Pfadt Releases the Latest Corvette Coilover Technology
What follows has been reprinted with permission from Corvette Online. Written by Lindsey Fisher.
Corvette Central part # 575042
The latest and greatest Corvette coilovers have arrived. Offered by Pfadt, the new feather-light, single-adjustable, coilovers have a new design offering many revolutionary components and benefits. If you want the latest technology for your Corvette, look no further than Pfadt for a unique ride.
Read the rest of this entry »
How to Assemble and Install C2 Corvette Headlights
Article courtesy of Clifton Klaverweiden, Corvette Online (www.corvetteonline.com)
Even though they are one of the defining characteristics of a C2 Corvette, the repairing or replacing the roll-over headlights can be one of the biggest pains you’ll encounter in restoring a C2. In this video we found on YouTube, the guys from Red Dirt Rodz give us an overview of how to get the job done while keeping your sanity intact.
It’s not uncommon for the headlights to be badly damaged, malfunctioning, or missing altogether in a C2 that needs restoration. Luckily, the aftermarket has just about any parts you might be missing, right down to a complete replacement kit, like the one Red Dirt Rodz picked up from Melrose T-Top for their 67 C2 Roadster. The kit includes every nut, bolt, screw, and hard-to-find component that you literally could spend a lifetime searching for individually from scrap yards or eBay.
Overall, the install is time consuming, and requires quite a bit of forethought, but all in all it’s definitely the type of job the average enthusiast should be able to do themselves. That’s not to say that there aren’t a few “gotcha’s” that you’ll need to watch out for, but luckily having a great video like this from Red Dirt Rodz to walk you through the assembly will make the job much, much easier on you when it comes time to work on the headlights of your own second gen Corvette.
Corvette Central Project Split Mod, Part IV: Engine considerations
By Chris Petris
Corvette Central’s Split Mod chassis will be headed to the 2012 Corvette Expo (Houston, Texas) in February. To bring you up to speed, the 1963 split-window coupe had no engine or transmission when it was rescued. The severely rotted chassis has been replaced, and now we are working on the drivetrain. Corvette Central had a complete 1986 Corvette convertible L-98 engine and transmission assembly stored away, making it a perfect candidate for Project Split Mod. The 700R4 transmission that was coupled to the L-98 was mothballed to be used for a later project. Gear changes would be transmitted through a Keisler Engineering RS400 five speed overdrive transmission. There were many reasons for the engine choice, other than the fact it was sitting in storage waiting for someone to use it. Aesthetics were a concern, what with all the recent LS engine transplants under the hood of early Corvettes. It made sense to have a traditional look.
Read the rest of this entry »
Corvette Online and Project Y2k: Stage 1 & 2 Upgrades
What follows has been reprinted with permission from Corvette Online. Written by Paul Huizenga
For a significant number of Corvette owners, the car as delivered from the factory is as good as it can possibly be – they go to great lengths to preserve originality and maintain their Vette exactly as it was when it sat in the dealer’s showroom. Others take pleasure in customizing their Corvette, extracting more performance wherever possible.
You might guess what category we fall into.
So, as soon as we got Project Y2k in the shop, we rolled it on the dyno to get some baseline numbers, then before the drum on our DynoJet had stopped turning, we had our friends at Corvette Central on the phone. You see, they’ve launched a new performance division, sensibly named Corvette Central Performance, and they’ve got staged upgrade packages lined up for the C5 – a perfect fit!
Read the rest of this entry »
C4-C6 Corvette Tire Fitment Guide
For your convenience, below are the published OEM front and rear tire sizes and speed ratings for every Corvette produced between 1984 and 2009.
Read the rest of this entry »
LS Engine Technical Information
Our friends at Nook and Tranny have published a great technical resource for GM LS engines. We have reprinted the beginning of the article below. To see more, visit http://www.nookandtranny.com/Info_LSx.php
Read the rest of this entry »
Corvette Central Project Split Mod, Part III: Chassis Assembly
By Chris Petris
Photos by the author
We left off with the Project Split Mod body on a dolly for transport to the body shop and a severely rusted frame. Much has happened since our kick-off of the Project. The body was dropped off at the body shop for all the necessary repairs and painting. We now have a rolling chassis ready for body installation. We mentioned about all the severe rust the frame and chassis pieces had endured. It just made good sense to hang new and or remanufactured parts on our Impact Restorations supplied 1963 frame. Why fight the really difficult to remove original parts off the crusty original frame? The original rusty parts will be used for documenting correct parts.
