2017 Corvette Grand Sport

[Kchrpm]

I can finally answer the question: now!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dnuuogiY-n0zz5khOhTgsPOdOR8tdx_-XQqLhwNjSVFxGJR_s0yeHdMVPgtJZC1a3liEEdp4ZyiVOZardl kLfxvYuUC9wcf65OngDak4lcgsy5Zd_sf7f99xmQVKoyIJWTdJ eymvKgiCLySRF8JN6J8A=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
Torch Red, 7-speed Manual, 2LT, HUD, Navigation/PDR, black badges and wheels

<27k miles right now

Crazy to think about.

[Cam]

Hawt. :cool:

[Jason]

Holy shit, congrats man

[dodint]

Six to midnight right now.

Congrats, sincerely.

[Godson]

Fucking happy for you.

In my opinion, You own the holy grail of the Corvette.

[Leon]

It happened!!

[FaultyMario]

woot!

[Yw-slayer]

Congrats, bro!!! So happy for you!!! Jealous, too...

[Rare White Ape]

Here's me bagging you out recently saying you'd never buy one. So I take full credit :p

Congrats man, this is the best news of the last 100 years.

[Kchrpm]

The credit really goes to buying a foreclosed condo 12 years ago and raising property values.

[JoshInKC]

All-fucking-right! Congrats on closing out the Keith Wants to Buy a Corvette saga, which we've been watching for 20-odd years.
I'm looking forward to the follow-up "Keith Owns and Drives a Corvette"

[Rare White Ape]

And does sick burnouts everywhere.

[Yw-slayer]

The credit really goes to buying a foreclosed condo 12 years ago and raising property values.

Awww yeahh

[Kchrpm]

I did already get it a little sideways on accident making a 90 degree left from a stop to get onto an onramp.

[Fiat500]

Awesome!

[Sad, little man]

Sweet. When is the body shop appointment to get it resprayed orange and black? :cool:

[Kchrpm]

If I did anything, it would be a wrap like this:

https://i.redd.it/iyy3dld2g9431.jpg

[Sad, little man]

Wow they can do that in a wrap? Interesting.

[Rare White Ape]

Beware, wraps look terrible if they aren't done right. Seen a few on my neck of the woods on your bread-and-butter Japanese drift hacks and... uggggh.

[XHawkeye]

:up: :up: I'm jealous.

[Jason]

I did already get it a little sideways on accident making a 90 degree left from a stop to get onto an onramp.

Please don’t wreck it before your first car payment like someone else :|

[Kchrpm]

Beware, wraps look terrible if they aren't done right. Seen a few on my neck of the woods on your bread-and-butter Japanese drift hacks and... uggggh.

It's not a serious consideration, the red is very nice.

Jason -
I'm driving it very gingerly, this was one of those "I'll accelerate a little faster from a stop to easily clear these cars" and it just stepped out for a split second, and didn't rotate past the direction I was trying to go. But yeah, since then I'm just more cautious making tight turns from a stop and often waiting for a larger opening.

An interesting thing I'm noticing: because of the rolling resistance, engine braking, and digital speedometer, it feels more difficult to maintain a constant speed on the highway w/o cruise control.

Also, I'm still working on consistently getting into fifth gear. But I haven't even gone through a quarter tank yet, so I think that's reasonable.

I was looking into updating the maps, and it requires buying a USB stick with the new info for $100+ and letting the car idle for 50 minutes while it updates. Unless it becomes an issue, I'll likely stick with my old maps supplemented with Android Auto (I still prefer using the car's navigation because of the directions being displayed in the HUD and dash).

[2ndMoparMan]

Saw this on Twitter last night. Good on you, man!

[dodint]

An interesting thing I'm noticing: because of the rolling resistance, engine braking, and digital speedometer, it feels more difficult to maintain a constant speed on the highway w/o cruise control.


The M6 is like this in 1-4 for sure; if you're not on it, the speed comes right back down.

[GreatScawt]

So awesome dude. :up: :up:
And so damn happy for you! A friggin' Grand Sport!!

[Ashie]

As I said before, so happy for you friend. Well deserved!

[sandydandy]

Seriously awesome, and in a way an inspiration to the rest of us that dreams do come true.

[Rare White Ape]

So…

How are you going to fit this new one into the lounge room to display next to your scale model Corvettes?

[Kchrpm]

Not until I get the house from Speed Racer where the garage and living room are combined. Currently the garage and the rest of the house are on different levels.

[Kchrpm]

Seriously awesome, and in a way an inspiration to the rest of us that dreams do come true.

Dreams do come true, but they also become real. I'm going to be spending a large amount of money every month for 5 years for something that will spend 99% of its time effectively invisible to me. It is a depreciating asset which does not fix any major issues more effectively than a vehicle I could have bought outright with the down payment.

It is proof that I got this far in life and couldn't think of anything better to commit to spend more than a year's worth of net salary on than a bright red toy for myself, rather than child care, education, and trips for the family I don't have and likely never will at this point.

[sandydandy]

Well they say life is a series of trade offs, but there’s really no rule that says you can’t have those other things you mentioned AND the Corvette.

(But yeah do try to avoid child care...which I assume you mean is child support).

[Kchrpm]

But yeah do try to avoid child care...which I assume you mean is child support).
No, I meant paying for someone to watch the theoretical kids while the theoretical wife and I are working. I've heard it's very expensive and only going to get worse when minimum wage increases unless there's some other help for it in the legislation.

[sandydandy]

Oh ok that makes sense.

[Crazed_Insanity]

This thing is going raise the interest levels of lots of chicks. With great horse power comes great responsibility. I hope you've learned a bit of the System from Doc Love. Make sure you only pick chicks with sufficient integrity, flexibility as your future wife. Don't get a wife who loves you because of this Vette! Be selective, okay? :p

Man, I'm so happy for you! :D

[samoht]

Wow! I'm really happy for you man, saw all the trials and tribulations, fantastic that you've been able to get behind the wheel, not only of your own Corvette, but one of the best models of Vette too! Fantastic, hope you have lots of fun with it.

[balki]

No. Fucking. Way.

Awesome!
Congratulations.

[drew]

:up:

[Dicknose]

Well done - now enjoy it

[Kchrpm]

When shopping for the car I saw the Michelin logo on the tires and didn't check any further (reading freshly cleaned tire sidewalls in overcast weather is HARD), and I just assumed they were the OEM tires. I was wrong. It has Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tires on it, so I don't need to worry about them on cold mornings. I will still likely get winter tires for it, but I may wait until December to do so rather than needing to look for them in the fall.

Also: more pictures!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dlenQVca68U692vKAKX9Ku-rYxo3bqlVdT2zCBPAXGECnhc-QonVBSZLLP4sZtTemWUCriOBuyhgxeb3XdyxihOHHe3dR6lXFI WZ1g-qDC7uaP98b1XIUAxbLVUwYUwuPKLsoal29-BTVO1KzIFwMXtw=w1920-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dJPbxO5Rv9Eiceu1Bon9ao2v8hAUTxMSTwODt3NHp6jVmedza AXjzPKCThp-Vn1Y1c379ShdbFQ74l6vigkYR5MgQjQdOfVKjATr0JIw_JjaFe jq8Bu-qoZiawnzH-KU1XHeyXLJRA6hqubJ0JWNXH8w=w1920-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cGZrZdGW17v_oaQTdIFk3Cm9Hn-uuaALz4wJvsZpRs4I-ujC0jWyktbtM0SWYyWX2bKZYz9N-pwgD9CHgYfMkoMs5v3ux42AI-oKQrLFlwXwXApLTOJZgvdvkFi1lX9IPXwoZDAoJwk-DVbv2y3FNYGw=w1920-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ffdxpg6hpuBicsiBoWMb808sx8vvgUpJhp26r712rNImEByl_ h0IdYxW8XGIrXVJrLankWKhkGCT6wB0hLHFvu7SfkcT908N42S i2W1Trp_5W9y4BlSFo1P7Ps5RuEzIHMD-5Eikyq1h0WDv4OSOJxOw=h1920-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cEYUDu3r29__7FG3IceT5bkXCKtow67dchxHD1BYO4PiN5V1u gdvkiq8Wku1zJZi7Rb5soCK0hY0-m-e3DhqgbXKeIXBL9D-wB3tndSxRbDP_hUGNcnI50q40vik1apM9Z15Mn1hnXCYjh2GyR qtQBwg=w1920-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dK2TrB3TtggLIC2n1b2AipqeRUbAY4B8qvU1pjZEu87wwqWYw tQTDSQckkgBESLwmGz4Xlr5fNHdSTJ37ksSEouFCzHfmRzFuA6 xN8ElfwrcFrjyS4OGE4AGoFESHrFxeJdqRdxRi5yFc9nDhAaGu Yug=w1920-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eZ1bxYLa44f6ReWDogb4OAZf5jyRNqeZQFOljYy6M04qIJA8p IABCEBghNWBUWah15bh_MYUU00Zk2TirBgKJN-77zp7zzy1NZi6qmCHnLvpy0-3uJsYg2bAcK6r21-Nj91247_Amd_km-WP4k3MSvcw=w1920-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eCLb7xdSb4BAw1CF7kjFDZBZbRHjlGT77GucmMq32JcvVvmfy rRagqbDRxjD7L99nh_bq6fgq3mtU9FlFPai8fXxwMpZv-e0BHTObe0Ajx5j24HJiUBLuP-qa4xBzcZrBg04Gr_uM7A5UDUr5BGjfLOw=w1920-no?authuser=0

[FaultyMario]

Sorry to be so nosy, but you have garage space for 2 cars?

[Kchrpm]

Yep, there are two cars in there currently.

[FaultyMario]

I remember you owned a house but in another post you mentioned something to the effect of the levels of your residence, that I thought that you had moved to an apartment.

