An old man and his Corvette

[Mr. Hyde]

My next door neighbor has a nice red C5 auto Corvette, he's a good guy, a bit ol' fashioned but still, easy to get along with, and a good neighbor.
I was talking with him yesterday about how pleased I was to hear how GM had engineered the simple way to lower the Corvettes starting with his C5, by simply turning the 10mm bolts in each corner of the car.
Told him I was going to do it to mine tomorrow (today) and asked him if he had ever considered lowering his.
Listen carefully now as the can of worms opens:
"Corvettes are Chevy's premier sports car, and should be left well enough alone, you shouldn't go monkeying around with the suspension or anything else for that matter, just leave them the way they made them, they know best!"
Well...I certainly do respect his opinion, and can appreciate him not wanting to lower his car, but to me, and this is just my opinion, any car is just a starting point, a blank canvas to allow us a bit of our own personality to show through, to keep a car completely showroom stock to me is downright boring!
My wife happened to walk outside and catch a bit of our conversation, and she is well aware of the simple mod today and how I'm looking forward to doing it. When I came in the house, I said, "Ya know Honey, I'm only 47, but when I'm 62 like Roy, I hope I'm never that old"

[tonyjnjz]

haha sounds about right....i work with a ( corvette guy!!!) and hes the same exact way...everything 100% as gm intended stock.....he has an 02 vert....unfort he wont race me so i can show him what the aftermarket can do hehe

[Daniel P.]

My dad is the same way everything stock, anything else just makes a vehicle unreliable

[02Sweet]

I understand where he is coming from but its just not fun

[KahanaReef]

Funny thing is though... that all those guys back in the day that felt the same way, well, they have left behind some fine examples of stock cars that are about worth their weight in gold today

So, I am a firm believer that if you have the money to have a few cars... It's worth it to leave one completely stock to pass down to your kids

[02Sweet]

Funny thing is though... that all those guys back in the day that felt the same way, well, they have left behind some fine examples of stock cars that are about worth their weight in gold today

So, I am a firm believer that if you have the money to have a few cars... It's worth it to leave one completely stock to pass down to your kids

that is soooo true happened with my dad and his chevelle. His 70 is worth tops 15k b/c of all the mods he did.
No his friends 70 that is a numbers matching ss is worth close to 100k (maybe?)

My dad always said he had more fun back then but the money now would be nice

[Mr. Hyde]

Now those are good points. But the simple mods I'm refering to in this example are not extensive, a cold air intake, possibly a cat-back in the future and simply turning 4 bolts to lower the car, which as I write this now, is done and the car looks great!
Now I understand that a prestine 1963 Corvette which has the original Detroit air in the tires is going to be worth big $$$, I'm simply saying that taking a few liberties and carefully preserving (that's what boxes and garages are for) the removed items until a later time is acceptable.
Not to mention a lot more enjoyable. As I glance at the Z06 through the window while I write this, and she sits so much more aggresively, there's simply no way I can regret this simple mod that can be reversed in an hours time.

[Little Blue Vette]

Unless you live in the midwest where everthing if flat and there are no speed bumps or dips in the road. There are very significant down sides from lowering a Vette.

[95camaroZNC]

that is soooo true happened with my dad and his chevelle. His 70 is worth tops 15k b/c of all the mods he did.
No his friends 70 that is a numbers matching ss is worth close to 100k (maybe?)

My dad always said he had more fun back then but the money now would be nice

Is it really worth that much if you never drive it? I mean technically he wasnt even doing a mod its something GM put on the car to be used so when you go to the track you could lower it and bump it back up for road driving. Its all well and fine to leave a car stock and never ever drive it and it be worth the 100k but was it really worth owning if you did?

[Little Blue Vette]

Is it really GM put on the car to be used so when you go to the track you could lower it and bump it back up for road driving. ?

What are you talking about??? Lower it and you need an alignment. Rase it and you need another alignment.

[Little Blue Vette]

Is it really GM put on the car to be used so when you go to the track you could lower it and bump it back up for road driving.

What are you talking about??? Lower it and you need an alignment. Rase it and you need another alignment.

[KahanaReef]

Is it really worth that much if you never drive it? I mean technically he wasnt even doing a mod its something GM put on the car to be used so when you go to the track you could lower it and bump it back up for road driving. Its all well and fine to leave a car stock and never ever drive it and it be worth the 100k but was it really worth owning if you did?

I had meant that if you have money and have a few cars. I totally get modding up your car and driving the hell out of it. That's why you bought it!

