The Do's and Don't's of being a passenger in a Corvette
 

This was posted today over on corvetteforum.com, i thought it was pretty funny, as did a lot of the other members over there, i.e. they thought it was over the top.... :rofl: enjoy the laugh... (even though I'm sure that are some of us who could easily substitute X5 for Corvette in a lot of these LOL!)


Do NOT slam the door, use only the prerequisite force

Do NOT use the window to close the door. Use only the door handle or
weatherstrip ( between the door & window)

Do NOT let rings or other jewellry contact the paint.

Do NOT place anything on the Corvette

Do NOT lean against, sit on or lay on the Corvette,
(unless you are a naked slim)

Do not enter the Corvette until invited

Do not enter the Corvette until you have inspected the soles of your shoes and ensured they are devoid of gum, tar and excrement

Do NOT drag your feet across the sill plate on entry or exit

Do NOT bring any food or beverages into the Corvette

Do NOT touch the inside of the windshield or windows

Do NOT sneeze or cough without covering you mouth and nose

Do NOT create any gaseous emissions

Do NOT admire any other vehicles while seated in the Corvette

they forgot
DO NOT Cut your hair because when you drive corvettes Mullets are cool!

:rolleyes:

Those rules could apply to any vehicle.

Here's one more:
Do NOT put your feet up on the dash or the out the window even if you've just had a pedicure.

:confused: Hmm, I'm trying to imagine mD with a mullet and it just doesn't work.

Come on Gresch, tell the truth. You didn't see this on the vette forum, you actually have this printed and keep them in your glove box for potential passengers. :stickpoke

I hate when people slam my doors :rant:

Ray- I never could understand why women feel the need to do that!

Anyway, G, nice post. True Vette pride! :thumbup:

and most important: do NOT expect high quality interior materials or safety equipment advances above 1996 :nanana:

you mean like onstar, you know, that little safety feature that BMW JUST made standard in '07?

Yeah, that's what I thought you meant....

one day you'll be a car gu... oops, enthusiast..... ;)

One day people on here will be car people and not car snobs....


I'm doing my best to educate 'em, they just don't want to learn :(

I friggint HATE when women do that.... ugh....

The first year I had the car i'm at a family gathering and my cousin Dave goes missing, i found him outside, leaning his big ol' 300lb butt on my brand spanking new vette talking on his cell.... when I yelled at him he acted like I insulted his mother or something... meanwhile, his pos family truckster was sitting right next to my vette! lean your ass on your own car!!!!! :banghead:

:thumbup: Psh details details!

sorry, but you deserve this ;owned;


:nanana:

Buy 'em books send 'em to school; they burn 'em. :rolleyes:

Good list, G...and works for most new rides.
I find I am less and less squeamish/A-O about
our Vette, as she has rolled past her 5th year.
Still love it, but not as paranoid/obsessed about it
as I was. And, it has proven itself such an outstanding
"trip car", that it's pristine sheen has been eroded to
normal, I must admit.

Ray is correct: no mullet on my gourd. Mullets are
commonplace here in hillbillyheaven; maybe western
NC and Ioway have something in common. :rofl:

I peruse the CF boards, but hadn't seen that; good post! :thumbup:
BR,mD

PS: a pic of our '02 and the original HUD!

It never fails - they won't lean on their own car, but they'll get mad at you for yelling at them for leaning on yours! :confused:

tell me about it... then he went and bought a mustang last year and constantly compares it to my Z16.... I like Mustangs, don't get me wrong, but a limited edition Z06 and a mustang (not GT) are 2 very different animals.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: That actually made me laugh out loud

Well, not if you ask Blue - they're both "pony cars!" :rofl:

the ironic thing is that my vette is Le Mans BLUE :)

I've gotta tell you I am very impressed with the new Vette. It's a beautiful car. I may even consider it in a couple years when I'm in the market for a new car. I love my e90, but I'm willing to consider a vette as a replacement... we'll see. :)

Seriously. It still uses leaf-springs. :rolleyes:. The rest of the world gave that up back when the Romans came about.

:rolleyes: ...Yo, M; don't judge too quickly and with a half glance at the
term "leaf spring". Some reading below... And, the C5 and obviously,
C6, use expensive hybrid aluminum castings for the 4 wheel wishbones,
knuckles and other parts. No arm wrestle, but unless you have really driven one,
over time and on different roads, you have no idea what ~$50Gs gets you in a very
high performance sports car. Vettes are everyone's cup of joe, but they are remarkable
sports cars, espc. for the dough, imo.

