Ron Fellows’ Very Special, Spring Mountain Special Edition
We’d like your opinion at the bottom of this post! Should Chevrolet offer this car as an additional Special Edition for 2012?
Briefly it seemed that there would be a second Ron Fellows Special Edition Corvette, but it was not to be!
Ever since the arrival of the 2007 Ron Fellows Z06 Special Edition Corvette, Chevrolet has been on a roll with special editions. Including the Fellows ‘07 Z06, there have been nine special edition Corvettes since ‘07. The list includes:
* 2007 Ron Fellows Z06 Special Edition * 2007 Indy 500 Pace Car Replica * 2008 Indy 500 Replica * 2008 427 Limited Edition Z06 * 2008 Hertz ZHZ Special Edition * 2009 GT-1 Championship Special Edition * 2009 Competition Sport Edition * 2011 Carbon Edition Z06 * 2012 Centennial Edition Corvette
Is Torch Red bloody enough for you?
Now some would argue that having so many “special editions” devalues each car. But I like these cars and here’s why. Why not? I believe that Chevrolet seriously missed the boat by not getting on to this nitch market decades ago. What might a limited production, 1960 John Fitch Le Mans Special be worth today? Would a ‘67 L89 427/435 Indy 500 Pace Car Roadster get your attention? Or how about a ‘71 Greenwood Sebring Special? How about a Kim Baker Corvette Challenge Street Edition, or a ‘92 Snake Skinner LT1? Getting warm yet? You could have a lot of Corvette day dreaming fun with this notion. Continue reading “Ron Fellows 2012 Tribute Z06 – Should if Be a Production Special Edition?”→
Last September I took you through a behind the scene look at the delightful “You Build Your Ride” toy line of cars from RideMakerz, plus my personal experience of working on the body styling of many of the first wave of RideMakerz cars. Unfortunately for me, by the time RideMakerz secured the license for the C6.R body shape from General Motors, my art director and designer friend at Scrambled Eggz Productions in Medford, New Jersey, Don Amadio, had the time to do the styling on the C6.R Corvette himself.
The RideMakerz store and website offers a dazzling selection of accessories!
The toy concept was essentially Build-A-Bears meets Cars and Trucks. Each toy was available either online or at specific RideMakerz stores where Dad and Junior could go, pick out their favorite body, body color, chassis type (static or R/C), then trick out their ride with a dazzling selection of ala’ carte options including wheels, tires, engines, wings, side pipes, nurf bars, wheelie bars, and graphics – just like a real car. And if all that wasn’t enough, each car had lights that turned on, engine sounds, pealout sounds, plus a tool box-styled cardboard case. It was a very cool concept! Continue reading “FOR SALE – C6.R Ridemakerz Corvettes”→
A TOTALLY EXPOSED 2008 Corvette Chassis, Engine, & Suspension
(Check out the slide show at the bottom of this post.)
To check out the eBay listing, click the above image.
Okay, I’ll admit it, I’m a chassis freak. I love looking at the fiberglass shapes of all Corvettes, to me they are never boring or dull. But I have an equal passion for what’s going on UNDER all the pretty fiberglass and carbon fiber. What holds the car together? What do the suspension parts look like? What makes the car handle the way it does? Without the right stuff under the body, you could end up with a car that looks like a million bucks draped over a VW Beetle or Pontiac Fiero platform. No matter how cool-looking most of those kit cars are, once you fire on up and drive away, if it’s a Beetle or Fiero underneath, THAT’S ALL YOU GET.
We have a large eBay store and the other day while looking up something on eBay, I happened upon another bare, naked Corvette chassis. This one is a 2008 with the LS3 engine, air flow meter, six-speed manual transmission, shifter, transmission harness, complete suspension, brake system, wheels, tires, wiring harness, exhaust system, body harness, emergency brakes, fuel tanks, and more. Continue reading “Dude! Where’s the Rest of My C6 2008 Corvette?!?!”→
Your special Corvette person is going to look REAL GOOD in one of our Corvette Jackets!
To check out our full line of C5 and C6 Corvette leather and cloth jackets, CLICK the above image.
Corvette people can be a real pain when it comes to holiday shopping. I mean, what do you get a Vette owner after they have their dream Vette?
Here’s a suggestion. ANOTHER CORVETTE!
