28Again
Active member
I currently have a 1988 35[SUP]th[/SUP] Anniversary Edition Coupe. It’s the second one I’ve owned, as I am partial to White cars with Black accents. In my old industry (My wife and I once owned a Limo Company), we called this look a Tuxedo. White enough to be sleek and sexy, but Black enough to do funerals. I’m out of the Limo industry (thank you economy) but still can’t shake the Tuxedo look. I always wanted a Corvette Convertible, but I just couldn’t pass up the White on White on White look of the 35[SUP]th[/SUP] Anniversary Coupe. So I’ve owned two of them (the full story can be read in my New Member Introduction). But I’m 52 now, and the old C4 just doesn’t have the ride quality, the safety features (read: Air Bags), or the technology (although I’ll miss the digital dash) that the newer Corvettes have. So I’ve decided to upgrade. My buddy, and my son, both like the C6, but I truly prefer the wider stance and look of the C5. They both quote the “plastic dash” issues that many C5 hater’s tout, but I personally think the C6 has a more plasticized interior look than the C5’s do.
So my perfect Corvette seems to require the following criteria:
Body (Coupe vs. Convertible vs. FRC)
I just don’t like the idea of a Fixed Roof. Perhaps if I was going to track the car or something, but really, a Corvette is meant to show the sky in one form or another. I was happy with my C4 Coupe, especially with the Black Targa band that set off the dark tinted windows and hatch glass. I did however purchase an aftermarket gadget that allowed me to leave the hatch glass cracked open an inch or two and let the air flow through instead of buffeting in the interior and pulsing your eardrums. That was a blessing. But after reading many threads of Topless Coupe vs. Top Down Convertibles, I think I have decided that I’d like that Convertible I always dreamed of. Besides, the C5 doesn’t use a glass-only hatch anymore and I think it would look goofy with the “trunk” ajar, just to avoid the buffeting.
Money no object thoughts: I would really like to have a removable hard top for my Convertible. There is one available through smoothline that looks appealing. They have one that is covered in Black Vinyl that would go nice with a White car, but I was thinking of taking it a bit further. If the cost was not so high, I would order one with the small rear window and have it covered in Black Canvas (including the two seams that the Vinyl top has). In my Limo life, I loved the Tuxedo look when done in Canvas instead of Vinyl. Aside from the visual appeal, I’d like to have a removable hard top for the winter months (mostly rain) and the added comfort and quietness that it would provide over the rag top.
Interior:
Light Grey. I’ve owned nearly a dozen White vehicles, from Corvette’s to Chevy Tahoe’s to Ford F-350’s to Stretch Limousines, and I’ve had Black interiors and Tan interiors, but I’ve always wanted a Grey interior (sorry the other choice available – Red, would make me barf). I’ve only seen one White with Light Grey for sale in the last few months and it was a Coupe. I’m finding that my color choice is very rare indeed. But I know it’s out there, and I’m in no hurry.
With respect to the stereo, I do have some thoughts. In other vehicles I have owned I have spent thousands of dollars in Amps, Speakers, Tuners, Decks, etc… In fact I was a very early adopter of the Compact Disc and installed one of the first Sony Car Stereo CD Players in my wife’s Thunderbird, with a set of Infinity separates and an AlphaSonic amp that was great. But in My Perfect Corvette, I think I’ll be happy with the factory CD player for now. In fact, I’m actually looking forward to having the SCV (Speed Compensated Volume) again. I had this in my 1997 Chevy Tahoe and when the oversized tires got up to speed, the volume would compensate automatically for the additional road noise. I really liked that. Besides, nowadays I’m usually listening to “Wait-Wait-Don’t-Tell-Me” or “Marketplace” on NPR anyway (must be my 52 year old butt again).
Suspension:
Leave it alone. I am very interested in the Magnetic Selective Ride Suspension. I have read some great reviews and articles about it, and in truth, my butt is 52 years old now and I have been spoiled by my Limo experiences. I understand the benefits of a firm suspension, and I comprehend the increased cornering ability gained by lowering the Center of Gravity, but really… I don’t expect to be racing around the local canyons like I did in my 1978 Bandit TransAm as a teen. When I was growing up, my father bought a new Lincoln Town Car every other year, and between that and my Limo business, I’ve grown to know the comfort of driving around in your very own sofa. So I don’t expect to lower my C5 and I want the suspension to function as the original designers intended. Besides, I would like to get into my driveway without dragging (I have to back my current C4 in to prevent doing so now) and did I mention my 52 year old butt?
