There are at least as many reasons why some Corvette lovers have more than one example of America's Only True Sports Car as there are multiple Corvette households. That holds true for DeSoto, Missouri's Terry Smith. Several years ago, Terry and his wife, Kathy, were at Corvette Funfest at Mid America Motorworks. They were proudly showing off their L79-powered '68 Corvette as part of the "Funfest 50," chosen to represent the first-year C3 in that special display honoring Corvette's 50th Anniversary. Their '68 was flanked by two other Vettes that had something that the Smith's Shark didn't have. "I had a '67 big-block on one side of me, and a '69 big-block on the other," says Terry. "I told my wife, 'I think that we need to start looking for a big-block." But, unlike some spouses who may have disagreed, Kathy went along with the idea. "I had just about talked myself out of buying it, and she said, 'Let's go ahead. It's an investment, and we might as well have fun as we're doing it," he says. "She didn't twist my arm too far, though!"inline_mediumwraptextright30916200/featuredvehicles/corp_0912_1968_chevrolet_corvettecorp_0912_01+1968_chevrolet_corvette_coupe.jpgTrue

The '66 Sting Ray that you see here is what the NCRS calls an "example car." That's because it served as an example during the advanced judging seminar that NCRS held during its winter meet early this year in Kissimmee, Florida. They couldn't have picked a more distinctive midyear as an example, thanks to one very significant feature: The RPO K19 Air Injection Reactor (AIR) pump, an early-generation emission-control device required on all Corvettes sold new in California that year, and factory-installed on just 2,380 of the 27,720 '66 Sting Rays that rolled out of St. Louis Assembly.inline_mediumwraptextright26685313/featuredvehicles/corp_0912_1966_chevrolet_corvettecorp_0912_01+1966_chevrolet_corvette_sting_ray_coupe.jpgTrue

Anthropology and other sciences have made strides in documenting the development of mankind since its inception millions of years ago-dating from our first ancestors who learned to communicate with verbal and then written language and utilize rudimentary objects as tools for hunting and cooking. This timeline, all working in retrospective investigation, has revealed that the average life expectancy of an average human has increased exponentially. Advances in science, medicine, cleanliness, and living conditions have assisted in preserving and improving the quality of life.

Last month I spoke about Keisler Engineering's new 5-speed transmission that had just been released for the C3 Corvette, the T45-RS, which is based on the Borg-Warner T-45 that was used from 1996-2001 in high performance passenger cars including the Cobra and 4.6L Mustangs. Keisler provides the new T45-RS in kit form and their proprietary and patent-pending designs for this tranny include a crossmember mount bracket, rubber transmission isolator, back-up wiring harness, forged quick release slip yoke, driveshaft, 5-speed shift pattern plate, template and tunnel cover, installation hardware kit, and an installation manual.inline_mediumwraptextrightKeisler Engineering, located outside of Knoxville, Tennessee, is the manufacturer of the T45-RS and was the location of the Corvette Fever test drive.26739517/techarticles/corp_0912_c3_transmission_swapcorp_0912_01+c3_corvette_transmission_swap+.jpgTrue

Most C4 owners are faced with the same dilemma of updating the interior of their cars in some way at some point, and many of us have done just that. Many of these cars are now pushing twenty years old and almost all the interiors of this generation need help in some form or fashion. Updating the interior is one of the easiest and most dramatic changes you can make to immediately change the entire look and feel of your C4. Thankfully there are many options when it comes to color and designs to make your car as unique as you want. Since Mid America Motorworks produces many of its own interior products on-site at its Effingham, Illinois, campus under the Performance Choice brand, the company has made ordering your next interior as painless as possible with its excellent online and print catalogs. With these tools, it's easy to choose exactly what interior components will go well with your particular color combination.inline_mediumwraptextrightHere is the sun-baked, broken down original seat.25625813/techarticles/corp_0912_c4_corvette_seat_coverscorp_0912_01+1987_chevrolet_corvette+seat_covers.jpgTrue

Back in the late '60s, it was determined that there were more possible build combinations of Chevrolets than there were molecules in the known universe. That determination (by researchers with too much time on their hands) was based on the number of passenger car lines in Chevy's lineup then (six), multiplied by the number of body styles in each line, and the number of factory options, interior combinations, and exterior color choices available. All that might help explain some Corvettes' original equipment-especially where a lot of convenience features appear on a car that's also equipped with a high-performance powertrain.inline_mediumwraptextright26688334/featuredvehicles/corp_0912_1968_chevrolet_corvette_l71corp_0912_01+1968_chevrolet_corvette_coupe.jpgTrue

Data File: '67 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Convertible
Owners: Jeff and Diane Cleary, Chesapeake, Virginia

