When I say I hate Corvettes, I can't stress that enough. Corvettes have become a common car. If you go to a car show and there is a total of 100 cars there, 80 will be Corvettes, 15 will be Mustangs, and 5 will be "racing" Hondas. People who drive Corvettes have no style, no imagination, and most of all, no urge or reason to use 8 cylinders. The only thing a Corvette is good for is saying, "I have a lot of money and no imagination, plus I'm getting old, so I spent way too much on a common car." Anyways, I love Pontiacs - both W- and F-bodies - and have been a supporter and follower of Pontiac for as long as I can remember. Right now, I have a 2000 Trans Am Firehawk that I actually picked up on eBay, as well as a 2007 G6 GTP that just replaced my 1994 Grand Prix SE. I am in the market for a 1989-1990 (obviously) Turbo Grand Prix. If anyone has any information, please send me an e-mail. Thanks - and sorry for ripping on Corvettes if you own one... actually, I'm not sorry. If you own a Corvette, you should be in a mental home and off of this neighborhood.
I couldn't agree with you more. This is totally unbelievable and if my best friend John wasn't with me there wouldn't be any witnesses. 2 summers ago taking a leisure drive, looking at lawn, garage sales etc. in my 79 Anniversary TA. We came up on a newer, piss yellow, convertible vette going only 40 miles an hour. An older gentleman with his younger girlfriend, wife or daughter just putting along. No doubt that his car could blow mine away, just the same I went by him with all 4 barrels kicking in. His expression was priceless. Another thing I recall is that vette didn’t make a sound and my gas hog sounded like a turbine taking in the air and gas, the exhaust pushing out my flowmasters. As I kept it around 100 for a distance and his overly priced, dime a dozen vette becoming just a speck in my review mirror I knew he wasn’t going to retaliate. Aaahhh good times.
Way cool..............I have a '76 TA........455/HO with Super t-10..........10k engine..........it's a 3.9 sec. 0-60 and a 9.3 quarter.........look at at 424 torque..........mine has only 405 dyno h/p but 600+ in torque..............ta's rule!!
South Park fans: I was happy to see that in a recent episode of South Park, they used a Trans Am as a sports car instead of a Corvette; even though the background music referenced a Corvette... big thanks to Trey Parker and Matt Stone!
geez man - what makes you hate vettes so much? there's room for both ta's and vettes.
Just to show you that its possible to love both cars: i have 2 zr1 corvettes and another just to trash. Look up zr1 and you'll understand.
Now with that said, I've owned a 77 bird, a 78 TA and an 85 TA. I'm restoring a 78 SE w/ 4 speed and 400 pontiac.
I drive my 91 zr1 every day so it isnt babied. it has been mildly upgraded. Came from the factory with 375hp, but it now dyno's 465 at the wheels. Nothing major was done, just some cam timing (but there are 4 cams) and porting. Its never been beat and its been challenged at least once a week.
I dont know how old you are, but i think i could have been in high school with your father. When you see him, ask him which car he would have rather had - a vette or a TA. It would have been a toss up back then. Actually, the TA was faster if you got the W72 package. But to show off, nothing but nothing turned heads like a vette. It isnt that way anymore, but now the vette does have the edge in speed over anything except maybe a viper. It also is world class, something a TA never was.
So when you start throwing bombs, remember both cars were once the top shelf american muscle, one car still is. Dont put it down because some drivers dont take it to the limits.
OK, I am NOT OLD OR MENTAL!! I own a late '68 vette. Actually a highly sought one, late enough to have the changes made for the '69. I ALSO OWN a '76 TA, '71 OLDS 455 (original factory paint and only 44K orig miles), a "73 450SL (thats a Mercedes if you did not know what that meant) and my favorite, a "77 VW Bug! Everything but the TA is a convertible. Everything but the Bug is SHOW QUALITY!! Did I mention that I am not old, 39 to be exact and A GIRL!! May I suggest you may want to broaden your horizons, you might learn something new, even from a GIRL!
