1956 Corvette Impala

Five-passenger Luxury Sport

By David W. Temple

A Corvette-like dream car graced a turntable at the five venues of the 1956 GM

Motorama. It was the Corvette Impala, an automobile styled to give a little sports car “flavoring” to a five-passenger luxury car. The dream car’s toothy grille and rounded quarters revealed its styling was influenced by the newly restyled first generation Corvette. A special brochure about the Corvette Impala stated the car “incorporates wholly new considerations in fine passenger car design from the standpoint of sleekness, safety, and luxury.”

Named for the agile African antelope, the fiberglass experimental car designed by Bob Cadaret and Carl Renner had a 225hp Super Turbo-Fire V-8 engine coupled to a two-speed Powerglide. The V-8 was modified with a 9.25:1 compression ratio and a high-lift camshaft. Spent exhaust exited through a dual set of pipes passing through the driveshaft tunnel and into a transverse mounted muffler with dual outlets projecting through the lower rear body panel.

Styling of the Corvette Impala foretold that of the Chevrolet Impala which debuted for the 1958 model year. In fact, at one point the toothy grille was proposed for use on the new model, but was abandoned due to cost considerations. Even so, the integral bumper and grille theme was kept. Other styling features of the Corvette Impala included a tinted “Panoramic” wraparound windshield curving up into the pale blue-tinted brushed stainless steel roof, a wraparound rear windshield, beltline dip near the reverse slant C-pillars, and chrome-plated wire wheels with knock-off hubs. All of these – with the exceptions of the wire wheels and the brushed stainless steel roof – were adopted for the production car. Its nose emblem was very close to the production type used for the 1958-60 Corvettes, but with the name “Corvette Impala” embossed circumferentially around the crossed flags.

A unique, air-foil shaped, padded cornering bar (or strut) emerged from the steering column, angled upward before transitioning into a horizontal component extending across the entire width of the interior.

To learn more about the 1956 Corvette Impala and other cars related to the GM Motorama get a copy of my new book, “Motorama: GM’s Legendary Show & Concept Cars.” Just click the book cover image at far right or click the link here: http://www.amazon.com/Motorama-Legendary-Show-Concept-Cartech/dp/1613251599/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1

See my GM's Motorama page on Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-General-Motors-Motorama-Page/322177371232507?ref=bookmarks

The LeSabre's styling was revised for 1953

1951 General Motors LeSabre: A Laboratory on Wheels

Full-size clay model of the 1951 GM LeSabre

     One of the earliest concept cars ever built was the 1951 GM LeSabre. (Note it was not a Buick but rather the General Motors LeSabre). Harley Earl, the first person ever appointed as vice president in charge of styling, headed the design of what was originally dubbed simply the XP-8. Within the GM Styling department a team was handpicked by Earl to handle the car's advanced styling. Engineering its mechanical systems was an even more ambitious matter.

     The structural aspects of the LeSabre were as radically different as the styling. Most of the body panels were of light-weight cast magnesium. Magnesium was being used in aviation applications like the first intercontinental range bomber, the massive Convair B-36; its use in an automotive application certainly added a flavor of the exotic to what was an astonishing car for the time. The front fender valence, cowl, door lock pillars, and deck lid were single large castings of magnesium. The remaining panels were of sheet aluminum. Ribs were cast into the deck lid to add strength to this large piece. Casting these members in magnesium was a difficult achievement; multiple attempts were required to get the correct shape for these components in order to get adjoining panels to align perfectly. When a panel was flawed, the magnesium was melted and recast again – even multiple times when needed. The floors were aluminum honeycomb sandwiched between aluminum sheets. Magnesium and extensive labor were partly responsible for the staggering price tag for this one-of-a-kind car which amounted to approximately $500 thousand or even as much as $1 million (which is today roughly the equivalent of $5 million and $10 million.)

