First official images of 2015 Corvette C7 Convertible !!

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Big surprise. Looks just like you thought it would. The hard top lines with the rear glass seem to be very distinctive. That all goes out the window and becomes ho hum with the convertible version. Too bad the convertible is not a folding hard top. I hope that it is at least electric up and down.

Reply to
uncle_vito

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Big surprise. Looks just like you thought it would. The hard top lines with the rear glass seem to be very distinctive. That all goes out the window and becomes ho hum with the convertible version. Too bad the convertible is not a folding hard top. I hope that it is at least electric up and down.

To be really with it -- add 4 portholes on each side. All kidding aside, it really is not a significant makeover. Looks big, though.

Reply to
tww1491

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Why do you need an electric cloth top? On the other had I do like the hard (soft) top on the SC300, looks sharp. Actually the convertible looks much better than the coupe and for some reason it does not show all the add on scoops/vents.

Still lust after its VVT and DI in a push rod engine. Just a few reasons and the first is the amount of sensors on the DOHC with VVT and DI, each head gets 4 camshaft sensors and cam position sensor actuator and all the wires for same. Plus all the added bolts and screws to just hold it together. Eighteen for the DOHC and 4 for the push rod valve covers. Now lets talk timing chains, one for the old pushrod and three for the DOHC, 9 sprockets in place of 2 and the worst part is well over 400 link pins to wear on 3 chains with 16 timing marks versus one. All that to get rid of the 16 push rods. Plus the engine gets less MPG than my old school C6 with none of that crap. The only thing I like about the DOHC is the red line, sounds good at

7,000 but not worth the cost.
Reply to
Dad

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Why do you need an electric cloth top? On the other had I do like the hard (soft) top on the SC300, looks sharp. Actually the convertible looks much better than the coupe and for some reason it does not show all the add on scoops/vents.

Still lust after its VVT and DI in a push rod engine. Just a few reasons and the first is the amount of sensors on the DOHC with VVT and DI, each head gets 4 camshaft sensors and cam position sensor actuator and all the wires for same. Plus all the added bolts and screws to just hold it together. Eighteen for the DOHC and 4 for the push rod valve covers. Now lets talk timing chains, one for the old pushrod and three for the DOHC, 9 sprockets in place of 2 and the worst part is well over 400 link pins to wear on 3 chains with 16 timing marks versus one. All that to get rid of the 16 push rods. Plus the engine gets less MPG than my old school C6 with none of that crap. The only thing I like about the DOHC is the red line, sounds good at

7,000 but not worth the cost.

Given the size (Displacement) of the engine and the hp it generates, a DOHC setup really is not needed. If GM decided to copy what Honda did with the S2000 (small displacement and high hp) then it would likely be a given. Of course belt setups have also worked well, but the only V8 I know of with that setup is the Toyota V8 found in the Lexus and the truck. GM did make an attempt with the Solstice, but it never caught on for some reason. Perhaps that was also why Honda ceased production of the S2000.

Reply to
tww1491

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But the Toyota V-8 is an engineering work of art that does not develop valve float at high RPM nor needs cam destroying spring pressures to do it. Just as well that GM sticks to OHV engines. With the 'complexity' of DOHC, the C7 would never be out of the shop.

Reply to
uncle_vito

By the time valve float would happen, which it don't when computer controlled, your Toy would be two counties behind. Sorry, try again.

Just to let you in on where I'm coming from I drive what I'm talking about. How about you?

Reply to
Dad

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Not sure what you're talking about as GM is still manufacturing the LE5 engine as well as the LNF used in the Solstice. The LNF is the GXP without the turbo but GM offers an add on kit to make the GXP. These engines have been produced since 2002 and are not what I'd call stellar performers. Since that time all engines have had more squeezed out of them with the use of new materials and computer control. Base design was Opel that were also used in Saab, Fiat, Daewoo, Suzuki, Isuzu, Alfa Romeo, (heavily modified) and GM is now putting a version in the ATS Cadillac. The ATS gets the highest HP of

272 from a 2.0 L with 260 lbf-ft with a twin scroll turbocharger. That's 136 HP per L from 2.0 L and the push rod only gets 103 HP per L from the 6.2 L and I have yet to find a good measure of how fuel efficient the comparison would be.
Reply to
Dad

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...I don't think I've ever seen a single convertible car that I liked...this one is no exception to that.