Read the rest of this entry »
Corvette Central issues recall for faulty fuel pump flex lines
Corvette Central has issued a recall for two fuel pump flex lines that were PURCHASED AFTER 8/30/11. They have the part numbers 351415 and 351144,and are used on 1956-62 Corvettes. These flex lines may leak due to a faulty crimp on the hose end. If you purchased one of these products after 8/30/11, please stop using it immediately and contact Corvette Central (800-345-4122) for information on how to return it.
Weatherstrip 101 for C4 Corvettes
Story by Chris McDonald, Auto Enthusiast Magazine, November 2011
Reprinted with Permission
There are many reasons why you would consider changing the weatherstripping on your C4. Over time, the rubber breaks down, hardens and cracks, leaving an unpleasant appearance, poor seal, wind noise, and the dreaded drip.
If you own a C4 and actually drive it in the rain, you will eventually experience the dreaded drip, leaving your floor soaked and pant leg soggy. No matter how slick the paint, or well maintained the machine may be, dry, cracked weatherstrip will be the last detail, often overlooked and leaving an otherwise stunning car to just be rather ho-hum.
Read the rest of this entry »
GM issues recall for 2011-12 Corvettes over faulty hatch hinges
General Motors has issued a recall for 5,755 2011-12 Corvette coupes for potentially faulty hatch hinges that could break loose in a crash. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the rear hatch hinges on cars built between January and September do not meet federal weight capacity requirements. The NHTSA campaign ID Number is 11V491000. GM will notify owners per the comments in the official release below.
Report Date : October 9, 2011 at 12:45 PM
NHTSA Campaign ID number : 11V491000
Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s):
CHEVROLET / CORVETTE 2011-2012
Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS LLC Mfr’s Report Date: OCT 03, 2011
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 11V491000 NHTSA Action Number: N/A
Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
Potential Number of Units Affected: 5,755
Summary:
GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 CHEVROLET CORVETTE COUPE VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 24, 2011, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1, 2011, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 206, “DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS”. THE REAR HATCH HINGES MAY NOT MEET THE LOAD REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN THE SAFETY STANDARD.
Consequence:
THE REAR HATCH COULD SEPARATE IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy:
GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH REAR HATCH HINGES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 7, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.
Notes:
GM’S SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS 11258. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .
C5 Headlight Repair with a “T”
Story Mark Kaufman
Reprinted with permission
Many a C5 owner has heard that unmistakable machine gun sound emanating from the front of the car when turning on the headlights. And if that noise isn’t annoying enough, at least one of the headlights doesn’t come up, or doesn’t go down.
Anyone who has gone through this knows the fix is to replace the factory nylon gear in the headlight motor with a replacement bronze gear.
But what’s up when the gear has been replaced – by a dealer – and it happens again? Certainly the teeth on the bronze gear have not worn down to the point where they disengage from the motor drive gear. When it happened on our subject 2001 convertible, we popped the hood and discovered that epoxy used to hold the gear cover on the motor had failed and fortunately was lying beside it. As a result there was enough play on the gear shaft to allow it to disengage from the drive gear and “rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!” each time you tried to use the lights.
Read the rest of this entry »
1997-2011 Corvette Fluids and Performance
By Chris Petris
There used to be a time when the underhood fluids were checked every time the fuel tank was filled. When was the last time you did that? We jump in our cars and expect maximum performance and minimal maintenance, with no concern for the extremes the lubricants face. For this very reason, GM decided that making a low oil level warning system standard in 1991 was worth the cost.
These days, sticking up for the oil companies is not a position anyone wants to be in. Fuel prices keep rising while federal regulations restrict the oil company’s formulas for a greener environment. The long standing federal concern is exhaust emissions and fuel economy. Engine oils now range in the 0W30 viscosity range, in stark contrast to 20W50 oils used in earlier generations.
