FriGuy

Hey everyone. Just got back from the Lone Star Classic and have some very big news.

Dave Hill was there along with a silver C6 convertible. At the end of one of his presentations he asked if there were any questions and guess what the first question was. "What is the status of the front license plate bracket?" He went over on the side and pulled out the "Official" GM front plate bracket and stuck it on the front of the C6. He then went on and said that they are working on an alternate mounting plan so that the facia will not have to be drilled. They are either going to go with a mount that mounts under the front facia on the bumper mount or they are going to go with a tempory type of mount that will allow the bracket to be removed at shows etc....

These are straight from the source. Hope this is good info and not a dupe post.







[Modified by FriGuy, 7:10 PM 5/15/2004]

FriGuy

Some additional information that he said was

- The first C6 coupes should ship in August with the verts following close after. Not sure if the power tops will be ready initially.

- The Prototypes for the Z06 are almost ready to hit the roads and they do not have the final engine in them yet. that will come later in the year.

- He would not say what the horsepower for the Z06 would be because they are still trying to gain some more

- Also that tentative date for the Z06 unmasking may be at Detroit in January


[Modified by FriGuy, 7:00 PM 5/15/2004]

Another Yellow

Good news. First Tom Peters and now Dave Hill. This is the first time Dave Hill said they were working on a new mount but that work has been going on for two months.

Corvette Junkie

need-for-speed

Well ya can't get a better source than that ....

What is the Lone Star Classic? You guys get your own car show ??

FriGuy

Yup and it is hosted at the Texas Motor Speedway. The car show was today tomorrow they will be driving on the speedway and the road course

kenrobb

And the bracket he showed on the front of the silver C-6 was ugly!!! A lot of people had that very concern on their mind when the question was asked. The car shown was the conv that was unveiled at the Geneva show. It was a very early prototype. It was roped off and no one was allowed to sit in it.

BuckyThreadkiller

Need, you should have come up! I'd guess there were a couple of hundred Vettes from a 53 and a 54 to early 60's fuelies and a myriad of modded C5s. For the C4 crowd there was a ZR-1 several Grand Sports and pace cars of every ilk. Damn good show.

The C6 was the silver vert from Geneva. It had an electrical glitch (show car) And Hill couldn't put the top down, But he did start it and it was remarkably quiet. But he spent 45 minutes doing a walk around and discussing the car. (BTW it has a 10" woofer in each door as well as midranges higher in the doors and a center channel in the dash. All Bose.)

Having now seen the C6 for real I have to say that any reservations I may have had are gone. The headlamps look great on the silver and the rest of the body work is incredible. All the photos I've seen are from ground level or low to make the car aggressive. From eye level there are styling cues you miss in the other shots. The way that the rear fender comes into the door looks a LOT like the Sting Rays. It is a fabulous car.

The front plate still doesn't thrill me but I never run the front plate anyway. I want one.


Couple of other things Dave mentioned -

No Z06 Vert.EVER.

Nav system will display turn indications on the HUD

Z51 includes package specific tires, trans gear ratios, rear end as well as brakes and suspension bits

LED lighting through the instruments rather than traditional lighting that shines on the gauges

Dave says the rear defuser and the brake light spoiler help to increase downforce at speed and evacuate air from beneath the car.





[Modified by BuckyThreadkiller, 8:10 PM 5/15/2004]

need-for-speed

Well now if I'd a known he'd discuss the "woofer" I would a been there

Hey, I appreciate you getting the specifics on the Bose. I will definitely get the Bose w/ 6 in the dash...but not until '06. Yeah, I saw the C6 at the Houston car show. As I've been saying, the headlights look like they belong when viewed "in the flesh". They look completely "natural", for lack of a better description. I'm glad the live viewing helped to "cinch the deal" for you. That seems to be the case for most. It looks great up close. The convertible looks best of all 3 styles, but I'll probably get a coupe. Ditto on the C3 influence in the quarters and the doors ....... one of my favorite styling cues of the C6. Then, when you add all the mechanical improvements ove C5, which is an outstanding car, well.........

AC54ME

Folowing Dave Hill's presentation to the group, I had an opportunity to have a private conversation with him.

It was my intent to more fully understand the possible 'solutions' that he, and his engineers, were considering for options to mounting the front license plate.

First, the license plate mount that Dave Hill showed all of us (he was carrying one in his brief case) is just totally unacceptable. I will require that two (2) holes be drilled in the front facia to allow this original design to be mounted.

As alternativies, as I understood from Dave, they are investigating a "pre" mount for the actual license plate mounting that attaches to the underside of the facia, at the top of the air intake area.

Per Dave, this will require some drilling on the underside of that area to mount the brackets that will contain the actual license plate mount.

The actual mount which will contain the license plate may, or MAY NOT, 'lay' against the front facia.

My comment was that if it were to not 'lay' against the front facia, and just be sticking up (like a speed break), it would be unacceptable.

Dave assures me that the option they desire will allow the license plate to lay against the facia, and the mounting will be painted to match the car's color.

On another matter (like/dislike) the C6.

The C6 did not 'reach out and grab me'. It is an attractive Vette, but (IMO) not does not represent something that I just must have.

The side vents remind me of a Viper.

Passenger side, the dash is one big blank space - absolutly nothing to look at other that "leather".

The rear, although attractive, reminds me of a Cad - high and wide. (Vendors will surely make a lot of aftermarket options for this area).

The front facia air intake looks like a fish with its mouth open. I believe that aftermarket vendors will find this an attractive area to design, and sell, something that makes it more attractive.

The head lights are just okay, however they look like a dozen or so foreign import cars headlights. I think that if the were 'intergated' into the body more they would have been more attractive.

I do like the 400 HP, but would like that number to be RWHP

I do like the door handles, although they remind me of the ones found on the "Z".

I do like the 'streching' of the wheels (fron and back). Makes the Vette lok more aggressive.

I do like the Vert 'power top' option (however, Dave Hill had a heck of a time making it work during his presentation).

wlee013

Good news on the license plate. If the news is correct got to give GM credit for listening.

jim482

Agreed, Things got to heated around here between TEAM Corvette and Forum members. Unfortunately comments got personal.

All things considered though, level heads prevailed. The Forum faithful expressed their opinion and TEAM Corvette Listened. Good job EVERYONE.

need-for-speed

Ditto. Let there be no doubt that GM reads this board. Dave Hill told me so. That and the KB's confirm it's so. Listening to the customer is why Corvette is a hit.

the oz

When are they changing the steering wheel then?

scorp508

If you actually get a license plate that "lays" against hte fascia it is going to rub the paint and over the years give you a nasty rectangle on the front. Even if you put weatherstripping on it the constant rubbing will do it. You'll want a good 1/8-1/4" clearence.

Scissors

It looks better when it's not painted body color, like the other one was.

scorp508

Yeah it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. I'm glad the XM receiver for the coupe is going to be black.

Scissors

I never doubted that GM engineers were smart enough to come up with a better way. After all, they're the guys who designed what the ISAE called the best-engineered car of the 20th century (C5.)

My worry, and anger, was directed at whichever crackhead it was who made the call to go with this drilled-fascia monstrosity. Probably a middle manager somewhere.

At any rate, it fills me with joy that GM's engineers are coming up with something better and that GM actually listens. Bravo!

Scissors

Reminds me of a 1961 mixed with a C5.

RPOZ51

I agree. I've heard people compare the C6 to the C2, the C3, and the C5, but I see a lot of C1 in it.

There's a definite family resemblance.