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Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 5:56 am
by GMJohnny
I'm tempted to go to the strip next Wednesday....I want it to be cool when I go. If
I break it, I will hit up Fred32v for a loaner... ( he doesn't know that yet ).... as for the
Saab, I've looked it up on the net, and stock they're supposed to run 16.20's @ 85 mph...
I'm thinking with some air intake and exhaust improvements, it should be in the 15's....

GM

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 8:04 am
by Basement Paul
The best thing about intake and exhaust improvements, is you can justify them by telling yourself they'll help your mileage too... win / win.

-BP

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:33 pm
by GMJohnny
The Corvette is all garaged up and in hibernation. The only real projects I have for
it this year are rear tires and perhaps a re-cushioning of the driver's seat. So, one
step at a time. I started looking for rears a few weeks ago. I started by calling
Firestone Andy... The "discount well" has run dry on his part. He was unable to get
the monster deals on tires I had gotten in the past. Apparently some corporate thing
that he can comment on if he wishes. He did get me a friends and family discount
number that you tell the Firestone dealership you have AFTER he quotes you the price
of the tires. I call the dealership, get the quote, and tell him I have the discount, to
which he answers, I'm giving you a better price than that discount offers. So, the
price for the tires (on Tirerack also ) was $210.00/ tire. So the next step is to check
out ebay...Score!!! I found a tire dealership that had ordered 2 tires for a dude who
never showed up. I got 2 tires delivered for $299.00. I still have to have them mounted,
but I can do that at a local shop for under $50.00 I'm sure. Here's the ebay ad:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181058369011?ss ... 1497.l2649

I was unable to exactly match the tires that I have on the front of the car.... they don't
make them anymore... These will work. They're Bridgestones & they seem to be a
decent fit for the car. As a side note, the dealer shipped me the wrong size the first
time around. The correct size came the other day, and they never sent a pick up ticket
for the wrong ones. As of this minute the extra tires are waiting at work for the UPS man
to come and get them. I do plan on trying at least 2 more times to get the tires back to
their rightful owner. If they don't do get them, I'll have 2 new tires for sale! I hope they
come get them......

GM

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 6:05 am
by GMJohnny
Yesterday, I decided it was time. The weather's starting to get cold and they were talking
about possible snow this week. Time for the Vette to go into storage. This year I did nothing
but drive the car. I logged up only about 2,100 miles. The weather was nice enough on Sunday
to completely vac out the car and wash it. I got caught in the rain with it the last time I drove
it, so it needed a good cleaning. I decided to not put the new rears on until next spring. It
really needs them, I'm down to the wear bars in the middle of the tires. I'm pretty jammed up
with stuff to keep me busy through the winter and next spring, so I don't anticipate doing
anything major to this car in the near or distant future. It's doing just what I want it to do:
be a turn-key, dependable escape from my daily driver. I currently sit at about 46,400 miles.
See you in the spring!!

GM

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 7:11 am
by GMJohnny
Tuesday was the day to break out the Vette for the first time this year. The
weather was hardly perfect, as it was snowing some fluffy light snow when I
pulled out of the drive, but the roads were bone dry and it was cold, so the
fluff had no impact on the car. Initially, there were flat spots on the tires and
the car felt like it was driving on rocks. A few miles down the road cured that
problem. I had to scurry off to e-check, as the car needed it this year, and my
plates expire on March 28th. We made the trek to the check station and the
license bureau. then quickly back to Fred's garage. I'm a good month away
from bringing it to my house.

GM

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:58 pm
by Blue_69_malibu
GMJohnny wrote:Tuesday was the day to break out the Vette for the first time this year. The
weather was hardly perfect, as it was snowing some fluffy light snow when I
pulled out of the drive, but the roads were bone dry and it was cold, so the
fluff had no impact on the car. Initially, there were flat spots on the tires and
the car felt like it was driving on rocks. A few miles down the road cured that
problem. I had to scurry off to e-check, as the car needed it this year, and my
plates expire on March 28th. We made the trek to the check station and the
license bureau. then quickly back to Fred's garage. I'm a good month away
from bringing it to my house.

GM
So.....you successfully navigated your parents' ditch? :lol:

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:45 pm
by GMJohnny
Tony,

You know I've gone out that driveway so many times that
I can do it going 20 mph in the Vette. How Jimmy managed
to get his truck hung up that night was beyond comprehension.
( Arlene16V made Fred cover up the ditch several years ago
because she couldn't handle the recurring nightmares of seeing
a truck in her front yard. Fred figured that some dirt and pipe
was a small price to pay as opposed to the years of counseling
that are required in most post traumatic stress disorder cases.)

