Minutes
of the March 2003 Meeting
By
Barbara Bell
The monthly meeting of the Corvette Club was held on 16 April 2003 at Gringo's
in Idaho Falls.
After the meal, President Bill Waters led the 34 in
attendance in a discussion of current business.
Peggy Bone gave an update on the Flaming Gorge trip, scheduled
for the weekend of May 2nd, and invited all to participate, as we should have
cabin fever by now, after months of no trips.
Reservations need to be made before April 25th for motels.
Wanda Pincock said that there had been two quilt blocks finished and
turned in for the Raffle Quilt. She has extra if needed, and urged all to get
busy, as the blocks need to be finished and handed to her by the next
meeting, May 15th.
New members, Tim, Lisa, and Brandon Hobley were welcomed. They have a
'71, and own Bear Mountain Contractors.
Fliers for Boise are still available for the July meet, scheduled for
the 23rd, 24th, and 25th.
Brian Novak said that the City of Rigby is having a big celebration on
June 14th, and would like some Corvettes in the parade. Contact Brian
for more information.
Trish Bargman handed out forms for the WILD WEST 'VETTE FEST.
We have several sponsors paid and need to be aware of the deadline and help get
them in. The next planning meeting
will be at the Barton's on May 13th.
Randy Wagner needed cars for the D.A.R.E. activity on April
24th. He personally contacted those in attendance and got the cars
necessary. This event involves 6th graders from Dora Erickson and Bush Elementary
schools. The other day for this project is scheduled for May 8th.
The Spud Drive-In in Driggs is having its 50th Anniversary on
the 4th of July and would like
to have some Corvettes from the club participate. Be thinking of this as a
possible fun run.
Tommy Taylor has information about the CNCS Marquee Club in
Seattle and their School Daze Event scheduled for July 16th. He
states this is a real fun event, and if anyone can go, they would really enjoy
it.
Next month's meeting will be May 14th at Wingers at 7 PM.
May Birthdays
| Betty McKinlay | 3 | |
| Linda Moore | 8 | |
| Jim Hobbs | 12 | |
| Darlene Davidson | 16 | |
| Trish Bargman | 18 | |
| Joyce Wagner | 19 | |
| Marvin Bennett | 21 | |
| Connie Lamprecht | 23 | |
| Saprena Lyons | 29 | |
| Carol Roberts | 29 |
Plan for the Future
Don’t forget the Taylor Chevrolet 9th Annual Corvette, Classic, Hot Rod and Antique Car Show and Cruise this August. There will be a parade down Rexburg’s Main Street and cruise in the afternoon. There are no entry fees and the registration starts at 9 a.m. (Bring your lawn chairs!)
Trophies will be presented for all classes, including Corvette, Classic, Hot Rod, Antique, and Pickup. Lunch will be served for all participants, and you can have your picture taken with your car. There will be vendor booths and displays and even a raffle for “blowing up an engine in a car.”
For further information call Janet Miller at 356-6600 or email her at janet@taylorchev.com.
Vette
Fest 2003
July
24, 25, 26, and 27
The Boise Club’s Vette Fest for this year looks to be outstanding, even outdoing last years great event.
Included will be a pool party and no-host bar Thursday evening; an outcross, road tour, and drag racing at Firebird Raceway on Friday; and a show-n-shine and Corvette giveaway on Saturday (a 2003 50th Anniversary). There will also be a Barbeque and night parade and a dance with raffle prizes Saturday.
Things will wrap up Sunday with an awards brunch.
The registration fee ($145 a couple before July 1) includes:
For more information contact Larry Hollinger at (208) 377-0476 or email Valleycorvettes@dri-wash.com
Crate Engine News
Since 1958, GM has been supplying engines to a host of boat manufacturers. Marine engines are routinely subjected to considerably more severe operating conditions than their standard passenger-car counterparts, and that makes them ideally suited to high-performance applications.
Numerous engines that were originally developed for marine applications have turned up as crate engines in the Performance Parts catalog, which explains why some crate engines have surprisingly low compression ratios. Most marine engines are designed to survive on a diet of 87- or 89-octane gas.
The 6L Vortec marine
engines are also entirely suitable for placement between the fenders of a
Corvette. The naturally aspirated model is essentially a "marinized"
version of the engine that powers Chevy and GMC trucks and SUVs. In its marine
form, it's rated at 350 hp, which is the minimum power rating it will carry if
it hits the Performance Parts catalog. With a cam change and slightly more
aggressive ignition timing, the engine will easily crank out 375-plus
horsepower and yet be mild enough to deliver excellent low-speed driveability
and fuel economy.
The engineers at
Powertrain are also experimenting with a supercharged version of the 6L engine.
At this point, the engine is still being tested and evaluated, so no horsepower
numbers have been released. However, considering that the naturally aspirated
version of the engine is rated at 350 hp, the supercharged edition should hit the
charts at well over 400.
One of the most
compelling aspects of the Vortec marine engines is their durability. Before an
engine is released for production, the combination must pass a 300-hour,
wide-open-throttle durability test. Since all the major components are retained
when a marine engine is packaged for sale through GM Performance Parts,
"crate engines" offer this same level of durability. And that's just
what every Corvette owner needs.