Leaf springs on the Corvette
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...0px-Leafs2.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/co...gnify-clip.png
The C6 Corvette's rear suspension.


The Corvette suspension has unequal length double wishbones, or A-arms, for all four wheels, and half-shafts in place of a solid rear axle. This allows independent articulation of each wheel on an axis dictated by the geometry of the suspension arms. The springs, whether leaves or coils, only provide resistance; they do not affect the direction of suspension motion.
Traditionally, a coil spring is mounted between the chassis and each lower A-arm. The coil compresses in proportion to the spring rate when the A-arm rises, and it is this resistance against compression that suspends the car.
GM has equipped the Corvette with two one-piece fiberglass composite leaf springs in place of coils. They run transversely across the width of the car, mounted in two places equidistant from the centerline. Each end is bolted to the bottom of an A-arm such that when the A-arm rises, the leaf pulls it down, again in proportion to a known spring rate. In this way, four coils are replaced with two leaf springs.
Because both coils and leafs in these configurations act only as simple springs and are not required to stabilize the wheels, their function is almost identical.

Advantages of transverse leaf springs

• Less unsprung weight. Coil springs contribute to unsprung weight; the less there is, the more quickly the wheel can respond at a given spring rate.
• Less weight. The C4 Corvette's composite front leaf weighed 1/3 as much as the pair of conventional coil springs it would replace.
• Weight is positioned lower. Coil springs and the associated chassis hard mounts raise the center of gravity of the car.
• Superior wear characteristics. The Corvette's composite leaf springs last longer than coils, though in a car as light as the Corvette, the difference is not especially significant. No composite Corvette leaf has ever been replaced due to fatigue failure, though steel leafs from 1963 to 1980 have been.
• As used on the Corvette, ride height can be adjusted by changing the length of the end links connecting the leaf to the suspension arms. This allows small changes in ride height with minimal effects on the spring rate.
• Also as used on the Corvette, the leaf spring acts as an anti-roll bar, allowing for smaller and lighter bars than if the car were equipped with coil springs.

Disadvantages of transverse leaf springs

• Packaging can be problematic; the leaf must span from one side of the car to the other. This can limit applications where the drivetrain, or another part, is in the way.
• Materials expense. Steel coils are commodity items; a single composite leaf spring costs more than two of them.
• Design complexity. Composite monoleafs allow for considerable variety in shape, thickness, and materials. They are inherently more expensive to design, particularly in performance applications.
• Cost of modification. Due to the specialized design and packaging, changing spring rates would require a custom unit. Coil springs in various sizes and rates are available very inexpensively.
• Susceptibility to damage. Engine fluids and exhaust modifications like cat-back removal might weaken or destroy composite springs over time. The spring is more susceptible to heat related damage than conventional steel springs.
• Perception. Like pushrod engines, the leaf spring has a stigma that overshadows its advantages.

The leaf spring as an anti-roll bar

The extent to which a leaf spring acts as an anti-roll bar is determined by the way it is mounted.
A single, loose center mount would cause the spring to pivot about the center axis, and push one wheel down as the other was compressed upward. This is exactly opposite an anti-roll bar, and has not been used on any generation of the Corvette.
A single, perfectly tight center mount that held a small center section of the spring flat against the frame would isolate one side of the spring from the other. No roll or anti-roll effect would appear. The rear spring of the C2, C3, and C4 has this type of mount, which effectively divides the spring in two. It becomes a quarter-elliptic spring.
Since the C4, the Corvette has had widely-spaced double mounts on the front. The rear spring has had double mounts since the C5. The spring is allowed to pivot about these two points. When the suspension compresses and the end of the leaf is pulled up, the center of the leaf spring between the two mounts moves down. This in turn reduces the spring force on the wheel on the opposite side of the car. In this way, the leaf acts like an anti-roll bar.
When both sides of the suspension compress, the center length between mounts forms a U, with each wheel contributing. When one wheel moves up while the other moves down, the leaf is forced to make an “S” shaped bend. One wheel resists of the motion of the other, again like an anti-roll bar. The C4 engineers had hoped that the resulting anti-roll rate would be sufficient to eliminate the need for conventional anti-roll bars. It was not, but those required were smaller and lighter.
The C2 and C3 Corvettes from 1963 until 1983 also used a transverse leaf spring with two mounts, but it was constructed of multiple steel leafs with plastic anti-friction liners, and the mounts were closer together. These two traits prevented it from acting as an anti-roll bar, and caused it to be heavier and less reliable than the modern one-piece unit.
It is true that in the Corvette C4 and subsequent generations, the motion of one wheel deliberately impacts the motion, or more accurately the instantaneous spring rate, of the other wheel. However, this is common to all “independent” suspensions that use anti-roll mechanisms.

