Corvette

963 saw the introduction of the new Sting Ray! The all-new Corvette was shouted from the rooftops by Chevrolet, and rightly so! This would be the only year for the split rear window. The 327 cube V8 was still the motivating force.

This 1964 Corvette ad featured a more subdued looking gray Coupe winding up a mountain road, in search of adventure. Could it be Mulholland Drive? 327 power was now rated at 375 horses.

1965: Introduction of the 396 big-block! 

What began as a mere performance package back in 1963, the Corvette Z06 has morphed into a thoroughbred racer for track day warriors and street-loving hooligans alike. After the seventh generation Corvette Stingray debuted this time last year—arguably becoming the best Vette in the brand’s storied history—anticipation for the next track-focused Corvette has been at an all-time high

America’s Sensational Sport Car! Creating a sensation everywhere!

The new First Generation Corvette boasted a 160 hp extra-high compression Blue-Flame engine, teamed with the new Powerglide automatic transmission. No V8 for the Corvette, yet!

Introduced in 1965, the Quadrajet is the only four-barrel carburetor that performed well during the 1960s, through tighter emissions in the 1970s, and lent itself to electronic feedback in the 1980s. The Quadrajet takes advantage of its “spreadbore” design to offer very good fuel economy and outstanding performance. Spreadbore means that it has small primary bores and much larger secondary bores. Most versions have 1-3/8” diameter primaries (very few had 1-7/16” primaries) and all have giant 2-¼” secondaries. During normal driving, the engine operates off the small primaries. Following the laws of physics, the higher the velocity of air through the venturis, the more efficiently you can meter fuel. With the small primaries in this carb you can take a 5,000 pound Cadillac or Olds 98 and achieve 16-17 mpg, which is not bad at all considering the heft of the vehicle. When the driver gets in a hurry however, the huge secondaries open and you can pretty much watch the gas gauge move. The “air valve” type secondary had two controlling features.

The C7 Corvette was introduced in the Fall of 2013, as a 2014 model. It’s the seventh generation Corvette and the first to bear the Corvette Stingray name since the 1976 third generation model. Body styles include both Coupe and Convertible.

The C7 Corvette’s LT1 engine brings several technologies new to the engine line, such as direct injection, Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and continuously variable valve timing. Transmission choices include a 7-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters.

For 58 of its 60 years, the Chevrolet Corvette has been powered by the legendary Chevrolet V8 engine. Technological advancements have increased output threefold – from 195 hp in 1955 to 638 hp today – as well as reliability, refinement and efficiency.

However, the fundamental architecture of the Chevrolet “small block” remains the same today as it was in 1955: a 90-degree V8 with overhead valves actuated by pushrods, and a 4.4-inch on-center bore spacing.

C3 headlights. GM came out with the pop-up headlights in 1968 and had them all the way through to 1982. Owners have had issues with these vacuum driven headlights. As their Corvettes age, the headlights develop problems due to rubber hoses that wear out. The main problem is the hose will crack around the attachment points on the headlight actuators, valves, tank or at the engine. 

If your hood is sitting lower than the fender on one side and higher on the other, or higher in the front and lower in the rear, then there is a solution.  First, you must adjust your hood to bring the highest portion level with the fender. This will cause the lower to be even lower, but this can be resolved by simply purchasing several rubber hood alignment bumpers. Place some masking tape on the fender across to the hood at each low spot so you know where to position these bumpers. 

C3 Corvettes are known for their cooling issues. Yes, you could replace the radiator, but this may not resolve your problem. You can inspect your fan shroud, fan blade, fan clutch and even radiator. All these items can cause problems, but they may not be the problem either. Inspect for good sealing around the radiator support to radiator, radiator to fan shroud seals, make sure the fan clutch is working properly and make certain the radiator is clean inside the vanes. The C3 changed the way you need to think about cooling. 

If your outside door handle cover is sagging, then it’s time for a replacement. This involves removing your inner door panel, removing all the rods and then unbolting the handle from the inside. There is a simpler way to resolve this problem if replacing the handle does not appeal to you; just purchase one of the handle springs. These great little inventions will once again put the handle cover into its proper place and the handle look like new without all the work.