Reply to
Rufus

I drive a Toyota Highlander and BMW 3 series. The DOHC VVT 6s in those have absolutely NO problems. BMW is known for its smooth 6's. I have the

2.5L and it revs like crazy and gets great mileage. Need to use premium but at the mileage it gets, I do not care.

Sorry, not interested in any DOHC that GM offers. The GM pencil pushers that run the company only produced DOHC engines as a 'me too' to its competition.

You seem plenty knowledgeable, Dad. You should go up against Hib Halverson. Except Hib is an arrogant ass.

Reply to
uncle_vito

Already called him on a couple of mistakes, he is a blow hard and sadly represent some of the owners that like to spend money and brag about it and owning a Corvette. He does have knowledge I don't but if you call him out he just hides and don't reply like he didn't even notice what was said.

Myself I like to know what I'm driving and what it can do but could care less what someone else drives and see no reason to cut them down for their choice. Which brings me to your statement that the "C7 wouldn't get out of the shop". What does that mean except you would like to knock something you know nothing about. I haven't seen or heard of any "cam destroying spring pressure" from any cars for decades. Ever hear of roller rockers? Back in the 70's when GM built the V8s with the hot centers there were lots of cam failures but it was not from spring pressure it was carbon ash that ground down the lobes.

My oldest son drives a Toy pickup and he couldn't get close to the mileage I did on my Chevy van that was 800 pounds heavier. His Odyssey is about 5 MPG short also. Poor old push rod V6 just never knew when to stop on a tank of gas. When I had the Northstar in my STS it soured me on the overhead cam with it's bad gas mileage. The DOHC I have now is about 6 mile per gallon short of my C6 but it does burn regular.

By the way he lives about 20 miles from the BMW plant/museum in Greer S.C. and if you ever get there it is a treat to see. If possible take the plant tour, sporadic availability but worth the time if it works out.

Reply to
Dad

To my knowledge, Hib never had any money because he could never keep a job. He always knew more than his boss. Perhaps in his older years he has inherited/married into wealth.

Well no one knows about the reliablilty of the C7 since it has not gone into production. I am just going by GM's history of problems with the first model year. To think someone was dumb enough to pay $1M for the first C7. Is this the car that all the assemblers learned on? If not, then it was not really the first C7. If they build and practice on cars 1-9 and then destroy them does that make #10 the first car built?

Reply to
uncle_vito

No one knows but you can postulate that it couldn't get out of the shop?

For the C6 it was more like 50 "X" cars that were road tested and then destroyed. Those with an "X" in the serial number plate can not be sold. There is a picture of a silver one in the CAC history with me sitting in it

6/3/2004 at the first National meet. My first model year has been that way, every time I turn around it need gas, and then it's tires again. Then there was the, oh wait there wasn't anything else except the AHC recall (no cost). So much for your first year antiquated theory, you need to get into the 21st century. Then there is your advice to not buy a new car when the C6 had a lower base price than the C5 for a few months then went up, saved me a bunch and I was driving my car not something someone else discarded.

So what's your opinion of why Fisker Karma chose GM's engine to put in the most expensive car built in the most expensive state with the highest tax rates and most subsidized people and companies in the USA? Could only be to keep the negative KARMA going.

Reply to
Dad

Hib just sold his house. That is where he got the money for his C7

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Reply to
uncle_vito

C6 did not really have a 'new model year'. Too similar to the C5.

In the Fisker, the engine is merely a generator and does not actually power the car. I would not brag that my engine makes a good generator.

