Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/11/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]We took delivery at the National Corvette Museum which is across the road from the factory. Part of that delivery is a plant tour - takes about 2 hours - I wish it had taken 4 hours becuase it was fascinating. No photography allowed inside the plant but I'm telling you a prime project would be to get GM to let you photograph the work because it's utterly fascinating. The line is substantially slower than a conventional assembly line - each station gets about 2.5 minutes to do its work. Watching the bodies being assembled while the chassis is formed and assembled in a different line, all the parts flowing in. It's complex because they really make three different vehicles - the coupe, the convertible and the Z06 which shares some parts but not nearly all. The Z06 engine is hand-built by one individual and it comes with a signed plate for who did it, where. I was lucky enough to get to start one for the first time. For virtually all of the process after the chassis and body are united the car is suspended from four points. Only at the last stage does it actually touch the ground. It then goes into an inspection stage where body fit is confirmed and the engine is started for the first time. That's where I got to start the yellow Z06. Ahhhhhh 505 HP coming to life for the first time - it started instantly! The entire process is amazing because it's a "just in time" plant with entire subassemblies coming in from outside. I loved the line of engines - each tagged for a particular car, VIN engraved as it was mated to the drive train. I do have some photos - most taken by my wife but some are mine. They are snaps for family but you can see them at: <http://homepage.mac.com/abridge/CorvetteDeliver/> The museum tour was good too - but by that time we were hungry to take our car and get it out onto the road. The museum staff did a fabulous job of preparing the car - it was in impeccible condition. Unfortunately we took a shot from an ejected tire-tread in Texas on I-40 east of Amarillo that pulled away a bit of the passenger side air-dam and left tread marks on the hood that I need to work on a bit. We got 26.8 MPG on the 4300 mile drive that took us from Bowling Green, KY to Frederick, MD (wedding) then back to California via Knoxville, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Santa Fe, NM, Black Canyon City, AZ and Bakersfield, CA. We used to say our BMW 540i went from zero to gulp in WOW! This car goes from zero to gasp in OMG. At least. It's incredibly driveable, great road manners. It's large for a two-seater but it did hold all our luggage for the trip including cameras, etc. I need an M8 so I can pack small! (laughing - Riiiiiiiiight). Probably more than you want to know but hey - she's our new babe and you did ask. Oh, after a lot of discussion she's named Ms. Veronica Go-spritely, has that wonderful southern Kentucky/northern Tennessee accent and probably wears figure revealing outfits that are maybe a bit revealing but doesn't take crap from anyone. Adam On 11/21/06, Rei Shinozuka <shino@panix.com> wrote: > Lucky you... the c6 is an amazing car, and virtually untouchable in > 505hp z06 garb. Did you get to watch them build the car, and do you have > photos to share? > On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 10:37 am, Adam Bridge wrote: > > I don't know about the other stuff but our 2007 Corvette is now back > > home after a 4300 mile break-in drive from Bowling Green and all my > > wife and I can say is "WOW". We love it. > > > > Adam > > -rei > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >