Tag: C4 Corvette

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 5 or 5: Tadge Juechter

Published on by Scott

Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter delivered the C7 Corvette, the C7 Z06, the C7 Grand Sport, the C7 ZR1, and soon the 2020 mid-engine C8 Corvette.

Dateline 1.29.21, Images: Graphics by the Author, Image from GM Archives – All five Corvette chief engineers contributed mightily and in their own unique ways. But only Tadge Juechter has the distinction of having done hard engineering on five generations of Corvettes. When Juechter went to work in 1993 as chief engineer Dave Hill’s right-hand-man, there were two objectives; keep the then-current C4 fresh and interesting; and design and develop the most revolutionary Corvette to that date, the C5. After Hill’s retirement, Tom Wallace was Vehicle Line Engineer (VLE) and chief engineer for the Corvette. Wallace accessed that because of Juechter’s 15 years of experience, he was the right man for the chief engineer position. Wallace stayed on as VLE and eventually took an early retirement offer.

While Juechter didn’t have the racing background that Hill and Wallace had, he was raised in a Porsche household and liked to tinker around with mechanical things. As a young teenager growing up in Chappaqua, New York in the ‘70s, Juechter built a prehistoric mountain bike with a full front and rear suspension. His folks even gave him their wrecked Cadillac to take apart.

During Juechter’s college years at Stanford, he worked two summers on a GM assembly line, an experience not to his liking. Juechter graduated with degrees in aerospace and mechanical engineering and had no intention of working for GM. Then in 1978 a friend asked Juechter to tag along to a GM interview and ended up interviewing as well; and was offered a job. The late ‘70s and ’80 was a challenging time for the American car industry, but at least Juechter had a solid job. In the car business, if your ambition is upper management, an MBA is a must-have degree. Juechter earned his MBA from Stanford GSB in 1986.

By the time Juechter interviewed with Hill for the position of Assistant Chief Engineer, he was aware of the aging Corvette and impressed with the in-the-works C5. The C4’s plastic interior was a major bone of contention with Juechter. Hill was impressed and Juechter got the job. The jump from the early ‘80s designed C4 to the C5 was revolutionary. The creation of the Corvette Racing Team was the beginning of the deliberate merger of Chevrolet engineering and Corvette racecar engineering that was poured into the C5 Z06. Early on, Chevrolet general manager Jim Perkins wanted an inexpensive Corvette that would appeal to racers; this became the ’99 Hardtop and the Hardtop became the C5 Z06. While the C6 was an evolved version of the C5, no one was expecting the 505-horsepower 427 Z06 with an aluminum frame and dry-sump oil system.

From 2005 to 2008 sales averaged 36,816 cars per year. In 2006 Tom Wallace was Corvette VLE and chief engineer. While Wallace was a racer, his Corvette experience was a little thin. When Wallace learned that Juechter and his team were working on a mid-engine prototype, he knew that Juechter was the brains behind the Corvette. Juechter was promoted to chief engineer, North American Corvette.

Juechter has said that he was shocked when given orders to make the C6 ZR1; the goal was to build the best possible Corvette for $100,000. A big-block was briefly considered but rejected because of its weight. All-Wheel-Drive was not possible on the C6’s platform. The Z06 was to be the track car and the ZR1 would be GM’s halo, Grand Touring supercar.

Then the economy stalled out and the in-the-works C7 was put on hold indefinitely. Wallace took GM’s early retirement offer, leaving the Corvette all to Juechter. When GM slammed into bankruptcy in June 2009, for a time it looked like it was curtains for GM. But it turned out that the government auditor that was looking into the Corvette was a car enthusiast and knew about the pending C7. Upon examining the books, it was discovered that the Corvette was one the few GM car lines that was making money. Juechter’s team was told to get busy on the C7. The Corvette and the Bowling Green assembly plant were spared.

By the time you read this, the C8 will have made its debut and will be the most revolutionary Corvette ever. Previously, the C5 had that honor because of its all-new engine and drivetrain, and its hydroformed perimeter frame and backbone center section. The C6 and C7 generations are both evolutionary versions of the C5. The C5 and C6 are Hill’s Corvettes; the C7 and C8 are Juechter’s Corvettes. As of this writing, we know the basics of the C8, but none of the hard details. So lets look a Juechter’s C7.

A big part of Juechter’s job as VLE is to make sure there’s a Corvette for everyone with a variety of price points, and a base car that offers outstanding visual and performance value. Juechter said, “It helps having worked on the C5 and C6 because you know where a lot of the land mines are.” With horsepower ever increasing, it’s critical that the car be made easier to drive. The base C7 has 455-net horsepower; way more than any big-block ever had; yet the C7 is a car that is easy to live with. The 755-horsepower 2019 ZR1 is absolutely astonishing; it can perform on par with exotic sports cars, yet be a comfortable, usable GT machine. Electronic suspension, steering, braking, rev-matching, paddle-shift 8-speed automatic and fuel management are responsible for a balance of extreme power and civility. Imagine trying to drive a Greenwood widebody racer on the street.

When the C7 was unveiled, fans were stunned to learn that the base model had an aluminum frame and that later the Z06 and ZR1 would be available as a coupe or convertible and with an 8-speed manual or automatic transmission. Another first was achieved; the 8-speed automatic was quicker than the manual version.

