Chevrolet Corvette 1978 News

It's the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and the first car has just landed in readiness for a right-hand drive work-over. The ZR1, called the 'King of the Hill' in America, is the personal property of a man who makes his living turning left-hand drive dream machines into a down-under drive. "This ZR1 is my personal toy. But if someone wants to buy one we'll be happy to assist them, bring it in and then convert it for them," says Peter Whiston of the Corvette Clinic in Melbourne. He has been doing the left-right switch hit on 'Vettes since the early 1980s and is looking forward to the new challenge with a car that's called the 'King of the Hill' in America. The ZR1 has a supercharged 6.2-litre aluminium V8 that produces a brutal 476 kiloWatts and 819 Newton-metres of torque. The two-door coupe is a genuine supercar with a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.4 seconds, a top speed of 330km/h and a Nurburgring lap time of 7 minutes 26.4 seconds - which Chevrolet claims as a production car record. Whiston says the first ZR1 conversion will not be easy - with everything from a new dash pad to relocation of the air-conditioner and drive belts on the job list - but he is looking forward to the end result. "It's all going to be a bit of a bunfight, unfortunately. I'm 58 and I'm past all that. Once I would have enjoyed it, but now I'm looking to the result," he says. "It's early days with this car. It's going to be two or three months to get it converted. And now they've changed the steering ratio on the car, so it's totally different again." But Peter and Kane Whiston know Corvettes and know conversions. "We registered the business in 1981. Corvettes are all we do. I started with doing cars from '69 onwards," he says. "Over that time we've probably done about 500 cars. We are coming up to 30 cars with the latest C6 model." But the Corvette Clinic is not a retail store. "Our prime business is conversions for people. We do it under orders. We don't have a heap of stock," Whiston says. That's no surprise when a C6 conversion is $49,500 and the ZR1 will be worth around $400,000 by the time it is ready to roll. Whiston says the company's conversions are not costed on an hourly work rate, but an all-in price for a drive-in, drive-out service. "The hourly rate has nothing to do it with it. The car comes in left- hand drive and goes out right-hand drive," he says. Business is good because the Corvette has always been an American classic, although the recent drop in the Australian dollar and regulations which allow older classic cars to continue with left-side steering have cut the waiting time at the Corvette Clinic. "Business has slackened a little since the Aussie dollar took a dive. But we've still got plenty of work. We're probably got six months of work at the moment." That includes the complicated process for the ZR1, which must be certified under low-volume compliance regulations. Older cars get by under rules for a Registered Automotive Workshop, but all-new cars are different. "We'll have to update the compliance. It's noise, it's brakes, it's the engineering on the conversion," Whiston says. "But that's what we do. And this is the first car, so once that's done then anyone who wants a ZR1 can be taken care of."  

Despite rocketing fuel prices, there always seems to be a market for muscle cars. Holden and HSV last year sold a record number of V8s and 1970s muscle cars continue to sell for record prices. And GM Holden — which this year is reintroducing another of its American brands, the Cadillac — is doing nothing to hose down rampant industry rumours that it is going to import the fastest Corvette yet. They keep sending details of the ZR1, yet claim we should “not read anything into it”. Yeah, right. The latest details on the new 'Vette American muscle car show just how fast the car goes. It accelerates from rest to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds, which is 0.3 seconds faster than the previous Z06 model and the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano which was released here recently at $595,600. The ZR1 also has recorded a quarter-mile elapsed time of 11.3 seconds at 210km/h and has a top speed of 330km/h, making it the fastest Corvette produced. It's not only faster than some half-million-dollar supercars but also more economical. According to fueleconomy.gov, the ZR1's official economy ratings of 16.8 litres per 100km on the city cycle and 11.7 litres per 100km on the highway beat 2008 competitors such as the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (21.3 city/15.6 highway); the Lamborghini Murcielago (29.4 city/18 highway) and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage (19.6 city/12.3 highway). They're competitive with the Dodge Viper (18 city/10.6 highway) and the Porsche 911 GT3 (15.6 city/10.6 highway). Under the carbon-fibre bonnet is the new LS9 6.2-litre supercharged small-block engine. It belts out 476kW of power and 819Nm of torque, making it the most powerful automotive production engine manufactured by General Motors. The ZR1 also features a six-speed manual transmission with race-hardened gears and dual-disc clutch technology that delivers exceptional clamping power and lower inertia, as well as strengthened axle components. Fuel economy testing has not been completed, but engineers are confident the ZR1 will be the most fuel-efficient 600-plus-horsepower car on the market. The LS9 engine is hand-built by technicians at GM's Performance Build Centre in Wixom, Michigan, a small-volume engine production facility that also builds the Corvette Z06's LS7 engine and other high-performance GM production engines. The LS9 also features the industry's first production application of a new, positive-displacement Roots-type supercharger with a four-lobe rotor design, promoting quieter and more efficient performance. The large 2.3-litre displacement provides adequate air volume at high rpm. Maximum boost pressure is .72 bar (10.2psi). It is teamed with an integrated charge cooling system that reduces inlet air temperature for maximum performance. A raised bonnet provides adequate clearance for the LS9, while a polycarbonate window in the bonnet provides a view of the engine beneath it. If Holden doesn't import the ZR1, Queensland company Performax International could bring in left-hand-drive models and convert them to right-hand-drive. The Gympie company, formerly Corvette Queensland, already converts Corvettes to right-hand-drive, along with the Hummer H2 and several American pick-ups. General manager Nick Vandenberg says they would be keen to import the Corvette.  

