The 50^th Anniversary Corvette

By Frank Smith

 

For over two years now, Corvette enthusiasts have wondered what Chevrolet would have to commutate the 50^th Anniversary of America’s true sports car. There were rumors about what this car would be -- pearl white with a bright red interior, maybe a special gold paint with a 400 plus HP engine, or special body treatment, with hint’s of Corvettes from the previous 49 years and a spattering of the up and coming C6.

 Having seen the prototype of the car over a year ago, I watched and read the speculation with amusement.  I’d seen the car in April 2001 while visiting the plant in Bowling Green; I knew what the color combo and drive train would be, but nothing else.

 The 50^th Anniversary Corvette was set to be unveiled in June of 2002, but a dealer representative got some photos of a European version taken behind the Corvette plant in Bowling Green being prepared for shipment to Europe. Claiming the car was at her dealership, she posted the photos to the Internet in late March.  As soon as the Corvette team saw the photos, a call was made and the dealer was given minutes to remove the photos. The photos were removed, but too late! The chat rooms were buzzing with disappointment.  The Anniversary Corvette didn’t look anything like it was supposed to, the photos were of poor quality, and the Internet couldn’t show the true color even if the photos were good.  But the damage was done, and the decision was made to unveil the car publicly at the C5 Birthday Bash in Bowling Green in April.

Sunday morning, April 20, 2002, two well-guarded Corvettes parked on the lawn in front of the museum and covered with gray car covers greeted enthusiasts arriving at the National Corvette Museum. Most of the people there had seen the photos on the Internet or had been told of the disappointment, so I was quite surprised at the size of the crowd.  Dignitaries included Dave Hill, Corvette Chief Engineer and Vehicle Line Executive, Rick Baldick, Corvette Brand Manager, Wil Cooksey, Corvette Plant Manager, and Mike Yeager, owner of Mid-America Designs. Dave Hill explained the daunting task of designing the 50^th and the related tough decisions involved, acknowledged the reaction on the Internet. He then slowly removed the covers from the cars.  An amazed and impressed crowd surged forward.

 It’s difficult to describe the color of this car. It’s darker than Magnetic Red; it’s deeper and richer than the 40^th. If you can imagine a deep burgundy wine color with lots of gold metallic you can come close. But you haven’t seen a metallic like this before -- it’s new.  Conventional metallic is made of fine metal particles or foil; not this one! In a new and patented process, this metallic is made of the same kind of silicone used in computer chips, layered and precise in shape. The result is a paint that seems to take on life; it just glows!  For the first time in a long time, the interior is all color coordinated. It’s called Slate, a color taken from the upcoming 2004 Cadillac XLR.  It’s a soft tan, reminding me of the “Doe Skin” color used in the 70’s era Shark. Even the dash, shift lever, and steering wheel are this Slate color. Sitting in the car you feel a new openness and it just feels roomier.

 The introduction was followed by a seminar conducted by Dave Hill explaining the improvements to this car. One piece of the new technology came from the upcoming C6. It’s called “Magnetic Ride Control”. To describe it briefly, it’s an electronic ride control system that replaces the conventional shock absorbers. As you are driving down the road, the system senses speed, motion, yaw, and compares it to the road surface at a speed of over 100 times per second.  When asked if this was more of a luxury car than a sports car, Dave Hill replied, “You can’t generate much cornering capability when your wheels are in the air -- this system keeps them on the road!” The wheels are special too, a special champagne color with the 50^th logo in color in the center cap.

 Although it may not be what we all expected, I can tell you this is one fantastic and beautiful Corvette, worthy of the distinction of celebrating 50 years of production.

 The 50^th Anniversary package is available only on the Coupe and Convertible as option 1SC. It is not available on the Z06. All 2003 Corvettes will carry the front and rear 50^th Anniversary logo, but not the fender logo.  You can find out a lot more about this special Corvette on the internet at: http://www.c5registry.com .

 The Upcoming C6:

I spent some time with the chief designer of the C6 and a couple of other GM engineers. Although cloaked in secrecy, I can tell you this much about the next generation Corvette.

 It will be introduced as a 2005 model. Once again, an Orange Corvette will be available, and there are significant improvements to the frame, suspension, engine, and overall quality.

 To dispel some rumors: 

1. Bob Lutz did not send it back for redesign, He’s seen the C6 twice as of this writing, and loved it both times, calling it “Awesome!” Every time the GM team reads in a magazine that Bob Lutz didn’t like it, they get a good laugh!
2. The Z06 option will not be discontinued, but it will not be available in the C6 until the 2006 model. Look for a lot more horsepower and lighter weight due to some carbon fiber.
3. Although the 2004 Cadillac XLR will be built in the Bowling Green assembly plant, it won’t be the same car; the Corvette and the Cadillac don’t even share the same assembly line.  The Corvette will be a push rod V8 with more horsepower than the current version while the XLR will use a special Northstar overhead cam V8 producing around 385 horsepower. The plant is taking great pains to keep the two cars separate!
4. There is a rumor the new C6 will be smaller! Yes and no. The wheel base will be longer, but the overall car will be four inches shorter.

 That’s about all I can tell you for now. Stay tuned!

 For those of you interested in the upcoming 2003 Chevrolet SSR, Corvette writer Hib Halverson and I are doing a website with GM at: http://www.ssrinfo.com

 

Custer Battlefield Trip

 

Please plan to leave from Richard and Debbie’s house at 8 a.m. Sunday, June 23. We will pick up Dick and Trish Bargman on the way. Please let us know if you are going so we don’t leave you behind. Bring your radios and lots of film. It is going to be an interesting trip back into history and a lot of fun. Hope you are going to join us.

                                                Debbie

 

Vette Fest Plans

By Linda Moore

 

The show plans are moving along well. This year we are going to try something different. The dance will be at the back parking lot of the Gray Wolf. That way everyone will be able to clean their car and listen to the music, dance, or just visit. If the weather is bad, we will move it down in the garage. This way we can get the dining hall cleaned up at a reasonable hour.

In Disguise

 

Who are these people?

 

A.                 Jack Larsen

B.                 James Dean

C.                 Val and Lucy Ball

D.                 Todd & Pam Packer

E.                  Randy Wagner

F.                  Tom Cruise

G.                 Sam & Janet Miller

H.                 Jack Lemon

I.                    Dick Bargman

J.                   Marv and Mary Kay Bennett

K.                George & Laura Bush

L.                  Fred Hughes

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