Corvette interiors have often been a bone of contention with critics and the C6 took big hits for its interior. To get C7’s interior spot-on, Juechter made sure designers had set-of-the-pants experiences of life inside a 1-G cockpit; to know what it feels like having skin pressing on hard objects. He also made surer there were no distracting infotainment systems; just important information for spirited driving. The C7 has received rave reviews for its interior.

Concerning the C7 ZR1, initially there were no plans to make the car, as designers didn’t think they could do more beyond the Z06. But after a few years, plus aero input from the Corvette racing team, a new plan emerged to make the ZR1 the most powerful, stable, advanced front-engine Corvette ever offered. Many speculated that Chevrolet might build the front engine and mid-engine Corvettes side-by-side, but that will not be the case. C7 production will end in summer 2019 and the last C7 will be a black Z06 that will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Steven Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

While Juechter was an integral part of the C5 and C6, those were Hill’s Corvettes. Even though Juechter guided the C7, the C5, C6, and C7 all have Hill’s Corvette DNA. The C8, on the other hand, is Juechter’s Corvette. People expect more of everything today, and everything is riding on the mid-engine C8. – Scott

This concludes my Corvette Chiefs Series. Below are links to parts 1-to-4. Enjoy

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 1 – Zora Arkus-Duntov

Corvette Chiefs, Pt.2 – Dave McLellan

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 3 – Dave Hill

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 4 – Tom Wallace

The above articles originally were published in Vette magazine as part of my Illustrated Corvette Series monthly column.

 

Corvette Chiefs, Pt 3 Dave Hill

Published on by Scott

Dave Hill, Cadillac-Man Saves the C5 Corvette

Dateline: 8-11-20 – This story was originally published in the now-defunct Vette magazine, August 2019 issue. Story, Illustrations & Graphics by K. Scott Teeters) On November 18, 1992 when it was announced that Cadillac Engineering Program Manager David C. “Dave” Hill would become the new Corvette Chief of Engineering, the Corvette community asked, “Why is a Cadillac man taking over the Corvette and what can he bring to the brand?” Hill was the right man for the job, at the right time, and he brought a lot!

In the early ‘90s GM was in financial trouble. The company had lost its way in the ‘80s and in 1989 when Jim Perkins came back from Toyota to become the general manager for Chevrolet, he said he didn’t recognize the place. Moral was low and infighting was rampant. To stop the financial hemorrhaging, every car line was being looked at, and once again, Corvette was on the chopping block.

Thanks to Dave McLellan, the C5 was in the planning stage but only “on paper”. Perkins was Corvette’s “corporate angel”. He argued with GM brass that “Corvette” was one of the best-known automotive names in the world. He told them, “… if you don’t have enough confidence to trust my judgment that we can make money on this car, then I shouldn’t be here.” Perkins won the argument, but with McLellan ready to take early retirement, he needed a new Corvette chief with the know-how for profitability, performance, and quality.

Hill graduated in 1965 from Michigan Technology University with a degree in engineering and went right to work for Cadillac in their engine power development lab. From there, Hill worked his way through many departments. In 1970 he earned his Masters Degree in Engineering from the University of Michigan. Through the ‘70s and ‘80s at Cadillac, Hill was a Senior Project Engineer; Staff Project Engineer; Body and Chassis General Supervisor; Development, Emissions, and Transmission Staff Engineer; and Chief Engineer for the Allante, DeVille, and Concours models. In May 1992 Hill was promoted to Engineering Program Manager for Cadillac. Hill was deeply versed in GM’s premiere car line.

During Hill’s tenure, Cadillacs weren’t the performance cars they are today, but don’t conclude that Hill was into cushy Caddys; he was into sports cars and racing. Hill owned a 1948 MGTB, a 1970 350/350 Corvette Coupe, and from 1968 to 1972 he raced a Lotus Super 7 in SCCA competition.

Like McLellan, Hill had two objectives; first, keep the C4 fresh, and second, design and develop a totally new Corvette. Sales for 1991-to-1996 Corvettes averaged around 20,000 units; a big drop from 1984 when 51,547 Corvettes were sold. Everyone knew the C4 needed to be replaced. From ’93 to ’96 Hill and his team made small improvements and special editions to keep things interesting. In 1993 the 40th Anniversary Package was offered. The ’93 ZR-1 got a power boost from 375-to-405-horsepower. In 1995 the Indy 500 Pace Car Replica, was limited to 527 units. The 1996 lineup had two special editions; the Collector Edition (5,412 units built) and the Grand Sport (1,000 units built; 810 coupes and 190 convertibles).

The transition from the C4 to the C5 Corvette was the most radical of all generational transitions. Typically, when we think “radical,” we think “mid-engine”, “double-overhead-cam” or “turbocharging”. The C5 wasn’t any of that; it was better. In one fell swoop, the basic Corvette had the following; a hydro-formed perimeter frame with a wishbone backbone center spine, an all-new all-aluminum fuel-injected engine (the LS1), connecting the engine and new transaxle was a torque tube; the suspension and brakes were mostly aluminum, slim and lightweight; and an all-new slippery body and lush interior. The entire structure of the car was locked in together with each component designed as a stress-member and was designed to be a convertible. The design was so efficient it had over 1200 fewer parts. This was a Corvette like no previous model had ever been. It was the most radical Corvette to date and the basic structure concept is still used in the C7. The mid-engine C8 will be here soon and if Chevrolet decides to offer front and rear-engine configurations, a C9 will likely use the C5/C6/C7 concept, possibly in carbon fiber.

