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Showing posts with label Corvette. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Corvette. Show all posts

Saturday, April 13, 2013

chevrolet-corvette-v8-engines-01


For 58 of its 60 years, the Chevrolet Corvette has been powered by the legendary Chevrolet V-8 engine. Technological advancements have increased output threefold – from 195 hp in 1955 to 638 hp today – as well as reliability, refinement and efficiency.


However, the fundamental architecture of the Chevrolet “Small Block” remains the same today as it was in 1955: a 90-degree V-8, with overhead valves actuated by pushrods, and a 4.4-inch on-center bore spacing.


“The brilliance of the Chevrolet V-8 is its elegant, efficient design,” said Jordan Lee, global chief engineer for Small Block Engines. “The Chevy V-8 has fewer reciprocating parts, and is very efficient and has one of the best power-to-weight ratios of any engine family in the industry. The design is incredibly compact, enabling the Corvette’s signature sleek profile and low hood line.”


Despite a sporty appearance, the early Corvettes’ performance didn’t match their good looks. The car launched in 1953 with the “Blue Flame” inline six-cylinder engine and a two-speed automatic transmission – not exactly the stuff on which to build a sports car legend. That changed in 1955, when the new small-block V-8 engine became available and was ordered by 99 percent of Corvette buyers.Read more!


Not only did the new and significantly more powerful engine breathe new life into the Corvette’s driving experience, it could be linked to a three-speed manual transmission that gave the driver an even greater connection to the car. The result made the Corvette a proper sports car, and enthusiasts responded. Sales nearly doubled from 1954 and by the end of the decade, they nearly tripled.


Immediately after the V-8 was introduced, the small-block began a steady march upward in displacement, power and technological advancement.


The Corvette’s first 4.3L (265 cu. in.) small-block engine in 1955 produced up to 195 hp with an optional four-barrel carburetor. Today, the LS9 6.2L (376 cu. in.) supercharged small-block in the Corvette ZR1 is rated at 638 hp (476 kW), delivering about 230 percent more power than the original small-block engine from only 42 percent greater displacement.


chevrolet-corvette-v8-engines-02


Today’s small-block is also remarkably fuel efficient. For example, the 430-horsepower (476 kW) LS3 version of the Gen-IV small-block helps the 2013 Corvette accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about four seconds, run the quarter-mile in just more than 12 seconds and achieve a top speed of 190 mph – all while achieving EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of 26 mpg.


That fuel economy compares favorably to vehicles more commonly associated with daycare drop-off vehicles than road-course lap times. Indeed, the Corvette’s highway fuel economy is better than the 2013 Hyundai Equus (23 mpg), Volvo XC90 AWD (23 mpg) or Subaru Legacy with the 3.6L flat-6 (25 mpg) – and it matches the Toyota Venza (26 mpg). It also matches or beats other sports cars with smaller engines, including the Nissan 370Z (26 mpg/3.7L V-6), Porsche 911 Turbo (24 mpg/3.8L flat-6) and BMW Z4 (26 mpg/3.0L straight-6).


Here is a look as some of the most significant small-block engines in Corvette’s history:


1957 283 “Fuelie” – Almost 30 years before the widespread adoption of fuel injection, the Corvette offered it on the newly enlarged 283-cubic-inch small-block, resulting in 283 horsepower – and the one-horsepower-per-cubic-inch benchmark that is still considered a noteworthy performance achievement for modern engines.


1969 350 – The small-block’s displacement grew throughout the Fifties and Sixties, but when it settled at the 350-cubic-inch mark in 1969, an icon was born. Many enthusiasts equate the small-block with the classic 350, which remained the Corvette’s standard engine through 1996.


1985 “L98” Tuned Port Injection – Although electronically controlled fuel injection was introduced on the Corvette in 1981 (the early “Fuelie” engine featured mechanical fuel injection), it was the 1985 introduction of the L98-code engine and its Tuned Port Injection system that launched the modern era of performance. Its basic port-injection design is used on the 2013 Corvette and almost every other gas-powered vehicle sold in America.


chevrolet-corvette-v8-engines-03


1997 LS1 – The third generation of the small-block debuted in the C5 Corvette. Completely redesigned, it introduced a new aluminum “deep skirt” cylinder block, high-flow aluminum cylinder heads and more – all while retaining the basic 4.4-inch bore-center design of the original small block.


