My very first thought. :rofl: :lol:

Unfortunately it's propped up on a metal stand overlooking a pedestrian walkway. basically it would be impossible to get a good photo of the vette and the blackbird all in one photo.
Also, this one is a prototype. not an 'exact' SR-71, more of an early stage test mule.

I would post a photo to show what I'm talking about but my POS iPhone decided it doesn't want me to access my photos right now so I'll have to wait until later today to try again.
We're about to resume our journey.

Next stop, El Paso

Due to the Government shutdown, White Sands National Monument and Carlsbad Caverns are closed. No access means no fun so we've decided to skip the two as well as Roswell

Once I get my phone to cooperate I'll be sure to post all the photos of the last few days!

My phone started behaving literally right after I posted the previous comment.

I just finished resizing the photos but I'm afraid we need to pack up and head out now if we're to stay on schedule

This is the prototype blackbird I mentioned earlier.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...c997480c07.jpg


I'll dump the photos tonight after we check in! If anyone has a good hotel suggestion for El Paso please, do tell! it's gotta have a private parking garage at the least

That's too bad about the places being closed. I didn't think about that. I hope there are still some cool places you'll be stop & visit along the way. Thanks for posting the prototype SR71 pic.

These are the SR71s in Palmdale. Looks like someone managed to get them to take the ropes down for their car shots: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en...activetab=main

I ran into a very cool old cemetery around Deming, NM, that was a great backdrop for my then new to me C6Z06. Can't recall exactly but it was on the North side of I10 and very visible from the freeway. Take the next exit and loop back on the feeder road. I took about 30 shots and most are some of my favorites of the JSB C6Z. When you are further West; If you can get over to PCH and take it up from Santa Barbara a visit to the Hearst Castle at San Simeon is very cool and I have a good spot on PCH to take a picture at a Fancy Ranch gate with the Hearst Castle in the background. In fact the best part of your trip might be SB/Ventura up to San Simeon and double back (because I think PCH through Big Sur is again closed) and cut over on 46 to Las Robles. Of course by then you are nearly home. Some great wineries on 46 just west of PR. I was totally amazed at the cars ability to get 28 mpg at a steady 85 mph in West Texas. Let us know how the C7Z compares.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m...20of%201-3.jpg

Good evening gentlemen.

I regret to inform you that this trip has taken a turn for the worse, and I could really use your help

After 270 miles of driving, we stopped for gas in Fort Stockton, TX. 30 miles afterwards, I notice the rear passenger corner tire is at 24 psi (down from 37)
I figured it was a puncture so I turned back around to Ft Stockton to have it looked at and patched


They found a crack in the wheel.

I have no idea how this could have happened, No bumps during the road today felt bad enough to cause such catastrophic damage to the wheels but I think the picture speaks for itself.

I'm currently trying to figure out the best solution for this setback and I could really use some input.

Here are the questions on my mind:

1. I was told this could not be fixed. Could anyone confirm?

2. Does anyone out there have an incomplete set of z06 wheels who may be willing to part with the rear one?

3. Does the Stingray rear wheel clear the rear calipers of the z06?

4. If so, does anyone have a stingray rear wheel they're willing to sell me?
.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...0258fca45.jpeg



I'm basically stranded here until I can get this sorted out. I'm at the end of my wits. I've already contacted Corvette World to see if they can ship me another wheel but they wont be able to get back to me on that until tomorrow.

Until then I need to assume the worse and explore all other possibilities.

Any ideas or suggestions to jog my troubled mind would be extremely welcome.

I'll be closely watching this thread all night. Help me Corvette Forum, You're my only hope!

Stranded; need help
 

Hello everyone.


I seem to have found myself in a compromising situation.

I recently purchased my dream car (Corvette z06, of course) from Texas and began driving it back home to California a few days ago.
(you can find the thread here: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...back-home.html )


AND THEN THIS HAPPENED:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...07d54e862.jpeg

I dont know how I got such a bad crack in the wheel. I didn't go over any bad potholes.
Damage like this I would've felt and heard it pretty clearly, but I suppose it doesnt matter because what's done is done.

I'm currently in Fort Stockton, Texas, 1,500+ miles away from home and only 3 working wheels on my now virtually crippled Corvette.

Is anyone out there willing to sell me a rear z06 wheel or something of similar fit?

I'm hoping someone out there may have the solution for me. This is a pretty shitty situation to be stuck in and I would really appreciate any advice.