Sales of the 1997 Corvette didn’t look good, coming in at 9,752. It wasn’t that buyers didn’t like the new car, Corvette plant manager Wil Cooksey made sure that as cars were being built, all problems and process issues were solved and implemented. In 1998 the convertible was released and sales hit 31,084; the best since 1987. C5 sales never went below 30,000 and the best year was 2002 with 35,767; the best year since 1986. Customers were very happy with their C5s with its vastly improved structure that allowed the suspension to be calibrated like never before.

When the C5 was still on the drawing board, a “Billy Bob” strippo model was considered but not explored. Not long after the C5 was released, that concept was flushed out and the result was the ’99 Hardtop model. There wasn’t much of a savings as the Hardtop was only $394 less than the coupe. Sales only hit 4,031 in ’99 and 2,090 in ’00. But engineers learned something interesting. By bolting on and bonding the hardtop, the overall structure was 12-percent stiffer. This was that “something extra” that a performance model could use. The C5 Z06 was genius. With the more powerful 385-horsepower LS6, upgraded brakes, suspension, wheels and tires, a new Corvette legend was forged.

Hill had another ace up his sleeve that brought racing glory to Corvette and impacted the C6. In the fall of 1998, a factory-backed racing team was approved and the cars were christened, “C5-R”. Racecar builders Pratt & Miller were contracted to build the race cars. Hill used Pratt & Miller as his defacto racing engineering team. The Corvette Racing Team became world-class champions, won 1st and 2nd at Le Mans in 2001, 2002, and 2004, as well as every race in 2004!

By 1999 Hill’s engineers informed him that they had done everything they could with the C5 platform. To take the car to the next level, they would have to start the C6. While the C5 and C6 structure is similar, the C6 is all-new; with no important carryover parts. But what no one was expecting was that the Z06 would get a 100-horsepower bump, plus have an aluminum frame. No one was asking for this, but that’s what they got. The C6 Z06 was the most brutish Corvette ever offered.

Hill once said, “My favorite Corvette is the next one.” Mr. Cadillac insisted on three key things; state of the art performance and technology; passionate design; and tremendous value. In an interview with c6registry.com, Hill said, “Being involved with Corvette brings out the best in all of us who have the privilege of working on it. It represents the best that GM has to offer; along with the best America has to offer. The Corvette is very personal. We’re not talking about transportation here; we’re talking about a product that changes someone’s lifestyle, and that causes us to be enthusiastic about our duty.” Hill retired on January 1, 2006, and was inducted into the National Corvette Museum’s Hall of Fame in 2006. – Scott

PS – Be sure to catch all 5 parts of my Corvette Chiefs Series

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 1 – Zora Arkus-Duntov

Corvette Chiefs, Pt.2 – Dave McLellan

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 3 – Dave Hill

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 4 – Tom Wallace

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 5 – Tadge Juechter

 

 

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 2 of 5 – Dave McLellan

Published on by Scott

Dave McLellan, Heir to Duntov’s Engineering Throne

(Dateline: 7-3-20 – This story was originally published in the now-defunct Vette magazine, July 2019 issue. Story, Illustrations & Graphics by K. Scott Teeters) – When Dave McLellan took over as Corvette’s new chief engineer on January 1, 1975, it was a whole new world. The prevailing trends went from performance cars to safer cars with reduced emissions. Not even Duntov could have made a difference in the ‘70s. But as performance went down, Corvette sales went way up! The sales department was happy, but the Corvette was really getting old. Dave McLellan was an unknown to the Corvette community and many wondered what he would bring to the brand. It turned out; he brought a lot!

McLellan was a car guy. He rebuilt his family’s Frazer and entered the Fisher Body Craftsmen’s Guild Model Contest. Upon graduation from Wayne State University in Detroit with a degree in mechanical engineering, GM hired Hill on July 1, 1959. Thought the ‘60s Hill worked at the Milford Proving Ground on noise and acoustics issues with GM tank treads, Buick brakes, and tuned resonators for mufflers. Hill was also going to night school to get his Master’s Degree in engineering mechanics. In 1967 Hill was part of the group that planned and operated the 67-acre Black Lake where ride, handling, and crashworthiness tests are performed.

Chevrolet engineering brought in Hill to work on the 1970-1/2 Camaro and Z28. Hill wanted to move into management so he took a yearlong sabbatical and attended MIT Alfred. P. Sloan School of Management. The school emphasizes innovation in practice and research. In July 1974 Hill was Zora Arkus-Duntov’s part-time assistant, training for taking over the position in 1975.

While Hill didn’t have Duntov’s racing experience, he owned several Porsches and understood racing sports cars. As Duntov was leaving, he told Hill, “Dave, you must do mid-engine Corvette.” Little did they know that it would finally happen forty-five years later.

When Duntov took control of Corvette engineering in 1956, he had to boost sales and make the Corvette a performance car and a capable racecar. When Hill took control, Corvettes were never selling better, but the platform design was nearly fifteen-years-old. Hill had to keep the car fresh, hit the new requirements, and maintain performance; all with a limited budget.

Management figured that the Corvette had a captive audience, so they didn’t have to spend money to change anything. Fortunately, that lame notion was overruled. The 1978 glass fastback and the 1980 front and rear bumper covers were excellent updates. Another major issue was quality control. The St. Louis assembly plant made three other cars and often workers were unfamiliar with the specialties of the Corvette. This issue didn’t get fixed until the plant was moved to the Corvette-only Bowling Green facility.

