Right now our long-term 2002 Chevy Corvette Z06 is my favorite. Of all the cars in our fleet, it's the one I most want to drive home at night. Why? Well, it's hard for me to explain really. I'm just into it. It makes me smile. It's stupid fast, it's easy to drive stupid fast, but it's also easy to drive slowly or in traffic. I also like the way it looks. I like the way it feels. I like the way it sounds. And I love the fact that we bought it for only $20,000.
Last night on the way home I clicked off the traction control, threw a hard second gear and layed two very long stripes on Lincoln Blvd. At that moment, with the small-block's roar still echoing off Santa Monica, I couldn't think of another car I'd rather be in.
Having said that, I would rather own the big-block 427-powered 1966 Corvette roadster pictured above. Would you?
Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief @ 50,101 miles
breadwagon says:
12:35 PM, 08/ 3/10
Some cars just have "it". "It" is sometimes different for some people, but usually "it" is universal. Z06 has it.
I'd rather have the old school roadster for the 2 days a year it's nice here in NY, but 99% of the time, I'd go for the modern models.
adamb1 says:
12:37 PM, 08/ 3/10
Make mine a red 1967 with black stinger hood.
ptcdawg says:
02:44 PM, 08/ 3/10
You can't beat a V8....
felonious says:
03:18 PM, 08/ 3/10
Own the classic? Yes! Daily-drive the classic? No!
hybris says:
05:37 PM, 08/ 3/10
felonious said:
Own the classic? Yes! Daily-drive the classic? No!
Agreed I live in Kansas which means rain, hail, snow, and the odd heavy storm/Tornado.
rdm925 says:
06:21 PM, 08/ 3/10
Since I was 10 years old, my favorite Vette's have always been the 63-67 Sting Ray Fastbacks. The current series hardtop is the best modern expression of that great design. I'd love to have either one. But the classic 63-67 is still my first choice.
ekimfeenux says:
06:27 PM, 08/ 3/10
@adamb1
I'll have the opposite thank you very much; black with the red stinger
slickersdrip says:
07:02 PM, 08/ 3/10
To me, the C2 Vette was the best Corvette as far as style goes. To drive every day I'd take a ZR-1 (which would be about the same price as a C2 427 example). But a Goodwood Green with white stinger would make my world go round.
cruiserhead1 says:
07:16 PM, 08/ 3/10
63 split-window
any Shinoda Corvette is the best
roadburner says:
08:37 PM, 08/ 3/10
I love the 1973 Vette's styling- the smooth nose and the split bumper tail; too bad the engines were pretty well choked by emission gear. Fortunately there's an easy fix for that...;)
slickersdrip says:
10:22 PM, 08/ 3/10
@roadburner
My dad had a brand new '73 Vette back then. He took off all of the emissions stuff and made the engine the 350 what it was before the regulations. It was an awesome mix between the bumpers for regulations back then, and it was a great car. Best of both worlds as far as looks went. Unfortunately he blew the engine to pieces with high doses of nitrous oxide.
golfgti4789 says:
02:42 AM, 08/ 4/10
I didnt think the 427 came till 1967! I thought it was a 396 till then...reguardless this is my favorite classic car! Either that or a 1967 Chrysler GTX Hemi!
drhorrible says:
05:03 AM, 08/ 4/10
@golfgti4789
The 427 was available on the 66 Vette.
http://rowleycorvette.com/stats66.html
Check out the prices and notice the convertible had a cheaper starting price than the coupe.
drhorrible says:
05:06 AM, 08/ 4/10
Oh by the way make mine a 63 split window coupe.
adantium says:
05:09 AM, 08/ 4/10
Classic FTW!
lowmilelude says:
05:09 AM, 08/ 4/10
There was an episode of Top Gear on last night wherein Jeremy lauds the simplicity of older supercars like the F40. I'd almost lump the Z06 into this group. They're not faster down (or around) the track than today's versions, and they're not more powerful. But they are definitely more direct. There's very little filter between the driver's inputs and the vehicle's reaction, which makes them a much more invigorating experience.
stingray454 says:
06:09 AM, 08/ 4/10
I still enjoy the heck out of mine after 8 years and 53k miles. Not once in that time did I ever feel even remotely bored with it. It's simply all entertainment, all the time. It's just a fun car in it's purest form.
In my mind, I always thought I would replace my '02 Z06 with something else whenever I got bored with it, or my driving skills exceeded it's capabilities. Neither has happened yet, and I don't it will for quite some time.
The icing on the cake is the car happens to be very durable, reliable, easy and inexpensive to maintain and own (with the exception of tires). My car just experienced its first significant mechanical problem: blown 3-4 gear synchros, bent shift fork, and I need a new clutch. Other than that, I've literally had zero problems with it in 8 years and 54k hard miles, including numerous track days, auto-X's, and thousands of miles of hard canyon driving.
roadburner says:
10:02 AM, 08/ 4/10
slickersdrip;
That sounds like it was a great car. I've toyed with the idea of finding a tired 1973 and dropping in a crate motor. Add some Bilsteins and modern rubber and it would be a blast. The "Matching numbers" folks would have a stroke, but so what?
slickersdrip says:
11:02 PM, 08/ 4/10
Roadburner:
Exactly. I'm not a matching numbers kind of guy and never will be. Probably why I won't be raking in a thousand percent appreciation in a car when I'm too old to drive one, too. Before my dad had the '73 he had a brand new '69 Z/28. He grew tired of the 302 after about a year and ditched it for a 427 out of a wrecked '66 Vette. Essentially his own built COPO.
I'm more in the camp of getting something to drive than to look at.. and a 73 that was all retrofitted would be amazing. Imagine dropping in an LS9 into something like that.
Right now I have an RX-8 and within two months of ownership I'm already looking at LSx swaps... I have the feeling that I'd have some Renesis fans wanting to murder me.
csubowtie says:
11:57 PM, 08/ 4/10
I love old cars, and for style and presence, the classic gets the nod. But I want a car to drive, and the Z06 does that amazingly, day in and day out. I would pick the new one in a heartbeat.
pflyer says:
07:45 AM, 08/10/10
Have owned a 74 convertible and a 82 Collector's Edition. Loved both.
The 74 was almost primitive compared to the 82, but both were a blast to drive.
My favorite is the 1967. Extremely clean on the outside with very little chrome or ornamentation. Had a chance in 1986 to buy a big block 1967 post restoration coupe with low miles for $10,500, but with two kids, a meager Air Force First Lt. salary, I had to pass.
What might have been...