"On July 1, a gentleman stopped by our offices and asked if I would be interested in buying a 1957 Corvette.  Upon asking the usual question, his comment of knowing about our Corvette Club back in the 1970's peaked my interest in his Corvette.  He said it was in a barn and had been "nailed in there" for over 35 years was the convincer that I had to go and LOOK. 

When we arrived at the "site", we could not see a barn, just a driveway with weeds over chest high and an old path.  As we started walking down this 200  foot path, we finally saw a house, barn and a shed.  The seller informed us he had to get a pry bar in order to open the door.  After attempting to open the door, we also had to saw a tree down in order for the barn door to slide open.  Upon finally getting the door open this is what we saw!"

Sudbury Food Bank Week was highly successful this year, raising more than $71,000.

Events took place during the week of June 13-19 to raise money. They were organized by several organizations that presented cheques Wednesday.

Friday, June 25th, is the date of the 10th Annual Drive Your Corvette To Work Day, sponsored by Mid America Motorworks. In honor of Drive Your Corvette To Work Day, enthusiasts across the United States make "America's Sports Car" their commuter car for the day. Every year, the Friday closest to June 30, Corvette's official birthday, is chosen to observe Drive Your Corvette To Work Day.

Mid America Motorworks promotes Drive Your Corvette To Work Day among Corvette owners and clubs. The goal is to have as many Corvette owners as possible drive their car to work that day.

A hamper full of events will take place in Sudbury next week, all aimed at restocking the Sudbury Food Bank's shelves.

The smorgasbord of activities includes a Blues' Festival, a multi-artist CD launch and dinner, a Corvette car show and a Sudbury Transit Food Drive.

There is such a wide buffet of entertainment slated that Mayor John Rodriquez declared June 12 to 19 as Sudbury Food Bank Awareness Week.

The Sudbury District Motorsports Association took one small step to making a year-round racetrack in Greater Sudbury a reality on Tuesday.

Local MPP Rick Bartolucci announced $50,000 in funding for the group to conduct a feasibility study at a press conference.

"This is huge," SDMA President Jim Savage said. "This gives us the opportunity to get a consultant team, hopefully from Sudbury, to move forward on this multi-faceted motor-sport park. Once we get this going, we can do a site assessment and a business plan and it brings us that much closer."

When the 2006 Corvette Z06 was introduced, it represented the closest connection to the Corvette race cars ever. The 2009 Corvette ZR1 closed the gap between racing and production even further. This year, Corvette continues its tradition of track-to-street technology transfer with the 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition.

“Designed to further incorporate technology developed through racing, the Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition is a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Corvette’s first race in the 24 Hours of LeMans,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet General Manager. “With a limited production of 500 units, this car is a must-have for the true Corvette collector and driving enthusiast.”

The dream of an educational and recreational track at the National Corvette Museum shifts into high gear

When the 2006 Corvette Z06 was introduced, it represented the closest connection to the Corvette race cars ever. The 2009 Corvette ZR1 closed the gap between racing and production even further. This year, Corvette continues its tradition of track-to-street technology transfer with the 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition.

For many years, Sebring International Raceway was Corvette Racing's Bermuda Triangle, a place where strange things happened routinely. After seven victories at the classic circuit, Sebring was once again the team's nemesis in the 58th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. An improbable collision in the pit lane ultimately consigned the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6. R to an eighth-place finish and the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R to ninth place at the checkered flag.

Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring GT2 Results:
Pos./Drivers/Car/Laps
1. Melo/Bruni/Kaffer, Ferrari 430 GT, 331
2. Auberlen/Milner/Werner, BMW E92 M3, 330
3. Mueller/Hand/Priaulx, BMW E92 M3, 330
4. Bergmeister/Long/Lieb, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 329
5. Law/Neiman/Lietz, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 325
6. Brown/Cosmo/Barbosa/ Ferrari 430 GT, 323
7. Krohn/Jonsson/van de Poele, Ferrari 430 GT, 321
8. O'Connell/Magnussen/Garcia, Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 320
9. Gavin/Beretta/Collard, Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 320
10. Robertson/Robertson/Murry, Ford GT, 300
11. Sharp/van Overbeek/Farnbacher, Ferrari 430 GT, 271
12. Sellers/Henzler/Pilet, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 255
13. Gentilozzi/Goossens/Dalziel, Jaguar XKRS, 11