I'm sure this would do just FINE!
But seriously folks, it CAN be a challenge buying for your favorite Corvette person. So, over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing with you many of the really nice, unique gifts that we’re sure will delight your special Corvette person.
To check out our full line of C5 and C6 Corvette leather and cloth jackets, CLICK the above image.
Today we want to tell you about our fantastic Corvette leather and cloth jackets. We have seven different style jackets, decorated with C6 Corvette logos, C6 Z06 logos, C6 Centennial logos, and C5 logos.
The jacket styles include:
* Lambskin Leather Jackets * Wool Varsity Jackets with Leather Sleeves * Black Aviator-Style Cloth Jackets * Black & Red Block Twill Jackets * Black with Red Trim Twill Twill Jackets * Lightweight Black Oxford Jackets * Spice Heavyweight Twill Jackets
Prices range from $299.95 for the Lambskin Leather jackets to $88.95 for the Aviator-style jackets. Sizes include Medium, Large, X-Large, XX-Large, and XXX-Large. (sorry, no Tall sizes) The “sizes” of our jackets run true – meaning that whatever size your favorite, most comfortable jacket happens to be, THAT’S the size to order. All jackets are “Men’s Cuts.” The jackets are cut to be comfortable while driving.Continue reading “Corvette Holiday Shopping Made Easy – C5 & C6 Corvette Jackets!”→
I suppose we should have known it wouldn’t last forever. Since 2009 the 638-HP LS9 engine that powers the C6 ZR1 has been the official “Most powerful mass production engine in Detroit history.” Well, it seems that Ford has a better idea and weren’t about to let GM hold the gold forever.
The new Shelby will be packing 650-horsepower and 600 lb-ft or torque from it’s supercharged 5.8-liter V8. While that’s only 12-horsepower and more than the LS9 and 6 lb-ft of torque less than the LS9, bragging rights are bragging rights. In the real world, will it matter? No. But the numbers are the numbers. The question is this. Will Chevrolet engineers pull out the “special chip” to goose the ‘12 or ’13 LS9 past the new Mustang? Aftermarket engineering companies, such as Lingenfelter Performance Engineering have proven that there’s PLENTY of red meat left in the stock LS9, such that with just a few bolt-on changes, the LS9 can easily close in on 700-horsepower.Continue reading “The New King of the Hill is NOT the ZR1 Corvette! WHAT?”→
(Check out to six slide shows at the bottom of this post!)
Autumn in New Jersey makes up for Summer in New Jersey. If you can live in Jersey, you can live almost anywhere, as we get it all – LOTS of snow in the winter, below freezing temps in the winter, 100-degree temps with 95% humidity in the Summer and an occasional huricane. But when October rolls around, it’s PERFECT! And a fantastic time for a car show.
Corvettes Unlimited of Vineland, New Jersey changed their venue for their annual car show from Wheaton Village, in Millville to the Michael Debbie Park in Buena Vista. To draw more attendees, the club opened up the show to classic and muscle cars, hence the new name for the show, “The Glass & Steel Show.” While it turned out there there was more steel than glass, it was a delightful show just the same. I for one enjoyed the steel side as much as the glass side.
I took LOTS of pictures, so we have several slide shows to share with you below. Enjoy! – Scott
The People's Choice Award went to: Michael T. Cafarelli, of Minotola, N.J. - 2006 white coupe. The Best of Show Award went to: Gary & Patty Rickets of Salem, N.J. - 1965 silver & red Sting Ray coupe.
Here are the winners. All of the Corvettes in the show can be seen in the below slide shows.
