2001 Mallett Hammer Z06: Pulled from the Corvette Museum Sinkhole

The Last Corvette Pulled From the Sinkhole at the Bowling Green Kentucky Corvette Museum



It was a sad looking piece of crumbled up steel when this Corvette was pulled from the sinkhole. What was once a red customized Vette that was fitted with a roll-bar, no longer resembled its original form.

Kevin and Linda Helmintoller were the original owners of the vehicle and spent 10 years customizing it before donating it to the Corvette Museum just a few months earlier before the sinkhole incident. Although General Motors executives have said that all eight Corvettes would be restored back to their original condition, this last one may be the exception.

When Kevin Helmintoller found out it was time for the Mallett Hammer Corvette to be retrieved, he drove up from Florida to witness it and told the museum staff this, "I expected bad, but it's 100 times worse ......  it looks like a piece of tin foil... and it had a roll cage in it! It makes all the other cars look like they're brand new."

So what will Corvette do to restore this particular victim of the collapsed sinkhole? Probably nothing, they will probably keep the last vehicle as a reminder of the horrible accident that occurred that day. Never the less, all eight Corvettes that were damaged in the wreckage will be on display at the museum through the month of August.

Chevrolet Displays Their Prize Possession's for Detroit Baseball

It All Starts at Comerica Park

Detroit baseball fans come to the Motor City to see All-Star players like Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander. These players attract about 3 million fans annually to Comerica Park and many more that watch them on t.v. So what better place for Chevrolet to advertise a few of their nicest pieces of work than the city of GM's own headquarters, Detroit. 

Chevrolet is the official sponsor of the MLB, also for the past five years they have posted vehicles like the Camaro, Malibu, and the Equinox in the outfield for all of the league and fans to see. 

But this year there is a twist, instead of two vehicles that are non-salable, pre-production vehicles -- the production Topaz Blue full-size Silverado and the Crystal Red Metallic Equinox crossover (mid-size SUV) that will be on display, will also be salable production vehicles that will go up for auction at the end of the year.

I think I might be willing to shell out a few extra bucks at an auction if one of the Chevrolet vehicles I was bidding on had a nice little baseball dent in the fender due to a walk-off home run from one of my favorite players. Especially if the Detroit Tigers do what a lot of experts are predicting, another playoff run to the World Series.

In the end, it is a great place for Chevrolet to advertise. And to complete the Chevrolet display, there is a water fountain that sprays out a water show and a recording of a huge tiger's roar every time a Detroit Tiger hits a home run.

Two Classic Corvettes That Could Go for $1 Million Apiece at Auction

In January of this year, a 1967 L88 Corvette showed up on the auction block at the world famous Barrett-Jackson auto auction. This '67 L88 was specially built for a General Motors executive and was produced as the only known L88 from that year with a red-on-red color combination. It was in such good shape with paper work to match it fetched $3.8 million.

The stipulation of that Corvette is much the same as two Corvettes that will be rolling across the auction block at the Mecum Auto Auction (Houston, April 10-12, 2014).

The first Corvette that might fetch some big numbers is an one-off 1963 Corvette Sting Ray convertible styling car that was built for General Motors Chevrolet Division General Manager Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen. Now owned by his son, Bernie Knudesn, this rare Corvette stands out from the rest with huge, unique chromed out side-pipes, on a special Crimsom Firefrost Metallic red with white strips. The interior was modified from the factory with 1964 interior components and styling. The seats were covered in Naugahdye and were chic-white with maroon stripes.

Underneath the hood is a 327 cubic-inch motor with plenty of chrome plating and crinkle black finish to take the place of the cast-iron look.

“All of Knudsen’s cars came in this color, and I’m sure he was out and about showing it off often,” says Mecum consignment director John Kraman, who says that this car could reach the $1 million mark. “It’s a real automotive landmark that has special panache.”

The other Corvette that will probably fetch some big numbers was so pampered it has never even hosted a passenger, and there is only three known people that have ever sat in it. This 1967 Corvette Sting Ray that only has 2,996 org. miles on it is so nice it probably belongs in the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

It has only had one owner, who passed away in 2011. Don McNamra was a United State Marine, he struck a big payday in Las Vegas where he took his winnings and bought this '67 Sting Ray. McNamara lived in Colorado Springs, he never married and lived a very private life. At one point, sometime during the '80s, he denied even owning the rare Corvette to keep a low profile. Legend has it that the small amount of miles on the vehicle were mostly put on during late night cruises.