McLellan knew that the C3 needed to be replaced, as the chassis was designed around 1960! For a brief period, it looked like the mid-engine Aerovette would become the C4, but Chevrolet decided to abandon all mid-engine programs. The all-new C4 began to take shape in Jerry Palmer’s Chevrolet Studio Three in 1978. When the C4 debuted in December 1982, it received rave reviews, despite the fact that suspension engineers later admitted that they over-did-it with the stiff suspension. By 1985 the suspension was softened and the 150-mph Corvette won Car and Driver’s “Fastest Car in America” award and began the total domination of Corvettes in the SCCA Escort Showroom Stock racing series from 1985-to-1987. Porsche bought a Corvette to take apart to find why the car was unbeatable. By the end of 1987, SCCA kicked out all of the Corvettes for being too fast! McLellan followed up with the Corvette Challenge factory-build racecars.

McLellan’s personal style was more suited to the intricacies of modern electronic computer-controlled performance cars than Duntov’s. Where Duntov’s enthusiasm was effervescent, McLellan was laid-back, approachable, but not shy with the automotive press. After the successful rollout of the C4, McLellan took on four very serious performance projects for the Corvette; The Callaway Twin Turbo option, the ZR-1 performance model, the LT-5 Lotus/Mercury Marine performance engine, and the mid-engine CERV-III. Let’s look at all four projects.

“Supercars” were the rage and by 1985 Porsche had their 959 and Ferrari was about to unleash their F40. To have something to offer while McLellan was starting his ZR-1 project, a deal was made with Reeves Callaway to build brand-new Corvettes with a Callaway Twin Turbo package. The cars had 345-horsepower (stock Corvettes had 240) and from 1987-to-1991 RPO B2K was the only non-installed official RPO Corvette option ever offered.

The ZR-1 super-Vette had two components. The first was its Lotus-engineered, all-aluminum, double-overhead-cam engine built by Mercury Marine. McLellan’s engineers set down the size parameters and horsepower objective; Lotus did the rest. McLellan turned to the best manufacturer of all-aluminum, performance marine engines in the country, Mercury marine. The end result was the beautiful jewel-like LT-5, an engine that is still respected today. The second component was the widening of the ZR-1’s body to cover the enormous P315/35ZR17 rear tires and beef up the car’s drivetrain and suspension.

The 1990 CERV-III Corvette was McLellan’s vision of Duntov’s mid-engine Corvette, with electronic steroids. The car had a carbon fiber Lotus-style backbone chassis, four-wheel steering, active suspension, a transverse, 650-horsepower twin-turbocharged LT-5 ZR-1 engine and a dry-sump oil system, and a four-speed transaxle. This was the final design that started out as the Indy Corvette in 1986 and had a top speed of 225-mph. And lastly, the CERV-III was designed to be manufactured.

Photo: GM Archives

When McLellan was part of the 1992 “Decision Makers” three-man internal Chevrolet design group, gathered to evaluate the direction of the C5, McLellan chose the CERV-III concept over the front-engine “Momentum Architecture” and the stiffer/lighter restyled C4. But the CERV-III was deemed too expensive for the market. The “Momentum Architecture” with its backbone structure, a transaxle, and an all-aluminum engine with design elements from the LT-5, lives on today in the C7.

McLellan oversaw the three-year, 1990-to-1992 mid-cycle refresh. The process started in 1990 with an all-new dash; 1991 saw new front and rear bumper covers; and in 1992 the 245-horsepower L98 was replaced with the 300-horsepower LT1.

In 1990 McLellan won the Society of Automotive Engineers’ Edward N. Cole Award for Automotive Engineering Innovation. In 1991 GM was offering early retirement packages, allowing 53-year old employees to receive the same benefits as those retiring at 62. McLellan took the offer and stayed on as a consultant while GM looked for a suitable replacement. McLellan was fortunate enough to be in his consulting position on July 2, 1992, when he was on hand to see the one-millionth Corvette roll off the Bowling Green assembly line. What a thrill for a car that McLellan had given so much to and a car that was so often on the line for its survival.

Finally, on November 18, 1992, the new chief of Corvette engineering was Dave Hill. Since then, McLellan has been a much sought after automotive consultant, he wrote and illustrated “Corvette From the Inside” and he’s a frequent and revered guest of honor at all of the top Corvette events. In 1999 McLellan was inducted into the National Corvette Museum’s Hall of Fame. McLellan goes down in the Corvette history books as the second of the five great Corvette chief engineers. – Scott

PS – Be sure to catch all 5 parts of my Corvette Chiefs Series

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 1 – Zora Arkus-Duntov

Corvette Chiefs, Pt.2 – Dave McLellan

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 3 – Dave Hill

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 4 – Tom Wallace

Corvette Chiefs, Pt. 5 – Tadge Juechter

 

 

 

 

 

Dean Kaliakmanis’ 1986 Corvette

Published on by Scott

A 16-Year-Old Young Lion’s First Vette

Dateline: 7-4-20 This story was originally published in the August 2019 issue of Vette Vues Magazine, Photos from Dean Kalliakmanis Collection) – There’s a popular misconception that you need buckets of cash to have a really cool Corvette. A lot of that has to do with the fact that new Corvettes have always been premium-priced automobiles. All the way back to the beginning in 1953, the Corvette was a Cadillac-priced car. As of this writing (late May 2019), the official base price of a 2019 Corvette is $56,995, and a fully maxed out 2019 ZR1 can cost over $150,000! Also, when you see guys driving Corvettes, they usually have silver or white hair, or no hair at all. It is true that many guys in their 60s and 70s finally get that Vette they always wanted.