I agree Vettes are common. I am a Trans Am guy. But I work at a Chevy dealer, and when I see a z06 pull in, I have to stop and look at it. I can't wait for the new ZR1 to come out. In my opionin, muscle cars are cool, Jap crap with turbos and a lot of boost is cool. I hate when people spend all there money on making there cars look "good" and don't do anything performance wise. I have an 84 TA. My car has been in need of paint since I bought it years ago. Never really had the money. I got $10k a couple years ago. Instead of painting it, I did a LS1 T56 swap. Well worth the money. As long as people are driving american muscle cars, I'm happy.
zr1rob - When you say that Corvettes are "world class," I really don't know what that means. That's like saying, "I like bananas because they are the best fruit." The term "world class" is extremely general. When someone tells me something is not normal, I tell them that "normal" is a setting on a dryer. It all depends on what "professional" was working that day that decided to call a Corvette "World Class." It means absolutely nothing in the short of it. It's a status quo. And believe me, I don't dislike 'Vettes because they're not stylish or fast... because they ARE - and the new ones actually do beat the Viper by the way. I dislike them because of exactly what I'm trying to point out here - what makes the Corvette (a common car seen EVERY DAY) so damn special, head-turning, and attention-getting enough to spend over $60,000 on it? I'm not a huge fan of Camaros either, just because you see way too many of them. Believe me, if you saw hundreds of T/As every day, I would hate T/As just as much; but the T/A is a "rare" under-appreciated car that no one knows about because they're too busy looking at the same cars they've seen already. If I got to pick (to keep - not to sell) between a 1988 5-speed T/A GTA or a brand new Corvette ZR1, I'd pick the GTA every time. The ONLY way I'd ever pick the ZR1 would be so I could sell it for way too much and make a quick dollar.
Nongoogle. I think what ZR1 was pointing out is that the Corvette gives you more bang for your buck than any other sports car on the market, and It does so for less money than anything remotely equivalent.
I own a W72 1978 Trans Am. I also own a 2004 Z06. The performance difference is laughable. The T/A in its factory state can be whipped by a stock V6 Honda Accord.
The idea that the Corvette is overpriced is rather absurd. Even bought brand new, it's a steal. Seriously, check the competition. And the price tags. To make your T/A do what a Vette does would require thousands of dollars and a complete suspension and engine change.
Now I do understand your aversion to having something everyone else also has. But seriously, over 100,000 Trans Ams alone were built in 1979. Back in the late 70's the Firebird was a ridiculously popular car, and this fact makes it no less a beautiful work of art now as it was then.
So in short, the Corvette is an awesome vehicle--it does what it does too well for you to fault it instead of baby boomers and mid life crises. As far as liking Firebirds, cool. They're awesome cars too, but it makes no sense to over-value them because they're under-appreciated. Drive a horse and buggy. You don't see those often either.
To this comment: Nongoogle. I think what ZR1 was pointing out is that the Corvette gives you more bang for your buck than any other sports car on the market, and It does so for less money than anything remotely equivalent. I own a W72 1978 Trans Am. I also own a 2004 Z06. The performance difference is laughable. The T/A in its factory state can be whipped by a stock V6 Honda Accord.
It's "nonGOGGLE" by the way, not "nonGOOGLE," but by the process of elimination, I believe you're talking to me.
You're comparing a 1978 Trans Am to a 2004 'Vette? That's like comparing a brand new laptop to an IBM486 of the 1980's... If you're going to compare two things, make it relevant. I agree that 26 years of technologically-advanced performance is laughable. How about the V6 Accords in 1978? How did they rate up against a T/A? Back then, there were no V6 Accords.
In 1993, a stock T/A Formula had an LT1 producing 275HP. The Corvette had the same block putting out 300HP.
A 2000 Trans Am WS6 and a 2000 Corvette have the same motor (LS1), same transmission (MM6), same rear end (Auburn 3.42), and same suspension (Bilstein). The only difference is the frame, body, exhaust, and intake manifold/system. The Corvette weighs a little less, and it makes a total of 40HP more and costs over $10,000 more. For about $1500.00 in parts, you can put the same intake and exhaust on a Trans Am, save the $8500.00, and probably embarass a 'Vette. How is that giving me more bang for my buck? That's not even close to remotely equivalent.
As another example, the 2005 GTO came with the 6.0L LS2 motor (same as the Corvette), put out 400HP (same as the Corvette), and cost $9000 less than the Corvette. If you still say the bang for your buck in buying a 'Vette is there, get your head checked for a brain, because you're probably missing it. What you're really paying so much for is the "World Class" stamp the "professionals" attached to the 'Vette name.
