Inside a gearheads head. C8 delivery, Part One
05-02-2021, 01:20 AM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Inside a gearheads head. C8 delivery, Part One
Saying "pictures don't do the C8 justice" is a monumental understatement. When I walked thru the door from the dealers showroom to the service bay area where my 2021 black on black Z51 HTC 3LT with a few extra goodies sat, my knees almost buckled when I saw it. No exaggeration...I was stunned, I was speechless, and I was still 40 feet away. Without taking my eyes off the car as I slowly approached from the rear I handed my wife the 3 page spreadsheet of C8 problems I carefully cataloged from this forum over the last several months, meticulously organized by category and sorted in the order I intended to review them by. But my plan for rigorous inspection vaporized in an instant. No room in my brain for such foolishness as I was falling head over heels in love with my dream car....all in a matter of seconds.
I knew instantly that black was the right color choice for me. All those different configs I carefully studied considering every color, all the input from loved ones and trusted friends about color choice, all the time spent deciding what color it would be paid off instantly. The wheels looked great. I was originally going with the bright silver painted aluminum wheels, but once I decided on black exterior I had to have the spectra gray trident wheels. From far they look like old school skinny shinny 5 spoke wheels but on closer inspection the modern darkness and complexity of the wheel takes over. Seems a perfect blend with the black exterior. Exceeding my expectations for sure.
It's been about 19 months since I saw my first and only up close C8 at the showcase event at this very dealership. 16 months since I placed my order for a 2020 HTC. That means I spent just over a year fine tuning my configuration. I fine tuned based on hundreds of pictures, dozens of online videos, and lots of input and feedback from this forum. Over that time I also abandoned any sense of holding to a budget. Being a perpetual "1100" status somehow made me totally unconcerned about the final price. Dumb I know and so unlike me. But my dreams and the vaporware configuration was suddenly alive and right in front of me. I'm still in a mesmerized state of shock as I slowly approach.
I'm close on the car now, my eyes still locked on. Muttering to myself "holy crap". I'm circling from the left rear forward taking it all in. When I make it around to the drivers door "Wes" my salesman opens the door and says "hop in, start it up". I ignored him and slowly did another slow lap around the car. Muttering to myself things like "I can't believe this", or "I'm not worthy". The car looks so amazing.
This time as I approach the drivers door Wes again says hop in start it up. I bend over to look inside. Not sure why but I'm hesitant to get in. I bend over and stick my head in to take a good look. Like a new father that scans his newborn and counts digits I took inventory. All black and gray interior with red seat bolsters and red stitching? Check. Alacantra down the middle of the seats and on the console and steering wheel? Check. Carbon fiber trim around instrument cluster and door switches? Check. Button on console for front lift? Check. So interior came just as I wanted and it looks world class spectacular.
Now the big test. Will my 6'3" 230 pound self fit? Will I be able to get in and out? Will my head hit the roof? I went to the showcase to research these things and concluded no problems.....but over these several months I worried and wondered if I was just caught up in the excitement. When I tried on a C7 years earlier it didn't fit well enough to pursue one. What if I made a mistake getting this c8? Well I easily slid right in, but getting out was a different story. I found it extremely awkward to get out of. I'm hoping more time and trial and error will improve exiting...maybe doing lunges daily for awhile will help (not happening). But if I can't reduce the egress problem I don't care because the car is so friggin nice. I'll crawl out of it if I have to. Small price to pay for driving utopia.
Recorded audio doesn't do the sound of this car justice either. I only heard one C8 in the wild (only saw a couple glimpses of others). I was bent over pumping gas in my lawnmower can...maybe 25 or 30 ft from the road. I hear as my grandson used to say a driver "making it loud". I raise and turn in time to get a right rear glimpse of an orange C8 blasting up the road. But instead of a nice V8 rumble it was very raucous and mean sounding. He was headed my direction so I had hopes of seeing him down the road and becoming best friends. I scanned every parking lot and driveway on the way home, but I was mowing my lawn 10 minutes later. He must of been in track mode. I concluded that the exhaust is so short that the sound of a V8 I love for most of my life will not be had on my C8. But I was wrong. I started my car and it roared to life with its slightly over revved cold start burst. It sounded deep and powerful. Not what I expected but extremely pleasing powerful V8 rumble. So this too surprisingly exceeded my expectations.
