coupe

Debra Theriet's 94 roadster

Garrett Brady's 2000 C5 roadster

CorvetteWeb Index Page Page

Its Show Time Some Pics from the last Seminole Casioo Corvette Show. The Motorsport show series has been a very popular event in SW Florida. The July show will close out the series, it will be missed.

Some pics from the Sanibel Island FL show 2015

More South Florida at the Hot Rods and Hogs Magazine show at the Seminole Casino

South Florida shows are a blast.

This years Corvette show in Estero Florida proved to be an outstanding event.

Hooters always throws a great party.

They love to promote their eatery with cars and bikes. At a recent event in Naples Florida we were given a pleasant amount of eye candy to compliment the great showing of classic cars.

Q:How many Hooters girls can you stuff in a Model T? A: Ten

If you have been following our mag you may be familiar with our Project Z car. The project has centered around a 2009 Victory Red ZO6 that we have been working on over the past two years. Our goal was to create the perfect super car for what we like to call the "regular guy". The ZO6 offers a very large bang for the buck in terms of performance and styling. We selected the "Z" as a base for the project as its affordability and performance is very hard to beat.

After trying out various combinations of after market add-on's we decided that it was time to put our work to the test.

The car has won top honors at various shows throughout the Sunshine State. It seems as if we were on the right track with the modifications we made to our car. Project "Z" has taken "Best of Show", "Top Corvette", "Top Hot Rod"and "Best Muscle Car" at various shows.

Some photo's of the Motor Sport Series show that was held at the convention center in Charlotte Harbor Florida

The Hooters and Zig Zag girls come out to greet Project "Z"

The Vette Nuts CorvetteWeb Index Page Page

The C5 is fast and civilized. LS-1 power is seamless, the broad power curve of this modern rendition of the famous Chevy small block puts horsepower to the pavement in a smooth, almost electric manner. In stock trim the C5 has what the kids refer to as "street credit".

The original design of the LS-1 had two goals.

The first goal was to create a light weight efficient engine with enormous top end potential.

The second goal was to create a platform that would deliver maximum street performance while at the same time minimize warranty claims. GM decided to shift the power curve of the LS-1 away from the lower end of the rpm range.

This shift in the power curve means less wear and tear on the drive train. This was a big

motivator in GM's decision as it translates into fewer warranty repairs.

An unmodified C-5 will usually clock a 0 to 60 mph run in about 4.9 to 5.2 seconds. Stock quarter mile times are in the low to mid 13 second range.

With a little planning and some conservative modifications it is relatively easy to improve on those numbers.

A few mods can make this vehicle a 180+ mph Daytona contender, that's nice but very few of us will ever take advantage of the C5's top end potential. The power must be available in the usable range (1,500 - 3,500 rpm) for serious street use.

That's what "Corvetteing" is all about. All the exotic electronic gizmo's in the world will not make up for a lack of brute low end, neck snapping torque.

The overwhelming majority of C5 owners are not into street racing. They do however want a car that will break the tires loose and pin you to the seat on demand.

This is what Corvette owners call the "WOW" factor, it's what everyone you give a ride to says about the car.

Reality Check We wanted to keep our modifications to the C5 stupid, simple and cheap so we deferred the head porting, cam re-grinding and forced induction for the time being.

We developed our performance manual for the average late model Corvette owner who is not into street or drag racing but does want to get a lot more of that "WOW" factor into his car.

There are not many C5 owners (apart from the truly fanatical street racer crowd) who are willing to tear apart an expensive car.

700 hp 10 second LS-1's are far and few between. The tall tales you read about in the Corvette forums and in many of the Corvette publications represent only a very small fraction of what is actually out there.

We don't want to belabor the point but the after market sales statistics for last year are in: 77% of all C5 owners bought a high performance air filter 26% an after market muffler system 32% interior parts 13% custom wheels On the other hand: only 1% installed a Nitrous system 1% a supercharger 3% a performance intake manifold 9% headers

7% performance heads

We get many questions about duplicating the outlandish modifications that people read about in the Vette magazines and on line.

Our advise in most cases is to keep mods to a C5 conservative. If you are new to hot rodding you may not be able to live with modifications that will leave you with a bad idling, noisy car that tends to overheat and is hard to start.

The latest sales demographics show that 71 percent of all Corvette owners are over 45 years old.

Admit it guy's we are not exactly part of the fast and the furious crowd anymore.

The overwhelming demand from the C5 crowd is for simple and cheap mods that will give their new toy a some extra boost on the low to mid RPM ranges. A few simple mods will bring any C5 into the mid 4 second 0-60 mph range.

Real World Modifications that have proven to be very effective in raising the "seat of your pants" performance level. Although we can't go into everything here, the following will try to steer you in the right direction.

Remember that too much intake, without other serious modifications (gearing,heads,converters,cam) will leave you with a soggy right foot.

You hot rodders out there know what I am talking about, remember way back when your friends talked you into putting that 850 Holley double pumper with mechanical secondaries on your stock small block Chevy or Mopar that had a 2:76 rear end? What a disaster. The same principals apply to the C-5.

Performance modifications have to be planned out. Each upgrade must be part of a total package. Intake, Exhaust, Drive train, and electrical systems must compliment each other to achieve the proper balance of torque and horsepower at the correct rpm levels.

The C5's LS-1 responds very nicely to some minor tweaking of the stock intake system. To put this in proper perspective the stock air intake on a C5 is akin to an Olympic athlete running the mile with a wad of cotton in his mouth. In very simple terms, trash the entire setup from filter to throttle body bellows. A good after market CAI, (cold air intake) system will really wake up your otherwise stock LS-1.

The trick is to find the proper CAI system that will deliver copious amounts of fresh air to your engine while maintaining a high level of filtration. The system must be mounted in the correct position and have a well engineered intake path that

will minimize bends and turbulence. The system must be easy to install and service, and most of all be cost effective. A well engineered CAI can deliver a 15 to 20 hp increase. A poorly designed system, and there are some real dogs out there, will at best cost you time, money and horsepower. A poorly designed system can also cause air/fuel calibration problems, due to poor sealing and restrictions.

- We have tested all the after market cold air intake units. Details for getting the most bang for your buck are in the manual.

- How about an extremely simple, cheap and effective modification that tricks the computer into thinking its always 50 degrees outside, yielding a more aggressive timing curve. This mod is worth about 8 horses, total cost .25 cents.

- Want to learn about a gizmo that installs in less than 10 minutes costs under $50 and will yield a 13 horsepower increase?

- Want to learn how to easily re-engineer a simple part of your existing factory intake system for a 10 hp increase?

- Simple power producing cooling system mods are fully explained - Exhaust system modifications that work without all the noise are explained - On Board computer tuning, what actually works and how to do it The simple modifications explained in out manual will put any run of the mill C4 or C5 into Z06 territory.

