Corvette Wagon? What Do You Think?

[transam]

re the trans am video, that chicken on the hood will never go out of style

As a former owner of one of the fastest chickens (Firebirds) ever made, I agree.

Was it a 455 Super Duty ?

[transam]

The Corvette ZR1 can be called a real super car at relatively little money.

Near 640 HP from a Turbo 6.2 litre small block Chevy engine, in the right hands can 0 to 60 MPH in less than 3.5 seconds with a top speed of over 200 MPH. Suspension has been developed by Lotus, so no talk of a boat with this one. The Wagon l think is a nice adventure for GM, Chrysler before really created some good adventurous stuff, so this one is good for me.

[keemapoot]

re the trans am video, that chicken on the hood will never go out of style

As a former owner of one of the fastest chickens (Firebirds) ever made, I agree.

Was it a 455 Super Duty ?

Actually, I should have said non-stock, but yeah my friend had a 455SD, and I drove it a lot. (that is a legendary Trans Am with only a dozen or so still existing I think) My story with Pontiac goes to the pedigree of their muscle genre. My brother had a 64 & 67 GTO, & when I was in high school, I had a 400 Ram Air Firebird, with lots of mods (rear end too, etc.), later in life, I bought another one as collector, convert, stock, but that was an HO 400. Both of those were first gen Firebirds.

I could give you 1/4 mile times, but it's more fun to say how fast that first 400 was this way: We used to street drag race every Fri/Sat, and that car was so fast it lifted the front tires off the ground speed shifting between 1st and 2nd. Non car guys I took for joy rides stumbled out of the car ashen-faced, with the shakes & with a grin from ear to ear. I did get beat one or two times by some really special cars, but rarely.

[transam]

re the trans am video, that chicken on the hood will never go out of style

As a former owner of one of the fastest chickens (Firebirds) ever made, I agree.

Was it a 455 Super Duty ?

Actually, I should have said non-stock, but yeah my friend had a 455SD, and I drove it a lot. (that is a legendary Trans Am with only a dozen or so still existing I think) My story with Pontiac goes to the pedigree of their muscle genre. My brother had a 64 & 67 GTO, & when I was in high school, I had a 400 Ram Air Firebird, with lots of mods (rear end too, etc.), later in life, I bought another one as collector, convert, stock, but that was an HO 400. Both of those were first gen Firebirds.

I could give you 1/4 mile times, but it's more fun to say how fast that first 400 was this way: We used to street drag race every Fri/Sat, and that car was so fast it lifted the front tires off the ground speed shifting between 1st and 2nd. Non car guys I took for joy rides stumbled out of the car ashen-faced, with the shakes & with a grin from ear to ear. I did get beat one or two times by some really special cars, but rarely.

Yeh, been there, good fun. My 1976 T/A ''400'' (413) run 11.5 at 121MPH on street tyres. I really miss it.

[WarpSpeed]

re the trans am video, that chicken on the hood will never go out of style

As a former owner of one of the fastest chickens (Firebirds) ever made, I agree.

Was it a 455 Super Duty ?

Actually, I should have said non-stock, but yeah my friend had a 455SD, and I drove it a lot. (that is a legendary Trans Am with only a dozen or so still existing I think) My story with Pontiac goes to the pedigree of their muscle genre. My brother had a 64 & 67 GTO, & when I was in high school, I had a 400 Ram Air Firebird, with lots of mods (rear end too, etc.), later in life, I bought another one as collector, convert, stock, but that was an HO 400. Both of those were first gen Firebirds.

I could give you 1/4 mile times, but it's more fun to say how fast that first 400 was this way: We used to street drag race every Fri/Sat, and that car was so fast it lifted the front tires off the ground speed shifting between 1st and 2nd. Non car guys I took for joy rides stumbled out of the car ashen-faced, with the shakes & with a grin from ear to ear. I did get beat one or two times by some really special cars, but rarely.