[Crazed_Insanity]

After getting a closer look at your car, I was reminded of seeing articles about certain model corvettes have tendency to bend or crack rims... your wheel doesn’t quite look exactly like the ones in the article, or maybe they do? Anyway, probably should check it out with the dealer just to be safe.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/04/new-lawsuit-filed-over-cracked-wheels-on-c7-corvette-grand-sport-z06/amp/

[Kchrpm]

I live in a condo, but picture a townhouse rather than an apartment. There are 3 levels: basement/garage, living space, bedrooms.

And yes, my wheels are part of that issue. They do not get fixed under warranty (hence the lawsuit, which GM won by claiming the wheels are poorly designed, not poorly manufactured, and only manufacturing mistakes are covered by the warranty), so unless they're affecting the behavior of the car there's not really reason to inspect/replace them.

[Dicknose]

Id get some better tyres when these wear out. Esp if you are getting winter tyres, then get some stickier summer ones as well.

[JoshInKC]

[...] which GM won by claiming the wheels are poorly designed, not poorly manufactured, and only manufacturing mistakes are covered by the warranty)
I was unaware of this, and it is hilarious. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

[Kchrpm]

Id get some better tyres when these wear out. Esp if you are getting winter tyres, then get some stickier summer ones as well.

We'll see. Stickier vs getting to use them for another two to three months of the year where the temps go from 20 to 50 throughout the day but there's no heavy snow. Cost and availability will also be major factors, since my sizes are not commonly used/made.

Edit: For example, Tire Rack has only two tires in the Max Performance Summer category which fit my car: $1400 for Continentals whose rears are currently back-ordered, and $1960 for Michelins whose rears would not be delivered for more than a month. The Michelin (Ultra High Performance) All-Seasons are $1480 and the rears are also a month to deliver.

The only other options for summer are noted as being focused on track/competition use or giving up tread life and comfort for dry grip.

[Rare White Ape]

Oh god it's so hot. You must walk out of your house and spring a huge boner.

Smile. I mean, you walk out of your house and spring a huge smile.

I mean, I am literally feeling that emotion when I'd see my Tuono parked looking all cool and stuff.

[Crazed_Insanity]

I was unaware of this, and it is hilarious. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
I could not believe such a defense is even possible either...

Boeing could’ve just admit to design flaw of 737 max and be off the hook?

Anyway, just stay away from potholes and take it east over speed bumps...

[Kchrpm]

Drove the car up to my parents house to give my mom a ride (she approves and was able to get in and out without assistance!), and bring my dad back to his (freshly washed, vacuumed and fueled) car at my house. We caught up, listened to the Ohio Players (whom he went to high school with), marveled at all the people flying by us as we did 5 over, got my first Corvette owner wave from another brother driving a red C6, and even randomly saw my actual brother, who was on the highway driving to work and caught up to us and honked.

Averaged about 28 mpg going up there doing mostly 70 mph, and dad marveled at how smooth it rode compared to his Corvette back in the 70s.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Wow, the best my S2000 could do is about 28mpg. VTEC sucks! Or corvette rocks!

[Rare White Ape]

I never knew your dad owned one! What kinda Vette did he have?

[Kchrpm]

A new one in the mid-70s, I forget the exact year. It was the worst of all circumstances, though: a big block with new smog preventing hardware choking it, and it was a lemon before there were lemon laws, so he didn't get a chance to enjoy it a ton.

[Rare White Ape]

Aww that's good and bad. Imagine if he still owned it?

[Godson]

Wow, the best my S2000 could do is about 28mpg. VTEC sucks! Or corvette rocks!

I pulled 31 averaging 90 once from Oklahoma city to KC

[Crazed_Insanity]

What?!?!

Corvettes must be way more aerodynamic then... plus maybe if Honda could add one more gear...

S2000 is already doing 4000+ rpm in final 6th gear at 75 mph. Maybe a 7th gear will help match yours... but then again maybe my puny engine just won’t have enough torque to cruise like yours... I get what I pay for I guess... :p

[George]

Congratulations! Very cool. :up:

You can now change your tagline to Corvette Owner.

Or how about Corvette Connoisseur?

Corvette Collector...

[Phil_SS]

Corvette Sommelier

[Kchrpm]

As I live my life with my dream car, I now better understand why people become obsessed dorks about them and do all kinds of mods, from tiny things to ugly things to outrageous things. In few avenues of life can you fully own, control, and display your choice and freedom to enact those choices. When you feel quiet and powerless in some other avenue of life, go ahead, buy that Borla exhaust. Feel like you can't stop things from attacking you? Get a clear bra and ceramic coating! Feeling like you're no different than every other overweight middle-aged guy at the bar? A billet grill will make you special!

You just want to focus on the Corvette and all the things you can do to and with it so you don't have to think about all the elements of your life that aren't what you want them to be and you have little to no immediate control over.

[dodint]

Reading your musings on this reminds me of the difference between having a fun car and having a dream car. I've had tons of fun cars, but you sound the way I did when I had my Delorean. I didn't refer to that as ownership, but rather enjoying a stewardship. Not saying the experiences are the same, more likely just congruent. You're making the same sounds, for sure.

[Kchrpm]

To be fair, I still love driving the car and haven't felt any real negatives of it. I enjoy the conversations that I have with people so far, and it makes every trip better. I just end up wanting to go for a drive somewhere, anywhere, to bask in it rather than think about everything in my life that could be as good as it.

[TheBenior]

I got some of that with my Miata and my current GTI. A fair bit of it was guys reminiscing about their old Triumph, MG, or Alfa Spider that the Miata reminded them of, and Rabbit/Golf GTI in the case of my GTI, of course.

[Crazed_Insanity]

I felt the same way when I got my S2000.

Except I’m cheap and didn’t want to modify anything. Mostly to keep my factory warranty intact. :p

Later on I bought a set of decent looking cheap rims and tires so that the rubbers could be more durable as my daily commute... plan was to use factory rims with racing tires for tracking, but marriage really left me with no money and no time... ;)

In retrospect, I probably should’ve bought an investment property. I would be a lot richer now..., but if I had to do all over again, I’d still buy my S2k! :p

It is still giving me pleasure while driving it after 19 freaking years!!!!

[Kchrpm]

That's the experience I hope to have here, a vehicle that I can buy once and enjoy for a long time into the future. I'm really glad that I waited and bought a really nice Corvette, with a ride and features that make it a joy to drive every time, vs just getting something sleek and fast that was worse at being a normal car.

[Rare White Ape]

I know that feeling Keef. I’m happy for you :up:

[Crazed_Insanity]

That's the experience I hope to have here, a vehicle that I can buy once and enjoy for a long time into the future. I'm really glad that I waited and bought a really nice Corvette, with a ride and features that make it a joy to drive every time, vs just getting something sleek and fast that was worse at being a normal car.

Yeah, I'm sure you will. I'm not a huge Corvette fan, but I think even I could easily enjoy driving your car... :p I still can't believe you can get better MPG than my car!!! Your dream car can definitely do 'normal' amazingly well!

The only thing I'd do is to once again get new rims and then safely store the 'poorly designed' factory rims in the garage so that I won't ever damage it by accidentally running over a pothole...

Anyway, enjoy while you're young! If you become a president like Biden in the future, secret service won't let you drive your Vette anymore! :p

[Kchrpm]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eqBtPY9jj59C4R4kzeHPHy_ClkCOlHRJwaXIPntm3tYbST6JW 6HpxX-Igf8bN96jdz6ASOsbFueaBZIr5EGs9zRqanSWvRCc2f7Ph_fAj ZV0deTe2iHVZvEGbltoV2hKCHNvkEbjo5gES4oJR8WVZ-ug=w1920-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dNuNH1c3F15IyM4jp6AnyRv9C3Bwf9UkKVJrMlrH9uUrwgfSf QKC_ZChWN2SBVqwAQwYYvndDk8o1PCJbEL21ERISzD9eyHN7hn GFiX0R4MVL-RaNOUKEnE37T4vs6SkeOd0eYEnGUMz6Mqm8fi4WZ3g=w1920-no?authuser=0

[Rare White Ape]

Stop I can only get so hard

[Crazed_Insanity]

My, my, very nice chevy blossom tree!

[Kchrpm]

RE: summer vs all-season tires, tomorrow, April 1st, the *high* temperature is 40 degrees Fahrenheit. AKA the temperature underneath which summer tires, officially, are considered dangerous.

[dodint]

I drive Supercar 3s year round in an older car with more horsepower on roads covering more extreme terrain with no issues.

Sack up, son.

[Rare White Ape]

Drive harder and lower your pressures. You'll soon build tyre temps enough to set fast lap times.

[Kchrpm]

I'm just going by the official numbers!

[dodint]

;)

I was obviously (I hope) being facetious, I know the all-seasons were a happy accident for you but it's cool that you've had a sustained run of good luck. :up:

The SC3s do surprisingly well in freezing temps. Nothing like the BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2s that I had on the E36. Those felt like driving steamroller wheels when it got cold.

[Kchrpm]

There were actually stories about the Z07 Cup tires being cracked upon delivery because they spent too much time in freezing temps while being transported or something.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/03/michelin-issues-statement-after-corvette-owners-complain-of-cracked-tires/#:~:text=More%20than%20one%20Corvette%20Forum,with %20cracks%20in%20its%20tires.&text=A%20Michelin%20rep%20has%20now,from%20appeari ng%20in%20their%20tires.

[TheBenior]

I'd imagine that those were the Pilot Sport Cup 2, which are street legal, but that's just a street class cheater thing.