Congrats for your photo in the CAC history.

BTW, many folks besides myself say not to buy the first year of a model change. It is not just my idea. Glad you had success. In our club, our President had her C5 replaced by the lemon law, another member got fed up and traded it in on a Cadillac (he hated that too) and a 3rd member was totally dismayed at the problems with her C5 but hung in there. Was a big embarassment to our Chevy Sponsor at the time.

For our club event this last weekend at the Peterson, one member could not attend due to car trouble. Again. Glad you have had success. Many owners have not been so lucky.

Did you read Hib Halverson's thread on him buying his C6 Z06. Hood paint did not match. On a $90k car! Kind of embarassing wouldn't you think? Even Chevy had an explanation for the problem. Do you think Chevy corrected Hib's car before delivery? No left it up to the customer to find this out. Hopefully the customer would not be that observant. Also rear wheel alignment was off. Was still within spec so factory would not fix under warranty. On a $90k car? Chevy dealers are an embarassement. They treat customers as if they had just bought a Chevy Cruze. Sad. Incredibly Sad!!!

Reply to
uncle_vito

At risk of being a contrarian, I want to offer the comments that:

  1. I think the new C7 convertible is quite stunning, more attractive to my way of thinking than the coupe. I owned a Corvette going back to the
1960s Stingray so I am not new to these cars.

  1. My C6 and C5 convertibles were both from the first model year, and each has been a delight to own, especially in the reliability department.

  2. I am a graduate electrical engineer and a fussy owner. The people at GM have done great engineering on these cars and they are very much world class.

  1. Despite all the grousing and negativity, the forum messages still convey the passion and appreciation some of us / most of us have for seeing not only GM still alive but best of all Corvette still alive and making a strong comeback after a very tough period.

Smarty

Reply to
Smarty

Said that from the start that it was a C5.1 and this new one is the C5.2 way to much of the old design.

Did not say anything about that being a plus, just ask your opinion as to why they chose it.

Wasn't just a photo op, 4 of us from this area set up the first meet, it was to be a regional meet and turned into a the first national. The awards for the second meet was made from a picture of my C6 but due to a death in my family all that was taken to the meet by another one of the original four. There are a few that looked at the meet like a drinking fest and the liability that presents to the organizers is more than I need. Since that time I grew tired of the blow hards and the big heads in the Corvette community and I no longer belong to a club. The bad part about that is I miss those good people that were part of the club.

Had more than good luck with Cadillac also, could be you have a bad dealer. My '92 Eldo was flawless for well over 100K but was pre Northstar, the Northstar I had was sick for a DOHC system with 20% less fuel mileage and I didn't have it long. GM would not have stayed around for over 100 years if they built cars as badly as you say.

Describe many? What % would that be of the hundreds of thousands that own and drive Corvettes?

Didn't read any of his posts after he went to pick it up. Way to self centered and child like. Just to set it straight the hood most likely was not miss matched but the bumper cover can be. Looking down over the fenders it is hard to see but from the front the difference in the perceived color jump out at you. The bumper covers, front and rear are painted separate off the rest of the car. I would bet you in the right light that if you look at the side where the front fender meets the front bumper cover between the marker light and the headlight you will still see the color difference. It isn't a different color just the pigments laying in a different angle that will not be picked up by a spectrograph. If he paid anywhere near 90 he's a bigger fool than I thought.

So you believe that the wheel alignment was out but still within specification (?), get real. He wanted a free alignment to set it to what he wanted, read what the Corvette alignment is and why it is not for just road or track use. It's is a compromise setting to cover many driving styles. Yes, if you know it is a road car versus a track car it can be aligned to handle better and get better tire wear. If you read all of the BS about alignment you'll see my 2 cents thrown in there, it goes way back and includes the C5. He stated the Z06 was different than the base Corvette, I said it was not and pointed out the specs in the manual. His reply was that he didn't have the manual with him because he was on the road. In other words he shot from the hip and was wrong.