My Dad bought a '69' Goat when I was about 10 years old so it was rather new and my mother was never very happy about it, but the manure really hit the fan when she found out that he took me and my brother to a street drag at the airport perimeter road and worse he actually raced and kicked some butt after a bit of prodding by some others (we weren't in the car though). He is no drag racer either which is another reason she was so pissed off as it had seduced him that much. Just Googled that car and there is some nice ones around for cheap project cars..

[WarpSpeed]

Yes, thats the problem. In Thailand u can buy only 4 bangers and diesels. Here are no real nice cars. I' m from Switzerland an there we have all nice cars to. I'll move back to Switzerland soon, exactly for thet reason. Live 20 years in LOS. I'm exhousted now. Someone wanna take over my business?

Too bad you make that offer now I'd a given it some serious consideration back a few months ago, but in reality I understand your desire completely and if that's what makes you happy I understand completely and can relate. I moved back for a host of reasons not the least of which is my children's education but it feels sooo good to be back, the world is no longer closing in on me and though it's been tough making the transition, the rewards far outweigh the losses for all of us and will be even greater once I can get my wife over here too.

I couldn't take a chance on anything there as it was always likely going to be a loss at some point, build an expensive race car to race in sub series that are below even amateur series here in regards to talent and then have to sell it at a loss? Same for a house, never going to be anything more than a nonsensical waste of money. So too much risk to invest when you know it's not your final destiny, being from Florida most there (especially British because they can't relate to the environment in comparison to Thailand) in that vein though there is an amazing number of homes here owned by British citizens so some have gotten the right idea and my partner here who owns our house is also British and owns several others around town but most have no idea what I left behind originally and why that could have never been HOME for me. It was ALWAYS going to be second at best and I was there merely for my family and their benefit now that has shifted to bringing them here, again for their benefit but now also mine..

Well you got to do what you got to do, and what makes you happy in life as we all only have one. This is all off topic but in a sense not.. Maybe you can come and visit me here in Florida sometime, the invitation is open, as that's what we are doing now, only a few miles from all the fun tourist spots and the car show they have almost every weekend up the road at a place called "Old Town" would blow you away, the oldies around here are incredible. My neighbor across the way has a few of his own, he has a 56 Chrysler that is immaculate and a 67 Camaro with a big block in it and drag tires that shakes my house when he starts it and idles it down the road ..

It's not only sbout cars, why i will move. I come from a nice counttry, Switzerland, very nice open roads, mountains, lakes, blue waters (not brown klongs), nice landscape, clean and wonderful cities, etc, i also lived in Hawaii for a while and i see LOS has no future for me.

I'm in the carbusiness and cars is my life, but not cars in LOS. Yes cars will work fully automaticly one day, but not now and i living now, not in 20 years. Back in Switzerland i still have some American classic cars, i have also a Camaro and a Buick as a Everyday driver (not a Vios). LOS getting dirty smelly, to many peaple on one spot, traffic jams, 2000 Unit condos with 50 parking spaces, shophouses directly on the roads without any parking space, causing traffig jams, because they parking in 2 lanes, etc. I'm not into the Thai Culture. I grew up different. I don't have the same menthalithy and I'm not think the same way as they do. I have different ideas and Life Style as they have. The Nightlife in Pattaya is No 1 in the world, but there is no reason for me to waist here the rest of my life. Mi wife has permanent residency for Switzerland and wil qualify for Swiss Citizenship soon. So nothing can hold me here anymore.

It doesn't mean that i never come back. Maybe a holiday during the wintertime, who knows, but then again. if living and working in Switzerland there are plenty of other places to go than Thailand. Maybe to Florida, why not?

Yes so many points in this post are exactly those additional reasons I casually mentioned but didn't want to go way off topic.. But I feel your pain..