Tires & Wheels:
I’m not really a fan of huge diameter rims with ultra low profile, zero sidewall, tires (and I’m not interested in feeling every cigarette butt I run over). I’m sure I would be quite happy with the factory wheels that are available on the C5. That being said… (here is where I expect some moans and groans)… I’d like to take a set of the early C5 Wagon Wheels and have them powder coated white, leaving a small polished lip (it helps to hide the inevitable curb-rash). I know these dated wheels have taken abuse from the public, and I know it would make a later C5 look like an early C5, but I just like the shape of the wheels, and I’m sure that with the spokes in White, it would tie things together just like the White wheels on both of my 35[SUP]th[/SUP] Anniversary cars. And yes, I understand the brake dust thing. I’ve already dealt with that on both my C4’s.
Money no object thoughts: OK, I suppose if the cost was not so prohibitive, I would love to put some really fat momma’s on the rear. Some 12 inch wide C6 Grand Sport wheels, with the spokes powder coated in White and the rim left polished, and some big ol’ fat tires strapped on them. But of course this would require some rear fender or even tub modification. And I’m not sure I’ll live long enough to figure out the C5/C6 offset and fitment issues that would be involved. But I’m sure it would look awesome.
Transmission:
Automatic. Yeah I know, the six speed manual is a gas, but honestly, I just want two pedals in My Perfect Corvette, one that makes things go so fast my head swells, and one that makes it stop so fast my socks roll down. I’ve had my share of manual transmission cars, and I’ve had modified automatics that chirped every time the car shifted into second gear. But in My Perfect Corvette, I just want to cruise. I don’t want to deal with shifting up and down in traffic, and I don’t want to concern myself with things like clutch wear, so I believe I’d prefer the automatic. Besides, I need my right hand to be able to hold my wife’s left hand as we cruise out to the coast for a glass of wine at sunset.
Money no object thoughts: OK, this is where the C6 has it over the C5, in my opinion. I’d love to have an automatic with the paddle shifter. My smart car (yes, I have a smart car – here comes the moans and groans again), has the paddles and I get a kick out of using them over a mountain pass or in and out of the curves. If it were possible to have the paddle shifters in my next C5, I’d be interested in doing that.
Geeky Stuff:
You know, there is one more thing I’ve given some thought to for My Perfect Corvette, and it probably should fall under a “money no object” heading, but I’m wondering if anyone has done this… Shaved door handles. I know it’s really popular in the Hot-Rod world, but I just think the idea of having a door pop-open to me just because I reached for it, is really cool. I’ve heard it can be a real nightmare when your battery goes dead, but hey, that’s what those empty storage bins in the trunk are for. Even in my Limo’s we had a second battery (literally a riding lawnmower battery) that was just enough to start the Limo when we ran the battery dead while sitting in the dark parking lot listening to the radio while waiting for our clients to finish dinner. I’m sure with a battery isolator and some proper wiring I can fend off most of the dead battery nightmares enough to support a door opening latch mechanism or the likes. Has anyone out there filled in their C5 door handles and gone this route? Just wondering.
Well, I've rattled on longe enough, and I’m sure there are a hundred other criteria that I haven’t yet opened for discussion here, and if you have any personal experiences that might help me make My Perfect Corvette more… well, Perfect, please feel free to share them.
Thanx,
Jim
So my perfect Corvette seems to require the following criteria:
Body (Coupe vs. Convertible vs. FRC)
I just don’t like the idea of a Fixed Roof. Perhaps if I was going to track the car or something, but really, a Corvette is meant to show the sky in one form or another. I was happy with my C4 Coupe, especially with the Black Targa band that set off the dark tinted windows and hatch glass. I did however purchase an aftermarket gadget that allowed me to leave the hatch glass cracked open an inch or two and let the air flow through instead of buffeting in the interior and pulsing your eardrums. That was a blessing. But after reading many threads of Topless Coupe vs. Top Down Convertibles, I think I have decided that I’d like that Convertible I always dreamed of. Besides, the C5 doesn’t use a glass-only hatch anymore and I think it would look goofy with the “trunk” ajar, just to avoid the buffeting.
Money no object thoughts: I would really like to have a removable hard top for my Convertible. There is one available through smoothline that looks appealing. They have one that is covered in Black Vinyl that would go nice with a White car, but I was thinking of taking it a bit further. If the cost was not so high, I would order one with the small rear window and have it covered in Black Canvas (including the two seams that the Vinyl top has). In my Limo life, I loved the Tuxedo look when done in Canvas instead of Vinyl. Aside from the visual appeal, I’d like to have a removable hard top for the winter months (mostly rain) and the added comfort and quietness that it would provide over the rag top.
Interior:
Light Grey. I’ve owned nearly a dozen White vehicles, from Corvette’s to Chevy Tahoe’s to Ford F-350’s to Stretch Limousines, and I’ve had Black interiors and Tan interiors, but I’ve always wanted a Grey interior (sorry the other choice available – Red, would make me barf). I’ve only seen one White with Light Grey for sale in the last few months and it was a Coupe. I’m finding that my color choice is very rare indeed. But I know it’s out there, and I’m in no hurry.