These Corvettes may not bring a $3.8 million price tag like the Barrett-Jackson L88 Corvette, but they could easily be some of the Mecum's highest auctioned cars of the weekend, maybe even of all time. One thing that will hurt the Corvettes is that the Mecum auto auction doesn't bring in as many high-profile bidders like the Barett-Jackson auctions often do.

“It’s a great color scheme (white with a red stripe) and must be the absolute best second-generation Sting Ray in the country,” says Kraman, who believes this Corvette could also see the $1 million mark. “The first thing that jumps out at you is how different an original car feels from a restored one. This is what it must have looked like in the showroom, down to the whitewall tires.”

New 2014 GTO Judge (6T9 Goat)

The GTO Judge goes back a long way, all the way back to the muscle car era. After being dropped out of production in 1974, the GTO was just another muscle car that didn't survive. But Pontiac brought it back for 2004, '05, and '06 before dropping it again due to marketing issues and poor sales.

Like with the Trans Am, the GTO Judge still has die-hard fans who still want to see vehicles produced with the famous badges and colors that we all know and love.

Two brothers, Tod and Scott Warmack and Jim Dowling from Tallahassee, Fl. felt the same way about the Pontiac brand. So with the same love and respect that other Pontiac fans had, they started up a Trans Am program ran from their Tallahassee shop known as the Trans Am Depot. To this day they are the only company that is allowed to use the Trans Am moniker.


The company started creating awesome versions of what the Trans Am would have looked like if they were still in production today and then sold them. Needless to say, they looked great and made a big hit. Now the Trans Am Depot is venturing out into the business of making a 2014 GTO Judge or what the Trans Depot calls it "6T9 Goat."

Just like with the Trans Am, they will be mocked up by using the '10 Camaro frame and body. Different bumpers, quarter-panels, hoods, spoilers, rims and interior styling, as well as other components, are implicated to differentiate the GTO Judge from the Camaro and Trans Am.

What do they have for power?

The GTO will get a supercharged 600rwhp, 600lb-ft of torque LS3, with 12 pounds of boost and SLP long-tube headers.

The 2014 GTO Judge and Trans Am are available for order, just contact the boys at the Trans Am Depot and get your dream car started.

2014 Corvette's Price Rises $2,000

If you have already ordered your Corvette Stingray you are safe from the price jack, but if you have been sitting back and waiting for the right moment you can now expect to pay an extra $2,000 for the good looking, great selling sportscar.

General Motors decided with such great success so far selling the beauties it was time to try to squeeze a little more out consumers. The Stingray coupe will move from $51,995, including destination, to $53,995. The convertible gets a similar price jack, from $56,995 to $58,995.

The Z51 Performance Package will also see an increases of $1,200 to level out the final package price to $4,000. So if you are looking to get into a base coupe with a Z51 package, you will end up paying $57,995, and if you opt out for a convertible you will find yourself buying one for about $62,995.

March 1st is when the change took place. A spokesmen for Chevrolet has confirmed that there is no need to worry about any orders purchased prior to that, as they will honor the original price even if it has not yet made it into the owners possessions yet.

Corvette is still on the top-ten fastest selling vehicle list of this winter according to  cars.com. Even with the $2,000 increase, one can only image that this will have no effect on sales. The redesigned 2014 Stingray has been a hit every since its debut at the 2013 North American Auto Show.

Even with the $2,000 price jack, the Stingray still puts out performance and comfort with a price tag that can not be matched by any other car on the market. 

The New Silverado Reaper

The Lingenfelter and Southern Comfort Silverado --

AvailableThis Month At Participating Dealerships

 

Originally started as the T-Rex, Lingenfelter gave the Silverado the name because the truck was designed to go head-to-head with the Ford Raptor. And the hope for the T-Rex was a Dinosaur square-off that would eat the Raptor alive.

But when Ligenfelter found out that Southern Comfort Automotive was also doing a similar project, the two joined forces and the name was dropped to make way for a more marketable name, the Silverado Reaper.


The Silverado Reaper made its first debut at the Chicago Auto Show, where its larger than life presences was immediately notice. The beefier hood was designed to fit two different massive power-plants: A 5.3-liter with 475hp and a 6.2-liter with 550hp, both of which are topped with Magnusom supercharges and fitted with Corsa exhaust.

The Suspension is lifted 3-inches over stock and Fox Reservoir Shocks that provide 9.2-inches of wheel travel in the front and 11.2-inches in the rear are bolted on.

Two sets of rims and tires will be available. 20-inch rims and tires are standard, but for the real off-road enthusiast you can order 17-inch beadlock wheels with 33-inches of General Grabber rubber

Other goodies include: a front skid-plate, integrated rock-rail with side steps, flood lights and day time running LED lights, auxiliary switch panel and a custom gauge cluster.