GM

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 6:05 am
by GMJohnny
I bought rear tires for the car in January of 2013.... I had them mounted yesterday. I used
the Tiresmoke blog to find out when I installed the last set.... 5 years ago!! Those rear tires
were BALD!!! There used to be a center traction pattern that was gone. They were flat in the
middle for about 6 or 7 inches, and the outer part of the tires had about 1/8 to 1/16 inch
left on them. The fronts are in like new condition. I installed them at 46,200 miles. The cost
for getting them mounted was just under $40.00. I had to take the tires to the shop in the
Saab, because I couldn't get both of the new tires in the Vette.... too wide! The total bill
included a modest $2 per tire to dispose of the old ones. The car rides way better than it did
with the old rears on it. I think it was time to change them. It should be noted that before I
had them changed, I did a drive by our buddy Kevin's place and did a first and second gear
burnout that fogged his yard for a few minutes. He was inside his house and, before I could
make it to my house, ( which is about 2 minutes away ) he was texting me his approval of
my foolishness........

Another project off of the list.

GM

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 10:19 pm
by GMJohnny
So the other day my Vette was sitting in the driveway as I was about to mow the lawn. GMAmy was
about to go run some errands, and I told her to take the Vette so it wasn't in the way when I was
mowing grass. She was a bit reluctant, but kind of smirked and drove away. I was able to get the grass
mowed without incident, and when she got back, I was done mowing. Later on in the evening, we went
out in the car for a ride with the top down. At a stop light ( with a rough idle at 750 rpm ) Amy asks
"do all vettes shake like that when they come to a stop?" Ha! I said "no.... not all of them." Then
tried to explain why ... in understandable words, without boring her to tears. I ended up with saying
"it just makes it cool."

GM

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 7:25 am
by ttamrettus
Cool story. Glad she isn't against your hobby.

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 5:27 pm
by Basement Paul
You didn't make her understand lift and duration??? What's the matter with you...

-BP

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 11:51 pm
by ttamrettus
I am sure she understands lift and duration just fine. Oh wait. You mean camshaft specs. Sorry. Couldn't help myself.

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 10:36 am
by TireSmoker
LOL

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2015 6:19 am
by GMJohnny
For those of you who might not know, I have moved several times in the
last year, which has forced any hobby of mine to the bottom of the list of priorities,
the Vette included. I have been able to drive it a few times this year, but
every time I do, it seems to attract rain! Anyhow, I did get a chance last week
to drive it to Chardon on my day off. As I was driving it around town, I turned
a corner after a red light and the car fell to an idle and the driver information
center display read "reduced power." The car with the loose converter would
not idle up a small uphill grade. I shut the car off and turned it on about five
times before the car decided to act correctly. Before the last time I tried to
start it, I took the key out of the ignition totally and wiped the chip on the key
with my fingers to remove any dirt on it that might make the car think that it
was getting stolen. It started after doing that, but I think it was just coincidence.
The check engine light came on, so when I got home I read the code. After a bit
of research on the internet, I saw that plenty of people had the same issue with
their Corvettes. Most of the people were saying that an alternator was bad or
the battery was not good. I went to the garage and started the car and was getting
good voltage on the meter, so I looked at the battery to see how old it was. Now,
in my mind, the battery was "pretty new", because when I got the car, it was "just
installed." As it turns out, the battery was installed in January of 2008. With all
of the electronic stuff on that car, I wasn't going to gamble running into an issue
with the battery, so I replaced it yesterday @ 48,324 miles. I was going to take
the car for a spin after the 15 minute install, but it started to rain. Again. I will
have to test drive it later in the week. More to come........

GM

Re: 1998 C5 Roadster

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2016 6:59 am
by GMJohnny
So I have a bit of a dilemma on my hands. One of BP's buddies has
a 1969 3/4 ton Chevy truck and a chunk of cash that he wants to swap
for the Corvette. I'm on the fence as to what I really want to do. I'm
struggling mentally with the rapid depreciation of the Corvette monetarily
and the potential electrical problems that the car may have in the future.
The truck is in very good condition and is very clean, but is not perfect.
The deal has both vehicles at pretty much market value, but the truck may
be worth slightly more than the owner has the value at. I might have the
Vette around where it is worth, less the tuning and cam install, which I
understand won't increase the value a ton. I like both vehicles and am
not sure if I am just looking for a change or what my problem is. I drove
the truck on Friday night and it performed as it should. I told the owner
that I'd have an answer for him on Monday. More to come.........

GM