Stock: 1963-1967 – 1st. place: Ole Olson, Northfield, N.J. – 1966 Red Convertible Stock: 1968-1973 – 1st. place: Joe Biaselli, Vineland, N.J. – 1973 blue convertible Stock: 1968-1973 – 2nd place: Louis Rodolico, Aston, Pa. – 1976 red coupe Stock: 1968-1973 – 3rd. place: John O’Brien, Egg Harbor Township, N.J. – 1973 orange coupe Stock 1974-1982 – 1st. place: Oscar Pierce, Bridgeton, N.J. – 1978 red coupe Stock 1974-1982 – 2nd. place: Richard Thomas, Pittsgrove, N.J. – 1982 silver coupe Stock 1983-1996 – 1st. place: Joseph Burrell, Williamstown, N.J. – 1984 red sport Stock 1983-1996 – 2nd. place: Wayne Wright, Little Egg Harbor, N.J. – 1996 silver convertible Stock 1983-1996 – 3rd. place: Jon E. Bowen, Pennsville, N.J. – 1994 dk. red coupe Stock 1997-2004 – 1st. place: Carmen Petrongio, Vineland, N.J. – 2002 blue coupe Stock 1997-2004 – 2nd place: Linda & Lou Deman, Nesco, N.J. – 2003 red convertible Stock 2005-2012 – 1st. place: Dennis Enoch, Cherry Hill, N.J. – 2008 black convertible Stock 2005-2012 – 2nd. place: John Ormsby, Glassboro, N.J. – 2008 red convertible Stock 2005-2012 – 3rd. place: Buster Petonglo, Newfield, N.J. – 2009 blue Z06 Modified 1953-1967 – 1st. place: Paul Rickets, Pennsville, N.J. – 1966 blue convertible Modified 1968-1975 – 1st. place: Bill& Dawn Merola, Egg Harbor Twp., NJ 1973 red convertible Modified 1976-1982 – 1st. place: Bill & Sandy Ward, Mullica Hill, N.J. – 1982 grey coupe Custom 1953-2012 – 1st.place: Gary & Patty Rickets, Salem, N.J. – 1965 silver coupe Custom 1953-2012 – 2nd. place: Jonathan Settrella Bridgeton, N.J. – 1976 red coupe People’s Choice: Michael T. Cafarelli, Minotola, N.J. – 2006 white coupe Best of Show: Gary & Patty Rickets, Salem, N.J. – 1965 silver coupe
What was once considered pie-in-the-sky and experimental, is now regular production!
To see the much larger version of the Z06/ZR1 chassis, just click the above image
Aluminum has been the automotive industry’s magic material for over 60 years. Corvette engineers have been thinking about an all-aluminum engine and drive train for the Vette since the 1957 Q-Corvette proposal. While it took until 1997 to get there, the engineering department seeded aluminum parts whenever they could.
Nearly 40 years ago, Corvette engineering decided to explore an all-aluminum Corvette. Everything but the tires, plastics, wiring, glass, and other essentials was to be aluminum. Working with Reynolds Aluminum Company, the experimental XP-895 was debuted to the automotive press in 1973. The chassis design was the same as the experimental 2-rotor Corvette, but power was supplied by a 400-CID small-block engine. The completed aluminum car weighed 400-pounds less than the steel bodied XP-892 Wankel-powered experimental. While the styling of the aluminum “Corvette” was interesting, the only design element that connected it to anything Corvette was the aft portion of the roof, from the B-pillar back. Overall, it did not scream “CORVETTE!” but then again, the all-aluminum car wasn’t supposed to be a styling exercise for the C4 Corvette, it was a feasibility study.
The B-pillar roof section of the car looks like a Corvette, but not much else.
Fast forward to the 2006 Z06 and its aluminum chassis. One of the biggest challenges with an aluminum chassis is the strength of materials issue. Lightweight aluminum is soft, so there were interesting shape and construction problems that had to be worked out to mass-produce such a chassis. While it is true that the Z06 wasn’t the first car to use an aluminum chassis (many hand-made exotic cars had aluminum chassis) the Z06 was the first “mass produced” car to have an all-aluminum chassis, engine, and suspension. The net result to that the 2012 Z06 weighs about the same as a C2 mid-year Corvette… with nearly double the horsepower as a base model C2. That’s progress for you.Continue reading “Vette Videos: How Hi-Tech Z06 & ZR1 Aluminum Frames Are Made”→
Dateline: 10.13.11 Check out the state-of-the-art Bowling Green Corvette factory on “Ultimate Factories.”
Back in the olden days, you know, pre-Bowling Green, if you wanted to buy a Corvette, you simply went to your friendly local Chevrolet dealer and bought your car. While some Corvette buyers may have been aware that their Corvette was built in St. Louis, most couldn’t have cared less, and were more focused on the experience of owning and driving their Corvette, rather than where it was assembled.