Want to learn how to do these and many more mods? Order our manual

For the Fast and Furious Crowd Check out the latest nitrous technology.

A great bang for the buck modification, (the kids are addicted to it), is the addition of a nitrous kit to your C5. With Nitrous you can have your cake and eat it too. An otherwise stock LS1 when equipped with a well planned out nitrous system will blow the doors off a C6 and will run neck and neck with a new ZO6.

Nitrous Oxide Systems, now a division of Holley, makes a safe, reliable nitrous setup for the C5.

The entire system once installed with all the goodies is completely automated. In non computerized engines nitrous if not installed and set up correctly will in all probability fry the engine. We know a few engine re-builders that do a brisk business in piston and head gasket repairs due to improperly installed and poorly calibrated nitrous setups. The C5 is very forgiving in that respect as the computer can compensate for lean out conditions created by injecting laughing gas into the air box.

(Check out our MANUAL for the full scoop on nitrous).

The Bottom Line With some minor tweaking to an LS-1, as detailed in our manual, the stock Good Year run flats will go up in smoke with an off the idle launch.

A semi-hard 2000 rpm launch will leave you sitting there boiling the tires to the rims.

The LS-1 is really sensitive to changes in outside temp. On hot humid days the C5 struggles to make low rpm power. When the temp. drops to around 45-60 degrees the LS-1 really comes to life.

In the cold weather there is so much power that the rear end of the car will fishtail on a full throttle 1st to 2nd up shift (keep the traction control button on unless you want to wind up facing backwards).

"Running Shoes" The run flats are the weak link in the acceleration game. On the other hand they ride great, are good on wet pavement, and have excellent tread life.

Good Year say's you can travel about 50 miles on them with no air. If you do get a flat don't use an air in the can flat fix to pump up an EMT tire. The sealant used in the flat fix will ruin the remote tire air pressure sensor and throw a computer code.

Keep an old fashion tire plug kit and a portable air compressor in the car in the event of a flat. You can probably plug the hole (if you can see it, usually a nail or screw) without removing the tire, then just pump up the tire. We have done this and the plugs hold fine.

FYI, the batteries in the rim mounted TPM sensors will crap out in about five years of use. The units have to be replaced as the batteries are sealed. New sensors retail for about $120 each, add tire mounting costs to this. If the sensors fail you have to reset the code every time you start the car.

Thanks GM. In an effort to gain some needed traction we fitted the C5 with a set of Nitto drag radials, damn the flat tires full speed ahead. We were surprised that these tires did not yield a significant improvement in traction over the stock GoodYears.

We also tried a set of Falken F452's on the rear. WOW! What a difference, these tires are extremely sticky off the line, and they retail for less then half of what a new Goodyear EMT is selling for. When the tires do manage to hook up and the acceleration God's are smiling, the car can do 0-60 in 4.32 seconds.

C5 Handling Mod The standard mono tube (non-electronic)shocks on a C5 are pretty good for everyday driving.

After about 25k miles they tend to get a little tired. The problem was that up to now your only real options were factory replacements, hd Blistien shocks or super expensive coil-over units that require extensive alignment work. The factory shocks at $125 each are not much to talk about. The Blistien's are a cheaper alternative at around $80 each, but offer no real improvement in handling, deliver a harsher ride than stock and are a pain in the ass to install as the top studs are round and must be held in place with an allen wrench from inside the engine bay. This entails removing both the coolant and washer tanks to access the top of the shock studs.

We heard about Edelbrocks new line of IAS shocks, we contacted them and they sent us over a set to test on our C5.

The Edelbrock shocks shocks feature Ricor’s patented Inertia Active System (IAS). This exclusive design switches instantly between a firm and a soft circuit for superior handling and a smooth ride.

We installed these without using a lift in about an hour. The results are amazing. The car corners like a Grand Prix racer and rides like a Caddy. Retail price for these babies are $120 each. We give them a thumbs up for performance, easy installation and overall value.

Stock shock and new Edelbrock unit

Along with the "Go" you need some "Show"

After several agonizing attempts at sewing in a neat red and black wheel skin on a C5, our all male,all thumbed, staff called my wife , she had it perfectly installed in less then 20 minutes. We told her to quit her real job and go into business installing these things. A domed C5 wheel insignia adds the finishing touch.

Ultra Bright mats by Lloyd's help to perk up the interior

Other items that add some spice include color grab bars

Another great addition to any C5 interior are neoprene seat covers. These spill proof covers fit like a glove and protect your expensive leather.

They are easy to install (about 15 min. per seat)and enhance the cool factor of your Vette dramatically. Mid America can supply you with a custom set of covers for about $250

The ultimate expression in coolness is a set of chrome ZO6 wheels. These after market units are very high quality, they came with logo center caps, chrome lug nuts and chrome valve stems. The ZO6 drilled and slotted rotors, rear air scoops,tinted signal lenses and front screens finish off the look

As with other Corvette platforms the only limiting factor to the C5/LS1's potential is the size of your wallet and your desire to improve upon what the factory gave you.

The Vette Nuts

GM Technical Downloads for the 1997 - 2006 C5 and C6 C5 Owners Manual

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Spoil Yourself

The C6 is a triumph of automotive engineering and style. The factory design boy’s did a fantastic job in making the C6 a true work of rolling art. That being said there is no reason we cannot improve on things just a bit. We decided to start our exterior design improvement project on our victory red 09 ZO6. The Z has been serving as our latest project car and we thought it would make a good test bed for some exterior body mods.

The one place that any C6 needs some help with is at the rear end. Specifically the stubby little protrusion that pretends to be a spoiler. What was GM thinking? GM does have a remedy for this design error. They offer what is known as the “full width racing spoiler”. The spoiler was part of a dealer installed option on the Ron Fellows edition ZO6.

The following is a list of GM part numbers that can be used to order the spoiler: 19172807 – Prime 19172808 – Victory Red 19172809 – Velocity Yellow 19172810 – Machine Silver 19172811 – Black 19172812 – Jetstream Blue 19172813 – Crystal Red 19211167 – Atomic Orange 19211165 – Switchblade Silver 19211166 – Cyber Gray 19212626 – Torch Red 20921725 – Inferno Orange

20921726 – Supersonic Blue One of the best sources that we have found for quality OEM GM parts is GM Partshouse located in Boyertown PA. Gene Cully the founder of GM Parts House can often be found giving technical advice on many of the Corvette Forums. He is part of a great team that ensures that you will get the correct part at the lowest price. Stock parts usually ship out the same day they get your order. You can find them at www.gmpartshouse.com or phone them at 484-949-2099.

