Month: October 2011

For anyone who has never attended an American Le Mans race, you seriously don’t know what a great time you’re missing. We got up to Petit Le Mans on Thursday and we were able to witness and participate in seminars, driver meet and greets, wander the vendor village and experience Corvette Racing up close and personal. Check out our huge Petit Le Mans photo gallery and you’ll see what I mean.

All pictures © 2011 Keith Cornett/CorvetteBlogger.com

Related:
[VIDEO] CorvetteBlogger Talks with Corvette Racing’s Tommy Milner at the 2011 Petit Le Mans
A Conversation with Doug Fehan at the 2011 Petit Le Mans
Corvette Racing Finishes Fourth in ALMS Season Finale
Corvettes to Start Eighth and Ninth in Petit Le Mans
Corvette Racing: Links for Petit Le Mans
Corvette Racing at Petit Le Mans: The Long and Winding Road Atlanta

 

Prior to last weekend’s running of the 14th Annual Petit Le Mans, CorvetteBlogger spoke with Corvette Racing’s Tommy Milner. Our conversation touched on his first full year of racing Corvettes, the amazing win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, comparison of the BMW M3 to the Corvette C6.R, and how he prepare for races like his stint earlier this year at the Nurburgring 24 hour race.

Thanks again to Corvette Racing and Tommy Milner for speaking with us. I do apologize for the quality of the audio. We’ll be making some upgrades of our own during the offseason and will be back better than ever!

Related:
A Conversation with Doug Fehan at the 2011 Petit Le Mans
Corvette Racing Finishes Fourth in ALMS Season Finale
Corvettes to Start Eighth and Ninth in Petit Le Mans
Corvette Racing: Links for Petit Le Mans
Corvette Racing at Petit Le Mans: The Long and Winding Road Atlanta

 

Article contributed by Steve Burns

The team at Mecum Auctions heads to Texas this weekend for their inaugural Dallas sale. The auction runs Thursday, October 6th, through Saturday the 8th at the Dallas Convention Center. Velocity (formerly HD Theater) will have 14 hours of live coverage of the action. As is tradition, check out our favorite Corvettes up for grabs this weekend in Dallas after the break.

At last check there were 420 cars and motorcycles on the Dallas green sheet. Roughly 60 Corvettes are sprinkled throughout the docket. All 6 generations will be represented with midyears comprising about 30% of the Corvette catalog. Of The C2’s, there are 10 1967’s being offered. C1 fans will have 4 choices and C3 fans have 15 options including a racer formerly campaigned by Delmo Johnson. Late model enthusiasts can pick from 8 C4’s, 5 C5’s, and 3 C6’s.

Since everything is bigger in Texas, here are 3 big block Corvettes to keep an eye on this weekend.

Lot #S106 1969 L88 4-Speed Corvette Coupe:
This matching number black on black 4-speed coupe is one of the 116 L88’s produced in 1969. It is documented with the original tank sticker, Protect-O-Plate, and Delivery Sheet among other items. Judging awards include a 98 point NCRS Top Flight in addition to Bloomington Survivor and Gold awards. It’s no secret that L88’s are highly desirable. Only a handful come up for sale each year. It’ll a take bid well into the 6 figures for the new owner to take this one home.

Lot #S46.1 1965 396 4-Speed Corvette Coupe:
Chevy produced 23,652 Corvettes in 1965. Just 2,157 came equipped with the $292.70 L78 396/425hp engine. This red on red coupe was delivered on Christmas Eve 1965 according to the dealer sales invoice. The largely original Corvette attained Bloomington Survivor status in all four categories in 2010. Since then it has been repainted. Although we don’t know why it was repainted, we have a feeling that this will keep potential bidders away as that nullifies one of the categories of its Survivor award. Still, we expect some pretty big bucks when it comes up for bid on Saturday around 11:45am Central time.

Lot #S70 1967 Red/White 427/435 4-Speed Corvette Convertible
Lot #S65 1967 Red/Red 427/435 4-Speed Corvette Convertible:
These 2 offerings have a lot of things in common: red paint, 435hp L71, 4-speed, side pipes, and Nabers Brothers restorations. S65 has travelled just 30 miles since restoration while S70 has accumulated 100 since completion. The main difference in these cars is the interior. Both are highly desirable in their own rights. S70 has the rare white interior (and white stinger) while S65 has the coveted red interior (with a black stinger). Both are documented with Tank Stickers. These fraternal brothers will cross the block early Saturday afternoon about 30 or so minutes apart. We expect both cars to bring hefty bids quite quickly once bidding opens. After all, who doesn’t want to own a red big block ’67 convertible Corvette?

Mecum’s Dallas event runs this Thursday through Saturday at the Dallas Convention Center, in Dallas, Texas. Vehicle sales start at 2:45pm central on Thursday and 10am Friday and Saturday. If you can’t make to the auction you can watch live streaming coverage on Mecum’s website. In addition, the new Velocity network (formerly HD Theater) will have 14 hours of live coverage as well:

Thursday and Friday 3-8pm (Central time)
Saturday 1-5pm (Central Time)

Source:
Mecum Auctions

Related:
Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas 2011: Corvette Sales Bring In $2.5 Million
Auction Results: 1969 Greenwood Stars and Stripes Corvette Sells for $580,000
Mecum’s Bloomington Gold Auction Rakes in $5.8 million in Corvette Sales

 

We got the new monthly sales figures for September this week and Corvette sales have rebounded from the 936 deliveries made in August to 1,147 Corvettes delivered in September. Corvette sales saw a 3.4% increase over September 2010′s sales which totaled 1,109. For the year to date calendar, Corvette sales are pacing at 4.8% higher than 2010 as well.

