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We don't need no stinkin' van! Who says you need an "accessible" vehicle just because you use a wheelchair... One of the things I learned in the Marine Corps is to adapt and improvise.
I got a great deal from Rick Conti in Ohio so I had the car shipped to San Diego to get my Guido Simplex hand controls installed. It's more than I'd planned on buying but the price was right for this 2016 Z06 3LZ with the Z07 package. Before shipping, I had Rick mount Pilot Super Sport tires and ship me the Cup2 tires - didn't want to risk a cool, rainy drive home with those tires...
I picked up the car late Saturday and have been slowly driving home (but not always driving slowly!) visiting folks and enjoying the drive. Spent Sunday with my newly minted Jarhead son at Twentynine Palms Marine Base - he's his father's son alright. Then met up with another friend and his '16 white Z06 for an afternoon of fun in Sacramento before getting my 500 mile oil change done at Able Chevrolet in Rio Vista (first class treatment all the way!).
From there, I cut across Hwy. 20 to 101 and drove up the coast through the Redwood forest - at Crescent City, I cut over to Hwy. 199, also known as the Redwood Highway. This was a great chance to try out the PDR on a great twisty road through forests and canyons. A beautiful scenic drive I'd highly recommend to anyone in the area. But it would be more fun when it's not 40 degrees with slightly damp pavement in the latter part of December...
I got home to Kent, WA yesterday afternoon. 1,800 miles in five days and am thoroughly enamored by this car! The handling, power delivery and overall comfort of this car is amazing. The A8 shifts incredibly fast & is a massive leap forward from my A6 in my 2008.
Took a break at a rest stop to snap a few pictures and enjoy the clean air.
Guido Simplex hand controls. The ring on the steering wheel is my throttle - squeeze for acceleration so you can drive with both hands on the wheel! The brake is just above my right knee. The system is light years ahead of other hand control systems I've used.
That is FANTASTIC!!! Thanks so much for sharing it. I have a good friend that is in a chair and he has wanted, for several years now, to have a performance car that he can drive by himself. I can't wait to share this with him. What a Christmas gift! God bless you!
My son and I drove that same route from San Fran to Crescent City on vacation and what a beautiful drive that was. Only not in a Z06. That's gotta be fun. Congrat's!
That is very cool. Congrats OP. I love your spirit - living life to the fullest.
You live in beautiful territory as well. Enjoy and be safe!
Thank you for your service, and for protecting me and my family.
I will be safe - I had the rear end kick out on me at about 70 mph - respect the torque, especially on cooler days! And you're very welcome!
Originally Posted by Thomasmoto
That is FANTASTIC!!! Thanks so much for sharing it. I have a good friend that is in a chair and he has wanted, for several years now, to have a performance car that he can drive by himself. I can't wait to share this with him. What a Christmas gift! God bless you!
Well, I probably will have a 2008 Coupe with the same hand controls available for sale this summer! It was my daily driver for 9 1/2 years (I picked it up in August 2007). It has about 87,000 miles but has been very well maintained and runs great.
Originally Posted by Zjoe6
My son and I drove that same route from San Fran to Crescent City on vacation and what a beautiful drive that was. Only not in a Z06. That's gotta be fun. Congrat's!
Despite the cooler weather, it was an amazing drive. The way the Z06 feels on twisty roads is stunning.
WOW! I didn't realize that hand controls have come so far. That is incredible, and is a very nice setup.
Back about thirty years ago when I was a teenager, my stepdad had several cars and a van, all of which were equipped with hand controls. He installed hand controls for a living. One of his cars was a '65 Vette. I learned to drive with the controls, which consisted of a single steel lever just under the steering wheel, near the right knee, which connected to both the gas pedal and the brake pedal. "Gas" was push the lever down toward the ground, and "brake" was push toward the dash. It was a simple mechanical setup with some slack and play in the system.....not precision at all, but it worked. Your left hand could steer, but your right hand had to be off the wheel and on the controls.
I've had several Corvettes of my own since then, and have always appreciated being able to have both hands free for steering or shifting. I have the A8 as well, it's a great trans and the paddles are in a good location in relation to your controls, I would think. Thanks for sharing, and enjoy the Z!
Wow...hand controls have come a long way! Last car I sampled with hand controls just had a single lever attached to the steering column, with a linkage attached to the pedals. IIRC it was "pull" for throttle, "push" for brake.
Congrats on the new Z06 it's a beautiful car and it happens to be identical to mine!!! I am heading out towards Twentynine Palms next week to visit family, I grew up in that God forsaken place Lol.
Technology is a wonderful thing! Now you need to get that thing out on a track! PM me if you have any thoughts that way. I have a buddy I sold my track car to that instructs for the Audi Club in the Tacoma area. Lots of high dollar cars so you won't feel out of place and good and free instruction. I would be happy to put you in touch with him. While he is redoing the engine in the car I sold him he is using either his wife's RS5 or his ATS-V as track cars. And I love some of the track videos he sends me from your area. Great tracks with lots of elevation changes.
Hey Aaron...great story. Glad the car is everything you hoped for. The hand control system is awesome. We've done that drive several times and it never gets old. I'm patiently waiting for my new 2017 Z06/Z07 to arrive at Lee Johnson in Kirkland. The car was built on 12/01 and is still in transit to Kent. Last location was North Platt, NE where it is sitting in a rail yard. (I'm tracking it using ONSTAR) The dealer says it will be in Kent by 12/28. I hope so. I'm also swapping out the Cup2 tires for MPSS' when it arrives. Hope to drive it some over the winter here in Seattle. Perhaps we could meet up at XXX in Issaquah one of these decent winter days.
12-23-2016, 10:47 AM
My new Z06 - with hand controls