OK, enough of the small talk lets get down to the nitty gritty of installing one of these babies. The spoiler arrived about three days after we ordered it, talk about fast. It was housed in two bullet proof boxes and wrapped in a fabric sock that ensured it would survive the cross country trip. The package included installation instructions, mounting hardware and a cut out template that is used for marking the four spots on the rear fascia that needed to be drilled.

Drilled! "What are you crazy drilling holes into an eighty thousand dollar car"? That’s one of the comments we got from one of the disbelievers in the back office. We did toy with the idea of using 3M double sided tape to install the spoiler. The stuff usually holds very well under a variety of conditions. Another plus in using tape is that you are not married to the item being taped down.

The problem in this type of installation is that there is not really enough bearing surface between the spoiler and the top of the rear fascia under the spoiler. If you want to do a tape installation you will have to install several layers of tape under the stud mounting surfaces and at the ends of the spoiler. If you use too much tape there will be a gap, if you use too little tape the spoiler may separate from the body after being exposed to the elements. After some serious debating between the drilling and taping teams we decided to “drill baby drill”.

The first step in the installation is removing the taillights. Using a ratchet and a T-15 torx socket the lights pop right out.

Here is a picture we thought you might find interesting, it's a shot of the interior of the rear fascia.

After removing the tail light reach into one of the tail light openings and feel the mounting studs that retain the stock spoiler. If you don’t have gorilla hands you will need a 10mm socket to loosen and remove them. One word of caution, do not drop the studs into the rear assembly as you will never see them again if you do.

After removing the four mounting studs lift the stock spoiler and disconnect the electrical weather pack.

The next step involves removing the studs and light from the stock spoiler. Take the stock spoiler to your work bench and remove the studs. We used pliers but realized after the fact that a 4mm socket will fit right over the top of the stud and is a much easier way to go.

Remove the light assembly from the spoiler

After removing the mounting studs install the supplied tinnerman clips and small mounting studs on the four outermost

locations on the new spoiler.

The next step involves installing the tail light into the new spoiler. Place the new spoiler on a flat surface making sure you protect it. Lay it on top of the box it came in to prevent scratching. Place the light assembly into the opening and secure it to the new spoiler with two screws that are supplied with the installation kit.

This is where reading the instructions really come in handy. The know it alls in the shop never read the installation instructions. In this case they installed the two stock mounting studs to secure the light to the new spoiler. All went well until it came time to place the new spoiler on the rear fascia. Guess what, it wouldn’t fit. The stock mounting studs when used to secure the light will not allow for a flush spoiler to body fit.

After properly installing the light in the spoiler cut out the paper mounting template that was supplied. Place the cut out template on the rear fascia and align the center mark as shown in the instructions. Make sure you line up the edge of the template with the edge of the body panel.

Now for the fun part. After double checking that the template is properly aligned with the fascia edge and the center of the electrical connector opening you are ready to drill some holes. Once you have summoned up the courage put a 1/8� bit in your electric drill and locate the drilling points on the template. Place the drill squarely on the template mark and go for it. The fascia material is very soft and the drill will penetrate it almost instantaneously. Repeat this agonizing step for that other three marked locations. These are just pilot holes as you will have to re chuck the drill with a 7mm bit for the final holes. Using the larger drill bit enlarge the pilot holes. You can now remove the paper template.

Now for more fun. The instructions call for an enlargement of the electrical connector hole. This is necessary in order to allow the weather pack connector to properly seat with the light connector in the new spoiler. We used a dremel tool with a cutting wheel attachment to trim the material off the fascia. As mentioned the fascia material is very soft and you could probably cut it with a very sharp knife with a serrated blade. Trim off about a Âź “of material and the horror is behind you.

Remove the backing from the preinstalled double sided tape on the middle and ends of the spoiler. Align the studs in new spoiler with the holes on the top of the fascia. Lower the spoiler and reconnect the electrical weatherpac connector to the light assembly. After the spoiler is flush with the fascia reach into the taillight openings and fasten the spoiler to the mounting studs.

Stand back and admire the new look of your Corvette.

The Vette Nuts CorvetteWeb Index Page Page

Battery Chargers -Light Your Fire

by The Vette Nut's

The automotive battery is the power source that drives every energy consuming component in an automotive system. A poorly maintained, underpowered power source will cause modern and older automotive systems to exhibit both drivability and reliability problems. Most of us gear heads take the battery in our cars for granted. We do not usually pay much attention to our trusty old battery until it fails. This lack of concern is due in part to the reliability of the modern car battery.

Automotive batteries provide a nominal 12-volt potential difference by connecting six galvanic cells in series. Each cell provides 2.1 volts for a total of 12.6 volt at full charge.

Lead-acid batteries are made up of plates of lead and separate plates of lead dioxide, which are submerged into an electrolyte solution of about 35% sulfuric acid and 65% water. This causes a chemical reaction that releases electrons, allowing them to flow through conductors to produce electricity. As the battery discharges, the acid of the electrolyte reacts with the materials of the plates, changing their surface to lead sulfate.

When the battery is recharged, the chemical reaction is reversed: the lead sulfate reforms into lead oxide and lead. With the plates restored to their original condition, the process may now be repeated.

In normal automotive service the vehicle's engine-driven alternator powers the vehicle's electrical systems and restores charge used from the battery during engine cranking. When installing a new battery or recharging a battery that has been accidentally discharged completely, one of several different methods can be used to charge it. The most gentle of these is called trickle charging. Other methods include slow-charging and quick-charging, the latter being the harshest.

Some manufacturers include a built-in hydrometer to show the state of charge of the battery. This acrylic "eye" has a float immersed in the electrolyte. When the battery is charged, the specific gravity of the electrolyte increases (since all the sulfate ions are in the electrolyte, not combined with the plates), and the colored top of the float is visible in the window.

When the battery is discharged (or if the electrolyte level is too low), the float sinks and the window appears yellow (or black). The built-in hydrometer only checks the state of charge of one cell and will not show faults in the other cells. In a non-sealed battery each of the cells can be checked with a portable or hand-held hydrometer. Batteries will last longer if not stored in a discharged state.

Sulfation occurs when a battery is not fully charged, and the longer it remains in a discharged state the harder it is to overcome the sulfation. This may be overcome with slow, low-current (trickle) charging. Sulfation is due to formation of large, nonconductive lead sulfate crystals on the plates; lead sulfate formation is part of each

cycle, but in the discharged condition the crystals become large and block passage of current through the electrolyte.

Ok now that we have somewhat of a handle on the basics we can come up with some simple solutions to your lack of attention to this very important component in the automotive system. If your special ride is a garage or trailer queen it is probably hidden away in the garage under a protective cocoon. Lack of exercise and long storage periods will cause the best of batteries to loose most of their oomph. Unless you enjoy replacing batteries on a regular basis you need to find a way to rejuvenate that power box.