The American badge’s latest offering — the ZR1 — has power to burn.

Performax International general manager Nick Vandenberg said they would be keen to import and convert the much-hyped supercharged Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 due for production next year. “We convert a model if there is interest and I'm sure there would be interest in this one,” he said. The Gympie company, formerly Corvette Queensland, currently converts Corvettes to right-hand-drive, along with the Hummer H2 and several American pick-ups. The `Corvette (Vette) supercar has been rumoured to be called Blue Devil, SS, Stingray or Z07, following on from the 377kW V8 Corvette Z06 that Performax currently converts and sells for $230,000. But, the supercharged ZR1 will have more power, more torque, lower weight, a higher first gear for faster sprints, a close-ratio gearbox and bigger cooling vents, tyres and brakes. And while the Z06 used red as a highlight colour, the ZR1 uses blue, giving rise to the tipped Blue Devil moniker. “In 2007, we did about 15 to 20 Corvettes; based on that I don't see why we wouldn't do it,” Vandenberg said. “The only concern I would have is that it meets noise test and emissions criteria for Australia.” In a preview for next week's Detroit Auto Show, GM showed a production-ready 2009 Corvette ZR1, driven on stage by GM vice chairman Bob Lutz. “What's so terrific about this car is that it is very docile and easy to drive, but then when you step into it, the power just never stops,” Lutz said. While final specifications are yet to be released, it is rumoured the Vette will pump out about 460kW to 480kW of power and about 800Nm of torque from its new LS9 6.2-litre supercharged and intercooled V8 engine. The previous model was quicker than an Enzo Ferrari at 3.7 seconds from 0-100km/h. This one should put the Vette well into the supercar category. GM's LS9 engine shares key dimensions and some features with the current Z06's LS7, but employs a fifth-generation low-profile Eaton supercharger with four vanes instead of three. No point in having a supercharger unless the world knows about it, so a Lexan window has been installed in the centre of the carbon fibre bonnet so you can see the blue-tipped supercharger underneath. To keep the supercharger and intercooler supplied with air, the ZR1 has a huge front spoiler and side vents similar to those used on the C6R race-car. Apart from the supercharger providing extra power and torque, the ZR1 is suspected to sprint faster to 100km/h because of the taller first gear. From there, the Tremec six-speed that is used in many high-performance vehicles has closer gear ratios so, while the Z06 hit top speed in fifth gear, the ZR1 will reach its estimated top speed of more than 320km/h in sixth. That top speed also required the replacement of the US 200mph speedo with a 220mph unit. There are few other changes inside. However, the exterior gets a carbon fibre bonnet, roof and pillars to reduce weight. Weight is further reduced by the use of carbon-ceramic brake discs, replacing the metal discs of the Z06. GM claims ride will be more compliant than the Z06 with Magnetic Ride Control, which has immediate damper response, allowing the use of softer springs. Tyre size has been increased with 19-inch rims in front and 20-inch rims in the rear sporting 335/25Z/20 Michelin PS2s. Performax International has been importing and converting American cars for almost 20 years, producing about 200 vehicles a year for Australian roads and employing more than 40 people. However, it could face competition from GM Holden which has begun importing American vehicles. Last year it launched the baby Hummer H3, built in right-hand-drive in South Africa, while Performax imports and converts the larger H2, which is not built in right-hand-drive. H3 is imported under GM Performance Brands along with Saab and Cadillac, with the launch later this year of the Cadillac CTS. Previous GM Holden boss Denny Mooney often talked of also bringing in the Corvette. However, GM Holden national media relations manager John Lindsay has said he had “no further update” on importing the Corvette.   Corvette's career A Corvette is a small, manoeuvrable, lightly armed warship, smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft, according to Wikipedia. Or, it's an iconic American muscle car envied the world over for its brutish power and performance. The first Chevrolet Corvettes were made in 1953, but it was not until the second-generation and the Stingray version that the model started to gain appreciation in the automotive world. The third generation in 1968 introduced the most popular Corvette look with its E-Type long nose and swooping guards. It was scooped when Hot Wheels released a model before the car was actually unveiled. In the 1980s, the Corvette became more angular and wedged shaped, losing much of its soul, but since 1997 they have returned to the '60s and '70s, albeit a less revolutionary design.  