Michelin does say this about the PS4S (C8 summer tire option and what I have on the GTI):


Note: Tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle.
Flexing of the specialized rubber compounds used in Max Performance Summer tires during cold-weather use can result in irreversible compound cracking. Compound cracking is not a warrantable condition because it occurs as the result of improper use or storage, tires exhibiting compound cracking must be replaced.

So far, I've been fine driving about when it dips to 39F at night, and they seem less squirrely than my Mazdaspeed's Bridgestone RE050A and replacement S04s. If it's actually getting below freezing or cold and wet, I'll just take the CX-5 to work.

[GB]

Just curious, any plans for track days sometime in the future? I realize the cost of tires could be a downer. And possible stone chips. And blown motors.

Nothing wrong with sticking to cruise-ins, now that I think about it.

[Kchrpm]

I'm considering going to the National Corvette Museum Bash and doing touring laps, that's more my speed, literally and figuratively, than a normal track day.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Yeah, if I own a car like yours..., I'm not sure if I'd take it to the track either... I'd really want to, but also really afraid to... such an unbearable dilemma...

That's why I'd never want to own a car like yours! :p (Unless I become filthy rich and have plenty of money to buy another one if necessary...)

[Godson]

Yeah, if I own a car like yours..., I'm not sure if I'd take it to the track either... I'd really want to, but also really afraid to... such an unbearable dilemma...

That's why I'd never want to own a car like yours! :p (Unless I become filthy rich and have plenty of money to buy another one if necessary...)

There is such a thing as Track Insurance ...

[dodint]

Yup, even for Time Trials I generally buy a policy. I know more than one person that has received a prompt, fat check shortly after their bad day at the track.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Yeah, yeah, but you’re asking a financially constrained cheap dude to shell out more money to solve that dilemma?

That’s why I’d just admire that car from a safe distance! ;)

I saw a guy who crashed his viper on Fontana speedway turn 1 wall...

If that were my car, even if I got a big fat check, I’d still cry!

[Kchrpm]

I'm hosting a big trivia show next Friday, so I confirmed that I can get my old, big trivia gear into the trunk safely. I can't use any of my storage pieces, so it will be inconvenient to carry, but it does fit, and the car came with some fabric covers/tie-downs that should keep it all in place. I have a big piece of foam for my own piece of mind as well.

Speaking of hosting, I had a nice drive home from subbing at a show tonight. It just feels great to drive the car. Going through the gears, accelerating however fast I want, doddling around just above the speed limit, it all just feels great. I might take the show just for the drive.

The Bluetooth didn't want to participate after one of my stops today, but plugging in and switching to Android Auto/USB audio worked as a temporary fix. Deleting the connection on both devices and then reconnecting them will hopefully be more permanent.

[Dicknose]

There is such a thing as Track Insurance ...

I looked it up - would cost me approx $20k a day!!
And still have a decent excess of $10k
Ive done enough track days that it would cover the cost of my car several times over.

My "normal" insurance is $1k a year.

[dodint]

:lol:

It was like $400 for two drivers for the FoST at VIR for two days.

[Kchrpm]

Random fact: there are a lot of mechanical sounds that come from the rear of the car, things adjusting and fluid flowing it seems, because of all the cooling and adjusting I guess. I accept/assume that all of it is normal.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Sounds interesting... I'm assuming that's the sound of your magnetic ride control system kicking in?

How quiet is your car... or how loud is this mechanical sound?

I can only hear wind buffeting and engine sounds in my S2000. :p

[dodint]

Random fact: there are a lot of mechanical sounds that come from the rear of the car, things adjusting and fluid flowing it seems, because of all the cooling and adjusting I guess. I accept/assume that all of it is normal.

Hamster wheel and such.

[Kchrpm]

Sounds interesting... I'm assuming that's the sound of your magnetic ride control system kicking in?

How quiet is your car... or how loud is this mechanical sound?

I can only hear wind buffeting and engine sounds in my S2000. :p

That's all electric, I think it's more likely to be cooling or lubricant stuff getting moved around.

It is not a quiet car inside, though.

[Crazed_Insanity]

That's really weird. What needs to be actively cooled or lubricated back there?

Suspensions actively compensating for something makes more sense...

Anyway, you're the only dude with the car. Please find out and report back to us! Inquiring minds need to know! :p

[CudaMan]

There's a lot of stuff back there. Transmission, eLSD, coolers, etc.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DloivJfUcAAH1Ua.jpg

[dodint]

They're naked!

[Crazed_Insanity]

:D

So hot! No wonder they need extra cooling...

[Kchrpm]

Went for a drive with a few friends, one with me, one in a Miata, and another in a Cayman. Nice twisty roads that were mostly 55 MPH speed limit, with me in the back so I had some opportunities to "catch up quickly" after stop signs or left turns. Even took the top off since it was beautiful out.

[Rare White Ape]

You took your top off? I hope your moobs didn’t startle any onlookers.

[Crazed_Insanity]

:lol:

Hot car with a hot driver, top less is the only way to go! ;)

[Kchrpm]

You took your top off? I hope your moobs didn’t startle any onlookers.

No more than your near dead corpse lying on the side of the road.

[Godson]

No more than your near dead corpse lying on the side of the road.

I feel partially targeted here....

[Rare White Ape]

My moobs were definitely out in my instance. I even distinctly remember asking the paramedics to get my wang out before they wheeled me into the ambulance.

[neanderthal]

I can finally answer the question: now!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dnuuogiY-n0zz5khOhTgsPOdOR8tdx_-XQqLhwNjSVFxGJR_s0yeHdMVPgtJZC1a3liEEdp4ZyiVOZardl kLfxvYuUC9wcf65OngDak4lcgsy5Zd_sf7f99xmQVKoyIJWTdJ eymvKgiCLySRF8JN6J8A=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
Torch Red, 7-speed Manual, 2LT, HUD, Navigation/PDR, black badges and wheels

<27k miles right now

Crazy to think about.

How did I miss this. Keef!!! My brother. Congratuswearwordlations. I'm so happy for you. And you got he best one!!!!

Reading your posts about driving it and how you feel about it made my cold dark heart smile. :eek::cool:

[George]

Even took the top off since it was beautiful out.

Corvette-clueless me didn't realize you had a removable top. Nice.

I had to consult Google to see just what comes off.

https://www.newcartestdrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017-corvette-600x400.jpg

[Kchrpm]

Yeah, all the C7 coupes have a removable roof. It's really light, but big/awkward enough to need two people to do it easily. And it latches into the trunk.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Google couldn't find any of Kchrpm's manboobs? Too bad. We'll just have to settle with the car...

[JoshInKC]

Yeah, all the C7 coupes have a removable roof. It's really light, but big/awkward enough to need two people to do it easily. And it latches into the trunk.

That seems to be a running theme with manually removable hardtops.
So I say...




BRING BACK T-TOPS!

[George]

I'd sign that petition!

https://mobile.corvettestory.com/images/corvette-images-mobile/Corvette-T-Top-brochure-illustration-2_a.jpg

[JoshInKC]

Stupid t-tops :p
I'm not sure I've ever seen an unrestored car with them that didn't leak in less than like 5 years.

[George]

Here's an article at Hemmings.com about the history of T-tops (https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2020/08/20/t-time-a-look-back-at-the-history-of-t-tops).

https://img.hmn.com/900x0/stories/2020/08/10120217/tasco_overhead.jpg

Also, I was thinking that Keith really needs a red turtleneck to match his 'vette like the guy pictured above with the yellow car and matching shirt.

[Kchrpm]

Also, I was thinking that Keith really needs a red turtleneck to match his 'vette like the guy pictured above with the yellow car and matching shirt.
Honestly...I kind of love that idea.

[JoshInKC]

Upvote

[JoshInKC]

Here's an article at Hemmings.com about the history of T-tops (https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2020/08/20/t-time-a-look-back-at-the-history-of-t-tops).
I love the '77 Aspen ad in that article. It feels like every magazine advertisement I saw through about 1984.

[Kchrpm]

Bought my car corral pass ticket for IMSA at Mid-Ohio next month, which includes a parade lap of the track. When I did the official car corral stuff there with the Mazdas, I got some cool additional access. That will probably be lessened because of COVID protocols, but there will at least be lunch and access to the "private lounge under the Super Pavilion" (no idea what that is).

I will probably be a bit giddy to be in the Corvette Corral :)

[Rare White Ape]

That's cool Keith :up:

[Crazed_Insanity]

Man, you are living la vida loca ahora!

[Rare White Ape]

Just announced:

https://images.brickset.com/sets/large/76903-1.jpg?202101121052

[Kchrpm]

Left rear tire started leaking and some vibration after I couldn't avoid some poorly patched pavement on I75 because of traffic. Overfilled it a little at home and have an appointment to see if the earliest opening place tomorrow that might have the necessary hardware. We'll see. If I have to get two new rears, it might be a struggle to find them in stock. It actually seems the summer tires are easier to come by right now, so my hand might be forced.

Of course, if the wheel is cracked, then...yeah.

[Kchrpm]

And it's the wheel! Yay! :-/

[Rare White Ape]

Ahh poo. Hopefully not an expensive fix.

[Crazed_Insanity]

I told you to save them lame flimsy factory wheels and get some cheaper wheels instead... :angry:

Anyway, not really angry at you, but at stupid GM...

[Kchrpm]

Turns out there's a local shop that repairs them for ~$90. I got a new one, and dropped off the old one to get fixed. At some point I should just sell them all and get aftermarket, but considering the problems I don't expect I'd get much for them.

And they're so pretty...

[JoshInKC]

It's very cool that there's a cheap and local solution for you.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Don’t sell the pretty flimsy wheels, keep all your original equipment dude, when it becomes a classic, it should worth a lot more! :)

Anyway, glad to know you found an affordable solution! :up:

[Rare White Ape]

Those low profile tyres don't do much to protect wheels unfortunately. But that's part of the pleasure of owning a really cool car.