CTEK Battery charger

The MULTI US 3300 is a versatile and compact battery charger designed to easily charge and maintain all types of vehicles batteries including Optima gel type batteries.

The charger features a special cold mode that enables you to charge a battery during cold winters days without problems.

The MULTI US 3300 has a water resistant and weatherproof design that enables its use in damp environments. In our test we hooked up the multi 3300 to a discharged 650 amp marine battery starting battery. The hookup was easy, red alligator clip to positive terminal and black alligator clip to negative terminal. No rocket science here.

The battery initially measured 12.2 volts, after about 12 hours of charging a fully charged indicator light was displayed on the unit. We liked the chargers small size, simplicity and weather resistant design. The only trade off is the long charging time.

The unit is manufactured in Sweden and is priced at about $115.

Save-a-Battery

The Save-a-Battery is a fast, 50-watt 2x Battery charger. After charging the unit then automatically switches to maintenance/monitoring mode. By varying current and voltage in a deeper cycle, it desulfinates a battery, and extends its life without overcharging. A low voltage alarm monitors the battery and sounds before damage occurs from discharging.

The manufacturer claims that you can leave the unit permanently connected, with no risk of overcharging. A built in voltmeter also lets you test your wiring and charging system. the large LCD screen and bright LED bank make it easy to monitor battery voltage, charging mode, connection status, and overall battery health. The LCD display can be turned off while charging or maintaining for long-term storage.

The unit is equipped with modular plug-in cables with three types of battery connectors. The charger comes with a 10' foot long AC power cord; and gold-plated

connectors for reliability in damp garages and boathouses. The "No-sparks" polarity protection prevents operation if you screw up the connection to your battery.

The Save A Battery 12-Volt Battery Charger Maintainer and Tester comes with a 6foot 5-Amp battery terminal lug cable, a 6-foot alligator clip cable, a 6-foot cigarette lighter adapter cable, a 10-foot AC power input cable, and a mounting bracket for permanent wall or vehicle installation.

We set up our test on a 750amp starting battery that resided in the engine bay of a C5 Corvette. The battery was in a state of severe drain from under use and was due for replacement. We connected the Save a Battery unit as per the instruction manual. The LCD read out measured 12.2 volts at startup.

To our surprise the unit recharged the battery in less than two hours. This rivaled the performance of much larger chargers. Guess what we don't need to replace the battery anymore. This magic box seems to have brought the old battery back to life. We give this product a definite thumbs up, it is reasonably priced at about $99

Battery Tender Plus

The Battery Tender Plus battery charger delivers 1.25 amperes during bulk charge mode, holds the battery charge voltage constant at 14.4 VDC during absorption charge mode until the battery charge current drops to 0.1 amperes at which time it then automatically switches to a float charge mode.

During float charge mode, the output voltage of the Battery Tender Plus battery charger is 13.2 VDC, which is well below the gassing voltage of a lead acid battery. This keeps the battery topped off, while minimizing any detrimental effects to do gassing.

The Battery Tender Plus battery charger is able to perform these complex switching functions because its electronic circuitry is controlled by an on board microprocessor.

We tested the unit on a partially discharged lead acid battery that was few years old.

The unit was connected in a similar fashion to the other chargers. Once plugged in the a flashing red led came on indicating that power was on. Once connected to the battery the red light stopped flashing indicating that the battery was being charged. After charging is complete a green led is supposed to intermittently flash. We left the charger on for approximately 12 hours and never got a green light indication. Our initial reaction was that the battery was defective. We attempted to charge another battery that we knew was in perfect shape. Again after about ten hours of charging no green flashing light.

We called the Deltran Corporation and were told that the unit probably needed to

recycle itself. We were told that this process could take up to 72 hours. We are still waiting for our green flashing light to come on.

It's Exhausting

by The Vette Nut's

There have been many articles published concerning the benefits and pitfalls of selecting an appropriate after market exhaust system. In terms of adding performance to an engine the exhaust system falls into one of the top three basics of classic hot rodding which include exhaust, intake and ignition. Besides yielding a significant boost in available horsepower an after market exhaust system can also increase the "cool factor" of your car.

Late model Corvettes are prime candidates for exhaust modifications as they completely lack the growl that is expected from a high performance vehicle. A well balance exhaust growl is music to the ears of any high performance auto enthusiast. Unfortunately when it comes to high performance exhaust systems the auto manufacturers have to take a very conservative approach.

Case in point, the stock C5 exhaust system. On paper the factory exhaust on a C5 is a very well engineered system. The stock system feature large diameter pipes that extend form the manifolds to the mufflers with relatively few bends or obstructions. The aluminized stainless steel construction also makes the stock pipes and mufflers virtually corrosion proof.

We once had to bring a C5 into a local muffler shop for some emergency welding repairs after hitting an overly aggressive speed bump. The guy's in the shop had never really seen a C5 system up close and didn't believe us when we told them it was stock. They were old school hot rodders and admitted that it would be hard for them to come up with a better system.

The only problem with the stock system is that it's way too tame for a serious gear head. It seems that GM went out of its way to keep the C5 as quiet as possible. The uninspiring exhaust note satisfied federal, local and state requirements. It also appealed to the new majority of Corvette buyers that were more into looks than performance.

The C5 opened up the door to many people who had never previously considered a Corvette purchase. The new C5's rock solid reliability and comfort levels enabled people to use it as a daily driver.

The recent drop in C5 prices is really a testament to just how good this car really is. The C5's recent devaluation is a direct result of an over abundant supply. The C5 had a seven year run; out of that run 246,012 units were produced. The C5 is a victim of its own high standard of quality. For the first time ever GM mass produced a vehicle that was virtually flawless. The price drop can be credited to the fact that most of the C5's out of the 1997 to 2004 production run are still on the road.

This is in stark contrast to past years where only a small fraction of a production run was still in service after five or six years. It's just a simple function of supply vs. demand. Supply is very high and demand has shifted to the C6. For the time being the high supply of excellent quality C5's has depressed prices.

Getting back to the C5 exhaust system, as I have said the stock system is very hard to improve upon. The only thing that it really needs is some more growl. The after market responded to this need with many confusing variations of high end exhaust components. The typical after market system is referred to as a "cat-back" exhaust. This simply means that the entire exhaust system from the catalytic converters to the tail pipes is replaced.

The confusion comes into play when it comes time to choose your tolerance to noise. Most after market systems offer a choice of sound levels. Exhaust sound output levels are usually rated on a scale of one to three. Level one being slightly louder than stock and level three being noticeably louder than stock.

