Hi Sam, I’m probably one of the oldest guys [close to 74] to write a comment to you, maybe the oldest. First: The automotive industry is an apple orchard of career opportunities; so many trees, and so many varieties. As I read your story, it brought back a flood of memories as I became, although I didn’t realize it at the time, a lifelong Corvette enthusiast when I saw Harley Earl’s Project Opel, XP-122, America’s Sportscar, for the first time in 1953.  At age 10 I knew exactly what I wanted my edu path to be and the job I wanted.  There are not many people that can say that.  You, fortunately, have a passion for a subject and an industry so early in life.  That is just terrific!  My edu goal was the General Motors Institute of Technology [GMI, now known as Kettering University]; my job goal was to be an engineer on Corvette for suspension system development.  I didn’t achieved either, didn’t have the grades or the money.  Although, I own a 1980 Corvette 4 speed manual, cause it’s the last year for Corvettes before computers, and a 2013 Grand Sport 6 speed manual, which has every kind of technology management system.  I wrench on the ’80 cause I can, the ’13 ... not so much. Second: Success begins with a person’s ‘Will’ and ‘State-of-mind’.  To that end, develop a healthy and robust work ethic, aim high and always Pursue Perfection in everything you do.  We don’t always achieve Perfection, but achieving the next best thing, Excellence, puts you head and shoulders above your contemporaries.  In life, a person’s reputation usually precedes them.  Be known for a person of reputation who produces Excellence, and not one who produces Joe-**bleep**-the-rag-man stuff. The automotive orchard; as you already know, there are so many moving parts to a motorized vehicle, whether it is a car, truck, or earthmover vehicle, internal combustion or EV.  You may know, then again maybe not, that there are careers wherein people are assigned to: cylinder head development, cam and valve train development, rotating assembly [crank/con rod/piston] development, intake development, transmission and differential development….every moving part of every automotive vehicle has a development group and a career opportunity.  At the GM Performance Center, as another example, engines are assembled for the PrattMiller Corvette Racing Team, and certain production engines, like the one in my 2013 Corvette Grand Sport with 6 speed manual.  They also do development work on Indy Car and NASCAR engines there, as well.  All the manufacturers have these kinds of terrific career opportunities.  Being a manufacturers’ Field Tech Rep is a great gig, too. Bosch; they design, engineer, develop, test & validate the technology that manages today’s vehicles.  EV vehicles are the future, as you know. Someone already mentioned the tire industry.  Working for Bridgestone [Firestone], Continental [General], Goodyear [Dunlop], Michelin [BFGoodrich, Uniroyal], the top four in alphabetical order, is a great career path and profession, too.  I wound up in the tire & rubber industry, suspension systems/front end geometry determines tire wear patterns and tire life, I was in my environment, and I can tell you I never ‘worked’ a day in my career.  I was always around cars, and trucks, and earthmover vehicles.  I spent 1/3 of my career employed with Michelin, starting out as the Technical Customer Service person in 1970, looking to transfer to our engineering department.  Albeit, was convinced sales was a better career path.  So I went from Territory Rep – to – VP of Sales, in a  43 year career journey.  HOWEVER, the best job I know of in the T&R industry belongs to a friend of mine at Michelin.  And if I were 47 rather than 74,  I’d work for him in a heartbeat.  That person is the assigned engineer to the Chevrolet Corvette [can you imagine that gig?!] responsible for designing and developing tires for the PrattMiller Corvette Racing Team and production Corvettes.  Now that is a very cool occupation! Then there are careers in automotive journalism, since you like writing.  You need to discuss this career path with Don Sherman.  B-t-w, Don probably doesn’t remember this, but he use to call me when I was with Michelin.  He was always looking for ‘free’ tires to conduct tests with for Car&Driver.  I always told him ‘Michelin makes some of the best tires in the industry and the world, we don’t need to be tested by a magazine.’ Third: Which brings me to my final point.  If you decide to work for a company rather than being self-employed, always work for a company that is a leader-in-its-industry; a company that engineers and manufactures ‘excellent’ products, and strives for perfection.  As such, you’ll never have to make excuses for a Joe-**bleep**-the-rag-man product.   Sam, best wishes are expressed for you success, Mike   ... View more

We're all-in for Seeing the USA in your Chevrolet, in our case, a Corvette that is. We've toured thru 32 of the lower 48 in our 1980 L48 4speed-man. It is not as old as this '62, but it has been a truly reliable USA Cruiser. Oh, the trailer.  We had a '73 before the '80 which we traveled in.  My wife asked if the '80 would have more luggage room.  Honey, I told her, I've got you more space than you can use [not].  From 1977 thru 1981, Corvette had an RPO-ZN1 Trailer Package. We purchased a motorcycle luggage trailer, with 25 cu ft, hooked it up and off we went.  The trailers license plate....TRUNK!   ... View more

A Front Trunk, referring to the C8s front storage space. ... View more

As the old Corvette adage goes......never purchase the first year of a new Generation! ... View more

Sent my wife the Web link to Sam's Smithology. Can't wait for her comment regards... "You place your jewels on a bench and admire them." Just sayin'.   ... View more