There still are small town GM dealers that do right by their customers if GM will let them.

Reply to
Dad

At risk of being a contrarian, I want to offer the comments that:

  1. I think the new C7 convertible is quite stunning, more attractive to my way of thinking than the coupe. I owned a Corvette going back to the
1960s Stingray so I am not new to these cars.

  1. My C6 and C5 convertibles were both from the first model year, and each has been a delight to own, especially in the reliability department.

  2. I am a graduate electrical engineer and a fussy owner. The people at GM have done great engineering on these cars and they are very much world class.

  1. Despite all the grousing and negativity, the forum messages still convey the passion and appreciation some of us / most of us have for seeing not only GM still alive but best of all Corvette still alive and making a strong comeback after a very tough period.

Smarty ___________

Maybe you new here? Vito's a troll from the Antonin Scalia school of "Did it make you mad that I said that?" Followed by "OK, did it make you mad I said THAT?!?" Followed by, "OK THEN, does it make you mad if I say THIS??!?!!?"

Dad throws his crap right back at him, but that doesn't matter to trolls. It only matters they get to flick somebody's nose. Vito hates GM and there's no earthly reason for him to be here other than he craves attention.

AJM '93 40th Anniversary coupe, 6 sp , both tops (currently under cover hooked to a trickle charger)

Reply to
CardsFan

Well said and must agree the convertible looks much better. Still wonder what happened to all those ugly waste chutes and vents? Not sure I agree with the strong come back but in this case I hope you're the one that is right. We have no idea how much the sales are being manipulated like the massive sale to the government and fleet sales.

I have one convertible now and won't need another one for no other reason than my health, spent way to much time with the top down in the early sixties even after I moved to Michigan. Major damage to the bursae in may shoulders and even got Bells palsy (bad shit) for awhile before I put the top up for good. Plus, and this is the main reason, since 1992 I have put close to 300,000 miles on 4 different Corvette coupes. Very close to 100,000 miles just to see my son and his family down south in all kinds of weather including 8" of snow in the Smokies. Drove a new, (300 miles on it at start)

2004 from home to Portland Or. and turned around and drove it to Charleston S.C. Later that year we when from Wawa Canada to Miami Fl. The convertible is too easy to steal of rob with its soft top. Bothers me to let my '64 set at a motel over night plus I used to forget to release the hydraulic brake lock.

Right now I could use an automatic (knees click more than a 30/30 cam/tappets) and would enjoy continuing the ownership of the generations. Me thinks I'm running out of time, retired 11 years now, and money is getting a bit more use to keep healthy, stareing 80 in its ugly face.

Reply to
Dad

My father had a 2000 SLS. Great looking car. Had the Northstar problem of needing new piston rings. Dealer did that for him. He crashed the car but then mistakenly told the dealer that was doing the repairing that he was considering a newer Cadillac. I think that added a month to the repair. Dealer figured the longer it too, the more likely my father was to get a new one. His wife began driving the car after he became too old to drive. Had a water leak (not GM's fault here, but my father's version of auto maintenance: just ignore any issues). His wife accidently put the water in the engine oil filler hole and that was all she wrote. Engine self destructed before she could get out of the driveway.

At least 3 I just mentioned in my car club. Our club only has about 100 members. That is a fairly high percentage of more than minor problems

Hib never said what the car cost, but it is too much for those problems that he had

Actually in his thread, he said that the carbon fiber hood was bonded to the inner hood piece and that the assembly could not take the cure heat used in the painting process for the rest of the car. So a different paint process was used for the hood. That was the reason for the color difference, at least according to GM. I also agree with you about the bumpers. Flex additive added to the paint there along with being painted separately would explain bumper color differences.

Could be, but the adjustment was not the same on the right and left sides as delivered from the factory. Should have at least been the same. You would think.

Reply to
uncle_vito

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