Most of the high decibel growl associated with all of these systems is most noticeable at idle and under acceleration. At cruising speeds the loud noise tends to mellow out to a low drone. Some people will hate it others will consider it sweet music. Our advice is that if you are not a "hot rodder" at heart stick with the stock system as you may not be happy with the growl.

After market exhaust systems tend to be a little pricy. The typical price for a good system will run you about $1,200. Unless you have your own lift add another $300 for a professional installation. To justify the high price after market producers construct most systems out of polished T304 stainless steel. They offer polished tip styles and as previously mentioned various sound levels.

All the after market systems claim increases in horsepower and torque. The truth of the matter is that if all you are looking for is increased power this may not be the mod for you. A cat-back replacement is not a very good value in terms of horses for the dollar spent. We have never seen more than a 12 to 15 hp increase with any of these systems. Some systems may even cost you a few horses compared to the factory setup.

As far as sound goes we recently installed a complete after market system that registered a quieter exhaust note on a decibel sound meter than the stock system it replaced. That was a real disappointment; we will not divulge the manufacturers name until we get a response from them. In any case most after market systems will deliver a stronger exhaust note at idle and on acceleration.

As you know we tell it like it is. One of our favorite systems is the Corsa cat back pace car exhaust. It has a great sound at idle and acceleration and quiets down at cruise. The fit and finish of the Corsa system is also world class.

One of our readers asked us if there is an easy alternative to a high priced system if all you want is some more sound. As we have said the stock system is a pretty good design. It would be nice if someone came up with a simple mod that would extract more growl out of the stock system. The idea sounded silly to us at first but after thinking about it we came up with a very simple yet effective solution.

The C5's exhaust is unique in that the mufflers are transverse mounted and are located just a few inches from the actual exhaust outlets. This means that in theory a small mod to the muffler inlet pipe could release both back pressure and more exhaust note. We were in the process of a muffler replacement on a C5 so we figured we had nothing to loose by testing our theory out.

Using a simple electric drill and a cutting wheel we made two one inch long cuts into both of the muffler inlet pipes.

It took all of five minutes to complete the two cuts. When we fired up the Vette we were treated to the sweet music of a liberated exhaust system. The note sounded almost as good as most of the milder after market exhaust replacements we had encountered. We decided to take our liberated C5 out for a drive. The exhaust note was considerably louder than stock on acceleration. At cruise things quieted down and there was absolutely no

drone or difference from stock.

We decided to take this mod a step further and cut an additional slot in each of the two inlet pipes. Things got interesting as the exhaust note got noticeably more aggressive at idle and on acceleration. We were pleasantly surprised by an only a slightly louder than stock note at cruising speeds.

Take this for what its worth, an experiment. We are sure that the after market people can come up with a hundred different reasons why you shouldn't attempt this modification. To protect ourselves we must add the disclaimer that this type of modification is for off road vehicles only. That being said, make up your own mind on this one. If that $1,200 is burning a hole in your pocket go ahead and buy an aftermarket exhaust system.

Maintenance - You Can Do It

by The Vette Nut's

Maintenance job of the month - Changing the oil in your C5 Oil is the life blood of any internal combustion engine. It cools and lubricates moving engine parts. Oil also cushions the the loads generated by the explosive force of each cylinder. The high compressive forces generated by a modern Corvette V8 require special attention. That attention has been addressed by the good engineers at GM. The development of synthetic oil

by Exon-Mobil has made life for the late model Corvette a lot easier.

Light weight synthetic oil reduces internal engine friction, increases cooling efficiency and prolongs engine life. The high initial cost of synthetic oil is offset by the savings in reduced maintenance.

The following is a list of things that you will need prior to starting the job.: Six and a half quarts of Mobil 1 5W-30 synthetic oil - $35 (Walmart) KN oil filter (HP 1007)- $12 (Advanced Auto or Autozone) 10 quart oil catch basin - $7 (KMart) Total Cost: @ $54

SAFETY FIRST

If you don't have access to a lift you will also need hydraulic floor jacks or a pair of heavy duty front drive up ramps. You must also employ a pair of safety jack stands.

If this sounds like overkill remember, the life you save may be your own.

Before you start this or any project that requires you to get under your car you need to understand the dangers involved.

Jacks have been known to fail, especially the cheapo made in China

hydraulic units that are sold in the discount Mart outlets. If you must get under a vehicle safety is of the utmost importance.

The use of hydraulic jacks in combination with safety jack stands under seperate jacking points must be utilized to minimize the risk of the car crushing you to death.

If you are considering taking any shortcuts do not perform this service.

We had several tried and true jacking methods ready for press. Our legal beancounters advised that we refrain from publishing any jacking procedure that could potentially lead to an injury.

We assume no liability for any damage to your vehicle or injury to yourself as a result of performing this maintenance to your vehicle.

There have been many article written about the proper jacking procedures for late model Corvettes. All you have to do is Google the word "corvette jacking procedure" and you will get an earfull.

That being said we will outline the standard methods of a C5 oil change without the Jacking instructions.

Some Tips -Warm up the oil Take your Vette out for a short cruise, this will heat up the oil and help to drain out any nasty material that may be lurking in the engine.

- Make sure you place the floor jack under the cross member and not the oil pan.

- Place a set of short safety jack stands under the frame as well.

- Place a wedged chock behind both rear tires. This will ensure that the car wil not move backwards during the jacking procedure.

Ramps An alternative to jacking up the front end involves using a set of ramps.

The only ramps that seem to work on a late model Vette are the heavy duty plastic ramps that are sold in auto parts outlets and are marketed under the name Rhino Ramps. These units have a 17 degree approach angle and

are wide enough to accomodate the front tires.

The oil drain plug can be accessed from under the drivers side of the car.

The plug is on the base of the pan facing towards the front of the car. Using a 15mm box wrench remove the plug and let the oil drain into your 10 quart collection pan. Lower the car to allow the oil to completely drain.

Let the oil drain until it slows to a drip, it usually takes about about twenty minutes to completely drain the pan. This is the special procedure that is referred to in the owners manual. After all the oil has drained raise the car again and reset the jack stands.

Removing the oil filter can be a pain in the ass as there is very little room to utilize most filter removal wrenches. Some are better than others, the adjustable clamping type wrenches work better than compression type removal wrenches.

A smart move is to replace the filter with a KN unit. The KN filter has a 1/2 inch nut welded to the top of the filter can. Removal with a socket wrench is a snap.

After you remove the old filter check it to make sure the rubber sealing gasket is still on it and not stuck to the filter mounting base on the engine.

Lubricate the gasket on the new filter with some oil.

Pour a few ounces of fresh oil into the new filter prior to installation. This will aid in minimizing the risk of dry operation at start up. Install the new filter by hand until it snugs up against the mounting base. After the filter initially contacts the base give it another 1/4 to 1/2 Turn by hand.