Canada and the United States have their fair share of differences. For example, Canada's head of state is the queen of England, the government is run by a prime minister rather than a president and it has a parliament and provinces rather than a congress and states. What separates Canada from the United States, though, isn't nearly as significant as the similarities that unite them. One of those similarities is a love of cars, racing and the culture that surrounds them. It is that bond that brought the SAN to Canada in 2007 and is the reason we work with great organizations, such as the National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada (NAACC) to promote and protect the hobby north of the U.S. border.

To further that mission, the SAN is supporting a proposal issued by Environment Canada to indefinitely extend an exemption that permits the use of leaded gasoline in competition motor vehicles.

Corvette Racing will take on its most formidable challenge to date when it competes in the GT2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Le Mans, France, on June 12-13. The twin Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars are among the 17 entries in the GT2 class invited by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), organizers of the classic endurance race.

After a year that can charitably be called challenging, automakers are viewing 2010 with a sense of optimism. So is the Canadian International AutoShow. In what it is calling its Vision, organizers says 2010 will mark "the most fascinating decade in automotive history. Restructured and retooled, manufacturers have plans not just to survive but flourish. Auto Show 2010 is an integral part of those plans."

2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible

When fast food restaurants need to shake up business, they often rely on the time-honored tradition of mixing and matching items on the menu to stop their regular customers from getting bored and shopping elsewhere. One week the sign out front will feature a Jalapeño Double Cheddar Bacon Burger, and the next a Southwest Cheddar Chicken Sandwich with Bacon and Jalapeños. With the ingredients already sitting in the freezer, this method is a lot easier and cheaper than concocting an entirely original creation. As someone who adheres to an “I’ll only eat there if there’s something new” rule when it comes to fast food, my bathroom scale can attest to the fact that it works, too.

The 2010 Corvette Grand Sport is the product of similar thinking.

General Motors recently recalled 22,000 Corvettes because the roof might fly off, and what do you think kicked the company into action? Complaints on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Web site from owners? Was it the safety agency itself, worried about the complaints? Concerns raised by the Federal Aviation Administration?

The new, trimmed-down General Motors held a teaser party in the Motor City last week to show off some of its newest products leading up to next month's North American International Auto Show. No specifications or other details such as launch dates or pricing were offered, simply a "look-at-me session ... and no, don't take my picture." But I can tell you what I saw.

Now that the General has cut its list of brands to just four nameplates, Chevrolet is expected to account for about 70% of GM's overall sales. So, the division is revamping its lineup with new products to help it meet that goal.

The last time Chance Mayfield saw his 1965 Corvette was on a late November night in 1970 in the parking lot of a Nashville nightclub.

Sometime after he went into the club, his prized possession was stolen.

On Monday, 39 years after the fact, Mayfield was reunited in Scottsdale with his valuable muscle car. 
"I got down on my knees and kissed it," said Mayfield, who lives in Baxter, Tenn.

One of the best ways to find a good car - ask owners whether they would buy their car again. That's just what Consumer Reports does in its annual Car Owner Satisfaction Survey.

Who are the happiest car owners?This year Consumer Reports received a record number of responses on 400,000 cars, trucks, SUVs, and minivans.

Sudbury Food Bank was in the mood for giving thanksWednesday.

The organization held an event to show appreciation for three major spring and summer events that helped carry the food bank through the seasons.

"At the food bank, we've been trying hard to make the month of October a month of thanks to the whole community," said administrator Dan Xilon, from the organization's parking lot of the Notre Dame. "We realize that we'd be very remiss if we did not thank the individuals that got us through the summer."

WARREN, Michigan — The next Chevrolet Corvette, referred to as C7 internally, will follow the 2010 Camaro down the road of retro-inflected styling, according to Ed Welburn, General Motors' head of global design.

In an interview with Inside Line, Welburn, father of the reborn Camaro, noted that the split-window design of the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray coupe would make an appearance on the next Vette.