All Corvettes from 1953 to 1980 were built in the old St. Louis assembly plant. If you go back and read early road tests from the ‘60s and ‘70s you’ll see a consistent complaint – spotty to poor build quality. Some cars were built very well, most okay, and too many not good at all. It was a time when you didn’t want a “Monday car” for obvious reasons. Owners and magazine writers complained and GM listened. By ‘77 GM started looking for a new Corvette facility. Four location candidates were identified: Waco, Texas, Wichita, Kansas, Montgomery, Alabama, and Bowling Green, Kentucky. The little town of Bowling Green, Kentucky won the contest after granting GM some serious tax breaks.
Once the deal was signed, GM had just 15 months to convert the old Chrysler AirTemp plant into a state-of-the-art assembly plant, ONLY for Corvettes. Floor space was enlarged to a million square feet – about 22 football fields. This move on GM’s part put to rest all concerns as to how serious GM was about building Corvettes. On June 1, 1981, Kentucky Governor John Brown drove the very first Bowling Green-built Corvette off the assembly line. (I wonder how much THIS car will go for at auction some day?) This was arguably one of THE most important developments in Corvette history. Continue reading “Vette Videos: Visit Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Plant… On Your Computer!”→
Dateline: 9.28.11 Champion Corvette Driver Ron Fellows Tests the Chops of a C6 Grand Sport Corvette On the Race Track & Gives a Mini-Tour of His Driving School
Ron Fellows Day continues with two FUN videos. About the only criticism I’ve ever heard about the Grand Sport is that it doesn’t have any more grunt that the base Corvette. True, true, but look at what you do get.
The 430-horsepower Corvette scoots to 60-mph in just a tick under 4-seconds, 1G lateral on the skid pad, AND gets an EPA estimated 26-MPG. I’ve heard anecdotal stories of drivers feather footing a modern Corvette at 55-MPH and getting in the low 30-plus MPG. The GS is available with the Dual-Mode exhaust (okay, it’s only an extra 6-HP, but we’ll take it) the Magnetic Selective Ride Control option and a few other goodies.
So, what’s this kind of capability like when driven by a world-class champion race car driver? The first video is a walk through with Ron of the key features of the Grand Sport. Ron says, “Now it’s time to have some fun!”.
Dateline: 9.28.11 Ron Fellows – From Carts to Corvettes!
Happy 52nd birthday, Ron Fellows!
Good guys shine and Ron Fellows has become one of the most popular race car drivers of our time. Ron’s a great example of starting our small – kart racing small, in fact. Kart racing lead to Formula Ford 1600 and Formula Ford 2000 cars. But this was strictly entry level racing that only last as long as there’s money in your pocket. After the cash ran dry, Ron took a nine year break from racing. But when you have gasoline in your veins, the itch to race never goes away. Fellows was back on the track, launching his professional driving career in the 1986 Player’s GM Challenge, racing a showroom stock Camaro.
Trans-Am racing followed and by ‘89 Ron was one of the most successful drivers in Trans-Am history, winning 19 of 95 starts. When the C5-R Corvette Racing Team was being assembled in ‘98, Fellows was one of “the” drivers to hire. When looking back on a successful long term career, it often appears easy, but this was far from the case. It was a long, hard battle for the Corvette Racing Team from ‘98 to the 2001 GTS Le Mans win. But even after you win the big prize, the next race can be just as hard. In racing, there are no laurels to rest upon. Fellows went on to win Le Mans again in ‘02 and ‘04, as well as GTS Champion in ‘02, and was co-champion in ‘03 and ‘04 with Johnny O’Connell. In ‘05 Ron was runner-up in the GT1 championship and was the ALMS Most Popular Driver in ‘04, ‘05, ‘06, ‘and ‘07.
To celebrate Ron’s success, Chevrolet released the hugely popular 2007 Ron Fellows Z06 Special Edition Z06. Only 399 units were built, 300 for the US market, 33 for the Canadian market, and the remaining 66 cars for other world markets. This would be the first in a series of very popular special edition C6 Corvettes.
Dateline: 9.27.11 Of the 23 Corvettes Edmonds picked, vote for your favorite at the end of this post!
Is the C6 ZR1 Corvette the "Best Vette Ever?" Cast your vote below!
