Hey Jim, Congratulations & Welcome to the Corvette Forum!! 
Houston area newbie
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,069
Likes: 1,157
From: Pasadena Texas
Houston area newbie
Let me introduce myself.
My prior 'fun' car was a 2005 A4 GTO and I go by Old_Goat on the GTO forums. About a year and a half ago I sold my GTO and have just driven the family cars. The family is the wife, no kids or grandkids. Both of us are in our 50's, and lately I have decided to get back into the 'fun' car business.
If anybody did a search or knows me from LS1GTO.com they will see I got particular delight when my GTO outran Corvettes. Call it jealousy or consider it like a college football team beats a pro football team.
After seeing the Challenger pictures on the web, I was absolutely in love with the looks of the car. I feel that Dodge did about 75% right with the Challenger, however they never finished what they started. I have done everything I can to purchase a new Challenger, but I won't pay a premium over MSRP. Period. I only wanted to purchase a SRT8 and even now I can't sit down and special order one and be guaranteed delivery.
About a month ago Chevy had employee pricing and to my shock I saw the Vette listed. Things got really interesting at that time.
As I had mentioned earlier I am a previous owner of a late model GTO and even though I ran her over 200 times at the track, the LS2 and auto transmission were still very solid. When I sold her, she was still in great shape. Her mods were a 3200 stall, American Racing 1 7/8" headers, Nitto drag radials, tune by Chuck at horse power engineering in Houston, and a few other mods, nothing internal like a new cam, or different heads. In great weather at Houston Raceway Park, she cut some mid 12-teen runs with a best of 12.12. I never dreamed that this car was able to get these times, and as I had mentioned earlier, she was in great shape when I sold her. The point of all of this is that I have real respect for the LS series engine and the auto transmission.
By the time that the employee pricing ended, my dealership (Monument in Pasadena, Texas) could not get me a 2008 in the color that I wanted along with automatic transmission. The auto is important as my wife has diabetes and sometimes has trouble with her feet and legs, so a manual is not an option.
Since my dealership could not locate me a 2008 at employee pricing, he offered me a 2009 at 500 over invoice. What this means is that 1. Chevy wanted my business and was willing to work with me and 2. The difference between a Vette at 500 over invoice, and a SRT8 Challenger at MSRP is about 4000 dollars.
A no brainer!
OK, now we have met, time to use the search button and see who is turning what in the LS3 auto, and what kind of mods will put me where in quarter mile times.
My 2009 Vette should be delivered in November, probably mid month. Here is what I have ordered.
LT2 coupe
Paddle shift
2.73 rear axle
Dual mode exhaust
Chrystal red metallic tintcoat.
48,200 drive out.
Jim
My prior 'fun' car was a 2005 A4 GTO and I go by Old_Goat on the GTO forums. About a year and a half ago I sold my GTO and have just driven the family cars. The family is the wife, no kids or grandkids. Both of us are in our 50's, and lately I have decided to get back into the 'fun' car business.
If anybody did a search or knows me from LS1GTO.com they will see I got particular delight when my GTO outran Corvettes. Call it jealousy or consider it like a college football team beats a pro football team.
After seeing the Challenger pictures on the web, I was absolutely in love with the looks of the car. I feel that Dodge did about 75% right with the Challenger, however they never finished what they started. I have done everything I can to purchase a new Challenger, but I won't pay a premium over MSRP. Period. I only wanted to purchase a SRT8 and even now I can't sit down and special order one and be guaranteed delivery.
About a month ago Chevy had employee pricing and to my shock I saw the Vette listed. Things got really interesting at that time.
As I had mentioned earlier I am a previous owner of a late model GTO and even though I ran her over 200 times at the track, the LS2 and auto transmission were still very solid. When I sold her, she was still in great shape. Her mods were a 3200 stall, American Racing 1 7/8" headers, Nitto drag radials, tune by Chuck at horse power engineering in Houston, and a few other mods, nothing internal like a new cam, or different heads. In great weather at Houston Raceway Park, she cut some mid 12-teen runs with a best of 12.12. I never dreamed that this car was able to get these times, and as I had mentioned earlier, she was in great shape when I sold her. The point of all of this is that I have real respect for the LS series engine and the auto transmission.
By the time that the employee pricing ended, my dealership (Monument in Pasadena, Texas) could not get me a 2008 in the color that I wanted along with automatic transmission. The auto is important as my wife has diabetes and sometimes has trouble with her feet and legs, so a manual is not an option.
Since my dealership could not locate me a 2008 at employee pricing, he offered me a 2009 at 500 over invoice. What this means is that 1. Chevy wanted my business and was willing to work with me and 2. The difference between a Vette at 500 over invoice, and a SRT8 Challenger at MSRP is about 4000 dollars.
A no brainer!
OK, now we have met, time to use the search button and see who is turning what in the LS3 auto, and what kind of mods will put me where in quarter mile times.
My 2009 Vette should be delivered in November, probably mid month. Here is what I have ordered.
LT2 coupe
Paddle shift
2.73 rear axle
Dual mode exhaust
Chrystal red metallic tintcoat.
48,200 drive out.
Jim
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 19,720
Likes: 523
From: Ideals are peaceful...History is violent...St.Charles, MO.
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