As you look at this shot of a beautiful red on red '67 Corvette convertible sitting atop a rollback, you have to wonder what its story is. The wheels and tires are probably the first thing to get your attention, then your eye picks out the subtlety of other replacement bits like the seats, rockers, and the exhaust system that exits out the center of the rear panel, just before you reiterate the obvious that it's sitting on top of a rollback. As the story goes, the build is completed at this point and this project '67, which started life as a numbers-matching 350 horsepower convertible, is on its way to the dyno to have its new fuel-injected 425HP crate engine setup.inline_mediumwraptextrightAs we strap this killer '67 Red/Red roadster to the rollback for a trip to the dyno, let's review some of the interesting points it took to get it here.26770993/techarticles/corp_0912_1967_chevrolet_corvettecorp_0912_01+1967_chevrolet_corvette+project_car.jpgTrue

Each Corvette project is a challenge. With many Vette projects, that involves a car that's complete, or at least intact. When John Kundrat started on this project, he had a far bigger challenge on his hands, one that took him about four-and-a-half years to complete. "It was a complete car that had been stored about 7-8 years and not run for a long time," recalls John. "It had a rotted frame."inline_mediumwraptextright30957636/featuredvehicles/corp_0911_1964_chevrolet_corvettecorp_0911_01_z+1964_chevrolet_corvette+front_view.jpgTrue

Back a couple of months ago, I got a phone call from Shafi Keisler, owner of Keisler Engineering, about a new 5-speed transmission that had just been released for the C3 Corvette at just $2,195-a thousand dollars less than their current Tremec TKO offering! Well, to say the least, he had my undivided attention. That transmission turned out to be the Keisler T45-RS, which is based on the Borg-Warner T-45 that was used from 1996-2001 in high performance passenger cars including the Cobra and 4.6L Mustangs.inline_mediumwraptextright30762705/techarticles/corp_0911_c3_transmission_swapcorp_0911_01_z+1969_chevrolet_corvette+transmission_install.jpgTrue

Barrett-Jackson 2009 was the year GM auctioned cars none of us ever imagined would go up for sale. That's what losing billions of dollars and getting close to going out of business will do for a company the size of GM.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe view from a "Skybox" at Barrett-Jackson is inspiring to say the least.25414382/eventcoverage/corp_0911_2009_barrett_jackson_corvettescorp_0911_03_z+2009_barrett_jackson_corvettes+.jpgTrue

Sure, we think all Corvettes are collectable but it came as a surprise to me that new Corvettes, and relatively new Corvettes, can qualify for the much lower collector car rates. How much lower? Collector car rates are generally one third to a half of family auto policy rates. As a rule of thumb, collector car insurance policies run less than one percent of a car's value per year. The policy for a $15,000 car might run around $150 per year, but there is a minimum amount-policies are seldom written for less than $100 per year. On the other end, for high value cars, policy costs decrease even further to around six dollars per year per $1,000 of the car's value. For example, a Corvette valued at $60,000, might be insured for about $350 a year.inline_mediumwraptextrightYour late model Corvette may qualify for Collector Car Insurance. If it does, you'll save a bundle on insurance each year. The primary requirement is that it is not used as a daily driver-it's only used for special occasions.30979812/techarticles/corp_0912_corvette_insurancecorp_0912_01+collector_car_insurance_guide+corvette_z06.jpgTrue

What comes to mind when you see the term rental car? A boring midsize sedan used (and sometimes abused) by dozens of renters before it's sold off as a boring midsize used car? Forget all that. Hertz has a fleet of Corvette ZHZ coupes in their "Fun Collection," and they'll be adding similarly-outfitted Corvette ZHZ convertibles this fall.

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OK, you've graduated from oil and filter changes to tune-ups and even brake jobs. You've got a tool box fairly well-stocked with metric and SAE combination wrenches and sockets, and all the screwdrivers and pliers you'll ever need. You also have the obligatory locking pliers and a BFH or two.inline_mediumwraptextrightLooking from front to rear, here are the fasteners that have to be unbolted in order to remove the transmission, which is the biggest part of a clutch job. With the engine supported under the oil pan, the transmission will remain securely in place, even with all these fasteners and the cross member removed, until you pull the transmission to the rear and disengage it from the pilot bearing, the clutch disc splines, the throwout bearing, and the bell housing.26399266/techarticles/corp_0907_c1_corvette_clutch_installcorp_0907_01+c1_corvette_clutch_install+fasteners.jpgTrue

What generation of Corvette makes the best Vette Rod? Some say the C2, combining the classic Sting Ray styling with latter-day Vette power and handling. Some say the C4, as a well-used one can be turned into quite a performer and looker (like what we're doing with Project C4orce). Wayne Ausherman's '56 makes a strong case for treating first-generation Corvettes to Vette Rod-style powertrain and chassis updates, along with some custom touches all its own.inline_mediumwraptextrightUnderdash lighting sets off the distinctively-painted dash, billet steering wheel, and the interior trim, which includes repro carpeting and ultra-leather seat covers.26392222/featuredvehicles/corp_0911_1956_chevrolet_corvettecorp_0911_02_+1956_chevrolet_corvette_coupe+orange_glow_interior.jpgTrue