Not so long ago the idea of a hybrid powertrain in a sports car was anathema to enthusiasts. But after this year's Formula 1 season, the debut of cars like the Tesla Roadster and Audi's all-electric R8 e-Tron at Frankfurt and the wider acceptance of hybrids in general by the buying public, it's not so unimaginable anymore. It's also at least a real possibility for the greatest American sports car: the Chevrolet Corvette.

Bruce Willis, action movie star and one of Hollywood's most recognizable leading men, will part ways with some American iron from his personal collection during the 2nd Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Las Vegas Oct. 7-10, 2009. Willis will sell his 1967 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 and 1988 Lincoln Limousine, all at No Reserve.

The 2009 Las Vegas event will take place at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and feature approximately 400 collector vehicles for sale, posh lifestyle events and live, high-definition TV coverage from SPEED.

A new General Motors emerged from bankruptcy protection on Friday, far more quickly than most industry watchers had expected, as a leaner automaker aiming to win back American consumers and pay back taxpayers.

A whirlwind 40-day bankruptcy for GM concluded with the closing of a deal that sold key operations and core brands, including Chevrolet and Cadillac, to a new company that will be majority owned by the U.S. Treasury.

The deal was signed between the government and GM executives at the law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, the company's chief bankruptcy counsel, a source familiar with the company said.

Industry analysts viewed the brevity of the bankruptcy as a positive development.

"I think that this type of case would not do well in a long Chapter 11," said attorney Richard Mikels, head of the bankruptcy practice at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo. "The negatives to the business are reduced significantly by getting these companies out of Chapter 11 as rapidly as possible, and therefore the Chapter 11 process has worked in the manner (it) is supposed to because you have quickly a new entity that is free of the overhang of the old GM."

General Motors filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday as part of the Obama administration's plan to shrink the automaker to a sustainable size and give a majority ownership stake to the federal government.

GM's bankruptcy filing is the fourth-largest in U.S. history and the largest for an industrial company. The company said it has $172.81 billion in debt and $82.29 billion in assets.

As it reorganizes, the fallen icon of American industrial will rely on $30 billion of additional financial assistance from the Treasury Department and $9.5 billion from Canada. That's on top of about $20 billion in taxpayer money GM already has received in the form of low-interest loans.

Chevy Announces the 2010 Corvette Grand Sport! It's one of the most illustrious racing heritage Corvettes and it is returning to the lineup. Chevrolet is announcing the new, 2010 Corvette Grand Sport today as part of the C5/C6 Corvette Birthday Bash!

These are exciting times at the NCM and the 15th Anniversary Corvette Celebration is a time to share our excitement with you! Registration is now open for the four-day festivities that include the Corvette Hall of Fame, special displays, our grand reopening ceremony, 4th National Corvette Caravan arrivals, entertainment, and as many activities as we can pack-in to show you a great time!

The new Corvette Sting Ray Concept, Autobot Sideswipe in the upcoming film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, is revealed for the first time at the Chicago Auto Show Chevrolet Press conference by GM Vice President for Global Design Ed Welburn.

Doom and gloomsters feared Corvette Engineers may have been forced to cancel plans to produce an enticing special edition of the Z06 and Z51 for the 2009 model year. Speaking today at the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit, Chevrolet’s North American VP Ed Peper dispelled the darkness, officially announcing the launch of a special edition Competition Sport Corvette.

The GM exec didn't bring in a car for a little show and tell, so we will have to wait for a more up close and personal inspection in a future posting.

Jeremy Clarkson, the bombastic host of the hit BBC show Top Gear, has run down his short list of best and worst cars of 2008 -- and surprisingly for the man who has a known unfavorable taste for American cars -- he has picked the 638-hp 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 as his car of the year.

To start, Clarkson outlined some of the year's disappointments in his Sunday Times column .

Some people are saying that the new Nissan GT-R is one of the first real Japanese supercars, but how does it stand up against the Chevy Corvette ZR1?

With GM development engineer Jim Mero behind the wheel, the 2009 ZR1 Corvette paced the Nurburgring in a time of 7:26.4.

One hundred years ago, carriage maker William "Billy" Durant placed a big bet on the fledgling auto industry in the early 1900s and created General Motors Corp. Riding America's rise as a superpower, GM went on to dominate the automobile industry for decades, producing some iconic cars and trucks, as well as numerous safety, marketing and technological advances. Explore this special section as we examine GM's first century.
 