Make sure that the plug is clean and the gasket is still intact. Clean the plug mounting pad on the pan. After the oil has completely drained replace the drain plug. Do not over tighten the plug or you may damage the aluminium pan .

After everything is buttoned up pour six and a half quarts of the good stuff back into the engine.

Reset the oil life monitor on the DIC panel. With the engine off put the key in the on position. Press the trip button several times until the oil life indicator is shown. Press and hold the reset button on the panel until the reading goes back to 100%.

That's it, you are now good to go for another year.

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Maintenance - You Can Do It

by The Vette Nut's

There comes a time in every Corvette owner's life when a decision has to be made about basic auto maintenance. The real decision is whether to schlepp you Vette down to the local dealer or attempt to do some wrench turning yourself. Repair work involving a major component, ie. a tranny, rear end or internal engine part, usually falls outside of the skill sets of most backyard mechanics. Major repair work is in most cases better left to a dealer or professional repair shop.

Basic maintenance is another story. With a little guidance and practice most of the mundane work can be accomplished in your own garage or back yard. Basic maintenance includes fluid changes, tune ups, brake jobs, belt and hose replacements and scores of other little things.

Regular maintenance is essential if you want your vehicle to perform properly. In the case of a high performance vehicle like the Corvette deferred maintenance will in time bring your machine to a grinding halt.

Back to the question; do it yourself or take your car to the dealer? The pros and cons of this decision must be considered.

The Dealership maintenance process: 1. Make an appointment 2. Drive your car to the repair site 3. Find alternative transportation ( remember you are at a Chevy dealer not Mercedes, in other words you are on your own) 4. Approve the work and the estimated expense (@ $80/hr labor plus high priced parts) 5. Pick up the vehicle 6. Pray that they actually did the work DIY Maintenance process: 1. Buy the parts (at a fraction of the cost that the dealer charges) 2. Turn the radio on in the garage 3. At a leisurely pace turn some wrenches and replace the parts 4. Open a beer and pat yourself on the back 5. Spend the money you saved on a gizmo in one of the countless Vette catalogs you get every month The quality of the finished service is something that you really have to consider when farming out basic maintenance repair work. People are like water and electricity in that they tend to take the path of the least resistance.

The service bay at the local Chevy dealer is no exception to this. Taking shortcuts and getting the car out of the dealers garage is the rule not the exception. This is especially true when it comes to working on a Corvette.

If you have ever looked into the engine bay of a modern Vette you will immediately realize the doing even the simplest of tasks is not for the faint of heart.

GM engine bay designers were given the task of squeezing six pounds of shit into a three pound bag. Wires, hoses and inaccessible clamps and bolts often lead to a dealership mechanic to skip some crucial maintenance steps.

They figure, correctly I may add, that most customers will never know the difference. I am not saying that all dealership service departments are lax, but you never know.

The only mechanic that you can really trust is yourself. The problem is that many would be shade tree mechanics are intimidated by today's seemingly unserviceable engine compartments.

With some good tools, proper parts and good info, you can do just about anything that the ding dong at the dealership can do. Best of all you can do it right.

Maintenance Job of the month - The C5 Cooling System If your C5 is approaching or over the five year mark you need to service the cooling system. All you C6 people still have about a year to go so listen up. The C5 uses Dexcool coolant. The capacity of the C5 is about 12 quarts, you will need one to two gallons of Dexcool to complete the job.

While you are at it you should replace the upper and lower coolant hoses as well as the accessory drive belts. A high compression engine like the LS1 generates an enormous amount of heat. Heat and the elements tend to destroy rubber components like belts and hoses in about three to five years of under hood use.

The following is a list of things that you will need prior to starting the job.: Two gallons of Dexcool coolant - $20 (Walmart) Upper and lower radiator hoses - $25 (Advanced Auto or Autozone) 10 quart catch basin - $5 (KMart) Serpentine accessory belts -$40 (Autozone) Redline Water Wetter - $9(Advanced Auto) Throttle body bypass tube - $18 (Mid America) Total Cost: @ $117 Installation of the above parts is pretty straight forward. The most difficult part of the job is accessing the lower hose clamp. The easiest way to drain out the old fluid is to remove the lower hose and just let the coolant drain into a basin.

Replace with new hoses using screw clamps (you can reuse the factory spring clamps but they are a pain in the neck).

Refill through the surge tank using a 50/50 mix of distilled water and Dexcool to one half inch over the cold fill line. Run the engine for one minute with the tank cap off.

Refill the surge tank again to one half inch over the cold fill line. Put the cap back on and run the engine cycle the engine to 3000rpm to idle for a couple of minutes.

When the temp gauge gets to 210 degrees turn off the engine. Let the engine cool for about an hour. If the surge tank is low refill again it to one half inch over the cold fill line.

That should be it, if the engine runs hot you probably have an air pocket or have put in too much Dexcool. Remember water cools the engine, the Dexcool protects the radiator from corrosion, boiling over and freezing. An air pocket should work its way out after several hot/cool down cycles.

Here are a few tips to make your life a little easier: - Remove the air intake assemble prior to starting the work. This will give you better access to the belts and hoses.

- Use a 15mm socket and breaker bar to loosen the drive belt on the pulley tensioner.

Remove and reinstall the main serpentine drive belt using the alternator pulley as a staring point.

- The bottom clamp of the lower radiator hose is more easily accessed from under the car - When refilling the system use Dexcool and at least 1 gallon of distilled or clean tap water. Use of only Dexcool will cause the engine to run very hot.

- Replace the factory spring clamps with old fashioned stainless steel screw clamps.

This will make future maintenance a lot easier.

- When purging the system of air

do not open the surge tank cap

on a hot engine as the coolant is under pressure. The pressure must be released very slowly or you can be injured.

- Install a throttle body coolant bypass tube if you live in a warm climate. You will pick up a few free horses by keeping the heat out of the

air intake.

- Mix a bottle of Redline water wetter into your new Dexcool/Water mix, it will help keep your cool.

Easy Engine Bay Spruce Up

by The Vette Nut's

Most Corvette catalogs have entire sections that are dedicated to Engine Bay customization. Carbon fiber, chrome and brushed aluminium covers, bolts and various gee gaws abound. As most Corvette owners are boy's at heart we delight in all things bright and shiny.

The cost of some of these baubles can be somewhat prohibitive. Carbon fiber components seem to be all the rage. The problem is that ounce for ounce carbon fiber is more valuable than gold. That being said most of us opt for the high end painted engine cover up pieces. Painted dress up components also tend to have an inflated price tag attached to them.