[keemapoot]

My Dad bought a '69' Goat when I was about 10 years old so it was rather new and my mother was never very happy about it, but the manure really hit the fan when she found out that he took me and my brother to a street drag at the airport perimeter road and worse he actually raced and kicked some butt after a bit of prodding by some others (we weren't in the car though). He is no drag racer either which is another reason she was so pissed off as it had seduced him that much. Just Googled that car and there is some nice ones around for cheap project cars..

WS,

Your Dad must have been a pretty cool guy. My dad drove a Buick. Was that a Judge? Those were some classic GTOs, though i preferred early Goats, and still do, and some sell for a fortune at auctions now. Still, 69 Judges like your Dad's (if he had one) are going for $160k+ convert., and $60k+ hardtop at auctions. Not at the level of the Mopar stuff, but respectable.

* The GTO was surpassed in sales both by the Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 and the Plymouth Road Runner, but 72,287 were sold during the 1969 model year, with 6,833 of them being The Judge. The rarest 1969 GTO, omitting color options, was the Ram Air IV Judge Convertible - only five were built (Year One catalog).

Edited March 25, 2013 by keemapoot

[WarpSpeed]

My Dad bought a '69' Goat when I was about 10 years old so it was rather new and my mother was never very happy about it, but the manure really hit the fan when she found out that he took me and my brother to a street drag at the airport perimeter road and worse he actually raced and kicked some butt after a bit of prodding by some others (we weren't in the car though). He is no drag racer either which is another reason she was so pissed off as it had seduced him that much. Just Googled that car and there is some nice ones around for cheap project cars..

WS,

Your Dad must have been a pretty cool guy. My dad drove a Buick. Was that a Judge? Those were some classic GTOs, though i preferred early Goats, and still do, and some sell for a fortune at auctions now. Still, 69 Judges like your Dad's (if he had one) are going for $160k+ convert., and $60k+ hardtop at auctions. Not at the level of the Mopar stuff, but respectable.

* The GTO was surpassed in sales both by the Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 and the Plymouth Road Runner, but 72,287 were sold during the 1969 model year, with 6,833 of them being The Judge. The rarest 1969 GTO, omitting color options, was the Ram Air IV Judge Convertible - only five were built (Year One catalog).

Yeah unfortunately he wasn't THAT cool as he allowed my mother to push him into selling it shortly after and bought a used 4 door Plymouth Valiant we had painted mustard yellow! I never rode in the car with my head above the window sill again after that.. When I think back at the cars we once owned like my Grandfathers '56' Buick that would be worth a mint now and was sold for only few thousand by my mother when he died, it sickens me ..

I was very young and not car savvy at the time but thinking back it had the features of a Judge like Ram air, hood mounted tach, rally wheels, 4 on the floor and I remember him telling the neighbor it had a Carter carb and so on but it wasn't painted orange so that makes me think? But that car would lift the front tires just off the ground even though it was a tonnage of car..

[transam]

Think this is my favourite Pontiac, 1966 LeMans.

[canuckamuck]

Nothing wrong with a Buick, especially if it were a 70 GSX with 400 horses from the factory

My dad had a Wildcat and it ran liked a raped ape (as they used to say) and I had the 72 GS convertible, lovely rumbly machine.

It looked like the blue car, but it was red.

[keemapoot]

Canuck, I agree nothing wrong with the right Buick, as yours was. Also the Oldsmobile got a bad rap but the 442 was another bad ass machine.

[transam]

Many years ago my pal had a 1969 396ci Big Block SS Camaro Convertible in UK, he bought for 800 UKP, got banned from driving and sold it for 1200 UKP. That must be worth a fortune now.

[keemapoot]

Many years ago my pal had a 1969 396ci Big Block SS Camaro Convertible in UK, he bought for 800 UKP, got banned from driving and sold it for 1200 UKP. That must be worth a fortune now.

Yup, about $70k. My 2nd car was an SS396, 1966. Loved it. My first car was a 1958 Hillman Minx. Not so much....., but cute....

*woops, misread that, thought your buddy had a Chevelle. an ss396 Camaro convert would indeed be worth a fortune today.