2006 LS7 – Co-developed with the C6.R racing program, it is the highest-performance naturally aspirated production small-block in Corvette history, rated at 505 hp, with a 7,000-rpm redline. It was introduced in the C6 Corvette Z06 and is also included with the 2013 427 Convertible Collector Edition. It is hand-built at GM’s Performance Build Center near Detroit.


2009 LS9 Supercharged – It’s the most powerful automotive production engine ever from Chevrolet and its 638 supercharged horses help push the Corvette ZR1 to a top speed of 205 mph. Like the LS7 engine, it is built by hand at the Performance Build Center.


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[Via:musclevehicles.com]


 


 



Small-Block V-8 is the Heart of Chevrolet Corvette

Friday, April 12, 2013

1969 Berger Corvette 427 VERY RARE

This 1969 Berger Corvette 427 is VERY RARE 1 OF 2 only made. You are looking at a very rare piece of automotive history.  This Corvette was produced by Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  It is one of only two corvettes Berger produced.  They are well known for their Camaro’s and to this day are still offering their power pack options which cost between $40,000 and $60,000 for their modifications.  Unlike many high performance chevy dealers Berger is still family owned and still in existence today (unlike Yanko and many others).


image 1969-berger-corvette-427_149_003.jpg


This corvette has a 427 tri-power which started as a 400 horse car and as far as we know, they modified to at least 450 horse.  It is a very high option car, it has both tops.  It also has the original build sheet and window sticker. Via: musclevehicles.com



The only option that was changed on the car is the deluxe wheels that is on the tank sticker to the rally wheels which I think most would agree look better on the car. 


image 1969-berger-corvette-427_149.jpg


We are not sure if Berger changed them or a past owner did.  The car also has power windows, power brakes, power steering, tilt and tele, head restraints, custom shoulder belts, pozi traction, 331 ratio rear, turbo 400 transmission (if you research Berger and their are many articles on the internet including one from AutoTrader that gives the full history of Berger Chev you will find out that the turbo 400 was their trans of choice). Via: musclevehicles.com



The car also has tinted glass, red striped tires, front fender louver trim, F41 suspension and speed warning indicator.  The car is in amazing condition as you can see from the pictures.


image 1969-berger-corvette-427_149_001.jpg


This car was inspected by an NCRS judge when the owner first purchased it.  It became a subject on the super car registry and he was asked if he would allow them to send one of their top judges down to authenticate the car and they could find no issue that this was not the real deal.  To the corvette purist this is probably not a car for you.  But, for the rest of the car collector community, this is a piece of automotive history. Via: musclevehicles.com



1969 Berger Corvette 427 VERY RARE

Monday, March 18, 2013

Corvette Grand Sport 1963


Corvette Grand Sport 1963


The Corvette Grand Sport made its first appearanceearly brightened in the 1963 season in the C-Modified class with a production capacity of 360 hp engine in his 327 bottles £ 2000 body. It was the season as a “stock” appearing Racer. The season finale was in Nassau every year, with a “no taboos” week of racing on the island, where all teams could compete against any other employment the latest high-tech performance parts, which were otherwise prohibited by the normal club racing.


The Chevrolet Corvette (C2) is a sports car from Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1963-1967 model years produced. Virtually all new, Sting Ray stunned the automotive world in 1963, blending world-class handling with a distinctive all-American style and performance. Bill Mitchell revisited the Super Sport race car driver and the Corvette would then re-invent radically new design, high performance and a first-ever coupe, which would become a classic, with record sales and remains one of the most sought-after collectibles cars. With a win on the track position that would benefit from two successive Engineering Innovation, the car would culminate with a fighting spirit of the best Corvette racer ever, the Grand Sport. The second generation Corvette would undergo a large five-year, that by many as the highlight of the car’s history.