Corvette sales in September were buoyed by a number of factors. First, the dealerships on the east coast that were impacted at the end of August by Hurricane Irene were back and open for business. Second, we had good news that two of the Corvette’s most popular colors, Crystal Red and Cyber Gray, are now back in the order pipeline and the first Crystal Red Corvettes returned to showroom floors. And finally, new incentives with special APRs and loyalty bonus became available.

For the 2011 Corvette, buyers can receive a $3,000 rebate or finance 0% down for 60 months or 2.9% for 72 months. 2012 Corvette buyers can get $1,500 dealer cash or a 3.9% APR for 60 months. Buyers who currently own a Corvette can receive bonus cash of $3,000 which can be combined with other incentives.

Corvette Stock Report:

For the past several years, we’ve utilized Jeff Hardy’s website to get the latest stock counts from GMBuyPower.com. However, it looks like that site has been taken down and traffic is being redirected to GM.com. Inventory counts for 2011 and 2012 Corvettes are currently unavailable and o the picture we used to be able to provide of what was happening on the ground is no longer complete. So for the time being, we will no longer feature the Stock Report in our monthly sales reports.

Bowling Green Production:

• 2012 Model Year Production in September 2011: 1,260
• 2012 Model Year To Date Through September 2011: 4,070
• 2011 Calendar Year to Date through September 2011: 10,294

Source:
GM.com

Related:
August 2011 Corvette Sales
July 2011 Corvette Sales
June 2011 Corvette Sales

 

For the eighth straight year, Corvette owners from all over the northeast will converge on Atlantic City, NJ this Saturday for Kerbeck’s Toys for Tots Corvette Roundup. Last year, donations totaled several thousand toys for the United State Marine Corp’s Toys for Tots campaign and the goal for this year is to exceed those numbers to help make the holidays special for as many children as possible.

Kerbeck Corvette, the world’s largest Corvette dealer, will work again with the US Marine Corp Reserve League to collect toys for the annual Marine Corp Toys for Tots campaign. If you are planning on attending, click here to register.

This year’s Round up will be held on the runways of Atlantic City’s Baderfield Airport! Lunch and refreshments will be served to all participants while they take the time to enjoy the live music, meet with General Motors representatives and look over the acres and acres of Corvettes driven there by some of the best Corvette owners in the country!

Our special guests this year include John Fitzpatrick, Marketing Manager – Chevrolet Performance Cars (Corvette and Camaro), and Steve Grilli, Quality Director at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant!

You are welcome to join John and Steve along with the many Caravans of Corvettes who will be meeting at the Farley Plaza around 11:00 on the Atlantic City Expressway (approx. mile marker 20) for a Meet and Greet where our special guests can take the time to meet the early comers, pose for pictures and look at your cars. This is a great opportunity since it usually gets a little crowed and crazy once we get to the tent and it’s your chance to get up close and personal with these two very vital members of Team Corvette.

At Noon, John and Steve will lead all of the Corvettes out of Farley Plaza for the 18 mile cruise down the Atlantic City Expressway where all drivers are expected and required to obey all traffic laws and pay their own tolls.

Please remember that we ask all participants to bring one (or more!) new, unopened, unwrapped toy. We also as that if your toy(s) require batteries that you please purchase the batteries as well and tape them to the outside of the box.

All participants will receive commemorative dash plaque, tickets to win one of dozens of door prizes and will also have the opportunity to receive raffle tickets for other prizes with a donation to Toys for Tots.

Trophies will be awarded to participants for categories such as Oldest Corvette, Furthest Traveled Corvette, Highest Mileage Corvette, Corvette Club Participation (Club with the most Corvettes in attendance) and some Celebrity Choice Awards!

Corvettes can begin arriving at Bader Field (across the street from Kerbeck Corvette) at 12:00 Noon on Saturday October 8th. For anyone wishing to visit the Kerbeck Corvette showroom to see cars from the Kerbeck Collection or any of the new Corvettes, a trolley shuttle will be constantly running from the airfield to the dealership and back and coffee, tea and pastries will be available in the showroom as well.

If you would like to come the night before and stay in Atlantic City, the Harrah’s Entertainment Properties will once again be offering special room rates for Toys for Tots participants at all four of their properties. Those casinos and their rates are:

• Harrah’s Resort – $79 (single or double occupancy plus tax/tourism fee)
• Showboat – $79 (single or double occupancy plus tax/tourism fee)
• Bally’s – $89 (single or double occupancy plus tax/tourism fee)
• Caesars – $139 (plus tax/tourism fee)

If you are planning on attending this year’s Toys for Toys Corvette roundup, please register so that Kerbeck knows how many people to prepare for. If you have any questions please call Dave Salvatore at 609-344-2100 or send an email to dave@kerbeck.com.

Check out our photo gallery from the 2010 Kerbeck Toys for Tots Corvette Roundup.

Source:
Kerbeck Corvette
Photo Credit: Chris Lyzcen Photography

Related:
Kerbeck Gearing Up for Toys for Tots Corvette Run
[VIDEO] Kerbeck Corvette’s Toys for Tots Run 2009
Corvettes at Carlisle: Meet the Original American Idol