MEGA SHIFTS: COVID-19, C8 Corvette, L88 For Sale, LS Engine Swaps, Lockdown Activities, Four-Wheeling

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MEGA SHIFTS: COVID-19, C8 Corvette, L88 For Sale, LS Engine Swaps, Lockdown Activities, Four-Wheeling


Welcome to Quick Mega Shifts! Quick Shifts is a content feature here at CorvetteBlogger featuring links to Corvette and automotive-related stories of interest but that wasn’t good enough for this week’s edition. In an effort to entertain our hoard of readers who are stuck at home on government-mandated lockdown, we gave the web an even deeper investigation for top notch automotive content than usual. Below, you’ll find the fruits of this search, please enjoy the first ever edition of Mega Shifts!

FIRST GEAR: COVID Corner

If you flip on the news, the COVID-19 virus is all that you hear about, and for good reason. First gear covers the pandemic and its far-reaching effects on the auto industry from several angles.

  • First, Automobile has America’s Best Roads for those who want to enjoy some social distancing like a boss.
  • They also have a more serious in-depth piece about the industry’s suddenly uncertain outlook. Read about it on Automobilemag.com.
  • Road & Track also added an interesting look at how Ford is repurposing seat ventilation fans to build respirators. It is an interesting read that highlights the American ingenuity that will get us through this unprecedented shutdown.
  • Finally, Car and Driver broke the news that automakers are extending their production shutdown into April. Details can be found at CarandDriver.com.

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SECOND GEAR: The C8 Section

From the desk of Don Sherman:

  • Hagerty’s cover story this month seeks to find out if the C8 is a Corvette in more than just name by lining it up with two other major turning point ‘Vettes from the past. This excellent article comes with equally stunning photography of a Rapid Blue C8 along with examples of America’s Sports Car from ’56 and ’86. Be sure to give this one a look!
  • Mr. Sherman also put out a piece this week that details the extremely interesting development and history of Chevrolet’s legendary small block V8. If you are new to the Corvette, this is mandatory information, soak it up! Even if you are a seasoned ‘Vette-eran, you just might learn something. This article is top notch!

Lesser content from other people that are still worth a look:

  • How does the C8 handle snow? Look away now if you are one of those “never seen water” people but Canadian, Morgan Crosbie tested his C8 in some fresh powder north of the border. See and hear how it all went down in this video.
  • Actress/Youtuber Emelia Hartford treated her 400k+ subscribers to some nitrous-fueled C8 action this week and the best video of the series can be seen here. The video kicks off with her recently N2O’d Stingray attempting to be fitted with ’14-’15 Camaro Z/28 wheels. These have to be the best looking factory wheel in recent history and they look incredible on Emelia’s Arctic White Z51, but they don’t quite fit without rubbing on the front. She ended up fittings them to the rear for some additional contact area but more problems arise that you’ll see later on. After a sponsor shout out, she continues on to Houston Raceway Park to see how the NOS works at the dragstrip. That action starts at 6:33 if you are interested in jumping ahead. Enjoy!
  • Our favorite overseas publication, EVO posted some footage of Hennessey’s claimed 1,200 HP C8 testing. Check it out here.

    C8 Corvette Drivetrain


    THIRD GEAR: Interesting and For Sale

    • Looking to get into a C8? There are 167 available nationwide, according to our Cars.com search and some are even on the ground right now at MSRP but hurry, they sell almost as fast as they sprint to 60 mph!
    • The winningest L88 race car of all time is also going to be (most likely) changing hands. Hagerty (on fire with great content lately!) has details on the ‘67 that will be crossing the auction block at Mecum Indy in May, barring any further COVID-related postponements/cancelations.
    • Almost everyone posted about this 1983 Chevrolet Camper SEMA show vehicle this week and we wanted to get in on the action because the rig, dubbed “Brown Sugar” is unbelievably cool and it could be yours! Get your checkbook ready and head over to MotorTrend.com to see it for yourself!
    • If you are more of a fan of fast trucks than ones that you can comfortably sleep in, Autoblog highlighted what has to be the lowest mileage of the 17,000 SS 454 Chevy C/K trucks still standing. Up for grabs at Classic Cars of Sarasota (FL), this 454 currently sits at just 26 miles and is listed for $52,900 with the plastic covers still on the seats!

    C8 Corvette Drivetrain

    Photo Credit: Mecum


    FOURTH GEAR: Videos and Awe-Inspiring LS Engines

    • Two of the best car-centric Youtubers out there, Tavarish and Tyler Hoover teamed up with Ed Bolian, of Cannonball Run fame to do a classic Top Gear-style Cheap Car Challenge. This one wasn’t exactly cheap though as their premise revolved around attempting to buy an exotic, European car for less money than they would spend on a C8. They ended up with a 2002 Ferrari 360 Spider, a flood-damaged Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, and a 2015 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S. Each car was an obviously horrible decision but just like the Top Gear episodes of old, they lead to some pretty entertaining moments. See the challenge here and see the follow-up vid about how broken the cars were (and the host’s attempts to fix the cars themselves) here.
    • The Sketch Monkey also has a fun design video that explores what the C8 could have looked like if GM Brass hadn’t gone for their engineer’s pleas to move the LT2 rearward. It actually looks pretty good if you ask us! You can be the judge though if you watch for yourself on YouTube.
    • We often daydream of the perfect little truck that GM could easily create by shoehorning an LT1 between the front fenders of their award-winning Colorado ZR2. Carbuzz unearthed some videos of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering taking our dream a step further by enhancing the General’s best off-roader with LT4 power! See how the project is coming together here.
    • On to some neat LS-series engines that were featured on various websites this week, starting with a twin-supercharged 427 that one lucky person will be winning! See the whole thing and learn how to enter to win this beast over at DragZine.
    • Not to be outdone, MotoIQ is here to show you how to build a naturally aspirated 650 HP “drift-spec” LS3 in part two of their series that started with this little number .


