From Terminator to C6
04-23-2011, 05:47 AM
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From Terminator to C6
So you guys have probably seen this story before, but mine is a little different so I thought I would tell it as well!!
I bought the Terminator back in 2006 with low miles and the car had only intake and exhaust on it. I had NO clue about the car really when I first had it, just knew it was supercharged and felt so fast. I joined SVTP and learned insane amounts about the car...by the end of owning it I could do any and all work on the car include building engines.
I got bored with stock so I ported and pullied it, then got bored with that so I threw a Whipple Supercharger on it. After about 6 months and only driving it 600 miles I wanted even more....so finally I went all out and Twin Turbo'd it while making it basically a show/magazine car as well.
I had the car finished for 6 months...loved it, couldn't be happier with it. At that point I decided it was a time for change. The car was very reliable, but I had already dumped soooo much money into it I didn't want to put any more into it. I knew that if I broke something it would cost a ton to fix and also that I would want to change even more.
So how the Corvette idea came about. I have had a couple friends saying that a z06 was faster than my car just to mess with me and ruffle my feathers. Just that thought made me start looking into corvettes. Well once my friend got a z06 it sparked my interest even more. Not for the fact of who's faster, just about the car in general. Hearing him talk about the car and saying how he liked it so much helped me to decide....it was time to move to the dark side.
After a couple months and finally selling the car I picked up an '05 Z51 vortech supercharged corvette and I couldn't be happier!!! These cars are definitely everything they're cracked up to be!!
A little comparison:
-The cobra made ridiculous amounts of power, over 700whp on pump gas, and just had a pure raw power feel to it. It was more archaic in the sense that it had the old school muscle car feel and really made it feel more like a 1/4 mile car with all the creaks etc.
-The corvette has a powerful yet refined feel to it. You can really tell how all the aerodynamics and research that was put into the car has truly made it an all around sports car. I love the feel of having a true 2-seater sports car. It handles better stock than my cobra EVER did with all of the upgrades. Even though it only makes 511whp, the car feels just as fast as my cobra did. Another aspect I love is that the car puts all the power to the ground on just 285 run flats. Where as the cobra just spun and wheel hopped all day long with that power. The corvette is miles ahead of the Terminators in build quality and it really shows. Oh not to mention the fact that this car is over 500lbs lighter. Nothing beats being able to fly around turns at ridiculous speeds and kill your neck on the straight-aways.
Overall I love the corvette and do not regret the change in ANY way. Sometimes I miss the look and feel of the cobra, but then I pull the corvette out of the garage and that goes away the minute I stomp the throttle. That being said I do have some plans for the car in the future too...but for now it's so amazing.
And those of you who I know are wondering why I didn't go with a z06 there are a few reasons. 1) I owned the cobra outright and basically bought the corvette for the amount I sold it for and didn't want any car payments and 2) I wanted the targa top
Here's a pic of the new corvette (I haven't taken a ton YET...yet being the key word lol) and a few of the Cobra I took before, and some at the last show I had it...Fabulous Fords Forever at Knotts
I bought the Terminator back in 2006 with low miles and the car had only intake and exhaust on it. I had NO clue about the car really when I first had it, just knew it was supercharged and felt so fast. I joined SVTP and learned insane amounts about the car...by the end of owning it I could do any and all work on the car include building engines.
I got bored with stock so I ported and pullied it, then got bored with that so I threw a Whipple Supercharger on it. After about 6 months and only driving it 600 miles I wanted even more....so finally I went all out and Twin Turbo'd it while making it basically a show/magazine car as well.
I had the car finished for 6 months...loved it, couldn't be happier with it. At that point I decided it was a time for change. The car was very reliable, but I had already dumped soooo much money into it I didn't want to put any more into it. I knew that if I broke something it would cost a ton to fix and also that I would want to change even more.
So how the Corvette idea came about. I have had a couple friends saying that a z06 was faster than my car just to mess with me and ruffle my feathers. Just that thought made me start looking into corvettes. Well once my friend got a z06 it sparked my interest even more. Not for the fact of who's faster, just about the car in general. Hearing him talk about the car and saying how he liked it so much helped me to decide....it was time to move to the dark side.
After a couple months and finally selling the car I picked up an '05 Z51 vortech supercharged corvette and I couldn't be happier!!! These cars are definitely everything they're cracked up to be!!
A little comparison:
-The cobra made ridiculous amounts of power, over 700whp on pump gas, and just had a pure raw power feel to it. It was more archaic in the sense that it had the old school muscle car feel and really made it feel more like a 1/4 mile car with all the creaks etc.
-The corvette has a powerful yet refined feel to it. You can really tell how all the aerodynamics and research that was put into the car has truly made it an all around sports car. I love the feel of having a true 2-seater sports car. It handles better stock than my cobra EVER did with all of the upgrades. Even though it only makes 511whp, the car feels just as fast as my cobra did. Another aspect I love is that the car puts all the power to the ground on just 285 run flats. Where as the cobra just spun and wheel hopped all day long with that power. The corvette is miles ahead of the Terminators in build quality and it really shows. Oh not to mention the fact that this car is over 500lbs lighter. Nothing beats being able to fly around turns at ridiculous speeds and kill your neck on the straight-aways.