I nearly came unstuck on a pothole last year. I was on a busy rural road with a toffy private school just off a side road, so it was full of parents picking up their kids.

I was following a car in the traffic jam at walking speed and noticed the balls end of a giant penis that had been spray painted on the road being slowly revealed from under the car ahead. At the business end was a humongous 2ft wide pothole, but at that point I couldn't see it as it was still under the car in front of me.

I looked down and thought well that's interesting then luckily saw the pothole at the top of the beautifully illustrated shaft with enough time to swerve to the side.

I'd like to thank the artist, otherwise I might have dropped a wheel into it and slightly damaged my bike, which would have been much worse than the crash I did have only a month later.

[dodint]

GM has been sued over these wheels already. Their argument in court was that they're defectively designed, not defectively constructed, so they don't have to replace them under warranty. And the court agreed.
They're unusually prone to breaking, potholes or not.

[George]

Keep your fancy-schmancy alloys in storage for car shows and resale value and run steelies for daily driving. :cool:

https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/gallery/huracan-corvette-miata-and-others-rendered-as-base-models-with-steel-wheels-lol_12.jpg

[Crazed_Insanity]

That’s what I’m talking about! ;)

[samoht]

Sorry about the wheel! At least it could be repaired. If one was flush with cash, it would be a nice opportunity to get some aftermarket items (CE28N ahem), but usually that's not the case after just buying your dream car.

[Kchrpm]

I'm a sucker for a split 5 spoke wheel. The CE28N's do nothing for me. I'd be most likely to try and find wheels that look as close possible to my current ones, like these (https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=runWheelSearch&initialPartNumber=F491004GB&wheelMake=FLOW+ONE+Race+Spec&wheelModel=F4&wheelFinish=Gloss+Black+Painted&showRear=yes&selectedRear=F491201GB&autoMake=Chevrolet&autoModel=Corvette+Grand+Sport&autoYear=2017&autoModClar=Coupe) or these (https://www.craycorvettewheels.com/corvette-wheels-rims-spider/).

[Crazed_Insanity]

I kinda like the silver one... with checker flag on it! Should help you finish the race! ;)

You could even get the one that's gloss black with mirror cut surface so you can have both black and silver...

[Kchrpm]

Having the local Corvette expert do the 30k mile maintenance a little early and inspect the car before I take it out for its first weekend trip to the IMSA race at Mid-Ohio. Predictably the front left wheel is also bent. I'm going to replace it, get it fixed, and then I'll have a spare of each on hand to rotate in/out of service as necessary and keep working with the local wheel repair shop (whom he confirmed does good work). Also should be able to get a better price on the wheel directly with him than going through the Firestone shop like I did before.

And if I decide to give up and jump on a better wheel set, he's a Forgeline dealer. They're a local company (in a Dayton suburb, Kettering) and have a new budget wheel (compared to their racing stuff) that is stronger and lighter than the stock wheels but have a similar look. He showed me the set he just got for his Grand Sport, they're better in person than in pictures. Here are pictures of a random red C7GS they have in their customer gallery: https://forgeline.com/customer-gallery/forgeline-customer-118

[Crazed_Insanity]

Looks good! :up:

[dodint]

Those wheels have a nice 'flow' to their aesthetic.

[Rare White Ape]

Oh yeah.

[retsmah]

As in SLM's thread, late to the party, but congrats on the Corvette!

[Leon]

I did a week touring around gravel roads, used in a 1971 car rally that ran around much of the country. The roads were a bit rugged ... we were in a Kia Sorento on 65 profile snow tyres, so didn't have problems. One dude in an HSV (fancy pants Holden) on the lip approach on a concrete bridge on a gravel road took out three tyres and his trans sump. Ending his holiday on the tour right there and then.
3715

[CudaMan]

Those OEM Corvette wheels look amazing. But if they're that fragile, the Forgelines look like an awesome solution.

[Cam]

Uh, I guess I am the only one that is not a fan of those Forgeline wheels. Hey, if it floats your boat! :cool::up: Especially if they are both stronger and lighter. :hard:

[Kchrpm]

On Friday I took it back over to McCluskey HQ for the final prep: new wheel install, wash, and paying for everything (all those credit card points!). This picture is just before all that was done.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3faHa0B-Aimt5AaJuvC18ccAe6Ob8iyribSCDTCk3BJhtLdIzl7kztfHFy aU16dZ8AodQ3t911exb2QcUqdJd1FUi6Z-ohghZGarVpPjxgvTGl7spFhLehfGuWhGfabA-PPwESUEvVgeUSd0Jdlt9zxIw=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

The drive up to Mid-Ohio was great, with very little traffic and beautiful weather. I used the car's nav instead of Google Maps, and it took me a longer but simpler route than the usual way (and it also didn't have the right exit layout for a section still under construction in Columbus, but I just stayed on the highway it indicated regardless of what lane it expected it to be). It only took me about 2 and a half hours, and I arrived just in time to hear the first Miata race starting. I stopped at Will Call to pick up my passes, then used the PDR to record myself entering and parking at the track (video is still in the car, I'll have to grab the SD card and get that uploaded.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dk0xs07NTl_ht2L7DFFuGGgTuYWPZWQNGBO1I-isSsfXERTJTsk4gSTqxood1_8uDezVqf1yDuFVOANdAwXJjXci dGxd-3qtpuKOmynzcABa2aRFg0yhFE19kUIC3doK0F7yyVuHQKJLs5l TbUCfv6hw=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dj80b595tqrOdX-Q05FBcBLPM1rwlMdK31f99np5ypHbI4jyOrL6mLTgmYikTIqrC exl3zLRu4fiyhrKDfY2h-pwgen8883Oee8OdZBnviSAlrGiwLnhrhsnkS0wB3b7YNrnesMk 3bQwljhQ12gpg94A=w1303-h978-no?authuser=0

It was an interesting day, with Corvette Racing not there since no other GTLM cars would be there, and the parade laps I was so excited for slightly marred by the SUVs and such in the same line as us. I also have a video of that, but it's not very exciting and involves me complaining to myself like a spoiled brat, so I may not post that. I didn't walk around as much as I usually do, since the paddocks and pits were closed, so I mostly stayed around the main spectator mound. Just before leaving, as I was sitting in the car, I heard a couple of kids talking and asking each other questions about it. I got out and offered to answer any questions, then asked if they wanted to sit in it. They both got in, and their dad came up and took pictures. It felt like passing the torch on, just like whoever let me get my picture taken in their red Corvette at Mid-Ohio 30+ years ago. I got a chuckle at them thinking it looked so nice and new for a 2017: that was half of their lifetimes ago, so it made sense that it seems like a long time to them!

My hotel in Mansfield was more of a motel that was having an identity crisis. I felt like my car stuck out like a sore thumb in the parking lot, and then a 427 Cobra replica pulled in and I didn't feel so bad. I went walking to get dinner and saw Kevin Magnusson on the patio of a restaurant having dinner.

The next day I was up and out relatively early, since I woke up around 4 am and couldn't really fall back to sleep. Couldn't get hot water in the shower, so just washed up at the sink, whose neck was too short to fill up my water bottles later. Hot chocolate, blueberry pancakes, and bacon at Paul Revere Family Restaurant, then back to the track. I was the first car in the corral, because the minivan that was there A) isn't exactly a car, and B) I'm not actually sure was part of the corral because neither were the teenage security people watching it.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dFSI7FdMVLm7z5JtxP_z1tOUcAbtE4Fa5qlt49D5ZIcU68l2M cODFKGKyriiM3Ja568MCuPCDS5dKGtvzGGbm92MOT_64oMeOEd eTIOadfq3EO-Sjxt3fEHb2xU3yyqCEjbDweQ973udxjePE6qkND8Q=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

I was questioning my decision to go with just my shorts, but I stuck it through and was rewarded when the sun came out.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3f0Tumfu2rupD61bto_zqZTiEIV4-0Hyk4_C6BNGt_3KwC2D788OxnCN3417Qg7nDzgIwucIlw7WPh0 gVq6-0Jxmse1VIgASMEC3BBWEgXpv8uY5F1LqBR19fD_qFRoe_L5F8q DOuH012a7nfbjZ4x-iQ=w733-h977-no?authuser=0

Missing from these photos: pictures of me on the track, taken by a friend with my camera, during Sunday's parade laps. Because those laps were cancelled as we were waiting on the false grid. It took too long to clean-up the track after that day's Miata race, our window closed up as we got too close to the prep/festivities for the main race. I did have someone stop next to me and say a loud, barking "HI" before running off, though.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fYTMwplxxKIHTXMKNwjpqSok8IoGjZ7i6eiZ4h0-f5TVRwtmEt6w7MDplC1yCN4jdANhFa6m9CoU8QZIwd_Fzht2mD LGCIxV-KqEixVsLxnnZRD9XcM9T-7l5Rz2tqKodeaoSWGBS5NB2Ro4JvIV2fGw=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

After that, I got back over to the Lexus booth where I had lucked into making the finals a Gran Turismo: Sport competition (3 people, including me, set times on the wrong track, which was significantly shorter, without our knowledge; because of the format they went with for the "tournament", when one of the other 3 didn't show up, I was immediately guaranteed a podium). While I waited for it to start, I was talking with one of the product specialists that had been there yesterday when we noticed the track problem. She had been having wireless mic issues but was taking it in stride, and I was laughing so she told me to come over to her so she wasn't just talking to herself. I played along, showing how VERY interested I was in the special Lexus F-whatever and just cracking up as the mic came off and on during her speech. I explained that I host trivia and had the exact same thing happen to me while hosting shows, so I knew what she was going through. She asked where, I said Cincinnati, and she commented that during promo work for the Reds and the local car show she had been in Cincinnati and had the best pasta she's ever tried. The restaurant? Sotto, which is across the street from where I host trivia! She added me on Instagram and said she would message me the next time they were in town.