Back on September 14, 2011 we shared with you the results of Chevrolet’s Centennial birthday celebration popularity contest to find the most popular Chevrolet of all-time. Like American Idol or Dancing With the Stars, the Greatest Chevy contest was a popularity contest. Certainly an argument could be made as to why the C6 ZR1 is the greatest Chevy of all-time because of its overall performance, the LS9 engine, top speed, etc. But that’s not what Chevrolet wanted to know. They wanted to know what was the most “favorite” Chevy of the last 100 years.
Well it seems that the people at Edmonds.com decided to draw up their own list of great Chevys. The 100 top Chevys list isn’t limited to production Chevrolet cars, but includes, race cars, prototypes, and show cars. Of the 100 cars in the list, 23 were Corvettes! Pretty impressive for a low-volumn, limited usage automobile. The list doesn’t appear to be in any specific order and there’s a slide show of all 100 cars too. Also, the story does not explain how this list was drawn up. Regardless, it’s interesting just the same. To review the Edmonds story,CLICK HERE.
Here are the 23 Corvettes: 1. 1953 Corvette – The First Corvette. 2. 1955 265 V8 Corvette – The first V8 Vette. 3. 1957 Fuel Injected Corvette – The First Fuelie Corvette 4. 1956 SR-2 Corvette Race Car 5. 1957 Corvette SS Race Car 6. 1959 Stingray Racer – Bill Mitchell’s race car playtoyContinue reading “Corvettes Score 23% in Edmonds 100 Greatest Chevrolets List”→
Dateline: 9.23.11 An Inside Look at What It Takes to Design a Modern Electronic Toy
Introduction: Before we pick up our RideMakerz C6.R Corvette story, allow me to briefly explain my background and involvement in this project. I worked in the R&D Department of Tyco Toys from 1992 to 1997 when we were bought out by Mattel Toys. From 1997 to 2001 (when I was employed there) our design group was known as Mattel Mt. Laurel. (we were located in mt. Laurel, NJ) During my nine years as a direct employee, plus my previous four years as a freelance designer, I worked in the packaging department, the Boys Toys R&D Group, the Prelininary Concepts & Design Group, and the Matchbox Collectibles Direct group. I worked on Tyco H/O Electric Racing, Tyco Radio Control, Matchbox 1-75 die cast, Matchbox Play Sets, and Matchbox Collectibles. My tasks included decoration and graphics design, toy concepts, project management, and product manager. At one time or another I did everything from initial product concepts to preproduction approvals. Being a lifetime “car guy” I was in “Hog Heaven” working there. It was a college-level experiential education and I got to work with some of the most creative people I have ever known.
The RideMakerz project came along in 2006 through my friends at Scrambled Eggz productions in Medford, New Jersey. I have known Tom Waters and Jim Mendillo for over 25 years and they were well aware of my extensive car and racing background. So when their art director, the amazingly talented, Don Amadio, called my about the RideMakerz project, I was right one it. It was a pleasure doing the semi-cartoon-like styling of about 2/3s of the Ridemakerz body designs, along with a lot of the accessory parts. Unfortunately for me, when wave 2 of the RideMakerz car bodies came along, Scrambled Eggz designer/art director, Don Amadio, had the time to do the C6.R Corvette body himself. And I must say, he did a magnificent job. Shaping the stylized bodies to existing common chassis, with just enough characture styling isn’t as easy as it looks.
As a designer, my “coolness” gauge is based on my fist, initial “look” at a design. After you work on a drawing for a long period of time, it starts to get “stale” in your mind’s eye. But several months later, when Don sent me the photos of the initial sculpts, my initial impression was a definite, “WOW!” I hope that you enjoy this behind the scene look into the world of toy car design. – Scott
How does something like this come together? The answer is, “Not easily.” After Andreini and Clark joined forces, a dream-team had to be built. RIDEMAKERZ worked closely with GM, Ford, and Chrysler on all of the body designs and licensing. The team from Kick Design was brought in as creative directors and created the RIDEMAKERZ logos, the brick & mortar store design, and website. They are also the force behind Corvette Racing’s “Jake” and BadBoyVettes.com. Andreini brought in Scrambled Eggz Productions to create concept sketches for all of the body and accessory designs, control drawings used to make tooling patterns, as well as graphics for the decals and packaging. I was privileged to be a part of this team effort Continue reading “Designing the RideMakerz C6.R Corvette”→