It is a perception problem that even Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter says they are struggling with. For us Baby Boomers that grew up in the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s in the era of the great American car culture, we thought the love affair with cars was permanent. The big question for Juechter and his designers is; how do we make Corvettes relevant and exciting to younger buyers, many of whom aren’t even interested in cars.” But, where there’s a will, there’s a way. So, the question is this, where does the “will” come from? That’s almost a spiritual question, but what really helps is growing up in a car-oriented household.

Hot rodding started in the 1930s during the Depression years. Souped-up cars were scrappy machines, literally built from scrap cars. Hot rodding required a lot of dirty scrounging around in junkyards, service stations, and used car lots. Being a hot rodder took sweat, blood, and ingenuity. While mega-buck restomod cars are all the rage today and grace the paper and digital pages of automotive publications, the old hot rodder model can still work, if you are willing to work and get dirty.

Dean Kaliakmanis of Burlington, Illinois is a 16-year old sophomore at the Burlington Central High School. Dean got the car bug from his Dad, Dean Kaliakmanis. Dean Sr. is a group health insurance professional but has been a car guy since he was a teenager. Along the way, Dean’s dad has owned five Corvettes, including; a 1969 Stingray, a 1977 Corvette, a 1985 Corvette, a 1987 Corvette, and a 1993 Callaway Corvette. The 1987 Corvette and the 1993 Callaway, plus a 1971 Z-28 Camaro are Dean Sr.’s current rides. Obviously, Dean the younger has been around Corvettes all his young life, so it’s no surprise that he would want to follow in his Dad’s footsteps.

As a little kid, Dean was so into cars that with his Dad’s help, he started flipping cars when he was just ten-years-old! Now, at the age of sixteen, he has flipped five cars. One of the keys to making money flipping cars to find cars that need lots of TLC, buy them for not much money, clean them up, get them in running shape, and then sell them. It takes a special eye to be able to look beyond the dirt, grime, missing parts, and stinky smells.

Being around his Dad’s Corvettes and looking for cars to flip, it should be no surprise that eventually Dean would find a neglected old Corvette. Currently, C4 Corvettes (1984-1996) are at the bottom of the pecking order of used Corvettes. Except for the special edition C4s, hardly anyone wants them because the newer Corvettes were so much better. C4 ZR-1 Corvettes are especially under-valued. Later-year C3s were in the same position ten years ago.

But back in 1985, Car and Driver pronounced the Corvette, “The Fastest Car In America” because the car had a top speed of 150-mph. Corvettes so dominated the SCCA Showroom Stock Series that at the end of the 1987 season, SCCA kicked the Corvettes out of the series because they were too fast and unbeatable.

While subsequent generation Corvettes are better-engineered cars, C4s can be made into stout performers. C4s are powered by electronic 0.fuel-injected versions of the classic small-block Chevy engine that is legendary for its versatility and ease at getting respectable power. So when Dean found a 1986 Corvette in a barn, he saw potential and was able to see past the car’s cosmetic issues.

The 1986 Corvette was in terrible condition after many years of neglect and storage in a barn. The front bumper cover was long gone and someone had started sanding the original red paint. But it was the car’s interior that was the worst. Dean describes that car this way; “The interior was complete but very dirty. Cats must have gotten into the car and were using it as a litter box. The smell of cat pee was overwhelming. The front seats needed new skins and the lift-off top was cracked. But everything was there; it was just very dirty and stinky. The one feature I really liked was the ’80s snowflake racing-style wheels. The car was really in bad shape and very one though I was crazy.”

Dean got the car for a straight trade for a $500 old Lexus SC400. With a deal like that, you don’t mind dumping a few thousand dollars and a lot of sweat equity into an old car. After getting the car, Dean and his Dad determined that beyond the missing and soiled parts, the car was in okay but very tired shape. The engine was pulled and received a basic rebuild and a new fuel pump. No performance enhancements were made to the L98 engine, as Dean’s Dad felt that 235-horsepower was enough for his 16-year-old son; besides, his son did not yet have his driver’s license!

The automatic transmission was deemed in good shape. And lastly, the 1986 exhaust system; from the manifolds back, was in need of replacement. Dean found a complete exhaust pipe for a 1992 LT1 that included the rectangular exhaust tips. The suspension received new bushings and shocks, and parts were cleaned up. The brakes were good but got new pads and resurfacing.

Dean found a front bumper cover and a used body kit that included the front spoiler, side skirts, and a rear spoiler for $200 from a friend. A used roof panel was found for just $200. Dean and his Dad finished the paint prep work in primer black and painted the car Honda Civic Type R “Sonic Gray Pearl”. With the addition of the body kit, Dean felt the hood needed something extra. Dean found a set of $200 carbon fiber NACA scoops, cut them into the clamshell hood, and fastened them with machine screws.

The interior was the most challenging part of the build. The factory carpeting and padding had to be removed and then the floorboards were thoroughly cleaned. The door panels console, steering wheel, and dash were dirty but under the dirt, the parts were in good condition. Dean bought a set of racing seats but they were too tall for the car. Instead, Dean got new leather skins to go over the existing cushioning that was in good condition. The black bolsters tie in beautifully with the rest of the interior’s color pattern; classic black and red.

I asked Dean about future plans for the car and he said, “I’d really like to get a 383 stroker like what my Dad has in his blue ’87 Corvette. Maybe a set of track wheels and new tires with raised white lettering; and maybe a set of the Corvette Challenge logos for the side and some racing decals. I like the racer look. Other than that, I’m really happy with how my car came out. For me, this is a keeper that maybe some day I’ll be able to give it to my son.”