This new beast will be available at select dealers this month. Price has not yet been released but roomers have it that a price tag will be around $50,000 to $60,000 depending on options.

How Does The 2014 Z28 Kill the Road Course

Since its outstanding performance at Germany’s Nürburgring racetrack -- the toughest road course in the world -- otherwise known as the Green Hell -- talks about just how badass the new Z/28 really is, have never slowed down.

Not only was the Z/28 amazingly fast and ran a whole four seconds faster around the Green Hell (7:37.47) than it's more powerful sibling, the ZL1, it also ran faster than the Porsche 911 Carrera S and Lamborghini Murcielago LP640.

What made this 505hp monster so quick around the Green Hell? Chevrolet engineers say it has to do with three main key factors that they put most of their focus on: increasing grip, increasing stopping performance, and reducing weight.

Recently, Chevrolet released a list of 28 improvements that made it possible for the Camaro to accomplish such impressive times:


1. LS7 engine with dry-sump oiling: features a durable forged-steel crankshaft, lightweight titanium connecting rods and high-flow cylinder heads with lightweight titanium intake valves, as well as racing-style dry-sump oiling system.


2. TREMEC TR6060 six-speed manual transmission: with short throws, smooth gear synchronization and shift feel, the gearbox has the capability to stand up to high-performance engines.


3. 5.1-ratio short-throw shifter: provides quicker, more precise-feeling gear changes.


4. Track capable fuel system: he road course-ready fuel system is designed to keep the primary fuel pump reservoir full even under hard cornering.


5. Air intake system: the LS7 uses a unique open air box intake system to make the most of high-rpm airflow into the engine.


6. Differential cooler: incorporates an integral heat exchanger, eliminating the need for an external pump, wiring, relays, temperature sensors and fan.


7. Strut tower brace: the same as on the Camaro SS 1LE, provides extra chassis stiffness by tying the towers together.


8. Uprated lower control arm ride link “travel limiter” bushing: offers 50-percent greater stiffness at high load than the SS.


9. Active dual-mode exhaust system and high-flow converter assembly: engineered to provide high-flow and muscular sound character under aggressive acceleration, while attenuating noise levels in cruising conditions.


10. Belly pan: helps reduce front lift and contributes to drivetrain cooling.


11. Carbon ceramic brake rotors: 21.16 lbs lighter than steel brake rotors.


12. Brembo carbon ceramic brakes: 60-0 mph in less than 120 feet (36.6m).


13. 19-inch wheels and Perille P Zero Trofeo R tires: the widest front wheels/tires of any comparable sports coupe: 19x11-inch wheels with P305/30/ZR19 tires.


14. Lightweight wheels and tires: 29.1 lbs lighter wheels and tires than on the Camaro SS.


15. Zero-preload limited-slip differential: features a concentric helical gear set that generates friction proportional to the input torque.


16. Higher-rate coil springs and smaller-diameter stabilizer bars: the stiffness rate of the Z/28’s coil springs was increased by 85 percent in the front and 65 percent in the rear.


17. DSSV damper technology: the Z/28 is the first high-volume production road car to use Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve damper technology from Multimatic.


18. Uprated rear upper control arm bushing and lower trailing link bushings: 400 percent and 25 percent stiffer, respectively, compared with the SS.


19. Unique front fascia: although the Z/28’s fascia is based on the Camaro SS, the fog lamps, air dam and the upper-base grille are replaced with covers, reducing weight.


20. Front splitter: designed to withstand 250 pounds of down-force at its tip, it is matched with an aero closeout panel under the front of the engine compartment that also enhances aero characteristics.


21. Hood extractor: made of carbon fiber, it provides increased engine cooling by allowing hot air an exit route.


22. Front wheelhouse liners: work with the vehicle underbody to make the most of airflow.


23. Performance Traction Management: integrates the chassis mode selection, Traction Control and Active Handling Systems.


24. Rear spoiler with wickerbill: to meet down-force requirements for the Z/28, the spoiler was modified with a wickerbill--a small, vertical tab at the edge of the spoiler.


25. Thinner rear window glass: Chevrolet saved 400 grams by reducing the thickness of the rear window glass from 3.5 mm to 3.2 mm.


26. Lightweight rear seat: 10.3 lbs lighter due to reduced seat foam and a fixed seatback design.


27. Rocker moldings and wheel flare moldings: help increase the car’s down-force.


28. No air conditioning: 28.4 lbs were saved.