Few major companies endure the rigors and shocks of American capitalism for decades - let alone survive long enough to mark their centennial. But GM is no ordinary American company.

DETROIT, Sept. 9, 2008 – Corvette Racing will aim for a sixth victory in the GT1 class in the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans before entering the GT2 category in the second half of the American Le Mans Series 2009 season. Corvette Racing will launch a full-season assault in the restructured GT division in 2010.

Corvette Racing representatives announced the plans today in a media teleconference.

Corvette Racing will run a limited schedule in the GT1 class in the first half of the 2009 ALMS season as it prepares for its 10th participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. The team will race in the GT1 class in the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and the popular Grand Prix of Long Beach. Following its return from the classic 24-hour endurance race in France, Corvette Racing will compete in the GT2 category in selected ALMS events in 2009 in preparation for a full-season program under new international GT class regulations in 2010.

How serious are the problems facing the Detroit Three?

This serious: General Motors' Chevrolet Division has put the next-generation Corvette, the C7, on indefinite hold.

GM Inside News reports, "Well-placed sources have confirmed GM has put the next-generation C7 Corvette program on hold, pending a review of the impact of the 35-mpg CAFE laws due to come into effect in 2020.

"The problem for GM is that, while 35 mpg is the target for 2020, automakers have no idea what the transitional fuel-consumption targets are in the interim. In other words, they have no idea how they should be planning to get from today's CAFE number to 2020's. Transitional fuel-consumption targets are not expected to be finalized until the end of 2009."

2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 Test Drive With Behind-the-Scenes Video by Popular Mechanic

Of course, that range of choices also includes the ZR1, with its 6.2L supercharged engine that produces 638 horsepower (476 kW).

There have been various attempts by motorsports enthusiasts to develop and establish facilities that accommodate activities such as motocross, drag racing, snowcross, oval racing, etc. Unfortunately, both human and financial resources have prevented these venues from being established. Never have these enthusiasts collective come together in order to realize a facility that has the capacity for all of these uses.SDMA endeavors to do just that. We are looking for your support to realize this dynamic and exciting project.

Further information and membership details: www.sudburymotorsports.ca

Follow along with Skilled Engine Builder Bruce Blomfield as he assembles one of the first production 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 LS9 V-8s at GM's Performance Build Center.

Source: VetteTube.com

With a $10 million expansion under way, the National Corvette Museum is already looking to further enhance its Corvette experience.

The museum recently purchased 70 acres off Grimes Lane (across Interstate 65 to be accessed by Porter Pike) on which it will build a Motorplex Park.

Wendell Strode, the museum’s executive director, said the property cost about $1 million and will be financed by the property owners, the Collett and Renick families.

The motorplex will include a 1.5 mile drag strip, autocross track and road course that will be used for the museum’s driving school and major events it hosts at the nearby museum.

INDIANAPOLIS — In one of the more politically correct moves of the 2008 racing season, Chevrolet has announced that one of the Indianapolis 500 pace cars will be a customized Corvette Z06 E85 that runs on ethanol. The other official Indy 500 pace car is a black-and-silver Corvette that marks the 30th anniversary of the 1978 pace car — the first Corvette to pace the field at the Brickyard.

Chevy notes that this will be Corvette's 10th appearance as the official pace car at the Indy 500, a milestone that the automaker says is "unmatched by any other vehicle."

The official dyno numbers are in: The supercharged 6.2-liter V8 in the forthcoming Chevy Corvette ZR1 cranks out 638 horsepower.

That's about 20 hp more than the estimates from General Motors' powertrain gurus when they unveiled the new ZR1 and its monster motor last December.

To simplify the math: The LS9 engine in the ZR1 is rated at 103 hp per liter of displacement, or 1.7 hp per cubic inch (6.2 liters is equal to 376 cubic inches, for the old schoolers in the audience.)

The General Motors Corp. plant at Bowling Green, Ky., will build a special model of the 2008 Corvette Z06 sports car this spring that pays homage to the big-block 427 Vettes of the mid-1960s and honors retiring plant manager Wil Cooksey.