If the Corvette Grand Sport Nassau made its appearance, it seemed as if it was a big injection of steroids given. Fender flares, hood balls, wider wheels and tires and other visible changes only the surface of the technological advances that have been affected in these Grand Sports.


Corvette Grand Sport


Under the hood of the Corvette Grand Sport an all-aluminum 377 cubic inch small block with 58 mm side draft Weber carburetor was found. These aluminum engines were the second batch of Chevrolet casting Analysis and Development Department.


1965 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Fast Five Cars


1965 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Fast Five Cars


It had 12 of the aluminum castings created.They “were identified, which was stamped on the traditional location on the passenger side of the engine block. This engine inside the Grand Sport Corvette used letter” from the individual letters “A’through” L F “in the series.


Corvette Grand Sport Engine


Corvette Grand Sport Engine


This all-aluminum engines had shared with Jim Hall Chaparral, but his sporting drivers use small 48mm Weber’s that much more on the RPM provisions of the special automatic transmissions, which had been in this revolutionary racing cars.


The Grand Sport Corvette either destroyed or the competition won everything in sight, the week in Nassau. The teams were so confident with their victories, preparation began on the 1964 12 Hours of Sebring.


All three came Corvette Grand Sport 1964 12 Hours of Sebring.


Corvette Grand Sport 1964 12 Hours of Sebring


Corvette Grand Sport 1964 12 Hours of Sebring


Q-Corvette, and perhaps more directly, Mitchell’s Stingray racing: the 1963 Sting Ray production car in the lineage can be traced to two different GM projects. The Q-Corvette in 1957 initiated a smaller, more modern Corvette introduced as a coupe-only model, boasting a rear transaxle, independent rear suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes, mounted inside the rear brakes. Exterior design has been determined, with pointed wings, a long nose, and a short, bobbed tail.


Zora Arkus-Duntov Meanwhile, and other GM engineers are fascinated with the medium-and rear-engine design. It was during the Corvair development that Duntov was mid / rear engine layout to its limits in the CERV I Concept. The Chevrolet Experimental Research Vehicle was a light, open wheel single-seater racing car. A rear-engine Corvette was considered briefly during 1958-60 progress as far as a full-scale mock-up by as much rear-mounted power of the Corvair design the package, including its complicated air-cooled six-cylinder as an alternative to the Corvette conventional water-cooled V-8. By fall 1959, would elements of the Q-Corvette Stingray and the special race in an experimental project XP-720, the design program, which was led directly to the production 1963 Corvette Sting Ray will be incorporated. The XP-720 looked improved passenger accommodation provide more storage space and superior ride and handling compared to previous Corvette.


Duntov during the development of an innovative new chassis for the 1963 Corvette was designers were adapting and refining the basic look of the racing Stingray for the production model. A fully functional space Buck (a wooden model created to work inside dimensions) by the beginning of 1960 was complete, the production coupe styling to the largest portion was closed until April, and the interior, including instrument panel was in place by November. Only in the fall of 1960, the designers turn their creative attention to a new version of the traditional Corvette convertible and later, its removable hardtop. For the first time in the history of the Corvette, wind tunnel helped refine the final shape, as well as practical issues such as interior, curvatures and windshield tools limitations. Both body variants have been extensively as a production-ready models 3/8-scale at Cal Tech wind tunnel tested.


 


1963 chevrolet corvette stingray


1963 chevrolet corvette stingray


The vehicle of the inner structure received as much attention as the aerodynamics of his appearance. Fiberglass hull have been retained, but the Sting Ray was almost twice as much steel in support of their centralized structure such as the Corvette 1958-62. The resulting additional weight was offset by a reduction in the thickness of fiberglass, so the final product actually weighed slightly less than the old roadster. Passenger room was as good as before, despite the tighter wheelbase and the strengthening of the steel beams from the cockpit both stronger and safer


 


Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport in Fast Five


Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport in Fast Five


Although the all-aluminum engine performed well during the season he was replaced with a 364 cubic inch iron block for the final hurray in Nassau.


The aluminum heads were retained as a weaver. The iron block was chosen because it is less bent at high speeds, allowing the engine to produce much more horsepower. The extra horsepower would be against the other “no holds barred racing required.