Overall I love the corvette and do not regret the change in ANY way. Sometimes I miss the look and feel of the cobra, but then I pull the corvette out of the garage and that goes away the minute I stomp the throttle. That being said I do have some plans for the car in the future too...but for now it's so amazing.
And those of you who I know are wondering why I didn't go with a z06 there are a few reasons. 1) I owned the cobra outright and basically bought the corvette for the amount I sold it for and didn't want any car payments and 2) I wanted the targa top
Here's a pic of the new corvette (I haven't taken a ton YET...yet being the key word lol) and a few of the Cobra I took before, and some at the last show I had it...Fabulous Fords Forever at Knotts
04-23-2011, 10:30 AM
#2
Race Director
.....Overall I love the corvette and do not regret the change in ANY way. Sometimes I miss the look and feel of the cobra, but then I pull the corvette out of the garage and that goes away the minute I stomp the throttle. That being said I do have some plans for the car in the future too...but for now it's so amazing.....
Change is good, and it sounds like you've got a great Vette to start with, and please keep us posted on what you do to it in the future!!
Bob
04-23-2011, 10:45 AM
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St. Jude Donor '15-'16-'17-‘18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Congrats! Welcome. Great resource here for any info you would need. Corvette is a fantastic automobile!!
04-23-2011, 10:51 AM
#4
Team Owner
Welcome to the family, folks have had a love affair with the Corvette since 1953. It really is America's Sports Car and we can now add America's Super Car to that claim.
Enjoy your vette, keep the shiny side up and don't forget to WAVE.
Tom
Enjoy your vette, keep the shiny side up and don't forget to WAVE.
Tom
04-23-2011, 11:08 AM
#6
Welcome. Your Vette looks great with the black wheels! Your terminator looked like a BEAST but I totally understand the conceptual difference of the true 2 seater sports car vs the terminator.
04-23-2011, 11:10 AM
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04-23-2011, 11:25 AM
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04-23-2011, 02:21 PM
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I'm so glad I bought the corvette though!Thank you very much!!
04-23-2011, 02:30 PM
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Hahaha I was waiting for something like this...
I will be honest with you...I was REALLY hesitant thinking about getting a corvette at first, especially because the mentality a lot of corvette owners have out by where I live. SO many of them that I have spoken to would think and act like their car was "God's gift to man" (mind you as I'm sitting in or standing by my car) and would sit there and literally act like my car was a piece of ****. So many corvette owners around here have no respect for any other type of car. I love ALL types of cars...especially American made...so that was REALLY hard for me to understand. The funny fact though is around the car show scene most people knew my cobra and knew it wasn't one to mess with. There was nothing I liked more than turning the smile to a frown on a jerk corvette owner who would talk crap on the cobra and act like it was a piece of crap compared to their car...happened a lot of times.
Like with every type of car though, there are always the bad apples....just seems to be a lot out by me sadly.
This still doesn't change the fact that I am SO happy with the decision I made. I just have a TON of respect for the Terminators and have never understood why others don't as well. They are not just pushover cars in any way.
I have fly-by vids of the car to show how crazy the car was....I'm not sure if I would get in trouble posting them though
04-23-2011, 02:39 PM
#15
Pro
Let me just say this: Having owned prior muscle cars, the last one being a 454 ls6 SS Chevelle.....I thought it was fast and it was fun but when I drove my new 2010 GS around a sharp curve the first time, I knew what fast and ridin' on rails finally meant.
Forget horsepower....It's all about the handling. Brute HP is fun but hp and handling is even more fun and that's the Corvette!
Forget horsepower....It's all about the handling. Brute HP is fun but hp and handling is even more fun and that's the Corvette!
04-23-2011, 02:41 PM
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Let me just say this: Having owned prior muscle cars, the last one being a 454 ls6 SS Chevelle.....I thought it was fast and it was fun but when I drove my new 2010 GS around a sharp curve the first time, I knew what fast and ridin' on rails finally meant.
Forget horsepower....It's all about the handling. Brute HP is fun but hp and handling is even more fun and that's the Corvette!
Forget horsepower....It's all about the handling. Brute HP is fun but hp and handling is even more fun and that's the Corvette!
Not sure if you were saying that cuz of my previous reply above...but my point was just that people should have more respect for all cars!
04-23-2011, 02:47 PM
#17
Le Mans Master
Hahaha I was waiting for something like this...
I will be honest with you...I was REALLY hesitant thinking about getting a corvette at first, especially because the mentality a lot of corvette owners have out by where I live. SO many of them that I have spoken to would think and act like their car was "God's gift to man" (mind you as I'm sitting in or standing by my car) and would sit there and literally act like my car was a piece of ****. So many corvette owners around here have no respect for any other type of car. I love ALL types of cars...especially American made...so that was REALLY hard for me to understand. The funny fact though is around the car show scene most people knew my cobra and knew it wasn't one to mess with. There was nothing I liked more than turning the smile to a frown on a jerk corvette owner who would talk crap on the cobra and act like it was a piece of crap compared to their car...happened a lot of times.