    FIFTH GEAR: More things to do while you are quarantined

    We have been trying to do our part to keep our readers and even their kids amused while they are, more than likely, stuck at home by sharing NCM Video Series and even Corvette Coloring Pages. Keep an eye out for even more of this unique content here at CorvetteBlogger and enjoy similar activities for all ages from some of the biggest names in the industry:

    • Motor Trend on Demand, your home for every episode of (the original) Top Gear, Head2Head, Roadkill, Overhaulin’, Chasing Classic Cars, and almost every other car show that you can think of is running a special right now. Gain access right now for just $1 per month, you’d be silly to let that deal pass you buy!
    • If you are more of a reader, check out the excellent automotive books recommended by Hagerty Volume 1 and Volume 2.
    • Try your hand at Car and Driver’s Boredom Busters.

    Bonus Reads:

    • 880 HP, Jet Engined C3! No further description is necessary. See it run on RoadandTrack.com.
    • Here are two more great reads from Hagerty (we told you they’ve been on fire!).
      • First is an article about the restoration of 30 Historic Team Penske race cars (including a gorgeous L88) for display at the 25th annual Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance, where Roger Penske was the event’s honoree.
      • Next is a look at ‘60s dealerships, like Yenko Chevrolet, who bulked up, already burly, factory muscle cars to create “street-racing monsters.”

    MotorTrend On Demand


    SIXTH GEAR: Off-Roading Action!

    The big news around the automotive press this week was the first drive of a reborn legend, the Land Rover Defender. These first impressions have been sent our way from a Land Rover-sponsored event in Namibia, Africa. The pictures alone solidify my belief that writing about cars is the greatest job in the world. This had to be the trip of a lifetime for the journalists who participated!

    There were many of these reviews but we have selected two to share with you.

    • MotorTrend is very good and it comes with a massive photo gallery so that you can see what I was on about in the intro paragraph to sixth gear.
    • Car and Driver absolutely outdid themselves with their evaluation, it was accompanied by all of their previous Defender drives for people who aren’t hip to this, rarely found in the US, but extremely cool off-roading machine.
    • These retro reviews start with John Phillips in a 1995 Defender 90 (the most common LRD models are the 90 and the 110, each named after the length of their wheelbase. The 90 is the two-door and the 110 is the four door). Next up is a ’94 in the wilds of Wyoming, followed by a ’93 (this time the 110) on the trail of Ernest Hemingway.
    • For more of a Corvette connection, here is some commentary about a Florida company called East Coast Defender who makes the coolest 4×4 in the world, a beautifully modified Defender that packs LS3 power! See how they drive on Autoweek.com and spend some time on ECD’s awesome configurator to make the ‘Vette powered off-roader of your dreams!
    • No column that mentions LS3 motivated cars that are more comfortable away from the pavement would be complete without bringing up the Local Motors Rally Fighter. Prepare for some strong want before clicking on this drive from Autoblog and see why the Rally Fighter just might be the future of sports cars with this edition of Avoidable Contact.
    • Finally, we will leave you with a story that brings Mega Shifts full circle. The/Drive posted an awesome article about Land Rover donating the Defender test vehicles to the Red Cross to assist with their international fight against COVID-19. Read about this nice move by the Jaguar/Land Rover company right here.

    Land Rover Defender

    Photo Credit: MotorTrend


    We sincerely hope that you enjoy all of this exceptional content. Thank you for reading and again, stay healthy out there, Corvette Nation!


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    2020 Makes C&D Editor’s List, C8 Reviews and Gripes, Mid-Engine History, 10 Things, and RIP Impala

     



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  • 5 COMMENTS

    1. Please remove the mega from the quick shifts,It reminds me of the stupid red trump hat and that makes me want to puke.Thank you.

    2. Wow, imagine if you just came back from the dead
      or awoke from a coma and read the content from the first
      paragraph of this blog.
      ” Stuck at home on a government-mandated lockdown”.
      You’d think Hitler won World War II or maybe America was taken over by the Russians.
      These are truly unprecedented and scary times. We are all learning a new phrase
      ” Stay Safe”. I’m 72 years on this Earth and I never felt so threatened
      Corvette friend & an American!…Good luck to all.

    3. Sorry Bob,
      This is a this is not the place to attack Trump’s MAGA Hat. (Not mega hat). You should be proud to be an American and all he has done for this country. If you feel need to puke, stick your fingers down your throat and enjoy.
      Ed

    4. Leave politics out of this forum, Bob! Because nobody wants to read about who you support or don’t support.

    Comments are closed.