John L. Stein
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Soaring with the ’Birds
Long drafting in the shadow of Corvette, Camaro, Mustang and Challenger — and now regrettably extinct — the Thunderbird was nonetheless Ford’s original post-war “sports car.” And at least until history passed it by, the T-bird forged a lasting presence in music and racing too. Witness “Fun, Fun, Fun” by the Beach Boys (1964), Bob…
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1965 Chevrolet Corvette 327/375 Fuelie convertible
327-ci/375-hp L84 V8 Original numbers-matching engine Last year for Rochester fuel injection Original Muncie M20 4-speed transmission First year for four-wheel disc brakes Optional knockoff aluminum wheels Presented in Nassau Blue Pristine two-tone blue and white interior Body-off restoration Completely detailed NCRS Top Flight Award winner
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Get the Story Straight
Acolleague once bought a rescue dog. It was a cute, bright-eyed thing that looked like a cross between an Australian cattle dog and a German bierwurst sausage. Unfortunately, this lovable mutt had numerous congenital problems, including seizures that required substantial doses of time and money to diagnose and treat. The good news is that with…
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1973 Chevrolet Corvette Motion Performance Manta Ray GT
One of three Motion Performance Corvettes built in 1973 Custom bodywork and numerous special Motion Performance features 350-ci engine with 425 dyno-tested horsepower Reworked Turbo 400 transmission Center console, T-tops and letter of authenticity signed by Joel Rosen, aka “Mr. Motion” The only 1973 Motion Performance Corvette Manta Ray GT known to exist
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To Use It, Improve It
Classic Corvettes are happy to be driven really hard. So there’s no reason why they should ever sit out a season of driving — or even year-round use in non-blizzardy climates. Of course, while a 1956, 1966 or 1976 Corvette was contemporary in its time, the technology of 40 to 60 years ago borders on…
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Plastic Fantastic
For an English major, I sure did lousy in Ye Olde English Literature. Byron, Keats, Milton and the rest seemed unbearably stuffy compared to my favorite authors of the period — the editors of Hot Rod, Road & Track and Car and Driver — in particular, Brock Yates. But one poet did come up with…
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2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
638-hp supercharged LS9 engine 6-speed transmission, twin-disc clutch Selective Magnetic Ride Control Aluminum chassis, 3,324-lb curb weight Carbon-fiber hood, front fenders, roof panel, rocker moldings and front splitter Brembo four-wheel disc brakes Chrome 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels Blade Silver with black leather interior Bose seven-speaker sound system Keyless entry and remote start Heated…
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1960 Chevrolet Corvette 283/290 Big-Brake convertible
One of 119 RPO 687 “Big-Brake” 1960 Corvettes One of 759 1960 Corvettes built with the 283-ci/290-hp fuel-injected engine BorgWarner T-10 4-speed manual transmission Temperature-controlled radiator fan Positraction rear axle (4.11:1 ratio) Heavy-duty brake and steering package Wide wheels (15 by 5.5 inches) 6.70-by-15 blackwall tires Auxiliary hard top Wonder Bar signal-seeking AM radio Unrestored…
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Old Money
Our beautiful minds are badly illogical sometimes. We buy three cases of Cactus Cooler we don’t need because it’s on sale. We remit tax dollars instead of redlining our IRAs. And we miss owning the classic Corvette of our dreams because it “costs too much.” Say what? There’s really no such thing as paying too…
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Hold on, Hold Out
Recently, I drove down to the harbor to watch a neighbor launch his wood sloop, at last finished after 28 years under construction in his shed. I wasn’t in a Corvette, but rather a 1967 Mustang that I recently adopted. The little Ivy Green coupe exerted a magnetic pull on a college-age young man, who…