As if I haven't taken enough gut punches over this C8 journey I have a couple more to endure. These are self inflicted too, so they hurt more. Now I have to conclude paperwork and leave my car here at the dealership. I'm taking it straight to a detailer for paint protection film, and the dealer has agreed to let me leave the car there for a few days until my detailer is ready. Its now my car, its absolutely and stunningly beautiful in every way and I have to drive 35 miles back home in my beater. We drive home in silence as I'm still trying to process everything that just happened. Writing this post is sort of therapeutic since I can't look at my car or touch it. All I can do is relive it in my mind over and over, or tell my story over and over to those that are interested and to some who aren't. I guess now I can even print it out. If you have or you're waiting on a C8 I hope your first encounter is as good as mine was. I'll never forget our first meeting. I'll post some pics when I get it home in a week or so.
I knew instantly that black was the right color choice for me. All those different configs I carefully studied considering every color, all the input from loved ones and trusted friends about color choice, all the time spent deciding what color it would be paid off instantly. The wheels looked great. I was originally going with the bright silver painted aluminum wheels, but once I decided on black exterior I had to have the spectra gray trident wheels. From far they look like old school skinny shinny 5 spoke wheels but on closer inspection the modern darkness and complexity of the wheel takes over. Seems a perfect blend with the black exterior. Exceeding my expectations for sure.
It's been about 19 months since I saw my first and only up close C8 at the showcase event at this very dealership. 16 months since I placed my order for a 2020 HTC. That means I spent just over a year fine tuning my configuration. I fine tuned based on hundreds of pictures, dozens of online videos, and lots of input and feedback from this forum. Over that time I also abandoned any sense of holding to a budget. Being a perpetual "1100" status somehow made me totally unconcerned about the final price. Dumb I know and so unlike me. But my dreams and the vaporware configuration was suddenly alive and right in front of me. I'm still in a mesmerized state of shock as I slowly approach.
I'm close on the car now, my eyes still locked on. Muttering to myself "holy crap". I'm circling from the left rear forward taking it all in. When I make it around to the drivers door "Wes" my salesman opens the door and says "hop in, start it up". I ignored him and slowly did another slow lap around the car. Muttering to myself things like "I can't believe this", or "I'm not worthy". The car looks so amazing.
This time as I approach the drivers door Wes again says hop in start it up. I bend over to look inside. Not sure why but I'm hesitant to get in. I bend over and stick my head in to take a good look. Like a new father that scans his newborn and counts digits I took inventory. All black and gray interior with red seat bolsters and red stitching? Check. Alacantra down the middle of the seats and on the console and steering wheel? Check. Carbon fiber trim around instrument cluster and door switches? Check. Button on console for front lift? Check. So interior came just as I wanted and it looks world class spectacular.
Now the big test. Will my 6'3" 230 pound self fit? Will I be able to get in and out? Will my head hit the roof? I went to the showcase to research these things and concluded no problems.....but over these several months I worried and wondered if I was just caught up in the excitement. When I tried on a C7 years earlier it didn't fit well enough to pursue one. What if I made a mistake getting this c8? Well I easily slid right in, but getting out was a different story. I found it extremely awkward to get out of. I'm hoping more time and trial and error will improve exiting...maybe doing lunges daily for awhile will help (not happening). But if I can't reduce the egress problem I don't care because the car is so friggin nice. I'll crawl out of it if I have to. Small price to pay for driving utopia.
Recorded audio doesn't do the sound of this car justice either. I only heard one C8 in the wild (only saw a couple glimpses of others). I was bent over pumping gas in my lawnmower can...maybe 25 or 30 ft from the road. I hear as my grandson used to say a driver "making it loud". I raise and turn in time to get a right rear glimpse of an orange C8 blasting up the road. But instead of a nice V8 rumble it was very raucous and mean sounding. He was headed my direction so I had hopes of seeing him down the road and becoming best friends. I scanned every parking lot and driveway on the way home, but I was mowing my lawn 10 minutes later. He must of been in track mode. I concluded that the exhaust is so short that the sound of a V8 I love for most of my life will not be had on my C8. But I was wrong. I started my car and it roared to life with its slightly over revved cold start burst. It sounded deep and powerful. Not what I expected but extremely pleasing powerful V8 rumble. So this too surprisingly exceeded my expectations.