I almost actually did a respectable/competitive time on my finals run, but the AI driver I just passed for the lead punted me on the last turn. I was more than happy with third place, and got to do a podium interview, which I did not take seriously at all and which will likely never get posted anywhere by Lexus. My friends recorded some of it, though, I might just keep it stored somewhere for posterity. And I have a little mini helmet prize and new Instagram friend so I can never forget!

We watched some more racing from the spectator mound, but also did a loop of the main infield section to see all of the other major viewpoints.

On the drive home, I used Google Maps and got to use some of its weird side roads and shortcuts, but traffic was light so it went smoothly. I71 South is not as smooth as I71 North in that area, so the drive back was not quite as relaxed as the drive up, as I felt the minor road issues and looked out for the major ones. I thought I was going to need to stop somewhere before I made it back to Cincinnati, but as the average mileage calcs shook off the parade laps and idling, my estimated range climbed. I could make it home with a nice cushion. I filled up at the same UDF as I had on Friday night.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eA1cQG3kgWecd_22Qs-EPaKH3QAyoC1gGWYeom8mTS7mCaSlvWWnQ02NLBu_Jpef_aY5M U7dq_c_Hyf3ygNLJVaTYodI6LNzvOPN6699nZVqu3S4rQhmaeF 5xXDbRZIg9899yPuexQwr_LYMSXqnZKCQ=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dxZXrs3YUdACRt-SjtKmv8aChjPOu4P_U4NyiDYFYrdFg5w9MKaQvKnJb1LlaLrcX jWbR9oSyI7isd4RNpm1CYrvld065agWsJ_qbtj_ybrjvpbrIlk pDbYhmkvafYpwwXRKs-ZOTQ8QpGHfSYMz5nfQ=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

The average on the highway driving is more accurately reflected on the 50-mile rolling average, screen. The 30.3 max was set on the drive up, I didn't quite get back to 30 at any point on the drive back.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3f-el14pDU-McmEwGIgfbBgsIiP9cogNzgBPHoi1jPKt3EC2PMAgXucVumHpw HyUskvkMkjRQMRk0WuHcBF7xMCTDqBe4u_HDJ-f4Xz-29oWeya4ORSQwGjbjPNfcgrrdoyh10QkYUjUWUxoBB-LL2LPQ=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

I stopped to get dinner to take home afterwards, and the car plus the sunset was too beautiful to not capture. Nice little end-cap to the trip.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dxMKefN-z4Oor2WvqkyiwNOyjSEKwerZmZHxuwYHPBAgHNyleE7PGJLrf7 a_Tpd_8kBl6UO2heHL55qqGV6nPR1jehgFDY4SwznPAxtnukfh S4MMP-uNEQuuEU2I-kKpOxnUssA_rT39aCuH1HOYeV7w=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

Living the dream :)

[JoshInKC]

That's great, dude. I'm sure part of it is just the past year-or-so of life getting to me, but I'm really overjoyed that you finally got your vette and it seems like you're living you're living life to its fullest.
Congrats on sticking to your dream for long and achieving it.

[Rare White Ape]

So good Keith. I love those sorts of weekends. You really get to enjoy your ride at events like that.

You car looks way better than the newer mid-engined Vette sitting next to it. About the only thing hotter was that LMP just casually idling by.

[Crazed_Insanity]

I have to disagree. Clearly the couple in that red Porsche convertible were checking out Kchrpm's Vette.

It's obvious who has the hotter car!



https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fYTMwplxxKIHTXMKNwjpqSok8IoGjZ7i6eiZ4h0-f5TVRwtmEt6w7MDplC1yCN4jdANhFa6m9CoU8QZIwd_Fzht2mD LGCIxV-KqEixVsLxnnZRD9XcM9T-7l5Rz2tqKodeaoSWGBS5NB2Ro4JvIV2fGw=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0


Anyway, thanks for sharing such an awesome weekend with us. It's almost as if I was there too! ;)

I'm still amazed at the Vette's MPG number. Those dumb GM engineers can't design wheels, but dang they engineered an amazing car!

[dodint]

Awesome Keith, glad you had a great time. Particularly making those kids day. They'll remember you when they crawl intontheir dark matter powered C12s.

[Dicknose]

Wow - sounds like a great event.
Enjoy the car and hope that smile never leaves your face.

[Kchrpm]

After my third or fourth try, I now have a pretty comfortable method of washing the car in the self-serve bays at the local car wash chain. It involves using almost all of the modes they have, but the foam brush only on the wheels and the black lower trim parts, a red sponge glove for any tough stuff, and a bunch of small towels to dry it off.

I should still get my garage faucet fixed so I can just do it at home, though.

[Kchrpm]

Here are pictures of a random red C7GS they have in their customer gallery: https://forgeline.com/customer-gallery/forgeline-customer-118

This car just left the bar where I'm hosting trivia tonight. In person, on the car, I still much prefer the stock wheels. Just gotta keep being careful!

[Kchrpm]

Best 50 mile average is now 33.6 mpg. Might try for 400 miles on a tank.

[Crazed_Insanity]

That’s just wrong man!

I remember my 1990 1.5l 70HP Civic Hatchback was doing that kind of mpg #s…

[Kchrpm]

Drove from Cincinnati to North Carolina to visit some friends on a long weekend trip.

Before:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cifn-dO_vPE4ju2WbGN0cZ1ZH4UMgjwFOItrCNtkoezVMLlL9H52155 UHxg5AzJd4d8GcibnL5k68YJ2Q9r5t0X0Unp8vZjE12_E7EDzO 5vBHO5jaQORh888XoNLE4-T5Owr6KrqnIRcKZPk6Zde4G3A=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cT_ypCDJjAZz5QTH7T4fVPloYTPJCQGBIIE4DVGfVByIgpfdw J-WLPIsrXfSBJqQCfeQ6Pihc_kjMk0eMmO6Nkyspb9DqO88Y5xYz mlqh483dq_WWPmbtB8ZH69BSqpUxfH5jrhZvwEXSpiKVmDlNwx w=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

On The Way:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e24nQGBcR1KWvpZvx-6ukbZkX4YiiNmSNIrM7G5N2wfvcyb_-BcrM8RlR0RuzwKwixdefb7lT04wWlhaBLE1uAEanJAUAbqtnze HMehwNdb_BUMVdGUBxUhHmfACbehK1uR6rtx33hN16pRk87caR JpQ=w733-h977-no?authuser=0

There:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fL3w2_aUcrCJO9NU00huexUEfLLb5udgBmwmPMtohfuw8LmrJ PGB-Qen_r4llFxxE4JxSX5II1IQ6FLbEVjiTuuoZe4MX-CIZxcXD3fKXyLwmHybfAlfWjkXLLP1CXoWGzGvsIe5EB4X-0mSLld-raXA=w675-h977-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e6ahNARRcxuw2K-roUH8wgCDg_wLhC-MjOgvE7tfhmX_NvNwhbXmIGeujRpqBOMjzMtwvCvx2xzmBMXRp eVPw3LMmjngwCdHgu6ekj6myS_TXaLYI_OBu0V6ohV8c7eMJeb h1b8lEfw8qvq-nTLXR2cA=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

On The Way Back:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eln4BqWckf2Yq0rgcvQvddmZKrPHKxVmev1B7tIjiwtyiMEHQ vJhoFra-MbvEWUtUqSfy6AVmsxOcbBmjoQGbz75mmtBp_Loe2EwRtGD97c DWscPJwdNVP7Yhm034fUa1iQEHtWyMw7F4f2SO1NsLTBg=w733-h977-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dRoEganm5X04JGVMvfgbsTGRcAa6N3bi5iz7tNUGsUtGDtb3Q fY8UuYBNNb7OXfUcAB7JE25MWgnvBsKup7gEEp3EebmLCGIEiW WNqj9tVeEcqUiGI_EGcBM9u7pggLkoo_AU3xXlWzQeboI_aETN rmQ=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

Filling Up For The Last Leg Home:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cumPyVMUkSfYFy_20P3zihTaU-sAA260zlNkIhBwPRd0RJu8MOclgJQe7r5xhTfL9ZWwDOctsrjI EMQi9FB9ijV1UQVLjkFszLVeeWG3wjemM-5_-x43hgRUIAOUv0SaCSZtBQlayex1-cdQ4WmNCcHg=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

HOME!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cRKkw9nYjz2EWfyJvJdep4Ekm43Q1Ez5aWR1yOXIlbSe78maL pqe-ZOHYKXsmCQQQLm-S58LUCdmmv7OH7gzwOVw1U9YPgyeHYX0uHVi_1rpU0PuYY83xz dkpE24VEPM1gMdxrwEiKto-VsVFfDILaUA=w1303-h977-no?authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fFk0VUMEOiTUgST8Zg5kwQAvF58EUrdPliVIs09tUxg-CZn24qdf4gfFSmOOiNRfHSarJME2yZyy3Ua9lH9tmLZ_xgriNv pKYxSEGfj8clamqPT_UImx7vQ2crFrmy2EagScOI5gxA8YggZb _YLIaong=w733-h977-no?authuser=0

[Kchrpm]

As I see an increasing number of small paint chips and wheels that refuse to be fully cleaned, I understand why people end up paying so much to have professionals clean, re-finish, and protect these kinds of cars. I don't know what I'm going to do about it.

[Leon]

I don't know what I'm going to do about it.

have professionals clean, re-finish, and protect this car

[Kchrpm]

have professionals clean, re-finish, and protect this car

I'm not sure I can actually afford to while continuing to pay for the car.