If you want to customize your vehicles engine bay but don't want to pay the high price of admission there is only one answer. Do it yourself. You already have the basic components, valve covers, surge tank, washer tank, alternator etc.. Why re buy these items if you can refinish them yourself?

Painting your factory plastic components is the easiest way to go. Krylon Fusion is a paint that is specially designed for use on plastic.

It is available at just about any hardware chain like ACE or True Value. If you are contemplating taking on this project use the Krylon Fusion paint, end of story.

The safest way to paint your under hood components is to remove them and paint them away from your car. Under hood components can be painted in the engine bay using the utmost of care and precaution. This means taking the time to completely tape and mask the vehicles fenders, hood and surrounding engine parts. We know that most of you will want to take the easy way out so we painted the radiator surge tank and windshield washer tank in place. There should be no problems with the easy method if

you take the time to properly mask and tape.

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The engine covers and fuse box cover snap right off and should be painted in a remote location. When spray painting remember that less is more. It is better to apply several very light coats of paint to a surface than a heavy coat. Several light passes should be applied while holding the spray can about 12 inches from the surface. If you take your time the finish will look as good as anything that the after market can supply. You can also buy a set of acrylic letters that will really set off the look.

One item that we do recommend is an after market battery well cover, Mid America and Ecklers carry them.

Get out your Dremel roto tool and attach a wire polishing wheel to it. Now go to work on the alternator the results are worth it.

Affordable C5 Brake Upgrade

by The Vette Nut's

The factory braking system on the C5 Corvette is extremely competent and satisfactory for almost every situation, The problem is that Corvette gear heads are never content with something that is labeled competent or satisfactory. The rotors on the C5 perform great but are no match when compared to the slotted and cross drilled rotors that are standard equipment on the ZO6. Drilled and slotted rotors will impart the final boy racer look to your Vette. The only problem is that a quality after market set of rotors can cost an arm and a leg.

So how do you get the great looks of quality cross drilled and slotted rotors while at the same time keeping the cost within reason? The answer may surprise you, our friends at AC/Delco will come to the rescue. The rescue comes in the form of OEM cross drilled and slotted rotors. These are the same rotors that were standard equipment on the C5 ZO6. The front rotors are 12.6' in diameter and can be order under AC/Delco PN#'S 18A1079, 18A1080. The rears are 11.8" in diameter and can be ordered under AC/Delco PN#'S 18A1081, 18A1082.

As previously mentioned these OEM units will let you have your cake and eat it too.

They offer extremely high quality at an affordable price. After some browsing the internet for a good price we stumbled on an Ebay store, ThePartsLadi, located in Destin Florida, that offered a brand new factory package for $399. Wait it gets better, they threw in a complete set of AC/Delco Durastop ceramic pads (AC/Delco PN#'S 17D731CH, 17D732CH) for free. These pads usually retail for about $180 a set. Add to that a low shipping charge and you have a good deal. The rotors and pads were delivered within three days of the order placement. When placing the order we did not mention who we were, this excellent service is just how the company conducts business.

This project can be successfully completed by any novice gear head with a minimum of hassle. The following equipment is needed fro the installation: A low profile hydraulic race jack. A lift will make life much easier. Unlike the other mags we try to do all of our projects without the use of a lift as very few of our reader have access to one.

Safety stands A good set of tools that include a 1" drive breaker bar and 19mm socket.

A large C clamp A tube of Locktite A wire clothes hanger A can of spray brake parts cleanser A can of new brake fluid Your wife's turkey baster

Begin the project by inspecting your new rotors, make sure they are free from any manufacturing defects such as casting cracks of obvious warpage. Spray each rotor with brake cleaner and wipe off all shipping oil and gunk.

Jack up the car, make sure you place safety stands under the chassis. Remove the wheel. You can start at the front or rear. If you start the project in the front make sure you complete the front before you move to the rear.

Open the cap on the master cylinder. Using your wife's turkey baster suck some brake fluid out of the reservoir. This is to prevent the fluid from overflowing when the caliper pistons are compressed. Don't let the fluid drip on anything as it is extremely caustic.

Place a large screwdriver between the inner brake pad and the caliper and force the pad back. This will retract the caliper piston to allow the removal of the caliper assembly from the old rotor.

Using a breaker bar and a 19mm socket remove the upper caliper retaining bolt. Loop a wire clothes hanger through the caliper bolt retaining hole and secure the caliper to a suspension member. This will protect the rubber brake line from damage if you accidentally drop the caliper.

Remove the lower retaining bolt. You can let the caliper hang from the wire hanger.

Remove the rotor by hitting it from behind with a hammer. Place the new rotor on the hub, using an old lug nut secure it to the hub.

Prepare the new brake pads by applying a thin layer of PTFE silicone on the backside of the pad. The silicone is supplied as part of th brake package. It minimizes the chance of pad squealing.

Place a large C clamp on the inner brake pad and force the pad back into the caliper.

Remove the old pads from the caliper and insert the new pads into the caliper assembly. Put a drop of locktite on both caliper bolts.

Position the caliper on the new rotor starting from the bottom. Insert and tighten the bottom bolt and then the top bolt.

Slap the wheel back on and move to the other side of the car. The rest of the rotor replacements will go a lot smoother now that you got the hang of it. After you finish refill the master cylinder with some fresh fluid and replace the cap.

Pump the brakes and make sure you have a hard pedal. Drive your car around the block a few times stopping the car every fifty feet. This will bed the new pads into the

rotors. Take it easy for the next few miles to finish the pad bedding process.

Park your Vette and admire the new look.

Corvette 1997-2004 Codes

The "diagnostic display" mode is entered with the following procedure: 1) Turn on the ignition but don't start the engine.

2) Press the "reset" button to turn off any warning messages 3) Press and hold "options" 4) While holding "options", press "fuel" four times within a 10-second period.

When first engaged the on-board diagnostics go into an "automatic" mode which shows all parameters: PCMTCS-RTD-BCM-IPC-radio-HVAC-LDCM-RDCM-SCM-RFA. If there are no problems, you will see "no more codes" on the ICP display.

The computer will show two kinds of codes, "current" and "history," designated "C" or "H". A current code indicates a malfunction is present in the system whose module is displaying data. A history code indicates a past problem.

When the screen displays "manual diagnostics," select the desired module by pressing the "options" button to go forward or the "trip" button to go back. Press "gages" to go forward or "fuel" to go back.

To exit the diagnostic mode at any time, press "E/M". If you want to erase or "clear" codes, press "reset."

1997 DTC Codes 1998 DTC Codes 1999 DTC Codes 2000 DTC Codes 2001 DTC Codes 2002 DTC Codes 2003 DTC Codes 2004 DTC Codes

The C5 computer transmits the following diagnostics: Powertrain Control Module (PCM),Traction Control System ,Active Handling System, Real Time Damping (RTD), Body Control Module (BCM), Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC), radio, heating-ventilation-air conditioning (HVAC), Left Door Control Module (LDCM), Right Door Control Module (RDCM), Seat Control Module (SCM) and Remote Function Actuation (RFA).