With respect to the stereo, I do have some thoughts. In other vehicles I have owned I have spent thousands of dollars in Amps, Speakers, Tuners, Decks, etc… In fact I was a very early adopter of the Compact Disc and installed one of the first Sony Car Stereo CD Players in my wife’s Thunderbird, with a set of Infinity separates and an AlphaSonic amp that was great. But in My Perfect Corvette, I think I’ll be happy with the factory CD player for now. In fact, I’m actually looking forward to having the SCV (Speed Compensated Volume) again. I had this in my 1997 Chevy Tahoe and when the oversized tires got up to speed, the volume would compensate automatically for the additional road noise. I really liked that. Besides, nowadays I’m usually listening to “Wait-Wait-Don’t-Tell-Me” or “Marketplace” on NPR anyway (must be my 52 year old butt again).
Suspension:
Leave it alone. I am very interested in the Magnetic Selective Ride Suspension. I have read some great reviews and articles about it, and in truth, my butt is 52 years old now and I have been spoiled by my Limo experiences. I understand the benefits of a firm suspension, and I comprehend the increased cornering ability gained by lowering the Center of Gravity, but really… I don’t expect to be racing around the local canyons like I did in my 1978 Bandit TransAm as a teen. When I was growing up, my father bought a new Lincoln Town Car every other year, and between that and my Limo business, I’ve grown to know the comfort of driving around in your very own sofa. So I don’t expect to lower my C5 and I want the suspension to function as the original designers intended. Besides, I would like to get into my driveway without dragging (I have to back my current C4 in to prevent doing so now) and did I mention my 52 year old butt?
Tires & Wheels:
I’m not really a fan of huge diameter rims with ultra low profile, zero sidewall, tires (and I’m not interested in feeling every cigarette butt I run over). I’m sure I would be quite happy with the factory wheels that are available on the C5. That being said… (here is where I expect some moans and groans)… I’d like to take a set of the early C5 Wagon Wheels and have them powder coated white, leaving a small polished lip (it helps to hide the inevitable curb-rash). I know these dated wheels have taken abuse from the public, and I know it would make a later C5 look like an early C5, but I just like the shape of the wheels, and I’m sure that with the spokes in White, it would tie things together just like the White wheels on both of my 35[SUP]th[/SUP] Anniversary cars. And yes, I understand the brake dust thing. I’ve already dealt with that on both my C4’s.
Money no object thoughts: OK, I suppose if the cost was not so prohibitive, I would love to put some really fat momma’s on the rear. Some 12 inch wide C6 Grand Sport wheels, with the spokes powder coated in White and the rim left polished, and some big ol’ fat tires strapped on them. But of course this would require some rear fender or even tub modification. And I’m not sure I’ll live long enough to figure out the C5/C6 offset and fitment issues that would be involved. But I’m sure it would look awesome.
Transmission:
Automatic. Yeah I know, the six speed manual is a gas, but honestly, I just want two pedals in My Perfect Corvette, one that makes things go so fast my head swells, and one that makes it stop so fast my socks roll down. I’ve had my share of manual transmission cars, and I’ve had modified automatics that chirped every time the car shifted into second gear. But in My Perfect Corvette, I just want to cruise. I don’t want to deal with shifting up and down in traffic, and I don’t want to concern myself with things like clutch wear, so I believe I’d prefer the automatic. Besides, I need my right hand to be able to hold my wife’s left hand as we cruise out to the coast for a glass of wine at sunset.
Money no object thoughts: OK, this is where the C6 has it over the C5, in my opinion. I’d love to have an automatic with the paddle shifter. My smart car (yes, I have a smart car – here comes the moans and groans again), has the paddles and I get a kick out of using them over a mountain pass or in and out of the curves. If it were possible to have the paddle shifters in my next C5, I’d be interested in doing that.
Geeky Stuff:
You know, there is one more thing I’ve given some thought to for My Perfect Corvette, and it probably should fall under a “money no object” heading, but I’m wondering if anyone has done this… Shaved door handles. I know it’s really popular in the Hot-Rod world, but I just think the idea of having a door pop-open to me just because I reached for it, is really cool. I’ve heard it can be a real nightmare when your battery goes dead, but hey, that’s what those empty storage bins in the trunk are for. Even in my Limo’s we had a second battery (literally a riding lawnmower battery) that was just enough to start the Limo when we ran the battery dead while sitting in the dark parking lot listening to the radio while waiting for our clients to finish dinner. I’m sure with a battery isolator and some proper wiring I can fend off most of the dead battery nightmares enough to support a door opening latch mechanism or the likes. Has anyone out there filled in their C5 door handles and gone this route? Just wondering.
Well, I've rattled on longe enough, and I’m sure there are a hundred other criteria that I haven’t yet opened for discussion here, and if you have any personal experiences that might help me make My Perfect Corvette more… well, Perfect, please feel free to share them.
Thanx,
Jim
4LT GS Roadster
