Convince me to buy an Ls1 Corvette!

**jerrysta** · 05-10-2007, 12:50 PM

Hi guys, I have been a member over at cz28.com for a while and some of the guys mentioned this site for information on Corvettes. Here is my situation that I am hoping some of you Corvette owners can help me with.

I currently own a 1995 TA with a 510 Big Block in it that I built over the last two years. Anyway the build took a lot out of me and I think I may be left with a car that I will not be able to take out very often due to many reasons, such as manual steering and brakes and around 700 hp. Not too easy to drive around. Anyway I have been thinking of selling this car to fund the purchase of a 20 to 25k dollar C5. I will then have my engine builder port the heads for me and replace the cam. I'm would hope to make 500 fwhp.

My question is...is this a good idea? I have a lot of blood sweat and tears in this TA but I still need to put in a bigger radiator and new rear end before it's finished.

I have always been a Vette lover (never owned one) and I'm thinking now might be the time to get one. I have invested well over 15k in this car and I just don't think I'll get enough enjoyment out of it to justify that.

How are the vettes to drive everyday? I know they are more expensive to maintain but I am not worried about that too much. I'm more worried about fun, the culture of people who have the car, and the history and nostalgia that goes along with one, and how much I can drive it yearly (I live in Ohio).

Any advice would be appreciated.

Jerry

**Mr. Luos** · 05-10-2007, 01:05 PM

**sgt0704** · 05-10-2007, 02:12 PM

i would imagine you'd keep it garaged during the winter. i would guess you're not going to get out of the TA what you've put into it. maybe you could make the TA more of a daily driver. unless it's purley for racing.

**Sarge** · 05-10-2007, 03:55 PM

I get what your asking.....I've had many a Vette and many a muscle car...they are two very different things as you know. Vette= Sports Car...they are fun to drive when the weather is good....but dickheads open their car doors into you....and birds shit on your hood just like if you were in a Honda Civic....they ride like the War Wagon...your feet get hot....road noise irritates the shit out of you after awhile.....but it's a Vette.....Driving them in the rain sucks cuz the tires are so damn wide the hydro on your ass easier than if you were riding around on glass tires....getting in and out of them requires the agility of Bruce Lee.....dont ever have knee surgery.....but it is a Vette.....I've had a bunch of em....loved them all...have a mint C4 right now......But aint nothing like firing up them 600+ ponies in that GTO

**mvvette97** · 05-10-2007, 08:56 PM

I love my C5 vette. Yes it does ride kinda rough but just the feel of it makes it worth every penny. I like my trans am but the vette is so much better at handling and gives you a feel of total control. I also can get almost 30mpg on a trip. The seats are very nice but it does have alot more wind noise inside the car. One thing about the vette is that the passenger doesn't get leg cramps from the big hump in the floor that the fbody has. You can't go wrong with a vette.

**danziger** · 05-12-2007, 06:22 AM

I'd drop the 1995 T/A and get a C5, or even a nice LS1 T/A.

**StylesMcKnob** · 05-12-2007, 11:19 PM

I wish I could get a corvette...

**jerrysta** · 05-15-2007, 06:45 AM

I have a guy interested in trading. He has a 98 Coupe. It looks to be in great shape. When he sent me pics my heart started racing and a half hour later I had a stomach ache.

I have not been able to think of anything else since yesterday!

Is that my body telling me to get the Vette?

**secondgearscratch** · 05-15-2007, 07:01 AM

this has gotta be a joke man. you put alot into this car! i mean a 510 is huge and think of the potential. sure you wouldnt get what you put into it, but you created this monster!!! a vette is a vette and they are bad ass, but how many big block 95 t/a's are prowling the streets? you could slaughter a vette in your t/a....i mean you could slaughter a z06 im sure...why give that up now, after all the work up to this point? i can guarantee you that even though c5's are amazing...the minute you get in one you will regret not having that beast YOU built.

try a not so radical cam if you want to daily drive it...or just appreciate that your car is a throwback to a much purer and cooler age of muscle.....

good luck either way!

**jerrysta** · 05-15-2007, 07:17 AM

Good points and that is the dilemma I'm facing. The reason I don't drive it everyday has more to do with the manual steering, the noise, no heat, AC, wipers, radio......which I think is cool by the way to have this pure race car on the street. But the first day I took it out I had cops cruising down my street and I'm not sure that's the attention I want.

The fact that the TA is unique is the biggest positive I have for the car. Straight line performance is the other. Other than that the Vette has got more votes on the positive side.

Man this is hard

**secondgearscratch** · 05-15-2007, 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by jerrysta

Good points and that is the dilemma I'm facing. The reason I don't drive it everyday has more to do with the manual steering, the noise, no heat, AC, wipers, radio......which I think is cool by the way to have this pure race car on the street. But the first day I took it out I had cops cruising down my street and I'm not sure that's the attention I want.

The fact that the TA is unique is the biggest positive I have for the car. Straight line performance is the other. Other than that the Vette has got more votes on the positive side.

Man this is hard

i had a truck with manual steering and it was awesome!!! if it wasnt such a hassle i would delete it on my z!!! you could always throw on an ac cmpressor/condensor and get a heater core, though that would require more work. it is definetely possible to do and make it a bit more comfortable. i suppose ive been so engrossed with cars my whole life that when i started driving i took what i had as the standard....i love roll up windows, manual steering, and manual door locks. hell i have had no heat, no ac, and no radio in various cars so i feel your pain but its easy enough to retain those ammenities. i really wouldnt get rid of that monster, just make it more comfortable for the daily trek. youve come this far...might as well finish it out how YOU want it and enjoy your hard work.

**intheclouds1977** · 05-15-2007, 07:39 AM

$15k worth of custom work will be very missed. Why not drop another $2k into it to make it comfortable and have a dream vehicle that you created?

My truck has nearly $30k worth of work done to it completely by my hand. It rides like a cement truck, but damn if I'll ever get rid of it. Years of my blood, sweat, love and tears are in that thing!

**camaross19973** · 05-15-2007, 08:11 AM

well hi their jerrysta well after all is said and done ur going to make the last choice. i also want a vette but i also love my maro and would not trade it for the world and i have'nt even started to moded like i want to when i do its going to be cool. like the guys say its ur time the effort and money u have spent on ur car no one elses but ur car,so enjoy it and and when u have save up buy ur vette