To sum up, no matter how you look at it, Trans Ams and Corvettes are put together at the same plants by GM using the essentially the same parts. The parts may look a little different (body panels, frame), but in whole, they're both pretty much the same car - except one is outrageously priced.
Let's see how your 6.2L 620HP Corvette ZR-1 racks up against the 3.8L 480HP Nissan GT-R in 2009. A 2008 Corvette Z06 is just over $69000, so I imagine the new ZR-1 will be around $73000 (on the low end). The Nissan is selling for $71900. We'll see what "world class" gets you then.
And if the rumors are true and Pontiac comes back with the T/A in 2011, I'd be willing to bet my life savings that the same motor is going in both the 'Vette and the T/A - and the T/A will be thousands less. Of course, that's if GM is still in business.
This is a great thread !!! It all boils down to ones preference and taste. Always been a TA fan. Sure, some valid points have been voiced. My 10th Ann. 79 Trans Am doesn't beat anything at any track, but it sounds and looks like it could. People are drawn to it. It picks up trophies at local car shows. So what if over 100k TA's were produced in 1979, only 7500 were TATA's. The majority of 2nd generation TA owners will admit the number one reason of ownership is style, not performance anyways. If you wanted performance you would have to buy a pre 1974 or a 3rd generation TA. As value goes, again ones preference, I know what my book value is and I will NEVER sell. Real reason I dislike vettes are the same reason I dislike the newer mustangs....there's one on every block. I like them, the performance, handling, style, etc, but I will never own one. I know a few vette owners and yes they fit the stereotype. 2 other cars I would love to have are a 1976 Pontiac 50th anniversary TA and a newer Dodge Challenger (In my opinion the only real muscle car that complements its ancestors) P.S. What would you rather witness ? A smoke show from a 79 TATA or V6 Honda Accord?
I own a 95 trans am, Love them, one of my favorite cars.
But who wouldnt want a vette? Basically the t/a is a vette, same motor and everything. They are superior in every category, looks, handling, speed, etc. I'd trade up for one in a heartbeat.
I wouldn't want a 'Vette. I have a Trans Am, which is a four-seater 'Vette that has more styling with the same performance level. It looks like the body panels on a Corvette were pushed out of a flat, square tray, with no signs of even trying to make stylish lines.
The following is a conversation between two design engineers at the Corvette factory: Engineer 1: "Hey, what should the back lights look like?" Engineer 2: "I'm tired; let's just make them circles." Engineer 1: "Should there be two or four tailights?" Engineer 2: "Let's make it four." Engineer 1: "Yeah. Four IS better. Now that's world class!"
I also saved $10,000 by buying a T/A. I'm happy. I'd trade (maybe) a Rubic's Cube for a Corvette, but nothing more expensive than that. And the Rubic's Cube would probably entertain me for longer... okay, never mind. I'd keep the Rubic's Cube and trade an old sock for a 'Vette.
I have a 81 Firebird and a 79 corvette and no I am not old or gay. Corvette owners are kind of like a Harley owner they just have a love for the car old or new. It is a little childish to talk about a whole group of people for the car they drive or the color they are or the church they go to and so on.... get the point. You like what you like and thats all that matters. Oh and I will put that 79 vette up on the 1/4 mile against what ever you are driving. Its all about American muscle.
Don't even get me started on Harley Gayvinsons... I love American-made products, and I always will, but Harleys ARE junk. You pay solely for the name. My uncle has a '04 Kawasaki Vulcan with 12,000 miles on it. To this day, when he starts it, you don't even hear the starter turn and it's running. He just bought a brand new Harley off the showroom floor because he's a moron and the thing turns over for about 3 seconds before it starts. Then it stalls. (Repeat process twice) He already says he HATES the Harley Gayvinson that he paid WAY TOO MUCH for. If I ever bought a Harley, I'd take it directly from the dealer to the metal scrap yard. Too bad 'Vettes are fiberglass, because I'd do the same thing with them if I could. I'd tow them right out of peoples' driveways to the scrap yard. Be smart and buy a Trans Am.
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