Like with every type of car though, there are always the bad apples....just seems to be a lot out by me sadly.
This still doesn't change the fact that I am SO happy with the decision I made. I just have a TON of respect for the Terminators and have never understood why others don't as well. They are not just pushover cars in any way.
I will be honest with you...I was REALLY hesitant thinking about getting a corvette at first, especially because the mentality a lot of corvette owners have out by where I live. SO many of them that I have spoken to would think and act like their car was "God's gift to man" (mind you as I'm sitting in or standing by my car) and would sit there and literally act like my car was a piece of ****. So many corvette owners around here have no respect for any other type of car. I love ALL types of cars...especially American made...so that was REALLY hard for me to understand. The funny fact though is around the car show scene most people knew my cobra and knew it wasn't one to mess with. There was nothing I liked more than turning the smile to a frown on a jerk corvette owner who would talk crap on the cobra and act like it was a piece of crap compared to their car...happened a lot of times.
Like with every type of car though, there are always the bad apples....just seems to be a lot out by me sadly.
This still doesn't change the fact that I am SO happy with the decision I made. I just have a TON of respect for the Terminators and have never understood why others don't as well. They are not just pushover cars in any way.
04-23-2011, 02:50 PM
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I agree 100% though, it really is a goofy name for it. Everytime I say it even after owning it for years I think of Arnold Schwarzenegger (I hope I spelled that right)
04-23-2011, 02:58 PM
#19
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Cool story that I can also some what relate to. I have a 2003 Cobra that I bought new and still have. And last September I bought a 2009 C6 that I love as well. I know what you mean by the attitude of some people that will put you off on potentially getting a great car that you would enjoy. I'm glad I got the Corvette, it's a great car and experience. And like you I just like all cars and can appreciate the work and time people put into them.
Also a good book to read about the "Terminator" Cobra is "Iron Fist, Lead Foot" by Frank Moriarty for those interested. It tells how it came about and the story of making it.
Also a good book to read about the "Terminator" Cobra is "Iron Fist, Lead Foot" by Frank Moriarty for those interested. It tells how it came about and the story of making it.
Last edited by lifter213; 04-23-2011 at 03:01 PM.
04-23-2011, 03:07 PM
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Hahaha yahhh it was fast...it was either another house I wanted or a corvette, and I had been searching for the corvette I wanted for a while. The house went off the market 2 days before the cobra sold, so I jumped on the corvette asap!!
Hahaha I was waiting for something like this...
I will be honest with you...I was REALLY hesitant thinking about getting a corvette at first, especially because the mentality a lot of corvette owners have out by where I live. SO many of them that I have spoken to would think and act like their car was "God's gift to man" (mind you as I'm sitting in or standing by my car) and would sit there and literally act like my car was a piece of ****. So many corvette owners around here have no respect for any other type of car. I love ALL types of cars...especially American made...so that was REALLY hard for me to understand. The funny fact though is around the car show scene most people knew my cobra and knew it wasn't one to mess with. There was nothing I liked more than turning the smile to a frown on a jerk corvette owner who would talk crap on the cobra and act like it was a piece of crap compared to their car...happened a lot of times.
Like with every type of car though, there are always the bad apples....just seems to be a lot out by me sadly.
This still doesn't change the fact that I am SO happy with the decision I made. I just have a TON of respect for the Terminators and have never understood why others don't as well. They are not just pushover cars in any way.
I have fly-by vids of the car to show how crazy the car was....I'm not sure if I would get in trouble posting them though
Hahaha I was waiting for something like this...
I will be honest with you...I was REALLY hesitant thinking about getting a corvette at first, especially because the mentality a lot of corvette owners have out by where I live. SO many of them that I have spoken to would think and act like their car was "God's gift to man" (mind you as I'm sitting in or standing by my car) and would sit there and literally act like my car was a piece of ****. So many corvette owners around here have no respect for any other type of car. I love ALL types of cars...especially American made...so that was REALLY hard for me to understand. The funny fact though is around the car show scene most people knew my cobra and knew it wasn't one to mess with. There was nothing I liked more than turning the smile to a frown on a jerk corvette owner who would talk crap on the cobra and act like it was a piece of crap compared to their car...happened a lot of times.
Like with every type of car though, there are always the bad apples....just seems to be a lot out by me sadly.
This still doesn't change the fact that I am SO happy with the decision I made. I just have a TON of respect for the Terminators and have never understood why others don't as well. They are not just pushover cars in any way.
I have fly-by vids of the car to show how crazy the car was....I'm not sure if I would get in trouble posting them though
Its hard owning a cobra and coming on here to see your other toy get talked down. That can be said for others who have toys besides their vette. Svtp really is like a everybody is welcome place which is cool but that place also has a few areas where it can improve.
Enjoy the vette!