But, I was pointing out that your neighbors car will be worth more someday and I think that he knows this.

Me, I'd like to have both And, it's not like I wouldn't drive both either. But, if I would have left my Chevelle stock and been able to give it to my son that way..... that would have been nice.

As it turns out, I was stupid enough to let it go anyway

[Mr. Hyde]

I should have mentioned that my neighbor's Vette is his daily driver! Complete with all the dings, scratches, scrapes, and windshield pings that go along with it. Not to mention the 3.2 million miles that are accumulating on it.
Hardly a collector's dream...
I don't think we'll be seeing his at Barrett-Jackson's when we're all old and gray(er).
I think the main point I am attemting to make here is this. To mod or not to mod is the question.
Let's take a look at what GM thinks;
They offer performance exhaust systems that you can buy right there from the dealer and have them installed! They are GM parts for crying out loud! That's just one example, there are many more.
Again, I understand that some people want to leave them just as they bought them, for various reasons, I respect that.
I personally just couldn't imagine driving a bone stock car. To me it would be as if the car was painted appliance white (no offence to those who own white cars please) and it had "Refrigerator" painted on the side.
One last note: I took the car in to get it aligned after the lowering, and the tolerances that GM builds into them allows just such a mod with no ill effects. The settings were NOT changed, so apparently you CAN lower them for the weekend, then raise em back up for your commute without having to re-align them.
I take my hat off to GM for this remarkable engineering, even though I had to pay them for the potential alignment. It was worth it!
Last note; I did not slam mine, but rather only lowered it 1.5" in the front, and 1" in the rear, I cannot say if the alignment would hold if you dropped it 2.5" like some people do.

[KahanaReef]

I should have mentioned that my neighbor's Vette is his daily driver! Complete with all the dings, scratches, scrapes, and windshield pings that go along with it. Not to mention the 3.2 million miles that are accumulating on it.
Hardly a collector's dream...
I don't think we'll be seeing his at Barrett-Jackson's when we're all old and gray(er).
I think the main point I am attemting to make here is this. To mod or not to mod is the question.
Let's take a look at what GM thinks;
They offer performance exhaust systems that you can buy right there from the dealer and have them installed! They are GM parts for crying out loud! That's just one example, there are many more.
Again, I understand that some people want to leave them just as they bought them, for various reasons, I respect that.
I personally just couldn't imagine driving a bone stock car. To me it would be as if the car was painted appliance white (no offence to those who own white cars please) and it had "Refrigerator" painted on the side.
One last note: I took the car in to get it aligned after the lowering, and the tolerances that GM builds into them allows just such a mod with no ill effects. The settings were NOT changed, so apparently you CAN lower them for the weekend, then raise em back up for your commute without having to re-align them.
I take my hat off to GM for this remarkable engineering, even though I had to pay them for the potential alignment. It was worth it!
Last note; I did not slam mine, but rather only lowered it 1.5" in the front, and 1" in the rear, I cannot say if the alignment would hold if you dropped it 2.5" like some people do.

Heh. I totally get what you are saying and agree. My car has no big mods, but, it's not stock either.

Oh, and my car is white... but, my appliances are black and stainless

But, I will add that there are certain cars that should be kept stock. Limited productions and cars as such. And, not all Mecum or Barrett-Jackson cars are mod free either

[ArcticZ06]

I wouldnt even consider lowering mine up here. On these crappy roads I rub enough as it is. I do think it would look a LOT better though if it was lowered an inch or so.

[taylorr12]

My dad is the same way everything stock, anything else just makes a vehicle unreliable

He has a good point. Once you do so much, i thinnk they do become unreliable.

[KahanaReef]

I wouldn't say unreliable. Many after market parts are far superior to stock. IMHO...

[taylorr12]

I wouldn't say unreliable. Many after market parts are far superior to stock. IMHO...

Well once you go so far it just gets silly. Like my Bf's truck. It's not very reliable at all, but we still drive it around. His old Nova, I wouldn't drive that thing around on the streets for anything, but id take it down the track.

[KahanaReef]

Well once you go so far it just gets silly. Like my Bf's truck. It's not very reliable at all, but we still drive it around. His old Nova, I wouldn't drive that thing around on the streets for anything, but id take it down the track.

Then, he's doing something wrong

[taylorr12]

Then, he's doing something wrong

No there's just no sense in driving a drag car on the street. It may be streetable, but not reliable.