As if I haven't taken enough gut punches over this C8 journey I have a couple more to endure. These are self inflicted too, so they hurt more. Now I have to conclude paperwork and leave my car here at the dealership. I'm taking it straight to a detailer for paint protection film, and the dealer has agreed to let me leave the car there for a few days until my detailer is ready. Its now my car, its absolutely and stunningly beautiful in every way and I have to drive 35 miles back home in my beater. We drive home in silence as I'm still trying to process everything that just happened. Writing this post is sort of therapeutic since I can't look at my car or touch it. All I can do is relive it in my mind over and over, or tell my story over and over to those that are interested and to some who aren't. I guess now I can even print it out. If you have or you're waiting on a C8 I hope your first encounter is as good as mine was. I'll never forget our first meeting. I'll post some pics when I get it home in a week or so.
The following 22 users liked this post by C2 legacy:
/Bear/ (05-02-2021),
21C8HTC (05-02-2021),
ArrestMeRed (05-02-2021),
ASTROCREEP (05-02-2021),
BobG (05-02-2021),
and 17 others liked this post.
05-02-2021, 03:53 AM
#2
Not gonna lie, I'm pretty turned on right now. This should have a "NSFW" tag.
The following users liked this post:
Losbot (05-02-2021)
05-02-2021, 06:55 AM
#3
Drifting
Member Since: Oct 2020
Location: Not too far from MacMulkin
Posts: 1,791
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Unmodified C8 of the Year 2021 Finalist
Thanks, @C2 legacy Well done. 
As someone who's anticipating the delivery of my C8 soon, your creative writing put a smile on my face!
As someone who's anticipating the delivery of my C8 soon, your creative writing put a smile on my face!
05-02-2021, 07:10 AM
#4
Drifting
Member Since: Jul 2013
Location: Grand Rapids area MI and Palm Coast, FL
Posts: 1,398
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Great write up!
Seeing all 8 of my Corvettes for the first time created long term great memories. Seeing my new mid-engine Corvette for first time seemed almost surreal after 50+ years of waiting!
Seeing all 8 of my Corvettes for the first time created long term great memories. Seeing my new mid-engine Corvette for first time seemed almost surreal after 50+ years of waiting!
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trooper (05-02-2021)
05-02-2021, 07:13 AM
#5
Le Mans Master
Congratulations on your new Vette.
05-02-2021, 07:55 AM
#8
Le Mans Master
I think I need a cigarette...
The following 2 users liked this post by LIE2ME:
21C8HTC (05-02-2021),
Red C8 of Jax (05-03-2021)
05-02-2021, 08:51 AM
#9
Race Director
Member Since: Aug 2019
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 10,074
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You speak the truth, when it's YOUR new C8 sitting there in front of you, it is a very special time. I'll let you in on a surprise I look forward to seeing and driving mine MORE after having it 9 months, than even the first day.............it just gets better. Congrats!
05-02-2021, 09:25 AM
#10
Le Mans Master
05-02-2021, 10:11 AM
#11
Drifting
Great write-up. I will say that you showed much more restraint than I would. I not only would have taken it home, but I would have driven to the detailer and waited for it like I did with my C7.
BTW, my HTC will also be black.
Congratulations! Enjoy it!
BTW, my HTC will also be black.
Congratulations! Enjoy it!
05-02-2021, 11:16 AM
#12
Congrats
05-02-2021, 06:21 PM
#13
Instructor
Inspiring write up. I am waiting for my AW 3LT HTC to be built and I spend every day checking forum. I still don’t think I’m putting PPF on mine. This will be #9 Corvette without II though I’m going to do some form of ceramic coating. Enjoy the car!
05-03-2021, 07:19 AM
#14
Nice writeup! A black C8 is a thing of beauty beyond compare.
As the owner of (and detail slave to) a black car I think that you are wise to go with the full paint protection film. I will look as perfect as when you first saw it for years to come.
Congrats and enjoy!
As the owner of (and detail slave to) a black car I think that you are wise to go with the full paint protection film. I will look as perfect as when you first saw it for years to come.
Congrats and enjoy!