We also want to mention the 1971 Z-28 Camaro, the blue ’87 Corvette, and the red Callaway. Those are Sr. Dean’s cars. Dean had always liked the early ‘70s Camaros, especially the Z-28. The car is obviously not stock and is a classic ‘70s Street Machine. The Camaro has a fiberglass L88 Corvette hood dome, instruments are attached to the base of the hood, and the suspension has been raised for that Super Stocker drag car look.

Dean’s Viper Competition Blue ’87 Corvette has an all-out aero body kit that includes a tall rear wing and a racer-like front splitter. C5 Z06 wheels replaced the stock ’84 – ’87 turbine wheels. Under the hood is a 383 stroker SBC making around 550-horsepower. The 1993 Callaway Corvette is Dean’s latest addition to the family and is wearing bright red paint and a very unusual set of six-spoke allow wheels that are similar to those on the 1992 Sting Ray-III.

In January 2019 Dean got his driver’s license. Mostly he drives his Corvette in the evenings and weekends and occasionally takes the car to school. Incredibly, he gets a little heat from a few students that assume he’s a rich kid. No, he’s just a Car Guy and likes to get dirty, making something special from a car that was heading to the junkyard. Congratulations Dean, you are for-real “Car Guy”. The Car Guy’s Motto is, “Be a real car guy, or be gone!” – Scott

PS – Special thanks to Vette Vues Magazine. For subscription information, CLICK HERE.

Tommy Storino’s 1986 “VADER VETTE”

Published on by Scott

Tommy Storino Builds a Bas-Ass Street Machine 1986 C4 Corvette on a Budget

Dateline: 8.5.19 – Photos by Tommy Storino and Jim Broschinsky – When the C4 Corvette made its debut in the middle of 1983, the press was agog. Even though the new C4 only had 205-horsepower (five more than in 1982) and 290-lb/ft of torque (five more than in 1982), the all-new structure of the C4 used all the power the 5.7-liter Cross-Fire Injection Corvette engine so much better than the previous platform. The difference between the C3 and the C4 was as stark as that of the C1 to the C2.

Several of the 1984 Corvettes the press got to play with were equipped with the optional Z51 Performance Handling Package for an extra $600. The Z51 package included; heavy-duty front and rear springs, sway bars, shocks, bushings, quicker steering, an engine oil cooler, and an extra radiator (pusher) fan. Chevrolet offered the Z51 package on Corvettes up to 2001, except for the years 1991 to 1995. That’s an impressive shopping list of suspension parts and it all worked great on the smooth test track the press was allowed to drive on.

But when Z51-equipped 1984 Corvettes hit the roads, customers were in store for a harsh surprise. On anything less than a smooth road, the car’s ride was extremely harsh; so much so that in 1985 both the stock and Z51 suspensions were softened up considerable. So, Corvette engineers over-did-it a little and had to dial it back.

The thirteen-year C4 story was one of continuous refinement. In 1985 and 1986 the Corvette was “The Fastest Car In America” topping 150-mph. In 1985 the two-injector Crossfire Injection setup was replaced with L98 Bosch Tuned Port Injection electronic fuel-injection system that bumped power to 230-horsepower. In 1986 the L98 engine got aluminum heads half way through the production year and power was up slightly to 235-horsepower. Power kept increasing steadily until the arrival of the 300-horsepower LT1 in 1992 and finally the LT4 engine in 1996 with 330-horsepower. The LT4 was rumored to be under-rated, with a more accurate rating of around 360-horsepower.

This non-stop improvement created an unusual situation. As the new Corvettes kept getting better and better, the earlier C4 Corvettes became less and less desirable. The “to-die-for” Corvette from just a few years before was becoming two-day-old bread, or like out of favor 45-records being placed in the back of the rack. Adding insult to injury, it seems that because early C4 Corvettes are at the bottom of the pecking order, many get abused and or ignored, and become basket cases.

However, this situation does create an interesting condition for Corvette enthusiasts looking for a donor car. Early C4 Corvettes can be had for as little as little as $4,000. But for Tommy Storino of Chicago, Illinois, his 1986 Corvette deal was bitter sweet.

Tommy’s Uncle Pete was a Lincoln Towncar man because he was a very big man; 6’-4” and 350-pounds. So the family was surprised when he bought a 1986 Corvette, and wondered if he was playing a joke on them. No one knew why he would ever buy a Corvette. Two months later, he died suddenly.

After the funeral proceedings were completed, Tommy’s cousin invited him to stop by the house to look at the mystery Corvette. Tommy’s cousin is a Jeep guy and wanted to restore the Corvette, but he just didn’t have the time. The car pretty much needed everything, except for the interior, which was in very good condition. But everything else; paint, tires, engine, transmission, you name it, was shot. And the car was leaking fluids.

When Tommy’s cousin handed him the keys, he thought his cousin wanted help getting the car out of the garage. Actually he did. Then his cousin said, “Take it, it’s all yours!” The car was drivable, but obviously needed a lot. Now Tommy had the beginnings of a project car, and he didn’t have to spend $4,000 for a donor car.

Storino’s project started in June 2015. Tommy explained, “I always liked the early C4 Corvette before they went with the round taillights and the LT1 engine. I liked the clean look of the early C4s and the digital dash. When I got the car it had a set of mint condition 1987 wheels and the paint was in terrible condition. I wanted something sinister-looking with racecar looks.” Black-on-Black-on Black was to be the overall theme.

