Archive for July, 2009
The History Of The Corvette
During the postwar area the design for the Corvette began in 1951 after General Motors’ chief stylist Harley Earl visits a Watkins Glen sports car race and becomes impressed with the foreign sports cars that watched in the race. His decision to create an American sports car later to become known as the Corvette earned him the name “Father of the Corvette.”
A prototype was created in 1952 made of fiberglass with balsa wood floors both of which the Corvette is still known for today. The light weight of the body was created to increase speed. Now that the car was taking shape it needed a name. Myron Scott then a member of the General Motors’ Public Relations department came up with “Corvette” which means Royal Navy Warship representing strength speed and maneuverability.
With great anticipation the Corvette first made its debut during the 1953 New York Motorama Show at the famous Walforf Astoria hotel ballroom. Little did the public know that General Motors’ employees were scrambling to replace the car’s logo just a few hours before the show. The original design sported a checkered racing flag crossed by a patriotic American flag. A member of the General Motors’ legal staff realized at the last minute that the American flag is copyright protected from commercial use and it had to be pulled quick. The Chevrolet “fleur de lis” was put in its place and no one ever knew the difference.
Despite the minor bump the public responded well to the car and production began in a small thrown together assembly plant in Flint Michigan rolling off 300 Corvettes within a six month time frame. The sticker price at the time was only 3000.
To keep costs down and to increase production time all 300 Corvettes were created exactly the same. They were all Polo White with Sportsman Red vinyl interior and a black top. Most of the cars surprisingly were sold to celebrities and other highly visible personalities like town mayors and other public officials. This strategy was done as a marketing technique to get this sport car into the public’s eye.
Unfortunately the cars launch didn’t take off so well. People were skeptical since it was pricey for its time and somewhat impractical being that it was a twoseater. Sales didn’t take off all that well and numerous times through the car’s history it almost was yanked from General Motors line up. It was the people behind the car though that really fought for its existence and thankfully won.
Zora ArkusDuntov was one of those people. He was hired early on in the life of the Corvette and become the Corvette’s Chief Engineer and known to some as the godfather of the Corvette. His experience and improvements to the car really improved its image. The car was a labor of love to him his entire life even after he retired in 1974. His ashes now remain on display at the National Corvette Museum a final wish before he died that’s how much he loved the car.
With Duntov’s influence and opening up sales to the general public the car’s popularity began to take off. So much so that production moved to St. Louis MO the second of only three places the Corvette would made in its history.
Seven generations or body styles later Corvettes are now made in Bowling Green KY known as the “Home of the Corvette.” Between the Assembly Plant and The National Corvette Museum across the street the two have created a network of Corvette lovers helping to increase sales and the car’s popularity. It looks the American Sports Car is here to stay.
About the writer: Neil Lemons represents Corvette Gear USA a leading retailer of officially licensed C5 C6 leather accessories. For more information on Corvette merchandise and Corvette gift ideas visit http://www.corvettegearusa.com.
Check out CorvetteGuys.com and their giant inventory of
C5 Corvette parts.
Honda Tour Arrives At Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
The 7th annual Honda Civic Tour arrived at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Wednesday.
Though the crowd arrived late more than 6000 young fans made it to this wild ride with Fall Out Boy 44 The Academy Is ….. Paul Wall and Cobra Starship.
Headliners Fall Out Boy hit the stage like force Beatles to loud and deafening screams. But the Fab Four were never this active or showy onstage. A very large video screen behind the drum riser highlighted the pop band from jokesters to sensitive lyricists.
FOB bassist Pete Wentz delivered a political statement for the teenagers when he said that instead of patronizing Britney Spears they should start thinking about ending the war in the Middle East. This is the band that introduces in the show Michael Jackson’s Beat It as the greatest song ever written since the existence of the music industry.
Cobra Starship absolutely won the early audience with ’80s flavored songs like The Church of Hot Addiction and Bring It Snakes on a Plane. The scope of the bands on stage fashion is from idle to British Invasion style to a female portable keyboardist that looked like an Adam’s Family family member.
The Academy Is … lead singer William Beckett and Houstonbased rap star Paul Wall joined Cobra Starship for the signature song from the movie hit during the opening set.
Former mariner Kevin King at 25 years old who did tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and seemed to be having a great time in the slam dance said that the music is inspirational for him. He said that those bands got him through it all.
Seventeen year old Devin Edwards said that he might see a band which he did not know about but may come out liking more than the band he came to see. He said such because those once blocked pop pop punk and hiphop acts are making hits these days and profiting new fans.
Having a silvery metal on his teeth that is as shiny as a disco ball he would rap Paul Wall proved to be the people’s champ with a bewitching style.
Chicago’s The Academy Isseems like a band is that ready for a huge break out. Beckett who was a skinny and charming league of Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler has come out like a true star. The performance was enjoyed much by the young fans that danced to the tune of We Got a Big Mess On Our Hands.
The really talented remains of Blink 182 the 44 have turned out to be the highlight of the night. With a kind of music that is hard and mouthy the bands Make You Happy rocked and chimed. The song Cliffdiving is now considered the new summer hymn as the young audiences sang it as if it was a true anthem.
This ostentatious but one of a kind concert tour was brought by Honda Civic in America a well known maker of quality Honda Civic body kit and other Honda parts.
About the writer: Evander Klum is a Business Administration graduate who hails from Alabama. He enjoys extreme sports and he is also a car racing fanatic. At present he works as a marketing manager at an advertising agency in Cleveland.
Honda To Build Plant In Indiana But Ohio Will Supply Its Parts
John Miles General Manager of Florida Production Engineerings Ohio plants has witnessed how Indiana and Ohio competed for Hondas new assembly plant. But he knew that they would surmount whatever trials that will come to the plant.
It is no secret that FPE has auto parts manufacturing plant in Circleville south of Columbus and in the Darke County Village of New Madison which is 16 miles from the OhioIndiana border. This is also one of the reasons why Miles is confident.
The announcement made by Honda last June that it would build the 400 million plant in Greensburg has somewhat disappointed many in the Buckeye State. Despite what happen the Ohio auto parts suppliers have console themselves that Honda with its six North American assembly operations is still near.
Ohio has by far the largest number of parts suppliers to Hondas North American operations. According to Honda spokesman Edward Miller Ohio has 140 Honda suppliers which is well above the 74 suppliers in Michigan and its 53 suppliers each in Indiana and Kentucky.
Last 2006 Honda has paid Ohio suppliers with 6.4 billion which is a big bite off the 17.6 billion that the company paid for suppliers nationally added Miller. In North America Honda has a total of 610 suppliers that provide them with auto components such as Honda hood and auto accessories that are used by the automaker in their auto making business. More than 500 Honda suppliers are found in United States scattered in and around central and western Ohio.
The New Madison plant is to receive a 1.2 million state loan in a 3 million expansion expected to retain 70 jobs and create 35 others for the first three years of the plant. Both expansions are intended to help the FPE to attract new business from Honda. At present 30 to 40 percent of the companys business is from Honda. The firm also caters to the needs of General Motors DaimlerChrysler and other automakers. The Madison plant is where the company makes full wheel covers for Honda.
About the writer: Ally Wahlberg is a Computer Information Systems specialist. Ally leads an active lifestyle and he is a fan of extreme sports. He is also a car enthusiast and writing about his interests is one of his passions.