We call the home of this restored C1 "The Land of Oz" for three simple reasons. The first one is obvious—owner Marc Osmun's home in Fulton, New York is located a short drive north of Chittenango, the hometown of Wizard of Oz creator L. Frank Baum.inline_mediumwraptextright26393854/featuredvehicles/corp_0908_1959_chevrolet_corvettecorp_0908_01+1959_chevrolet_corvette+front_bumper.jpgTrue

If you're a long-time reader of Corvette Fever, then you've seen this car in these pages once before. It was in May of 1995, when we first brought you the story of the Guldstrand Specialty Vehicles' Corvette Nassau Roadster. As some of you may recall, in the early '90s Guldstrand created their version of the Ultimate Corvette, the GS-90, starting with a four-cam LT5-powered ZR-1 and adding unique carbon-fiber bodywork along with extensive upgrades to the chassis, suspension and brakes. However, the GS-90's price tag-which included a $134,500 premium over the ZR-1's $66K-plus base sticker price-was a bit much for even top-end Corvette enthusiasts, plus there was also call for a convertible version of the GS-90. As the ZR-1 was only offered on the C4 coupe, Guldstrand used the base C4 Corvette convertible to build the Nassau Roadster.inline_mediumwraptextrightA production '95 Corvette interior sits inside Nassau No. 001's carbon-fiber bodywork26389087/featuredvehicles/corp_0910_1995_guldstrand_nassau_roadstercorp_0910_02_+1995_chevrolet_corvette+front_interior.jpgTrue

While swapping an LS-series engine into the engine bay of a classic Vette has not become old hat, the process has become simpler over the last few years. Companies like Street & Performance, Speed Hound and others have helped take some of the confusion out of the process. Of course, with so many options for things like motor and tranny mounts, all of these companies have also added some unwarranted issues like inter-brand compatibility. It seems every company out there has their way of making it work. You can buy at least 20 different types of motor mounts to fit a first-gen Camaro. The C2 ('63-'67) Corvette is not quite as lucky. There are a couple of universal kits and a few specialty kits that involve special oil pans, but these pans often hang low, adding an unnecessary risk. For the Red Line Auto Sports' '67 roadster, owner Fred and Kim Murfin wanted a simpler solution.inline_mediumwraptextrightTo begin the job, the Energy Suspension backing plate had to be ground down a little to allow the center hump to fit inside the relief in the Speed Hound adapter plates.26387158/techarticles/corp_0910_c2_transmission_installcorp_0910_02_+1967_chevrolet_corvette+energy_backing_suspension_plate.jpgTrue

Following the '63 season, Gulf One was succeeded by the next year's racing Corvette (just as it had taken the place of the '62). Davis sold it to Doc Blatchley, who raced it before selling it to Robert Bienerth. He later sold it to Don Pulver, who owned it until 1991.Then, it was sold again-to Rich Mason, who commissioned a total restoration by Carson City, Nevada, Corvette specialist Chet Bunch. Following that, it was sold to Harry Yeaggy, who preserved the restored Gulf One in race-ready condition before selling it a few years ago.

We've got our copy editor carefully checking through our other stories and back issues to make sure we haven't used up all of our superlative adjectives because we're gonna need plenty for this story. Here's why. This is the outrageous Lingenfelter Twin Turbo Commemorative Corvette. It has a fire-breathing 427 CID engine that makes an incredible 725 hp and an unbelievable 730 lb-ft of torque. No, it is not a fanciful concept car built to "wow" a handful of show-goers. The Lingenfelter Twin Turbo Commemorative Corvette is a production automobile available right now to anyone who's ready to step up with the price.

Chevrolet engineering dominated the chassis and front suspension of the original Corvette while the steering and suspension designs came mostly from Chevrolet passenger cars. For the steering gear, Chevrolet drew on Saginaw Division's worm-and-roller unit, the standard fare for lighter G.M. cars of that period.

Have you ever tried to hide a Corvette where people are least likely to find it? That's what many Vette lovers have done over the years, when it comes to garaging their pride(s) and joy(s). But, when it comes to building a Corvette, especially a Vette Rod, how about hiding one Corvette inside the other? That's what Doyle Thomas did, and the result is the '66 "Z066" that you see here. Inspiration came from a familiar source. (HINT: You're holding a copy of it.) "We saw an article a few years back in Corvette Fever, about how Philadelphia Motorsports had done a C3," Doyle recalls. "We were really impressed by what we saw in the article, and we thought we'd take it a step further and do it with a C2. It's very impressive."