I know it works. I'm not a fan of less-than-up-to-date technology on drivetrains/suspension/brakes though.

How is that high tech, transverse, composite leaf spring "less-than-up-to-date technology ..." and how does
that impact why you don't like it?

Are you dismissing the car because it has that? Do you think coils at each corner would make it handle "better"
or be more high tech/modern? Have you ever hammered one around a steep downhill, diminishing radius corner?
Ever driven one at all? No arm wrestle, but a pretty immature comment/disregard on your part, imo.
I'm surprised...

"less-than-up-to-date technology" is technology that is no longer viable. Just because it is old does not make it "less than up to date." The vehicles we use to travel in space were designed in the 70s. :)

That is true. And the computers on board the shuttles have 486 processors. When questioned, NASA staff usually replies, "It works!"

Great info on the transverse leaf springs mD. I've always been curious but too lazy to look it up.

I've never been a fan of American muscle cars. I remember years ago getting a short ride in a 'vette. I hated the interior and I'm sure the rumbly exhaust note appeals to many, but it doesn't appeal to me (strictly personal taste). Now I have sat in the current 'vette many times at auto shows and whatnot, and the interior has improved. However at that price point, if I wanted a track car, I'd buy a Mitsu Evo. If I wanted a great performing all-rounder, the BMW M3 is a no brainer. That leaves little room for the 'vette, which is no doubt a great vehicle.

I'll give pony cars one more chance in a month when we go to Florida. I've reserved a Mustang from Hertz, and although it's more than likely we'll get the oversized V6, I'll see how the solid rear axle on that works. (Yet another "dated" suspension system)

a v6 mustang, bought new or from hertz is not comparable to a vette.... the body roll on the stangs is significant, the interior is nowhere near a vette. In fact comparing a mustang to a vette and then coming to a comprehensive all encompassing conclusion on "pony cars" is naive. It would be like going to see the Scranton Yankees and developing an opinion on the NY Yankees.

I mitsu evo, m3 and vette (z06) as track cars are all COMPLETELY different animals... to each their own, but you're comparing apples to oranges, big time.

Everyone knows I'm not the world's biggest Vette fan, but I certainly give it the respect it deserves. Since the C5, GM's been very serious about the vette's lateral performance and it's evident in their roadracing (ALMS) program. It's not the best car in terms of shifter and steering feel, but it definitely delivers phenomenal results. :thumbup:

I'm not bashing the Evo, but their bread-n-butter market isn't gonna be Viper, Porsche, Ferrari and Vette owners. They've been building this thing since 1992 and I've seen a total of 1 at the track. The negligible track presence combined with the ricer chatter pretty well defines the general purchaser profile. In fact considering their target audience there should be some great body kits, fartcans and blue headlights in the aftermarket for the evo

Apparently they make terrific rally cars.
And please don't go down the Evos beat Vettes route. There is no way a Evo is gonna spank a vette without opening the wallet.

I'm sitting here reading this thread and trying to kill that bug on my screen with my thumb.

Thanks, Vig. You got me. :thumbup: :D

i brushed my finger across the screen as well ...

The Evo.Sti (Evo's better) are to under 30k as the Viper.Vette are to under 100k.

% wise, I guarantee you as many or more Evo drivers track their cars compared to Vette and Viper owners.

Need some bug spray...

He almost got me as well cause it kept appearing at the lower left hand corner of the screen.I had to keep remembering it was that it was v's bug.

Thinking of test driving but not interested in wasting my time or spending a 100K. so I am curious aside from the speed what is the attraction of the vet? Is it appointed well in the cockpit? What about the tranny? What are the different engine displacements? Which model would you recommend?

You get to wave at other vette owners...i think u can pick up a z06 for less than 70k these days , particularly if u shop around in dallas
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2007-...QQcmdZViewItem

I've heard that this tradition has fallen by the wayside - is that true?

nah, i got over 10 waves this weekend.... it's pretty much the new guys that don't know about it, but they'll learn....


save the :wavey:


:thumbup:

That's good to hear.