The Corvette Grand Sport was further facilitated by the pneumatic cylinders program that brought the weight up to 1900 pounds! Although the lead was within the breed originally decided by a slight Cobra that was powered by a brand new 390 cubic inch all aluminum Ford engine Roger to wear down in a position that Cobra, they give for the lead and finally get the checkered flag.


 


Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport


Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Reunion


The first production Corvette coupe, hatchback was a futuristic, one of the most unique styling elements in the history of the automobile – a split rear window. The rear window is a basic form was originally designed by Bob McLean for the Q model. The rest of the Sting Ray design was just as breathtaking. Quad headlamps were retained, but new hidden – provided the first American car so since the 1942 DeSoto. The lamps were in rotating parts, the pointed front end mounted with the “eye” closed matched. Coupe doors were in the roof, the registration cut made / exit easily in such a low-lying closed car. Faux vents on the hood and on the coupe, the rear pillars is; functional properties had been determined, but were canceled due to cost reasons.


 


Chevrolet Stingray Racer Concept 1959


Chevrolet Stingray Racer Concept 1959


The Sting Ray interior made a new interpretation of the twin-cowl dash Corvette motif has been used since 1958, it was also practical, now with built spacious glove compartment, an improved heating and ventilation system of the chimney. A complete set of instruments, including a huge round speedometer and tachometer. The control tower center back, a little slimmer console, but now with the clock and a radio set up vertically. Boot capacity has to be enhanced as well although in the absence of an external trunklid, had loaded cargo behind the seats. The spare tire was on the back from a drop-down fiberglass enclosure under the gas tank (which now takes 20 gallons instead of 16). The large, round cover emblem was re-articulated as a fuel tank lid twice, replacing the previous left edge of the door.


 


Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport C2 1963


Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport C2 1963


Although not as obvious as the car radical styling of the new chassis is just as important, the Sting Ray success. Maneuverability was improved thanks to the faster “Ball-Race steering and short wheelbase. The latter might imply otherwise drive a choppier, but the change in weight distribution partially compensated for it. Less weight on the front wheels mean easier control, and with about 80 extra pounds on the rear wheels, the Sting Ray offered improved traction. Stopping power improved, too. Four-wheel-cast 11-inch drum brakes remained standard, but now wider to increase the effective braking area. Sintered-metallic linings segmented, for cooling, were again optional. Sun finned aluminum drums were not only faster heat dissipation is provided (and thus a better light resistance), but less unsprung masses. Power Assist “was both brake packages. Evolutionary technical changes include crankcase ventilation, a smaller flywheel and aluminum clutch housing. A more efficient alternator replaced the old-fashioned generator.


Legendary American Sports Car Corvette Grand Sport Video in Action



However, the Corvette Grand Sport is now no doubt, by the rapidly developing Lola and McLaren, that she was forced against outclassed competition. Had the Grand Sport was in this final form in 1964 on the Internet, it could possibly offer this mid-engine prototypes. The owners of today’s Corvettes can thank the individuals with the Corvette Grand Sport for the technology that they now involved for granted. be wide tires, suspension geometry fantastic, all aluminum engines, etc. can be attributed to 1963, when the Grand Sport, it underwent metamorphosis traced back to a muscular Sports Racer.


Corvette Grand Sport (Sting Ray) Specification




























ManufacturerChevrolet Division of

General Motors
Also calledSting Ray
Production1962–1967
Model years1963–1967
AssemblySt. Louis, Missouri, United States
PredecessorChevrolet Corvette C1
SuccessorChevrolet Corvette C3
ClassSports car
Body style2-door convertible

2-door coupé
LayoutFR layout
Engine327 cu in (5.4 L) Small-Block V8

327 cu in (5.4 L) Small-Block FI V8(1963–65)

396 cu in (6.5 L) Big-Block V8(1965)

427 cu in (7 L) Big-Block V8

(1966–67)
Transmission3-speed manual

4-speed manual

2-speed Powerglide automatic
RelatedDuntov LightWeight

Superformance Corvette Grand Sport

Legendary American Sports Car Corvette Grand Sport