The L98 Tuned Port Injection engine was pulled and completely rebuilt; nothing radical, but reliable. The all-black theme was carried over into the engine compartment with the only splash of color being the intake runners and valve covers hydro-dipped carbon fiber, Corvette badges on the valve covers, red ignition wires, and polished Exotic Muscle Longtube Headers. All of the car’s basic systems were refreshed; cooling system, brakes, power steering, shocks, and the automatic transmission was rebuilt.The rear suspension received new universal joints, the differential was refreshed, and a new 3.75:1 gear set was installed.  

To achieve the racer-look Tommy was going for, the suspension was lowered one-inch. The ’87 wheels were swapped out for a full set of 1990 ZR-1 saw-blade wheels that Tommy had power-coated black and shod with ZR-1-size tires; P275/40ZR-17 on the front and P315/35ZR-17 on the rear.

Corvette racecars have ground effects, right? Tommy’s Corvette has a rear wing that he’s not sure of who the manufacturer is, but he’s been told that they are no longer being made and are quite valuable. The adjustable front splitter and rear defuser are both hand-fabricated.

Storino lucked out on the car’s black paint. The original paint was stripped and the body was in surprisingly good condition, with no major problems and no Bondo. Tommy requested GM Black paint, but his painter always wanted to paint a car with very expensive House of Colors paint, so that’s what he used and didn’t charge Tommy any extra for the paint. The GM Black has a small amount of brown in to warm up the black a little. The House of Color black has blue in it, giving it a cold-black look.

The taillights are custom-made LED units with black-tinted clear lens and the side markers are also tinted black. And the glass is tinted black. Tommy also installed HID headlights and HID fog lights. The only color on the car’s exterior is black. It all makes for a stark contrast when the windows are down with the factory Bright Red interior.

Appearance aside, one of the most interesting mechanical details on Storino’s Corvette is its exhaust. The Exotic Muscle Longtube Headers connect to stainless steel 3-inch pipes with an x-pipes and MagnaFlow mufflers. Where the exhaust pips bend at the back to connect with the mufflers, Tommy had a solenoid-controlled cutout setup installed. “Cutouts” have been around for a very long time, but we typically see various kinds of Cat-Backs on Corvettes and not cutouts such as these. Tommy says, “Sometimes I just like to drive with open headers, just for fun!”

Between the Black-on-Black-on-Black with the Bright Red interior, the bodacious ground effects, bright LED lighting, and booming exhaust note, Tommy Storino’s 1986 former “basket case” Corvette is anything but subtle. After Tommy posted photos of his Corvette on social media, the car picked up the nickname, “Vader Vette”. We concur that the name totally fits. With the open headers you can almost hear Darth Vader saying, “Tommy… I’m… your Corvette!” – Scott

PS – You can keep up with Tommy Storino here… https://www.facebook.com/tommystorino

 

Timeline Tales – 11-25-81: A pre-production C4 Corvette runs 1.01 g on skidpad at GM Milford Proving Ground!

Published on by Scott

When it comes to skid-pad figures, Corvettes have been in “exotic territory” since 1984!

Dateline: 11.29.17 (Photo GM Archives) – Thirty-five years ago the statistical benchmark for performance sports car handling was getting as close to, or over the magical “1 g” mark on the skid pad. So when news broke that a development Corvette had gone past the 1 g mark, the rumor mill kicked things up a few notches, because the only machines that were in the 1 g territory were racecars, and perhaps a few exotic streetcars.

When the new 1984 was finally released into the hands and lead feet of magazine road testers, the numbers weren’t over the magic 1 g level, but here’s what Car and Driver had to say, “The road holding on this new machine is so advanced that we recorded the highest skidpad lateral acceleration — 0.90 g — ever observed with a conventional automobile by this staff. That figure practically trivializes the previous high-water marks, in the 0.82-g range, generated by such exotics as the Porsche 928 and assorted Ferraris.” (Take THAT Germany and Italy!)

Today’s performance benchmark is 0-60 in the 2-second zone. So far only a few modern streetcars are capable of that head-swimming feat. Continue reading “

Timeline Tales – 11-25-81: A pre-production C4 Corvette runs 1.01 g on skidpad at GM Milford Proving Ground!” →

Corvette Timeline Tales: August 31, 1992 the 2nd Corvette Chief Engineer, Dave McLellan retires

Published on by Scott

August 31, 1992 – Dave McLellan accepts early retirement and steps down after 18 years as the Corvette’s second Chief of Engineering.

8-Dave-Mclellan
General Motors had a mandatory, “retirement at 65” policy, so as Corvette Chief Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov was nearing retirement in January 1975 the big question was who would be chosen to fill Zora’s big shoes. Duntov was not consulted about his replacement and McLellan would not have been his choice, but Dave was definitely the man for the job. McLellan was an Alfred P. Slone Fellow with a degree in engineering and management. The ‘70s was not a fun time and there were serious issues to be dealt with besides horsepower, racing, and mid-engine designs. There were emissions and quality control issues, as well as the implantation of a new assembly plant and an all-new Corvette to be designed and developed.

1990-ZL-1
Along with ushering in the Corvette into the digital age of computer controls and guiding the design and development of the C4, the ZR-1 was arguably one of Dave McLellan’s biggest achievements.