A note of appreciation is expressed to Jack for an excellent article.   Jack, Don Sherman, and others in other Corvette publications, have contributed to an understanding  of all the aspects of the C8; LT2 engine, DCT, aluminum frame, etc.  They have provided significant insight into the engineering, development, and performance achievement of the C8. I believe there is more to the equation for the C8s great acceleration times than just more hp/torque, a rear weight bias providing better traction, and, therefore, less torque management.  Specifically, it has much to do with the C8s ridiculously high numerical, low gear, base-4.89 and Z51-5.17 final drive ratios. Comparing the C8 to my C6 2013 man-trans Grand Sport, the performance of which I am familiar with, the C6 GS 0-to-60 time is right around 3.8.  That is attained with a lower numerical, higher gear, 3.42 final drive ratio.  The power-to-weight ratio of my GS is around 7.7, the C8 is around 7.2.  Those numbers are not that disparate as to afford the C8 a one second+/- faster time.  Albeit, a 3.42 vs a 4.89 or a 5.17 final drive ratio is. I would venture to say if the C8 were equipped with a "more conventional" 3.42 final drive, the times would be closer to my GS 3.8 than its 3.0 - 2.9, probably around 3.5, give or take.  Still fast, but not what Corvette Team was gearing for [pun intended]. We all know one of the goals of Corvette Team was a 3, or more zealous, sub-3, 0-to-60 time.  That could not have been accomplished with a curb weight of around 3535LBS, 490/495HP, with a "more conventional" final drive ratio.  That dog wouldn’t hunt.  To be sure, Tadge and company computed, calculated and did simulations to figure out exactly just what ratios would be needed in order to achieve the C8 planned goal. At my age, 73, I recall when 4.10s and 4.56s were the final drive ratios of choice for drag racing.  Holy kryptonite, a 4.89 and 5.17 are radical in comparison.  Heck, given an abundantly high numerical, low gear, final drive ratio, I could get my Suburban to run a 3!  Just sayin'. Mike Waal Chestertown, MD retired tire guy & rubber guy, 40 years in the tire industry, 1/3 of those with Michelin ... View more

Going straight down the road is not Caster related issue, Bill.   Just a suggestion, if you haven't already and since you've tried everything else regards front end, check the squareness of your chassis, wheel base, track, and cross-wise [X] lf-rr, rf-lr. Also, if using leaf springs on rear, just another suggestion, make sure shackles are good and no leafs are broken, and the arc and spring-rate are equal side-to-side. I had a broken leaf in a rear spring once.  Every time I accelerated, even a little bit, shifting weight rear wards, the rear axle would skew, causing the car to wander left and right.   ... View more

Tires, and tire wear, are interesting subjects.  And at times misunderstood. Equana is correct on all points!  There is a lot of mis-information in the videos, but that wasn't Kyle's fault, and I didn't want to tear apart the article. If a vehicle is exhibiting tire irregular wear, bring the vehicle to a "reputable" alignment shop.  Have them align the vehicle based on two factors; how you drive, how the tires are currently wearing, even if the final numbers don't agree with, and are outside the factory numbers +/- range. Albeit, with high performance, fast wearing tires, it is some times hard to tell whether certain wear characteristics are toe or camber related. So tire inspection is very, very important. The "Set the Toe and Go" no longer works, and that kind of shop should be avoided. As a general statement, toe and camber are wear angles. Caster is for stability and self-centering. Toe-Out-On-Turns is built into the front suspension geometry via the Ackerman System, and is not adjustable. And, b-t-w, you can change the caster of a solid king-pin axle, it requires shimming the axle at it's attachment points with special wedges.  It is done all the time with big trucks, typically Class 6, 7, and 8. ... View more

Great article on alignment.  Most people never liked geometry in HS, some never 'got it'. But alignment, front and rear, is all about geometric angles, whether measured in degrees or fractions of an inch. I would disagree with the statement "Race cars ..... may use zero or even mildly negative camber because those angles keep more of the tire in contact with the road during a corner."  The amount of camber angle in race cars is very aggressive, not mild. Using my 2013 Corvette Grand Sport as an example, for street use I have it set at -0.5° negative camber.  That is all it needs to achieve a very good balance of handling AND tire wear.  From the factory, the camber is set at about -1.0° negative camber; which is too much for normal street use, and will result in accelerated inside edge tread wear, especially the rear tires.  Corvette Team sets it that way figuring us Grand Sport, Z06 and ZR1 owners will drive aggressively.  Not all of us do, however.  I don't, I just like the GS wide body.  My OE Gdyr rear tires wore out in 12,000 miles with 2/32 inside tread depth, 6-7/32 outside tread depth remaining.  The effect of camber, whether negative or positive, on those 12 inch wide tires at the outer edges is significant.  If I were to 'track' my GS all the time, camber would be set to about -1.5°, maybe -2.0° negative camber, depending on the track.  That is not mild.  As a matter of fact, Corvette Racing in the IMSA Series, and Corvette teams in the Trans Am Series, most chassis are set to about -2.0° negative camber. A lot of times you can actually see the amount of negative camber the Nascar guys use on the right front, and positive camber on the left front...very aggressive angles.   With kind regards, Mike Waal Chestertown, MD retired tire & rubber guy, 40 years in the industry, 1/3 of those with Michelin ... View more