Is it true?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,804
Likes: 358
From: Northville, MI
In mid 2000 when the Skunk Werkes was making the first two Z06 Convertibles, they had the frame tested for integrity. The company being owned by the Chief Engineer and lead Designer they found the conversion had the same stiffness (measured in hertz) as the standard convertible. The Convertible were 22, the coupes were 24 and the FRC was 26. Why would GM take a coupe to make a Convertible from a coupe and know it was a weaker Corvette than standard.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,473
Likes: 691
From: West Virginia
[QUOTE=Gordy M;1597334525 Why would GM take a coupe to make a Convertible from a coupe and know it was a weaker Corvette than standard.[/QUOTE]
See my earlier comment. Most convertible versions of production cars are less rigid than the coupe or sedan originals. Because they do design them as coupes/sedans and then effectively cut the tops off. The Corvette is unusual in that is built on a separate chassis frame and does not rely on its body panels for torsional rigidity.
See my earlier comment. Most convertible versions of production cars are less rigid than the coupe or sedan originals. Because they do design them as coupes/sedans and then effectively cut the tops off. The Corvette is unusual in that is built on a separate chassis frame and does not rely on its body panels for torsional rigidity.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 9,488
Likes: 1,743
From: Knoxville Tn
See my earlier comment. Most convertible versions of production cars are less rigid than the coupe or sedan originals. Because they do design them as coupes/sedans and then effectively cut the tops off. The Corvette is unusual in that is built on a separate chassis frame and does not rely on its body panels for torsional rigidity.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,793
Likes: 333
From: Leesburg Fl
2018 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '14,'18
I thought everyone would get a kick out of this engineers thinking. I didn't know about the claim of the 2002 vert being the 1st built as a vert. I knew that $65k was ridiculous. It's such a shame to buy a car and not drive it but it's common. Cars don't make a good investment 99% of the time.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,473
Likes: 691
From: West Virginia
Cars that do make good investments tend to need waaay north of $1M to get into. Like Ferrari GTO's - mind you, I can remember when they were less than $10k as used racers. But back then, my total worldly possessions probably added up to $100. Could not afford them then, certainly not now.
I did pass on a "James Bond" Aston DB4 for $2,000 back in the '70's. Worth about 100x that these days. Probably would have cost me all that (at least) to keep it on the road though, as they were not known for their reliability.
I did pass on a "James Bond" Aston DB4 for $2,000 back in the '70's. Worth about 100x that these days. Probably would have cost me all that (at least) to keep it on the road though, as they were not known for their reliability.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 355
From: Little Rock Arkansas
If that car sells for anything North of $25K at that time then I'll gladly consider selling my beachfront property on Everest. It's going to be years upon years before we see an uptick in values and it for sure as heck won't be a run-of-the-mill Torch Red convertible to be the first. The only things it'll have going for it is being a manual trans convertible with what I assume will still be relatively low mileage may give it a nudge, which being a manual will be unique in itself but considering it seems so many people DON'T actually drive their C5s it ultimately won't be anything to write home about (low mileage flooded market).
Impress me more by holding onto a more rarer C5 that will first begin to see value. Since we're talking convertibles say something like a Amethyst Metallic '98 convertible with a manual, which would be correct in being the first REAL "convertible" since '98 YM was the first year for convertible and considering there were only 148 '98 convertible units painted Amethyst Metallic and less than 25% production was manual that'd be something like maybe a little over a dozen cars at the most.
Impress me more by holding onto a more rarer C5 that will first begin to see value. Since we're talking convertibles say something like a Amethyst Metallic '98 convertible with a manual, which would be correct in being the first REAL "convertible" since '98 YM was the first year for convertible and considering there were only 148 '98 convertible units painted Amethyst Metallic and less than 25% production was manual that'd be something like maybe a little over a dozen cars at the most.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 6,480
Likes: 556
If that car sells for anything North of $25K at that time then I'll gladly consider selling my beachfront property on Everest. It's going to be years upon years before we see an uptick in values and it for sure as heck won't be a run-of-the-mill Torch Red convertible to be the first. The only things it'll have going for it is being a manual trans convertible with what I assume will still be relatively low mileage may give it a nudge, which being a manual will be unique in itself but considering it seems so many people DON'T actually drive their C5s it ultimately won't be anything to write home about (low mileage flooded market).
Impress me more by holding onto a more rarer C5 that will first begin to see value. Since we're talking convertibles say something like a Amethyst Metallic '98 convertible with a manual, which would be correct in being the first REAL "convertible" since '98 YM was the first year for convertible and considering there were only 148 '98 convertible units painted Amethyst Metallic and less than 25% production was manual that'd be something like maybe a little over a dozen cars at the most.
Impress me more by holding onto a more rarer C5 that will first begin to see value. Since we're talking convertibles say something like a Amethyst Metallic '98 convertible with a manual, which would be correct in being the first REAL "convertible" since '98 YM was the first year for convertible and considering there were only 148 '98 convertible units painted Amethyst Metallic and less than 25% production was manual that'd be something like maybe a little over a dozen cars at the most.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 6,480
Likes: 556
Pretty much all vehicles produced within the last 20 years or so are this way now...they have so many electronic components in them now that are necessary for them to operate, once the model has been discontinued and the manufacturer quits making replacement parts for them, and all of the used parts are gone, they're done...