It's the sort of odd-couple relationship that really shouldn't work ... but does. North America's eternal fascination with giant trucks and muscle machines continues

After being a smiling model on quiz shows The Price Is Right and Temptation, McGregor has landed a gig hosting the Foxtel reality show, Blood, Sweat & Gears."It was always the next step," McGregor says. "I meet people saying they love Temptation, but it's so hard to get your personality across when you're just smiling in the background."A graphic designer by trade, 26-year-old McGregor spent the past two-and-a-half years in Nine's Temptation family with Ed Phillips and Livinia Nixon.McGregor admits he's not "the craziest car fan," but didn't hesitate when it came to auditioning for BS&G."To be honest, I got a phone call from one of the guys at Foxtel asking me if I would like to audition for it," he says. "I never knock back an audition, even if I don't think I'm suited to it."He may not be a revhead, but the Aussies on the show certainly are."They're absolute nuts. It's like a religion to them. Since I have had the gig, I have had so many people come up to me and tell me a story about their cars," McGregor says.The show pits seven guys and their beloved cars against each other.The contestants are;Andrew: Japanese Import (Nissan 200SX)Andy: American Muscle(Chevy Corvette)Dave: Classic Australian(Holden LJ Torana)Dimitri: Classic Australian(Ford GT Falcon)Dominic: Performance Rotary (Mazda RX7)Jeremy: Australian Muscle (Holden Commodore VL HDT)Mohamed: High Performance European (Ferrari 350 Modena)Official judges are Ian Luff, a former race driver, and Nathan Luck, a motoring journalist. Each week, the revheads and the cars will be put through a series of tests. While the drivers will know who wins each stage, they never find out their placing on the leaderboard. McGregor says it adds to the tension."They don't know who is doing well and the challengers get a little angry and eaten up inside," he says."These guys think their car is the best. But they find out a few things about themselves as drivers - maybe they're not as good as they thought. I think it will get people into the show."While McGregor is enjoying his debut as TV host, he is unused to seeing himself as a presenter."You're always your own biggest critic and it is still kind of strange when I see myself. But I love hearing feedback, even when it's bad. It makes you better at what you do."

The Z series Corvette is one example of home-grown American muscle that does not just accelerate – it also excels in the corners. The ZR1 is the latest in a line of not-just-straight-line performance coupes from Chevy, and it’s almost ready for its September U.S. launch. This sportster is all about speed; its low-slung shell hides GM’s familiar 6.2L LS9 V8, which is stroked and supercharged to produce approximately 462kW and 813Nm with a top speed of 325km/h. Its Z06 stablemate's official figures stand at 3.7secs, and the ZR1 will beat that. The power privilege will set you back over USD$100,000, which is a fair sight cheaper than its equivalent European counterparts. However, all Vettes are still left-hand-drive only. Holden are still pestering parent company GM for some right-hand-drive Chevys, though there are companies that convert and sell the current Z06 for a cool quarter-million Australian.