Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

I thought this is broader topic than technical, so I decided to put this to Offtopic instead of General Tech.

The new C8 Corvette is so much different than all previous models. What do you think about it? Opinions?

They decided that C8 Corvette must be different. The engine is no more in front of the driver. The weight distribution is something like 40-60. I don't know the exact numbers, so I'm guessing.

When I look at rear engine cars, most of them look nice, but I also think about two things: How would that car behave on a slippery road due to weight distribution? What if a head-on collision happens and the engine is behind you?

I have my doubts but time will tell.

Anyway, I suppose the new Corvette drives just fine. It may be even superior compared to all previous models.

But I have one more doubt.

There are race cars and there are other sports cars. The utility of a race car is such that it is good for racing. Other sports cars are made for other purposes, and racing is not the major thing. So: How about trunk capacity?

Looks pretty cool. Bang for the buck it is going to be hard to beat. I'm sure someone at work will have one soon. Pretty excited to see and hear one in person.

Gimmie a STOCK, '60's, 427 Cobra!

Hard to believe that if I would have known about Cobras back then that I could have bought one instead of my 1st Gen. 350SS/RS Camaro that I still have!

pdq67

Nikolas Ojala wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2019 2:19 pm I thought this is broader topic than technical, so I decided to put this to Offtopic instead of General Tech.

The new C8 Corvette is so much different than all previous models. What do you think about it? Opinions?

It looks really nice, I saw it in real life and it's really a great car. Next to my property in Cyprus here I have a neighbour who wants to buy C8 Corvette by the end of March. Would love to drive with him around and see how this car performs on the road.

As to the engine being in the rear and a safety item, the Volkswagen bug has had the engine in the rear and I do not recall any safety issues with it. Same with the Porsche.

1989TransAm wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2020 12:31 pm As to the engine being in the rear and a safety item, the Volkswagen bug has had the engine in the rear and I do not recall any safety issues with it. Same with the Porsche.

Oh you say!!

Let's go one step farther and look at the 1st Gen. Corvair swing axle car and its safety record..

I went to Jr. College with a guy that had had one earlier AND yes, it jacked on him going not all that fast in a mild curve and flipped!

pdq67

pdq67 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2020 4:19 pm

1989TransAm wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2020 12:31 pm As to the engine being in the rear and a safety item, the Volkswagen bug has had the engine in the rear and I do not recall any safety issues with it. Same with the Porsche.

Oh you say!!

Let's go one step farther and look at the 1st Gen. Corvair swing axle car and its safety record..

I went to Jr. College with a guy that had had one earlier AND yes, it jacked on him going not all that fast in a mild curve and flipped!

pdq67

The swing-axle Renaults were dangerous as well.

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-ar ... ombat.html

But it's funny to me that, "Smokey", won a, "Pikes Peak", run with a 1st Gen. Corvair so go figure.

I think he tied the swing axles down level so they couldn't swing/jack??

pdq67

The balance of the late front engine models ( C5, C6 and C7 ) was a great achievement: 50-50 weight distribution with reduced rear overhang. I thought that such balance was good, and that generally balance between oversteering and understeering is a good thing.

To improve handling, the transmission was relocated to form an integrated, rear-mounted transaxle assembly. Connected to the all-new LS1 engine via a torque tube, the engine/transmission arrangement enabled a 50-50% front-rear weight distribution.

Chevrolet Corvette (C5), Wikipedia.

That perfect balance of 50-50 weight distribution is kind of ideal in usual daily driving on the roads and streets and under variable weather conditions, which means that roads may be slippery sometimes. Normal driving does not include heavy braking before a corner and then again rapid acceleration, but that is exactly what happens repeatedly in races.

Recently I learned that for many years the Corvette folks had wanted to move even more weight on the rear wheels. That is absolutely reasonable if the car is wanted to perform like a credible race car. To be a real sports car it should resemble a race car. Perhaps customers want exactly that. I read that C8 Corvettes sales look excellent already.

What's a restored to OEM spec's, an actual 1966, 1967 350SS/RS Camaro worth?

pdq67

Nikolas Ojala wrote: ↑Sun Oct 13, 2019 11:38 am  
They decided that C8 Corvette must be different. The engine is no more in front of the driver. The weight distribution is something like 40-60. I don't know the exact numbers, so I'm guessing.
 

Oh, by the way:

 
The C8's front/rear weight distribution is 39.4/60.6, with 2,210 pounds on the rear wheels.
 

Found it here: https://www.hotrod.com/articles/zora-ar ... -corvette/