Edited March 25, 2013 by keemapoot

[Loptr]

One of my brothers had a '69 442 drop-top and that car was seriously bad ass.

As far as the Corvette, IMO they are all turds and have been since day one. Before you break out the tar and feathers, I've turned wrenches on Vettes since I was knee high to a grasshopper and know all the problems the damn things have. They MIGHT be nice to look at, but under the skin they are crap. And yes, even the late models are still crap. Better engineering, but still crap when it comes to handling, comfort, drive-ability and performance. The only edge they have is price point over European supercars.

[keemapoot]

One of my brothers had a '69 442 drop-top and that car was seriously bad ass.

As far as the Corvette, IMO they are all turds and have been since day one. Before you break out the tar and feathers, I've turned wrenches on Vettes since I was knee high to a grasshopper and know all the problems the damn things have. They MIGHT be nice to look at, but under the skin they are crap. And yes, even the late models are still crap. Better engineering, but still crap when it comes to handling, comfort, drive-ability and performance. The only edge they have is price point over European supercars.

I might agree with you on Vettes, except for the two cars I never owned and regret it: a 63 beach boy convertible, and the 67 fastback Stingray 427. Both amazing and best of breed for Corvettes. I never like them after the new body style in the 70s.

[WarpSpeed]

One of my brothers had a '69 442 drop-top and that car was seriously bad ass.

As far as the Corvette, IMO they are all turds and have been since day one. Before you break out the tar and feathers, I've turned wrenches on Vettes since I was knee high to a grasshopper and know all the problems the damn things have. They MIGHT be nice to look at, but under the skin they are crap. And yes, even the late models are still crap. Better engineering, but still crap when it comes to handling, comfort, drive-ability and performance. The only edge they have is price point over European supercars.

Really? So how many wrenches did you turn on equivalent Euro crap?................................. Sorry, that's rhetorical as there is no cost/performance equivalent Euro offering to compare with as I've noted now numerous times and yet they are all still just as much temperamental crap so why spend so much more to not only service, but you could do a hell of a lot of service on one Vette for the cost of the cheapest available Euro car in performance and STILL beat it senseless with a "crap" Vette.. So what does that say?

Vettes do have ALL the advantages of those mentioned supposed shortcomings to Euro supercars already and have proven it.. This topic isn't about that though it's about a new conversion kit available that converts the current Vette offering to a wagon that will ultimately STILL kick the crap out of the Euro supercar class offerings ..

Edited March 25, 2013 by WarpSpeed

[WarpSpeed]

One of my brothers had a '69 442 drop-top and that car was seriously bad ass.

As far as the Corvette, IMO they are all turds and have been since day one. Before you break out the tar and feathers, I've turned wrenches on Vettes since I was knee high to a grasshopper and know all the problems the damn things have. They MIGHT be nice to look at, but under the skin they are crap. And yes, even the late models are still crap. Better engineering, but still crap when it comes to handling, comfort, drive-ability and performance. The only edge they have is price point over European supercars.

I might agree with you on Vettes, except for the two cars I never owned and regret it: a 63 beach boy convertible, and the 67 fastback Stingray 427. Both amazing and best of breed for Corvettes. I never like them after the new body style in the 70s.

I didn't like the 70 body styles either but the newer ones are appealing..

[transam]

One of my brothers had a '69 442 drop-top and that car was seriously bad ass.

As far as the Corvette, IMO they are all turds and have been since day one. Before you break out the tar and feathers, I've turned wrenches on Vettes since I was knee high to a grasshopper and know all the problems the damn things have. They MIGHT be nice to look at, but under the skin they are crap. And yes, even the late models are still crap. Better engineering, but still crap when it comes to handling, comfort, drive-ability and performance. The only edge they have is price point over European supercars.

Think you should do a Google, 2013 Corvette ZR1. You might be stuck in the past..

[WarpSpeed]

^Yes, way in the past...