Oh man what a crappy situation! I've always done nationwide searches when looking for a car. Figured I could just road trip it home like you're doing. Not much i can do from the Dallas area. Hopefully someone out there is closer to ya and able to lend a hand

I just checked that area's Craigslist and no surprise didnt find anything.

https://bigbend.craigslist.org/d/auto-parts/search/pta

For God's sake! What bad luck. A lot of us have been following your journey. That tire definitely hit something like went off the side of a road and into a ditch. It happened to my wife once in the Camry Solara Vert while she was turning out of a driveway. Is the wheel leaking air? As bad as it looks, it may well be drivable although I can understand your concern for the distance you have to go to get home. Could this really have been like this when you bought it or did you unknowingly fall off a road side and into a hole? Somebody on the forum near you is bound to help, I'm sure.

Have you tried the Chevy dealer there? Maybe they could have one overnighted? I was on I 20 north of you a week ago and all the hotels were double rates because of all the oil field workers. I hope you don't have to deal with that too.

Z06 wheels are known to bend and crack.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-disposal.html

If anyone is out there who has the wheel I need, I would gladly pay for it to be shipped to where I am.
I'm a man of my word; I didn't get to be 30 years old and be able to buy a such magnificent car with no help from anyone by being dishonest.
I've been on this forum for over 12 years and my reputation isn't worth sullying over a silly wheel so if anyone out there is reading this who may be in the situation to help, I would really appreciate it.

Otherwise, I'm going to have it shipped back and take it up the ass on airfare


I can't imagine what I could've hit. I constantly scan the road for potholes and weird objects specifically for this reason. I've hit some nasty potholes in my old Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution; I know what bending/cracking a wheel sounds like and trust me that did not happen today.
I'm not saying Corvette World Houston sold me a vette with a fucked up wheel. In fact, I have nothing but good things to say about my buying experience from beginning to end over at Corvette World. But perhaps it was something the previous owner did and nobody knew about it?
Maybe today was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back?

Unfortunately cracked wheels are a thing with the C7 Z06. Short stiff sidewalls and taut suspension and brittle wheels. The best price and maybe even delivery would be House of Wheels here in the Forum. He sells the oem wheels at a good price. Now given that you are in Ft Stockton headed on vacation, it may be worth your while to see if the local GM dealer could get one in shortly even if you have to pay full price.

And I wouldn't trust fix a flat to gum up the crack enough to make it back to civilization. Possible Corvette Houston would give you a deal and put one on a bus out to you. Keep us posted.



If you could find some local that can weld aluminum it might be worth a try to get you to El Paso, but the weld is going to make balancing the wheel a bitch. My guess is you are going to be stuck in Ft Stockton at least until tomorrow afternoon/evening.

Sorry to hear about your troubles....
I hope you get a fix soon.

Judging by the picture, is there any possibility that the wheel can be fixed?

It appears that the design of the c7r edition wheels are different from the standard z06 wheels.
There doesnt seem to be a groove for the yellow circle on the standard z06 wheel

Was this front or rear and did you feel any vibration or noises when you first drove it or did it start after you were driving it for awhile?

[QUOTE=tertiumquid;1598753727]
Passenger rear corner. Which, by my driving habits would be the safest wheel of the four.

and now that you mentioned it, I recall my lady mentioning something about wheel vibration earlier in the day.

It appears that there is a Corvette specialty shop in Lubblock, Texas that has a set of the exact wheels I have. I wonder if they would be willing to sell me just the one.

If they could, everything may just work out after all

We've booked a comfy hotel with a safe looking parking lot for the night. I've already accepted the fact that best case scenario, we lose one to two days of the journey trying to get a new wheel- worse case scenario ship the car back home and fly home $$$$

There are different levels of contingency between those two scenarios that I'm also willing to accept. When I have an idea or vision in my mind, I have an obsessive compulsion to see it through (which is why I have this car to begin with) and this is no different.
I feel like if I gave up now and called it quits that, I don't know... That it would tarnish the spirit that the car represents to me.

In times like these I like to quote my favorite president of all time- Number 35- John F Kennedy: Let us not pray for easy lives, but the strength to endure a hard one.


Could you please send me a link to House of Wheels? I'm having a hard time finding them on the forum.

I wonder if you can get it welded/ fixed to hold up for the time being, and get it replaced when you're finally back home.

You can also try just calmly driving back home (not much exceeding 50 MPH), stopping rather frequently to check on the wheel. It might hold up until you're home. Many people here drove on cracked wheels for a while before it was finally discovered. If it holds air long enough (and you can add air along the way) that might be your best bet.