[Rare White Ape]

A good idea is to get some clear contact adhesive for the lower panels to prevent paint chips. Some companies out there might sell it in pre-cut sections specific for your car and should be easy to remove in a few years without leaving residue.

And I presume you have bought some fancy cleaning chemicals to do the job. But if you haven’t, I can recommend Motul Moto Wash. It’s $15-20 a bottle here and intended for use on all parts of a motorcycle, but for you it would be great on your wheels and brakes. Dirty red wheels on my Tuono would instantly turn into pristine bright red wheels just by spraying on and using a nice soft wet sponge to help move the brake dust and dirt.

https://www.motul.com/ro/en/products/e2-moto-wash

It does help if your wheels are glossy, but it appears yours might have a satin or textured finish, but that Moto Wash would still do a good job. Black wheels are harder to keep clean because dust makes them look shitty surprisingly quickly.

[Kchrpm]

The wheels are meant to be glossy.

[Leon]

I'm a complete car cleaning addict, so I have a ridiculously large collection of car cleaning products, and have just bought a new buffer. I offloaded a bunch of my old wax based products, and a couple of crappy buffers to make some space.

Dragons Breath is excellent on wheels.

With the wafer thin paint on the Evo, I'd probably have to look for clear protective 3M material, just to stop the stone chipping. However since I don't really drive it, I don't plan to get that carried away.

Do you have a house with a garage? If so, maybe invest in some products, and see how much you can do for yourself.

[Kchrpm]

I do have a garage. I do not have a working faucet in that garage or near the driveway, nor do I trust my ability to do anything without screwing things up, based on previous experience.

[Leon]

ah valid. If you have a friend with a terrible car, practice on that car.

I tried the buffer and various chemicals on my crappy 93 Corolla Tercel thing, before I did the same stuff on the Evo 10, for that exact reason.

[CudaMan]

If stone chips are going to bother you, I think the best solution is PPF (paint protection film) professionally installed. There's probably a place near you that does most of the exotics in the area, they'd likely be a good place to go to. A full front end treatment isn't cheap up front but can sure help with resale value. Recommend doing it before there are very many chips. And after having the chips filled and the paint corrected (by a pro, or a nut like Leon or me). The more economical PPF coverage area is like the leather bra covers of the 80s, and in the right light or up close you can see the line where it stops because the film is like 1.5mm thick or something. If I ever do it to a car I want to do the entire front end (hood, fenders, bumper) so there are no lines.

For paint in general, proper wash/dry technique is critical for keeping swirl marks at bay. Maybe time to get a spigot put in outside your garage! :)

[dodint]

Tbe PPF on the Z4 turned yellow and took the paint off when it was removed, and that was while using a heat gun.

[Cam]

As with most of us here, we have known each other through this online community for 20 years. It is great to finally meet someone from this community in person for the first time. Not only that, but I spent hundreds of hours gaming with some of you via Xbox Live. Back in the day, I would be online gaming with our little group every day for years, often playing late into the night on week-ends, in Halo, PGR2, Forza, etc. If there was a stat for "most hours played with" this guy would be at the top of the list. :)

3766

Thanks again for coming to the show, Keith. It was great meeting you in person, finally. I'm only sorry that I did not get a chance to go for a ride in that awesome car of yours. We'll set something up soon. :cool:

[Kchrpm]

I showed up when Bryan's dreams came true in Ohio, had to do the same for you ;)

If anyone else has any dreams that they're realizing near me, let me know!

[Rare White Ape]

Great picture :D

[CudaMan]

Tbe PPF on the Z4 turned yellow and took the paint off when it was removed, and that was while using a heat gun.
Do you know when it was first installed? PPF has gotten better in recent years. T's M3 had yellowing PPF and it was replaced a couple years ago with new stuff. No paint peeled off. The newer film was slightly thinner as well.


I showed up when Bryan's dreams came true in Ohio, had to do the same for you ;)

If anyone else has any dreams that they're realizing near me, let me know!
Best comment I've read in a while. :)

Love seeing that you and Cam finally met after these years of online friendship!

[dodint]

No idea on the Z4. It was a 2008 model that I got from Scottsdale, AZ. I bought it in 2019 or so. Maybe the extra harsh weather in AZ took it's toll.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Awesome pics! I cannot see any chips or any thing wrong with the wheels at all! :p

Just enjoy the car and take care of it the best you can. Don't worry about resale value... and don't worry about keeping it in show room conditions... just enjoy it and don't let it end up 'owning' you!

[George]

Very cool. :up:

[Kchrpm]

Upon Cuda's recommendation, I got a Dr Color Chip kit to fill in the rock chips, and 2-3 layers later it looks pretty good! I was nervous until I re-read the last step and it said to rub gently and then "buff" with the microfiber cloth, which I took to mean it was hard/fast rubbing and I was right, and all of the discolored excessive paint came off.

[Crazed_Insanity]

:up:

Yeah, cuda is the kinda man who rarely steers, but whenever he steers, he probably won’t steer you wrong!

[CudaMan]

Layers eh? I've only tried that once or twice actually. Did you layer big chips, small chips, scratches, or... ? This reminds me I need to order some white touch-up.

[Kchrpm]

Itty bitty chips. The YouTube video I saw said and showed that sometimes you would need multiple passes/layers, and I noticed the chip was better but not matching after my first application so I just kept doing it until it did.

[Rare White Ape]

Keef, I gotta ask, do you spot your car in the garage every morning and just stand there for 10 minutes gawking at it with a huge grin on your dial?

[Kchrpm]

No, don't be silly!

But it is the background on my phone. And computer. And my avatar on my work profiles for Office and WebEx. And one of the albums that rotates on my TV screensaver.

And I was trying to decide if I was going to get a print to hang on my wall in addition to or in replacement of my Arizona rental pictures.

And sometimes I decide where I'm going to have a meal based on my ability to sit where I can see the car.

[Crazed_Insanity]

:lol:

Yeah, don't be silly RWA. Why waste 10 minutes standing there when you could see it everywhere 24/7! :D

I'll definitely do the same if I have your car! ;)

[Kchrpm]

As I passed a black minivan on the highway earlier, a little hand reached out the right side second row window and waved. I looked inside and saw a huge smile on a little kid's face. I thought that would be it, but remembered a similar experience when I was driving a Corvette for work back in college, and decided to top that. I slowed down, crossed over into the now empty left lane, flipped on the rev match, and dropped it into third.

The left side second row window of the minivan was rolled down just in time for a full throttle fly by.

I slowed down, they sped up, and the waving was just a little bit more enthusiastic this time. I could see that there were at least two kids in the back of the van at this point. I figured one bite at the cherry was enough so just waved back and pulled away as they went to their exit.

Also I just remembered that the rear of the minivan had a green ribbon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_ribbon) on it.

[Rare White Ape]

Haha that’s great!

On the bike, I ALWAYS wave back to kids.

Their parents HATE it :D

[FaultyMario]

Also I just remembered that the rear of the minivan had a green ribbon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_ribbon) on it.

That's awesome!

Radical whigs need love too!

[Godson]

Haha that’s great!

On the bike, I ALWAYS wave back to kids.

Their parents HATE it :D

I did this too.

The Dry Clutch on the Ducati got lots of attention.

It even got me flashed by a nice pair of boobs one day!

[Kchrpm]

Having discussed it with Tyler and having heard examples of a dry clutch Ducati, I can understand why parents are not fans of them.

[Crazed_Insanity]

That's awesome!

Radical whigs need love too!

:lol:

Never knew green ribbons can have so many meanings…

Anyway, nice gesture with the kids. :up:

[samoht]

As I passed a black minivan on the highway earlier, a little hand reached out the right side second row window and waved. I looked inside and saw a huge smile on a little kid's face. ...


Great stuff!

Reminds me of a Henry Catchpole piece driving the AM Vanquish in Scotland, rolling through a village he saw a small boy staring from the side of the road so he lit it up, saying in his article "it's what I would have wanted me to do".

[Cam]

Having seen it and been in it, I would just like to add that this car is hawt. :rawk:

[Rikadyn]

Great stuff!

Reminds me of a Henry Catchpole piece driving the AM Vanquish in Scotland, rolling through a village he saw a small boy staring from the side of the road so he lit it up, saying in his article "it's what I would have wanted me to do".

Yea it's the same thing when I see signs "drive like your kids lived here" and I have to fight the urge to do donuts and burn outs

[George]

I wonder if truckers still blow their horns when kids give them "the signal"...you know, pumping one's arm up and down with the forearm vertical and a fist to simulate pulling the horn cord on the ceiling of big rig cabs.

I hope so.

[Kchrpm]

I assume that's one of the best parts of being a trucker. I think a bigger question is how many kids still do that instead of being fully engrossed in a tablet.

[Kchrpm]

Based on the low speed wheel spin I get on post-rain roads, I don't predict good snow traction. But maybe that's a completely unrelated thing.

[Rare White Ape]

I'd be putting that bad boy away until warmer weather reappears.

[George]

:rawk:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbworld.org-vbulletin/579x435/d877952b_06c2_43d0_b110_6e37bc6e99dc_dd6189aec1296 c19c91abd3ac4587a478b46f398.jpeg

[Kchrpm]

If money was not a concern I'd just get a set of Michelin Alpins and look just like that picture. Alas, money is a concern.

[TheBenior]

Based on the low speed wheel spin I get on post-rain roads, I don't predict good snow traction. But maybe that's a completely unrelated thing.

Nah, those things tend to be correlated.

