Is quality control still bad at GM?

James, GM is not unlike many other large companies who sometimes lose touch with their customers. Marketshare only tells part of the story because marketshare swings both ways over time. Results over time is the true test. As you are aware, segment marketshare can be impacted significantly by a hot, inexpensive new product from either a new or established competitor. Tiburon comes to mind, having negatively impacted the Sunfire and Cavalier lines. So GM has to meet the challenge or lose marketshare. Marketshare changes every year for the major companies, sometimes up and sometimes down. GM has been high overall in marketshare for many years, so it could be argued that they only have one way to go. The influx of inexpensive Korean imports could be a temporary phenomenon or it could be permanent. Only time will tell. GM didn't get where it is by not listening to its customers and by not watching changing markets.

The '67 Goat was always one of my favorites, but I couldn't afford the insurance back then! *lol* Did yours have the 389? My Z06 is an '03. It's a fun car in its own way, but the '67 is my favourite to drive around town or even a few hundred miles to a good car show, such as Super Chevy. Performance-wise the '67 can't touch the Z06 though.

Ha, Ha! Yep, I could tell!

Sounds like you and the wife had a great trip! You covered two of my favourite states.

I'd be willing to bet that GM is listening. Hell, how do you know that I'm not Bob Lutz? The auto industry is dynamic and ever changing. I'd be willing to bet that GM will outlive us both.

Okay, 99.999999%! Whoever said that I'm not flexible?

others...overall

Geez, we may be on the same wavelength after all! Scary, isn't it?

| > Nice wheels! Loved my '67 GTO when I had it (back in the early '70s). | > Drove that puppy for 160,000+ miles! I also enjoyed learning to drive in | my | > mother's '69 Impala Custom Coupe too (350 4bbl). What year is your Z06? | | The '67 Goat was always one of my favorites, but I couldn't afford the | insurance back then! *lol* Did yours have the 389? My Z06 is an '03. It's a | fun car in its own way, but the '67 is my favourite to drive around town or | even a few hundred miles to a good car show, such as Super Chevy. | Performance-wise the '67 can't touch the Z06 though. | >

The GTO is one of my favorites too. My dad had a yellow '65 Malibu SS 327 that wasn't bad either. My "Goat" was red, had the 389 all stock with the Rochester Quadrajet carb. An option was the three deuce carbs that year, but didn't want the constant tuning problems with those. The engine compression tested ~150 on all cylinders (I think close to factory spec, actually) at 140,000 miles...amazing too, I drove it pretty hard! It had the Hurst "duel-gate" auto tranny, the 60's version of today's "auto stick" (is a good comparison). But it had such a low rear end that it would redline at around 100MPH...wish it had overdrive to finish those quarter-mile drag races without having to pull up!!! :-) I can't remember my quarter times but it would hit 60 in just over 6 seconds and the needle just kept climbing from there...if I could keep those ole bias-ply tires from breaking loose! Wasn't worth a damn on rain or snow covered streets though....the engine just had too much torque to keep the wheels from spinning when starting from a stop. I don't remember what my insurance was...but I don't think it was too bad. It did suck a lot of gas though. Ah, the great old times...fast cars, hot girls and cold beer! ;-)

Funny story. In 1960 my dad and his dad (my grandfather) both bought 1960 Impala station wagons. My dad bought the 4bbl V8 engine. But my granddad got the biggest-baddest V8 they made then with the three deuce carbs. I can still see the look on some of the filling station attendants face when they popped the hood to check the oil on my grandfather's station wagon to see that power plant under there. "In a station wagon?" they would question! My granddad surprised many contenders in that puppy! Quite a funny memory! Ah, to get a car built the way you wanted it!!! A lost art, it seems.

| I'd be willing to bet that GM is listening. Hell, how do you | know that I'm not Bob Lutz?

Okay, why have you not answered my letters? ;-)

| The auto industry is dynamic and ever changing. | I'd be willing to bet that GM will outlive us both.

Not sure I'd make that bet at the moment. Five years ago I'd have bet Oldsmobile would be around forever too.

| Geez, we may be on the same wavelength after all! Scary, isn't it?

Na, I knew we were. I just wasn't doing a good job communicating, apparently.

It's funny you mention the 3 deuce option. I swear that there are far more "original" 3 deuce GTO's for sale today, than were actually made! Methinks a few vendors are telling fibs!

A lot of the GTO's ran 411's which were great street racers, but weren't great quarter milers or highway cars for the reason you cited. It would be fun to take one of the the early GTO's and drop a 5 or 6 speed into it. Today's comparable size radials aren't much better than those old bias plys. . My '67 still spins them like they were doughnuts! But at least the radial tires don't permanently flat-spot on me like my old bias plys did.

You got the order just about right too!

In 1960 the biggest baddest engine was a 348 c.i. with 335 horsepower. It had the 3 deuce option. In 1961, the famous 409 c.i. engine was introduced. Here's a link to a pic of a 1960 Impala in an interesting website. Check out the whole website. It's great.

I just did! Ha, ha!

GM is a different story though. The Feds would never let it go down because too many jobs are at stake. They'd resurrect Lee Iacocca! Ha, Ha! Remember, they wouldn't let Chrylser go down either.

Or I may have gotten out of the wrong side of bed!

Maybe the new redesigned 2004 model will be better. Anyone taking bets? One thing I know....I ain't biting!

Nope. GM has the reputation with new model that Microsoft has with software...don't touch a 1.0 release.

Brad

Good advice.... ;-)