Read the rest of this entry »
Corvette Central Project Split Mod, Part II: Chassis Considerations and Selection
When the decision was made to start a restoration effort on our 1963 split window coupe, the chassis was one of the primary concerns. As confirmed by Petris Enterprises (Corvette Central Project Split Mod: Part I), the original frame was severely rotted, to the point of being held together by the body near the rear axle. However, the birdcage, interior and body were all worthy candidates for restoration, and the decision was made to search for a suitable chassis for the Split Mod.
Read the rest of this entry »
2005-11 Corvette cabin air filter replacement
The C6 Corvette has many features to aid in the comfort of the driver, and this makes the car an ideal long distance or daily driving vehicle. As a result, many C6 Corvettes are put into daily use, and they require more maintenance than cars that see occasional weekend duty.
The engine air filter is usually high on the list for inspection. The car should be able to breathe freely for optimal performance and fuel economy. But what about the driver?
Fear not, Chevrolet has included a cabin air filter (486113) in C6 Corvettes for this very reason. But to say it gets overlooked during routine maintenance is an understatement. Replacement of this filter is easy.
2011 Corvette World Tribute videos
For your enjoyment, below are some videos we captured while attending the 2011 Corvette World Tribute.
The event, coordinated in conjunction with the Registry of Corvette Race Cars (RCRC), took place August 21, 2011 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Over 40 significant racing Corvettes were present (including the Corvette C6.Rs that raced the previous day in the American Le Mans event), along with noted racing drivers including Tony DeLorenzo, Bob Bondurant, Dick Guldstrand and many others. Enjoy!
Corvette Central Project Split Mod: Part I
By Chris Petris
Corvette projects are something many car guys consider doing at some point in the future. Some enjoy just being a part of any restoration project, watching the process from conception to completion.
Corvette Central has been a huge part of the restoration hobby for many years and has been instrumental in manufacturing previously discontinued Corvette parts. One of their specialties is exhaust systems that they manufacture in house. The exhaust kits are ready to go with all the factory bends and original looks. With the myriad of parts available, Corvette Central wanted an opportunity to show customers what they supply in person. What better way than to have rolling live Corvette projects on display? This is where Chris Petris and the guys at Corvette Central come together.
Introducing Correct C1 Push-Down Antennas from Corvette Central
Corvette Central is pleased to introduce correct push-down antennas for C1 Corvettes, available in three versions: 1956-58 (early), 1958 (late)-60 and 1961-62. Our new assemblies not only reflect the attention to detail that judges are looking for during shows, but our dedication to producing the highest quality parts possible. As an example, the antenna tips on all three versions of our C1 antennas are identical to factory specifications.
161021 (1956-1958E)
Correct push down mast antenna as original. No rings on mast. Fully extended, the mast is 45 inches. Normal height, not extended, is 11.5 inches. The mast pushes down into the antenna approximately 2 inches as they did from the factory.
161017 (1958L-1960)
Correct push down mast antenna as original. Features rings on mast. Fully extended, the mast is 45 inches. Normal height, not extended, is 11.5 inches. The mast pushes down into the antenna approximately 2 inches as they did from the factory.
161016 (1961-1962)
Correct push down mast antenna as original. Fully extended the mast is 26.5 inches. Normal height, not extended is 15 inches. The mast pushes down into the antenna approximately 5 1/2 inches as they did from the factory.
C4 Corvette Cutaway Car Parts Gallery
For your convenience, we have identified the following parts on our C4 Corvette Cutaway, as well as some larger overview shots at the beginning to help you orient yourself as while viewing them. Clicking on each thumbnail will expand the image to fill your screen.
Read the rest of this entry »
1997-2011 Corvette exhaust system installation
By Chris Petris
The fifth and sixth generation Corvettes are engineering masterpieces. As the first Corvette built for comfortable extended highway travel, the C5 Corvette has plenty of power and torque with excellent fuel economy, and the C6 continues to improve the breed. Accolades aside, the stock exhaust systems leave a lot to be desired. For one, the puny bell-shaped outlets do not fill out the valence. And the sound? Just a low hum at road speed and non existent at idle. Whether satisfying federal regulations or NVH objectives, engineering an OEM exhaust system is quite a feat. The result? Mundane exhaust systems on factory built performance cars.