[Kchrpm]

My first ever Track Night in America, including paced laps and my first ever track laps! The car made it easy, my biggest problems were caused by red Miatas (one I wasn't sure how to let it blend out of the pits, the other spun in front of me) and by me forgetting to check my fuel before session 2. There are a number of times that I get caught behind slower cars that don't give me (and others) a quick point-by, but the moments I got to run relatively unimpeded were really fun.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VD-nkNqXL8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izC73aL7pik


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuMdwtjvvkQ


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76xgbxKKnuw

I was not bit by the bug, I'm not jonesing to do it again, but I'm glad to have had the experience.

[Rare White Ape]

Oh that's pretty cool.

[samoht]

Great stuff! impressive to be pushing hard enough to activate stability control, given its your first time on a pretty cool/gnarly track and given the car :)

Pulling off to get fuel isn't as bad as the guy who caused a red flag at Brands, 300C Hemi stopped out on track as it had completely run dry!

It did look a bit crowded, as ever there's a bit of a trade-off, often if you pay a bit more you share a track with fewer people and that gives you more chance to enjoy pushing on.

The car looks great on track, really in its element and pushing 120+ at the drop of a hat. Track looks fun, where is it? There are a few places with that kind of elevation changes in the UK, not many though and they tend to have limited run-off.

Tbh after my first trackday, in the 180SX at Blyton Park, I wasn't totally sold on doing more, the bug took a while to bite ... ;-)

[FaultyMario]

My first ever

Good, another cherry popped!


I'm not jonesing to do it again

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Centreville_High_School_%28Virginia%29_1998_%C2%B7 _DD-SP-99-04111.JPEG/640px-Centreville_High_School_%28Virginia%29_1998_%C2%B7 _DD-SP-99-04111.JPEG

[Kchrpm]

Track looks fun, where is it? There are a few places with that kind of elevation changes in the UK, not many though and they tend to have limited run-off.

PittRace, Nathan's home track.

[Random]

PittRace, Nathan's home track.

https://www.pittrace.com/

[Jason]

Awesome!

[Kchrpm]

Tbh after my first trackday, in the 180SX at Blyton Park, I wasn't totally sold on doing more, the bug took a while to bite ... ;-)

I might go to one at the Corvette Museum track, but that track is tougher/scarier.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Wow! Looks awesome indeed!

What kind of camera is that? You can display a track map and your position?

[Kchrpm]

It's the Performance Data Recorder system that is built into the car.

[Crazed_Insanity]

No way!?!?!

You get what you paid for I guess… ;)

I’m loving your Vette more and more every time I see it!

[Kchrpm]

It's a great piece of hardware for sure. Nate and Tyler were commenting on how impressive it seemed just from watching my videos in it.

[dodint]

Yeah, I mentioned to Keith that if I want to replicate the experience in my own car I have to spend $1,000 for the equipment. Right now I have to use two different devices to capture data and another to capture the video. Then I have to combine it all after the weekend which means I have to sync the data and video for each session. His just does it all nice and neatly.

The only drawback to the PDR for me is that I prefer having cockpit video so I can evaluate my inputs. The PDR camera is in the rearview mirror housing facing forward so that isn't an option. The way to fix that would be to have a second camera to catch the cockpit, which could be added after the fact and wouldn't take nearly as long because you don't have to sync data to it, just visually sync it to the other video.

[Kchrpm]

I bet you could do slate/clap with your hands as a sync point and just overlay it.

[dodint]

Yeah. And when you need a data sync point it's a throttle blip.

[dodint]

If you look closely at the picture you can see Keith explaining the PittRace line to Tyler as they debrief one of Keith's sessions:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLVa60UN69p84ogxpiW2FUYuD5eYPFvThuLiHlwwzlbvw1CMN x8LIEpoGbR-rfRkB8pgnr8K60K_-nzYXKbrhPTJ9LfGblD90P2hkp8YQF4cKGHeG9Sv6P1z-9hxXRWwB6MbiTiPA56I26yRo53JKUV5Lg=w1250-h938-no?authuser=0

[Kchrpm]

You start at the outside of the turn, then turn towards the inside, and then let the car go out towards the outside at the end.

That's just in general, though, sometimes you have to adjust that.

If I do another track day, my focus will be on gaining enough confidence and comfort to brake hard.

[Crazed_Insanity]

You need to spin the car at least once. Just to feel where the limit is!

If traction control is preventing you from doing that, turn that shit off! :p

[Kchrpm]

Hard disagree.

Context: I'm at most doing track days with novices in a car that has a ton of lateral grip and a lot of power. Most situations where I would spin the car would escalate quickly.

[dodint]

The ideal situation would be to get on a skidpad so you can feel the limits of grip at a relatively low speed in a completely safe environment.

One Lap starts and ends with a skidpad session.

[Kchrpm]

So you're saying I should do One Lap with Cuda next year to compete with you and Tyler?

You in, Bryan???

(I'm just trying my best to get him to comment whenever he's done brushing his luxurious hair)

[Kchrpm]

(Please Bryan, say no, I *DO NOT* want to do One Lap. Repeat DO NOT.)

[Crazed_Insanity]

:lol:

Seriously dude, you need to find a safe track with balding tires and just push hard to the limit! :p

I don't intentionally spin my car on the track..., it's just that when a track has big enough runoff areas, I'd select the next level driving mode in my brain, searching for my S2000's limits. If I don't do that on the track, where else am I going to do it? :p

I've pretty much spin once on every track I went to... except in Laguna Seca. I was really careful on the oval section of the Fontana speedway, but I did spin my tail around in the infields...

Anyway, I can totally understand you don't want to do that due to the price difference between my car and yours..., but YOLO! :p

When you're ready, please show me on your PDR exactly how many G's are needed to spin your ass around! :D

[samoht]

Hard disagree.

Context: I'm at most doing track days with novices in a car that has a ton of lateral grip and a lot of power. Most situations where I would spin the car would escalate quickly.

+1

I spun my car once, on track, when looking for the limits. It turned out an expensive & painful lesson, and that's on a car I'd bought outright for four and a half grand.

I'm sure there are places one can spin safely, but the course above didn't look like one to me. Also btw there's not much retardation on grass ;)


I'd suggest trying to drive the car such that you just avoid triggering the electronics, that way you can learn to walk the tightrope and still have a safety net. I assume there's some adjustment possible in the stability control? Could then try slackening it off a step, and repeat.

And yeah, before that there's no harm in braking harder. You can start by braking hard early, even if you then have to lift off again, until you get a feel for the braking distances.

Basically there's a huge and potentially enjoyable realm of learning the car that you can get stuck into, without taking things to the point you're likely to spin and lose control entirely, with the concomitant risk.

[Kchrpm]

I thought about your story with the RX7 a lot in the lead-up.

If you watch the videos, you can see that I triggered the traction control on up-shifts several times, and *something* was triggered under braking a few times. Just ABS? Stability control? Unclear. I put the car into Sport Mode instead of Track, and Track Mode does have different levels of traction/stability control.

[dodint]

+1
I'm sure there are places one can spin safely, but the course above didn't look like one to me. Also btw there's not much retardation on grass ;)


Well, you can but I don't recommend it, I was very lucky (start at 6:00):


https://youtu.be/0AJ7sY4uleI?t=372

[CudaMan]

(Please Bryan, say no, I *DO NOT* want to do One Lap. Repeat DO NOT.)

OneLap has been a bucket list item for me for a few years now. But you can rest easy, Keith, I already have a OneLap sugar daddy. :p I'm going next year, God willing.

You're doing fine at your first track day btw. Don't worry about getting to and beyond the limit just yet. Have fun with your car and friends at the track. If you start to want to get faster or drive at the limits more consistently, then perhaps a car control clinic or spacious autox is a good way to learn that without risking your dream car (which as you mentioned is fast and has high limits). The traction/stability system in your car should be really good (I know the 1LE Camaro system is phenomenal and the C8 feels it, too). You can keep it in a fairly safe mode or use a more adventurous track oriented mode that allows more rear tire slip before it reins it in.

I like your next goal of learning the brakes better. One safe way to do it is to first make sure no one is behind you into a brake zone, and brake at your normal comfortable spot but brake really hard. Get a feel for how quickly the car can stop from various speed ranges. You'll enter the corner too slowly at first but this will give you confidence to start braking later. Do that in modest chunks, not a hail mary all at once adjustment to brake at the last cone. [I feel like you know that]

As you push the braking system more, you may want to consider thermal capacity and upgrade the fluid and perhaps pads.


Knowing your own current limits and risk acceptance is a good thing. When I first started doing track days (HPDE before it was called that!) I did it in my $2,500 112hp MR2 with other slow cars on track. I knew I was going to push myself on track to learn more and there'd be potential for me to put wheels off, so I only went to tracks with no walls (aside from the pit wall on the front straight). And sure enough I averaged one "off" per track day for about the first 6-8 track days I did. The only time the car got any damage was when I put 2 wheels off one time when we ran the track in reverse direction and it turned out there was a hole in the dirt there. The RF strut got reformed a little bit. I would go to Laguna Seca every so often, too, but only to hang with friends and get ride alongs with drivers I trusted (one or two). Every time I went I'd see a car get towed back on the flatbed from hitting one of the concrete walls.

Edit because I have to mention I did blow an engine on track once, but it was my own stupidity not checking the oil that morning or at all that day. I had owned the car a few years and it never burned more than 1qt/3000mi no matter how I drove it. Well, oil consumption went up apparently but I never checked that. ... About a year later I bought an RX-7 which drove home the oil checking routine even more, so ever since then I've been okay. :lol:

[Crazed_Insanity]

Wow. I guess I got lucky with my spins? Never damaged my car on track before… other than perhaps flat spots on tires?

Yeah, only push when you’re comfortable and don’t push when there are walls or when the runoff areas don’t look flat! :p

To me, I just felt that if I hadn’t spin at least once, I was probably not pushing hard enough. I don’t ever want to spin on the road, so tracks were my only opportunities. In retrospect, glad I got to enjoy all those spins without paying for any consequences.