When the C4 Corvette came out it received rave reviews – “The Best Vette Yet!” and under McLellan’s leadership kept getting better and better every year. By the late 80s, performance was back to late 1960s levels, Continue reading “

Corvette Timeline Tales: August 31, 1992 the 2nd Corvette Chief Engineer, Dave McLellan retires” →

C4 Corvette Thursday, A Sleek C4 Corvette Could Be Your Daily Driver!

Published on by Scott

K. Scott Teeters Corvette art prints are available in our Amazon Store!

92 corvette

Thursday,  is our day to honor the fourth generation Corvettes. If your desire is a cheap Corvette, then the concept of a C4 daily driver looks rather promising. A slightly beaten and sufficiently dirty C4 won’t need much care and will reward you with the sound of a V8, the practicality of that glass hatchback and the versatility only a targa roof can provide. Parts availability is brilliant and no matter what anybody says, you’ll be driving the most important Corvette of them all. Just don’t buy an ‘83. Continue reading “

C4 Corvette Thursday, A Sleek C4 Corvette Could Be Your Daily Driver!” →

Chevrolet Debuts the New 1987 Corvette on October, 9, 1986

Published on by Scott

1987-Corvette-1

The Gradual Refining Process of the C4 Corvette Is Underway


Dateline: 10.9.14 – Twenty-eight years ago today Chevrolet released the new 1987 Corvette to the buying public. A look back at the 1987 Corvette fills me with irony. Performance was back to ‘60s levels, fuel-injection was standard (yes, a Fuelie!), the car had a top speed of 150-MPH making it the fastest car in America in 1987, the Kim Baker’s Corvette was kicking butt in the SCCA Showroom Stock racing series, and it was one of Car and Driver’s Top Ten Cars of 1987. That’s not too shabby! Especially considering the Corvette’s dark disco days of the late ‘70s. Continue reading “Chevrolet Debuts the New 1987 Corvette on October, 9, 1986” →

Was the 1984 Corvette Really That Awesome?

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 7.24.12

An alternate look at the lowly 1984 C4 Corvette.

Be sure to CAST YOUR VOTE for your Favorate C4 Corvette, HERE.

The Illustrated Corvette Series continues on with its look back at the “first” of each generation Corvette. The latest issue of VETTE (November 2012) covers the first C4 1984 Corvette. It’s hard to believe that it was 29 years ago this summer that Dave McLellan and his team stunned the automotive press at the ‘84 press preview with the all-new ‘84 Corvette. I can sum it up with one expression, “Heads spun!”

Now, if are new to the Corvette hobby, you most likely know that as of today, an ‘84 Corvette is arguably the lowest valued Corvette on the market. But when you look back and read the reports and road tests, one can’t help but ask, “How could that be?!?” The quick answer is that the reason this happened was because the C4 Corvette improved so much, so fast. While the platform of a ‘96 Corvette (the last year for the C4) is the same, it might as well be a different car.

In the C4’s 13 model year run, here’s a short list of the big items that changed:

* Front and rear bumper covers, wheels and tires, front fender vents. Continue reading “Was the 1984 Corvette Really That Awesome?” →

1995 Indy 500 Corvette Pace Car – The First “Designer” Indy 500 Corvette

Published on by Scott

Dateline: 10.22.11

For their third go for the 1995 Indy 500 Corvette, product planners decided to let the designers have at it!

Corvettes have paced the Indy 500 11 times and there have been six Corvette Pace Car replicas offered since 1978. When you look back at the cars in chronological order, there’s an interesting progression. The ‘78 Corvette Pace Car was very stately with its black and silver paint with thin red pin stripping. It was very much of a muscle car-type decoration. The ‘86 Corvette Indy Pace Car couldn’t have been more understated – yellow with lettering on the door. That’s it. Chevrolet hadn’t yet embraced the possibilities of a Corvette Pace Car option and basically wanted to avoid the angst the ‘78 car caused.

But by the time the ‘95 Corvette Indy Pace Car arrived, it was obvious that management let the designers have at it. These cars have to be seen in the daylight to be appreciated. The dark purple metallic paint on the upper portion looks like a lollipop. I don’t know the designer that came up with this design, but BRAVO! Since ‘95 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Cars have been, shall we say, brash, with the exception of the silver & black ‘08 Indy 500 Corvette Pace Car, which was a salute to the first 1978 Indy 500 Corvette Pace Car. Continue reading “1995 Indy 500 Corvette Pace Car – The First “Designer” Indy 500 Corvette” →

Tom Falconer & James Mann C4 Corvette Book Review

Published on by Scott

Tom Falconer's Collector's Originality Cuide for Corvette C4

“Collector’s Originality Guide: Corvette C4 1984 – 1996” by Tom Falconer & Photography by James Mann

The introduction of the C4 Corvette in the Fall of ‘83 was a much anticipated automotive event. Times were tough through the ‘70s and no one anticipated in ‘68 that the new Mako Shark-inspired car would have a 15-model-year production run. And when you consider that the car was riding on a chassis designed in ‘60-’61 for the C2 Sting Ray, it’s all the more amazing that the late C3 cars set all-time sales records.

Just like all Corvettes from the beginning, the C4 was a car that was in constant evolution. Every year, Corvette Chief Engineer, Dave McLellan and his devoted crew of engineers and stylists made small improvements, with an occasional big leap forward. Little did we know when the C4 was first shown at the end of ‘83 that this Corvette generation would last almost as long as the C3 generation – 13 model years. Continue reading “Tom Falconer & James Mann C4 Corvette Book Review” →