Called the 427 Limited Edition Z06, the $84,195 car will feature special "427" badges, referring to the cubic-inch displacement of the V-8 engines in the '60s-era big-block Corvettes and the current Z06, GM said.

Power requires responsibility.

As gorgeous as the 2009 Corvette ZR1 may be on the outside, it's what is under the skin that gets our blood pumping. Fortunately, GM stripped down its new supercar to the bare essentials and put it on display here at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show.

The new CAFE regulations might spell the end for big V8s, but future Corvettes will be packing a similar performance punch with a smaller footprint. Automotive News sat down with the Corvette's vehicle line exec, Tom Wallace, to discuss the future of the iconic coupe and he said that a 700 hp 'Vette is off the table.

Leaded Fuel:  The Department of the Environment has delayed action for one year on a SAN-opposed proposal to terminate the current exemption for leaded gasoline used in competition motor vehicles. Under the revised regulation, the exemption will remain in place until January 1, 2010. The extension will allow all racing events in 2008 and 2009 to proceed while providing time for regulators to conduct further studies on the health risks of leaded fuel at race facilities.

The SAN based its opposition to the original proposal on the fact that Environment Canada relied on no scientifically documented test data to provide evidence that increased exposure to emissions created from leaded gasoline causes adverse health effects and that competition motor vehicles use only 1.5% of all leaded gasoline consumed in Canada. According to the International Hot Rod Association, drag-racing competitions and related expenditures by race teams, event organizers and tourists amounts to a multimillion dollar windfall for regions hosting these events.

Source: SEMA

GM officially unveiled the much anticipated Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 today. After much speculation it looks like GM finally decided on the ZR-1 name (instead of Blue Devil or SS).

Although GM has yet to release the final horsepower numbers, engineers are working hard to acheive a goal of 620 horsepower and 595 lb-ft of torque out of the LS9 supercharged 6.2L V8 engine. We can expect final horsepower and 0-60 mph times to be released next month at the Detroit Auto Show.

By Hib Halverson

I turned left on I-65-north on-ramp, then buried the gas.

First: exhilaration

In seconds, I was near the top of third gear, watching traffic fly backwards when I lifted. This twenty-oh-eight, six-speed–new LS3 under the hood and optional "NPP" exhaust out back–was a freakin' rocket ship.

Then: despair.

1965 Chevrolet Corvette Cut-Away Autorama display recently sold for $704,000 at auction. Check out this incredible display.

Specifications:
375hp, 327 cu. in. fuel-injected V8 engine, M-20 four-speed manual transmission, four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes with four-piston calipers. Wheelbase: 98"

Take a ride with Corvette Quarterly magazine as they get a test ride in the 2009 ZR-1 Corvette. Turn up your volume!

More details of the new ZR1 are sneaking out. This time some shots of the new Supercharged LS9 ZR1 Engine.

LAS VEGAS — General Motors Performance Parts has resurrected the legendary ZL-1 big-block Chevrolet V8. Actually, there are not one, but two crate-engine versions: a limited-edition Anniversary 427 and a more affordable regular-production ZZ427.

This video shows a 1970 coupe with a 600hp small block power-sliding around a track. Awesome!

2008 Chevrolet Corvette

The latest edition of America's sports car received a modest update for the 2008 model year. While most visual changes are subtle, the biggest news lies beneath the hood. For 2008, the C6 now has a 6.2L LS3 V8 — increased from 6.0L — between the front fenders. The base model Corvette comes with 430 horsepower and 424 lb-ft of torque while a sport exhaust system bumps power to 436 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque. Our test car — which had the sport exhaust option and Z51 performance package — was equipped with a six-speed manual, featuring better linkage for 2008. The Corvette can also be equipped with a new six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. Chevy claims the automatic is the fastest automatic Corvette ever, taking just 4.3 seconds to hit 60 mph.

Ever since the end of the factory Dodge Viper racing program, the American Le Mans Series GT1 class has been dominated by the factory C5R and C6R Corvettes. For a while they were challenged by assorted Panoz GTR1s, privateer Vipers, Ferrari 575s and Aston Martins. In 2007, aside from an Aston Martin at Sebring, the 'Vettes have had the GT1 class to themselves.