'06 Corvette?

Its mine (same VIN). . Took delivery of it from them about 2 weeks ago ; I flew out to Dearborn,Mich and picked it up. Drove it back to northern illinois -- 5.5 hour trip. Everything worked out real well with the purchase, the dealer, and the car. Got it for $4900 off of sticker. Its a 2006 LS2 with Targa top and base (LT1) package. I averaged 26 mpg driving home varying the speed from 60-90 mph most of the trip , as GM recommends. Getting some bolt ons done soon : Dynatech Header/cats/x pipe with Route 66 catback , Hallteck CAI, 160 f stat, and Tune. I also opened up the two end plastic blanks of the frontal lower shroud so ram air can enter the engine bay on each side -- GM should have done this to get some good airflow across the motor.

I love the car and its engineering. Dont like the 1-4 shift but am getting that taken out with the Tune. How do you like yours ? Any problems/recalls, etc ???

Dave

Probably due to front end lift, drag and mileage considerations. But then they're merely automotive engineers with access to windtunnels the like.

IIRC front airflow got 're-engineered' a couple of times after high speed trials in Germany. Effort was to trade-off some top speed drag against improved brake cooling.

There is no LT1 package, look it up.

GM recomends 60-90 miles per hour on the public roads?

But what do they know, right? Plus they offer a suspension brake, and tire package to handle the base engine better and don't let the Z06 out of their sight without a suspension brake, and tire package to handle that HP. Then it hits the public and without regard to the other people on the road they will build the engine to preform way past its design limits, go figure.

Do a search, I've not been bashful about what I've said about the C6, it's the best Corvette yet. That's the way it works, the newer they are then the better they better be.

All four breaks have air ducts but they didn't stick them out front and the side like they did on the rear of the C5 Z06, they're on the underside. May have come from some of that testing as you suggest. I've only had it up to speed once and could not detect any lift, but I was busy right then. That's another reason I would like to see the HUD's G meter and tach as numbers like the speedometer, easier to see at a quick glance.

I saw a documentary

on the Discovery channel last week about the development of the C6 (old news to the group?). At the speed trials in Germany, there was a problem with front end lift with the larger brake cooling vents. They tried smaller vents but the brakes got too hot. I don't know if this is the same thing you're talking about. Tip, '99 C5 coupe

Yup, same story. Read it while waiting for a haircut about a year ago. The game was to keep the front end loaded while keeping the brake temps at/near Vmax below those of Porsche and other German iron.

IIRC, the work was all cut-and-try in Germany (flying prototype parts in from the U.S.) during the drive-off at Nürburgring. This, in contrast to formal tuft-grid or 3-D studies in a wind tunnel. Sometimes it's quicker, easier and less costly for experienced mechanics & metalsmiths to cut-and-try than for a bunch of engineers to screw around in a tunnel.

As Dad says, each one gets better and the "perfect" wind tunnel solution can wait for the C7. (Assuming that GM will still be able to spring for tunnel time.)

There was a great note on CNN regarding Ford. They now have "preferential" parking areas in their employee lots. Drivers of Ford products get the preferred spots. If you work for Ford, buying rice is OK, but you will be relegated to the back row. --- I like it!

Have a great holiday everyone. Fly the flag.

Snip the good stuff

That's Brokeback Mountain you're thinking of, but I didn't know there was a tunnel there.

An old cowboy sat down at the Star bucks and ordered a cup of coffee.

As he sat sipping his coffee, a young woman sat down next to him.

She turned to the cowboy and asked, "Are you a real cowboy?"

He replied, "Well, I've spent my whole life breaking colts, working cows, going to rodeos, fixing fences, pulling calves,bailing hay, doctoring calves, cleaning my barn, fixing flats, working on tractors, and feeding my dogs, so I guess I am a cowboy."

She said, "I'm a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about women. As soon as I get up in the morning, I think about women. When I shower, I think about women. When I watch TV, I think about women. I even think about women when I eat. It seems that everything makes me think of women."

The two sat sipping in silence.

A little while later, a man sat down on the other side of the old cowboy and asked, "Are you a real cowboy?"

He replied, "I always thought I was, but I just found out that I'm a lesbian."

You should see the multi intrest groups endevor in the wind tunnel/tersting facility being built down by BMW in Greer SC. I don't remember all of the details right now but it is said that NASCAR will be using it as well as some of the major car manufactures. May also have some of the pointy heads from the higher learning facilities down that way using it if they can get Bubba to show them how.

Not new for Fold, oops, Ford to do that, it was that way in the sixties. When ever we had a Rep. go in there we made darn sure he was driving a Ford. Chrysler did the same thing at some of their plants as well as GM.

I thought it was keep it under 60 and vary the speed, maybe an RPM restriction too, for the first 500 miles.

This to break in the gears in the tranny and rear end. Maybe no hard braking too.

You got the brakes part backwards.... With new pads and rotors you want to do a series of very very hard stops from 50-60mph to stop, with time for them to cool between. This will deposit a layer of pad material on the rotors, creating a proper co-efficient of friction material... That way you won't suffer from weak braking in the wet, and shorter stopping distance in the dry...

Babying the brakes during break-in and you will have terrible terrible brakes in the wet, and so so brakes in the dry.

Owners manual sez...........

Starting and Operating Your Vehicle New Vehicle Break-In Notice: Your vehicle does not need an elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if you follow these guidelines: ? Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or less for the first 500 miles (805 km). ? Do not drive at any one constant speed, fast or slow, for the first 500 miles (805 km). Do not make full-throttle starts. Avoid downshifting to brake, or slow, the vehicle. ? Avoid making hard stops for the first 200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time your new brake linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops with new linings can mean premature wear and earlier replacement. Follow this breaking-in guideline every time you get new brake linings. Following break-in, engine speed and load can be gradually increased.

I tend to think you're both right here. Aside from drive train concerns, some 'fast start/hard stop' counsel for the first 50 miles is aimed at letting tire beads settle. I agree with several conditioning stops from

50 mph to condition brake pucks--that was even standard in the drum-shoe days. A cool down after each stop is in the cards as well. For a Corvette, I consider a "hard stop" to be from something over 85 mph.