I'll bet That's 10 more than people get from other X5 owners. :rofl:

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...-lap-2007.html

GT 500 ran same time as porsche twin turbo

The R8 looks like a veyron at first glance

The folks at Ford should be embarrassed they have one of the hottest cars on the planet even though it's clearly just a Mustang with a big engine? That lapped this track as fast as a $125k 997 TT and commands a premium while Chevy gives Corvettes away?

Don't get me wrong, it's "expensive", heavy, and slow, but I don't think anyone buying them is under the illusion it's a sports car...

Shame the 08 viper wasn't there

Looks like the 18th century suspension on the vette held up(just kidding here)

SJ, how were those pix done? They are great!

Great news about the GT.... don't let this get lost in the discussion: (Note that they tested a BASE C6 with the Z51 option, they're not even talking about the C6-Z06!

"There were several surprises in this class—and the biggest was the astonishing performance of the base Corvette equipped with the Z51 package. The Vette was a returnee to VIR because we experienced a data problem with its quickest lap last year. We had to publish its second-quickest lap time (3:09.3) then, which we didn’t think represented the car’s capabilities.

Those suspicions were dead on, because this time around the Z51 blazed around the course in 3:03.6, nearly six seconds quicker. That time bests those of the Audi R8 and Porsche 911 Turbo, cars that cost more than twice as much as the Z51’s base price"

they're in the latest issue of Car and Driver :thumbup:

The C&D guys weren't very impressed with the GT500 though:

There were no such discussions concerning the Ford Shelby GT500, which returned because bad ignition parts soured its visit to last year’s Lightning Lap. It’s a strange car—it moves around obsessively when driven hard, with so much body roll and pitch that it’s hard to believe it was designed to perform in such a manner. It is, however, a safe car to drive fast because it is exceptionally predictable, is seemingly impossible to spin, and has brakes that hold up well. As long as the ambient temperature was below 70 degrees, the GT500 was fairly quick and posted a 3:05.9 lap. But when the temperature climbed to about 90 degrees, the engine started lying down, and the lap time lengthened by four seconds. None of the other cars was so affected by the heat.

Buyers are apparently still paying 10 grand over sticker for GT500s, a phenomenon that continues to mystify us.

Hats off to the vette, the viper performed as well..REMEMBER this is a viper that has not changed since 2002 and is running on slippery run flats that are like cinder blocks for forgiveness..NOTHING is gonna come close to the vette and 08 viper.. American muscle may rule after all..Maybe that's why vette guys are starting to wave at me in the viper...

quote...The Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe’s 3:01.6 lap — only a half-second behind the 277-pound-lighter Z06 — was surprisingly quick. The Viper was easy to drive fast — almost too easy, because it felt a little soulless at first. The engine sounded flatulent, the shifter was clunky, and the Dodge wanted to understeer everywhere. But when we leaned on it hard, it came alive: The steering weighted up, and we dialed out the understeer with gobs of V-10 torque. But the most amazing thing was that despite 510 horses and 535 pound-feet of torque, it took serious wrangling to get the tail out — and when we did, the slide was progressive and neat. Through the uphill esses the car was awesome, the most planted and confidence inspiring of the bunch.

The Corvette Z06, in contrast, was brutal and tricky to drive at the limit. With the stability- and traction-control systems off, it loved sideways action, whether the driver lifted at the entrance to a corner or was flooring it out the exit. The Z06 had serious brakes, talkative steering, and the most compelling engine note, but driving it fast was spooky, if oversteer makes you nervous. Mastering this car was challenging and satisfying, but drivers needed to be on their game. Still, with a lap of 3:01.1, it was the fastest of the LL3s and awfully close to taking overall honors.

Also one does have to take things u read in mags with a grain of salt
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 2:58.2
Porsche 911 GT3 3:01.8
Chevrolet Corvette 3:03.6
Lotus Exige S 3:04.5
Audi R8 3:04.6
Porsche 911 Turbo 3:05.8
Ford Shelby GT500 3:05.9
BMW 335i 3:10.5
Audi RS4 3:11.2
BMW Z4 M Coupe 3:11.7
Pontiac Solstice GXP 3:15.7
MazdaSpeed3 3:16.0
Mini Cooper S 3:22.9

Got me!