Perhaps I’d think differently if I have your car. :p

[Rare White Ape]

Bryan I like your suggestion that you make sure nobody is behind you if you plan to brake really hard! I was going to mention it myself :D

You don’t wanna do five laps with someone following you then decide to stamp on the pedal on lap six, cause old mate is not going to expect that…

[Kchrpm]

I like your next goal of learning the brakes better. One safe way to do it is to first make sure no one is behind you into a brake zone, and brake at your normal comfortable spot but brake really hard. Get a feel for how quickly the car can stop from various speed ranges. You'll enter the corner too slowly at first but this will give you confidence to start braking later. Do that in modest chunks, not a hail mary all at once adjustment to brake at the last cone. [I feel like you know that]

I think I was starting to do that a couple times, but needed to commit to it. The guides/instructors made sure to warn us that even if we had big/ceramic brakes, we probably all had old stock brake fluid, so we would experience brake fade with hard use. I think I was so easy on mine that I never did.

It helps that my goal isn't to be fast, really, just to have the experience.

As for oil and everything, I had the various gauges up on the dash and just made sure they looked like they stayed near the middle.

[Rikadyn]

Can y'all stop making me want a track car...bad enough I occasionally look at Falcons with that intent...

Anyway Keith, if you want a track to spin safely at you could always come up to Gingerman...as long as you don't catch fire you should be fine...

[dodint]

I told him the same thing in chat the other day. If he wants to work on braking and out-in-out all night, that's the place. And there is nothing to hit in any direction, even the turn onto the main straight with the pit wall has a gravel pit on the outside. PittRace and NCM offer a lot of long runs that are good and fun but anyone can go fast in a straight line. Also, Gingerman is a big time TNiA/TTNT track so he can get there cheap.

I didn't know until I happened to be listening to the DWR podcast with Paul Tracy but Indy/Champ cars used to test road course setups there which must have been bonkers. :lol:

[Crazed_Insanity]

Can y'all stop making me want a track car...bad enough I occasionally look at Falcons with that intent...

Anyway Keith, if you want a track to spin safely at you could always come up to Gingerman...as long as you don't catch fire you should be fine...

He doesn't want to "brake" his car, so naturally he doesn't want to spin it. :p

Considering how much that sucker cost, I can totally understand.

Maybe someday, I can see thru the PDR that Mr.K putting his Vette on a knife edge on a track... I'll be patient. Whenever you're ready dude! ;)

[Kchrpm]

You can just look up someone else's videos and pretend it's me :P

[samoht]

When I've encountered brake fade it's always been a fairly progressive process, I can feel the pedal starting to go long but car still stops, then I know it's time to back off / head for the pits. So I wouldn't be too afraid of pushing it, in my experience it's not like you're going to go from 'everything fine' to 'oh shit no brakes' from one corner to the next. Don't keep going hard when you feel brake fade as it can ruin the brakes, but little to fear from pushing up to that point.

Also you tend not to get brake fade just from one big stop, it's more the accumulation from repeated deceleration from big speeds that overheats the system.



Can y'all stop making me want a track car...bad enough I occasionally look at Falcons with that intent... .

Track the S13 ?

[Rikadyn]

They are a touch too rare to beat on one that is still pretty much stock.

Plus no chance in hell I could get in it with a helmet on

[dodint]

samoht. Everything on track happens at lightning speed and in a completely unpredictable manner. Did you watch his second session? That Miata that was spinning off track away from him was coming right for him. ;)

Kidding aside, there was a moment a few years ago where everything 'clicked' and I realized just how much it took to get a car to be completely erratic. Hotlapping is a pretty mundane and controlled activity once you understand it. Except for that time I spun Tyler's F-RS. :lol:

[Kchrpm]

I can definitely see myself having the excitement to anxiety ratio tip more towards the good on the next attempt.

[dodint]

I'm just glad you had fun. You looked so excited all day, was awesome.

[Kchrpm]

I had a lot of nervous energy. I compared the feeling to hosting a huge trivia show, where it's exciting but I have to do a lot of stuff correctly, work with and trust other people, and hope nothing goes wrong. Except the trivia shows are more heavily scripted and have less at stake.

[Rare White Ape]

Yeah… erring on the side of caution with your pride and joy is the smart thing to do here. I’m not going to join the chorus in trying to push you towards that. I know the feeling of having lost my expensive toy in an accident, but at least it was on a road and I had insurance.

But I do seem to remember you still owning another car though, right?

[Kchrpm]

Nope, the Vette is all I have.

[Rikadyn]

Time for a 2nd cheaper vette? (I have seriously considered 2nd 240sx but they not getting cheaper)

[Rare White Ape]

Nope, the Vette is all I have.

Oh damn I thought you still had that Nissan.

[dodint]

The Mazda died which is what put his ass in gear to get the Vette. ;)

[Kchrpm]

The Nissan was sold...man, I don't even remember now. The Mazda died and was sold for almost nothing after Thanksgiving year.

[Rare White Ape]

Well I’m outta the loop then!

[Leon]

Yeah… erring on the side of caution with your pride and joy is the smart thing to do here. I’m not going to join the chorus in trying to push you towards that. I know the feeling of having lost my expensive toy in an accident, but at least it was on a road and I had insurance.

But I do seem to remember you still owning another car though, right?

Yup, unless you have track day insurance, don't race anything you can't afford to shrug your shoulders, and walk away from a pile of wreckage.

I've been racing a few decades now, so I've chanced the expensive car a few times over the years, but I pick and choose my events carefully based on risk, and then apply a degree of caution as required. The rally car on the other hand, gets put at a lot of risk, regularly. Has also been crashed three times at events.

[Kchrpm]

Time for a 2nd cheaper vette? (I have seriously considered 2nd 240sx but they not getting cheaper)
A sufficiently cheap Vette wouldn't have the qualities that make tracking this one so appealing. Also, if I were to get a second cheap car, it would be for day to day and bad weather driving. What the Mazda and Nissan were intended for before they died.

[dodint]

If I can make an SRT-4 fun I'm certain you could find something fun for under $5k that could perform on the road and track. If you wanted. It's okay that you don't.

[Kchrpm]

The things that I like about the Grand Sport as a track vehicle are not the things that are important in your version (or most people's version) of a fun track car. I like that it makes most of the experience relatively easy, because I'm not really interested in testing or building my skills that much. I just like the experience.

[dodint]

Personally, I've never found the right combination of DD/HPDE car. The M6 is a 10/10 for DD but has compromises on track. The answer might actually end up being, as always, Miata. If only I fit. ;)

[Kchrpm]

From the outside the M6 seems like an almost perfect combo, but I'm a fan of big torquey 2-door GT cars (duh).

[Godson]

It's funny you think the vetted is a big and torquey car.

It's pretty much h a dog below 4k rpm.

Which is entertaining.

Also, I think the ultimate track and dd car is likely a 911...

[Kchrpm]

Ok, Speed Racer.

[Kchrpm]

Look at that disgustingly peaky torque curve. Might as well be an on/off switch, am I right? Hell, you're not over 400 lbs*ft until about 2200 rpm, you're practically ringing it's next at that point!

https://media.gm.com/dld/content/dam/Media/images/US/Vehicles/Chevrolet/Cars/Corvette/2014/powertrain/2014-Corvette-LT1-V8-TorqueHP.jpg

[dodint]

I'd be happier if the M6 gear ratios were shorter. The car, as delivered, can go 200mph. I don't need that. And the 109.5" wheelbase is looong, which makes it comfortable to drive on track because it telegraphs its slides, but it's not necessarily quicker for it.

[Kchrpm]

Regardless of everything else, I think that my biggest reason for wanting to do another track day is that I want to see if it will feel the same. The feeling of being on track was so weird, and I don't know if it was just because it was my first time, or because of all the inherent risks involved with driving a $60k car without track insurance at speed on a racetrack surrounded by other novices.

The science experiment part of my brain wants to do it again with only the first time variable changed, and then again with a different variable changed, and then another, so that I can identify whether familiarity, insurance, or traffic are the most contributing factors to the anxiety I felt.

The part that actually has to feel the anxiety just wants to wait until I can "fix" as many of the variables as possible.

[Rare White Ape]

I personally think the best track day car is a small FWD grocery getter from 20 years ago. They’re faster because you care about them less.

[Rikadyn]

I personally think the best track day car is a small FWD grocery getter from 20 years ago. They’re faster because you care about them less.

Civics also have a very low running cost for tracking

[Rare White Ape]

And are arguably more engaging to drive and handle better than their competitors. My brief experience with a pretty average 2008 Civic sedan vs my Dad's 1998 Corolla sedan would attest to that.

[Kchrpm]

Back to my normal experience with the car: leaving the movie theater, I saw a couple kids losing it over the car, a pre-teen girl telling someone to get her phone and take a picture, and her younger brother saying "what is it?!" I answered and they saw me approaching and ran back towards their family exiting the car, apologizing. I said it was fine, I used to do the same thing as a kid, that's why I have one now. The dad got a kick out of that, and said "look he's going to start it". Even more kids appeared, all watching and I think one recording on their phone. I rolled down the windows, started the car, switched it to Sport mode just in case the loud pipes wouldn't open up in Tour, and revved the throttle a couple times to tiny little cheers. I pulled away and waved, and then revved it couple more times even higher, and they were yelling and screaming. It was great.

[Crazed_Insanity]

:lol:

Very nice of you to encourage future generations to get their own Vette when they grow up! :up:

Anyway, don’t be afraid! Use the force Keith! Let it go… do a lap as if bunch of kids are waving and cheering for you! you can do it! Surely your Vette wants you to be happy while driving her on the track… and not be so anxious, right? May the force be with you as you knock away variables one by one! :D