Inititially, the on-board diagnostics go into the "automatic" mode which shows each module's DTCs in a pre-set sequence: 10 PCM Powertrain Control Module 28 TCS Traction Control system ABS 40 BCM Body Control Module 60 IPC Instrument Panel Cluster 80 radio 99 HVAC Heater Vent-Air Conditioning A0 LDCM Left Door Control module A1 RDCM Right Door Control Module AC SCM Seat Control module B0 RFA Remote Function Actuation For each module, all DTCs will be displayed. If none are present in a module, you will see "no more codes" on the ICP display.

As stated earlier there are two kinds of DTCs, "Current" and "History," designated with a letter suffix, "C" or "H". A current code indicates that the malfunction is present in the system whose module is displaying data. A history code indicates a problem existed in that module sometime in the last 40 or 50 ignition cycles. When not accompanied by a current code of the same number, it is possible it's evidence of a previous problem, now solved, that was not removed by clearing codes. More likely is that a history code indicates an intermittent malfunction. "Intermittents" are the most challenging DTCs. An intermittent may have happened only once, may have happened more than once but is inconsistent in its appearance or may be happening on a regular basis but not at the time the IPC is displaying codes. History codes can also be caused by a current malfunction in a system that is not operating at the time DTCs are displayed. An example is the rear window defogger which doesnยนt operate until the BCM detects engine rpm. For history codes set by a system that does not operate with the key on and engine off, a special diagnostic tool called a "scan tester" is necessary to properly diagnose the malfunction.

Once the IPC has displayed all 11 modules, the system goes into the manual mode which allows selection of each module using combinations of DIC buttons. The manual mode can also be entered at any time during the automatic sequence by pressing any button except "E/M". Once the IPC displays "manual diagnostics," you may select a particular module by pressing the "options" button to go forward or the "trip" button to go back. Once a system is selected and a DTC is displayed, if more than one are present; press "gages" to move forward or "fuel" to go back.

To exit the diagnostic mode at any time, press "E/M". If you want to erase or "clear" codes, press "reset."

Clearing a code does not repair a problem. You are simply erasing the evidence of it in the module's memory.

10 PCM Powertrain Control Module A=DTC set immediately and MIL is turned on B=MIL turned on after 2 consecutive drive trips C=After one failure and stored in History MIL not turned on The Following Procedure Sshould be used to Re-program the Tire Pressure Sensors if you ever have to swap tires and re-install remote sensors:

Tire Pressure Sensor Training Instructions

1) Turn ignition on but do not start the car 2) Press "Reset" button in order to clear any IPC display warning messages 3) Press and release the "Options" button on the DIC to scroll through the display options until the IPC display is blank 4) Press and hold the DIC "Reset" button for 3 seconds 5) Press the "Options" button again until TIRE TRAINING message appears 6) Press "Reset" button until the IPC "Learn L Front Tire" message appears in order to begin the programming 7) Install the J41760 Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) System Programming Tool (large magnet will do) over the left front valve stem 8) The horn will sound, indicating the left front TPM sensor is programmed (if this takes more than 15 seconds, pull magnet back and try again, it will give you three tries. Then you must start over) 9) When the horn sounds, proceed to program the next TPM sensor in the following order as directed by the IPC messages: -Learn R Front Tire -Learn R Rear Tire -Learn L Rear Tire Programming can be canceled by turning ignition off, waiting 2 minutes with no sensors being learned, finishing all 4 wheels or through the DIC. If the programming is canceled with less than 4 sensors learned, it will only accept the codes programmed up to that point.

C5 facts that GM does not want you to know You can put your key in the driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s door and turn it twice towards the front to unlock the passenger door and a third time to pop the trunk.

You can pop the trunk and also pop the gas cap cover by pulling on metal lines hidden in the back.

The little slotted cover on the dash behind the steering wheel is where the inside air temperature sensor is located.

All of the option codes are in the glove box.

Tire inflation recommended pressures are on the driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s door.

The thing that looks like a little LED near the DIC buttons is a light sensor.

The thing that looks like a little LED near the defroster vent is a UV sensor for determining A/C usage to compensate for the heating effect of the sun.

The build sheet is in the front re-bar.

If you leave your turn signal on, in about 1 minute it will start to ding (loud enough to hear over the stereo) to let you know you have old timers disease.

You can reset the oil life by pumping the gas pedal 3 times (but not with the engine running).

Hold down the reset button while on one of the trip odometers and it changes that reading to the miles you’ve traveled since last starting the engine.

Hold down the Active Handling button for 5 sec. to engage “Competitive Driving” on cars equipped with active handling (2000 and previous years must be stopped.)

If you pull the seatbelts all the way out while you’re buckled in, they ratchet back in to hold you tighter into the seat. (then move the seat forward to make it extra snug -- Leafty) Simply remove fuse #2 under the hood and your DRLs will be out permanently. Only thing affected is that when you unlock at night using the key fob your front turn signal lights and back up lights will not flash. Your front turn signals will operate normally, however.

The side-view mirrors can twist both forward and backward, decreasing the chance of damage if struck.

There is a release opening with a flap to let air out of the car when the hatch is closed. It is located just above the driver side rear compartment behind the carpet and on the side of the car. Not that it really works well.

You can ground your amp to a screw/bolt that holds the rear middle compartment to the frame.

If you have a 6-speed car you can pop the trunk when the car is running by lifting the e-brake.

There is a spot on the driver side just out of the middle compartment under the carpet for the lug nut key. You should have a compartment on the drivers & passenger’s side (in the trunk) and a center compartment. On the left (drivers) side of the center compartment, on the left side where the center cover fits, there is an ‘indent’ that holds the wheel lock key.

If you turn on the headlights, then go to parking light position, the lamps remain up but the headlights are not left on.

If you have the passive entry feature: If you lock the keys in the car, wait a few minutes and then shake the car.

That will unlock the car.

HUD has a shift light for the manuals.

You can easily shift the M6 trans up or down without the clutch if you match revs. (Not great for longevity, however.)

You can eject the cd from the in-dash player without turning on any power. Don’t even need key in the ignition.

The cruise will disengage if you purposely make sharp side to side turns while cruising at say 60-80 mph.

When the engine is shut off, you can get the odometer reading by turning on the parking lights.

You can program setting #3 (both memory buttons at once) in the seat memory to run the seat back and steering wheel forward for getting in/out of the car with the engine running.

If you hate DRLs you can pull the e-brake ONE click and they go off.

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