LeSabre's supercharged, all-aluminum V-8

The complex body with stiff sills and driveshaft tunnel was set upon a ladder-type frame made of chrome-moly steel; wheelbase measured 115 inches. The parallel wishbone front suspension was atypical, too. Its A-arms were cast alloy with the upper A-arm pivot rod being imbedded in a solid piece of cylindrically shaped rubber which itself was encased in a steel casting. Hydraulic tubular shock absorbers were attached to the steel casings and the lower A-arms. With the rubber in torsion, it acted as an effective springing medium – at least for a while. Eventually, the rubber began to lose its elasticity resulting in Chayne replacing the setup with torsion bars. The rear of the chassis received a transaxle comprised of a modified Buick Dynaflow with a DeDion differential attached to it. (Some years later a four-speed Hydra-Matic replaced the Dynaflow.) The DeDion setup is a type of semi-independent suspension with a drop-center beam axle connecting the two driving wheels aft of the open, double-jointed drive shafts; it is separate from the final drive unit which is attached to the frame. A transaxle combines the final drive unit with the transmission which is located between the driving wheels; it separates the transmission from the engine, thus moving a significant portion of the weight towards the rear to provide improved weight distribution in rear-wheel drive cars. The rear-mounted torque converter was driven at engine speed which made possible the installation of a generator and hydraulic pump in the rear of the chassis. Each was driven by the input shaft of the transaxle. The hydraulic pump operated four built-in jacks (one at each corner) to raise the car when needed (i.e., changing a flat tire). The double-jointed axle shafts were made of magnesium and the rear suspension was a tapered single leaf spring mounted transversely. Thirteen-inch wheels helped make the car low, but to get adequate braking, 3 ½-inch wide, 9-inch diameter finned brake drums with four brake shoes per drum were used. The overall height with the top up measured just 50 inches; the cowl height as measured from the ground peaked at a mere 36.25 inches.

The engine was yet another amazing piece of engineering for the day. It was an experimental V8 with aluminum block and heads displacing 215 cubic inches – a volume obtained with a square bore and stroke (3.25 x3.25 inches). The block extended below the crankshaft centerline; its main caps were cross-bolted. Wet cylinder liners were centrifugally cast of Ni-Resist iron. Problematic at first was the intake manifold design. Before the actual engine was constructed, a mockup was made and sent to GM Styling. Joseph Turlay, who was in charge of engineering the special V8, was told by Harley Earl to make the engine at least six inches lower. Turley’s initial thought was that his boss’s order was impossible to accomplish. However, with some ingenuity he did it. He reduced the height of the oil pan and added a windage tray to keep the crank throws from aerating the oil. The flywheel size was reduced without sacrificing the mass required by substituting bronze in place of iron; this alone reduced engine height by 1 ½ inches. A Roots-type supercharger was neatly packaged just above the intake manifold which served as the valley cover. The chain driven camshaft was suspended from the bottom of the intake. Combustion chambers were hemispherical with the intake and sodium-filled exhaust valves mounted at a 90-degree angle to each other. The intake rocker arms were mounted transversely on the engine, while the exhaust rockers pointed fore and aft. This unusual arrangement allowed for a more compact engine to fit within the limited space of the engine compartment. Valve seats were stainless steel inserts.

There were even more mechanical marvels to the LeSabre. The oval grille in front as stated earlier is not really a grille, but rather a door which hides and supports close-set headlights. When the headlight switch was set to “on” the door moved inward, rotated 180 degrees, and then moved outward with both headlights aglow.

Rare color catalog detailing the interior of the LeSabre

Instrumentation for the LeSabre was extensive and its upholstery was of leather.... For more on the LeSabre purchase a copy of the author's book, "Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars," available for pre-orders at Amazon.com (release date is January 15, 2015). Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars

1954 Cutlass

A Radically Different Oldsmobile

     The 1954 Oldsmobile Cutlass made its public debut at the opening venue of the GM Motorama, the Waldorf-Astoria, in January 1954. While being designed at GM Styling under Art Ross, the car was known simply as the "long wheelbase F-88" and it shared some common features of the other Olds dream car, the F-88. Both were two-passenger cars with a similar instrument panel and powered by a modified 324 "Rocket" V-8 producing 250 horsepower. Wheels and some suspension components were also alike. However, as the name "long wheelbase F-88" implied, the Cutlass was a longer car. It was also a closed car with an unusual roof design ending in a tapering fastback with a louvered rear window. Up front was a divided oval-shaped bumper/grille combination with a set of driving lamps. The fiberglass body of the Cutlass was painted iridescent copper metallic, a special color developed for this dream car.
     Inside the Cutlass was a set of bucket-styled seats covered in pigskin; the seats swiveled to help ease entry and egress for the driver and passenger. There was no trunk lid, but access to the trunk was through a pass-through in the bulkhead behind the seats.
     Unlike some of GM's dream cars of this era, the Cutlass was made operable, and in fact, had a Michigan license plate attached.

     What became of the Cutlass after its days as a show car came to an end is not known, though there was a claim made many years ago it was actually sold to someone in the northeast. If true, where is the unique car today?

For more on the LeSabre purchase a copy of the author's book, "Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars," available for pre-orders at Amazon.com (release date is January 15, 2015). Click the book cover pictured at right to go directly there.

Super Exotic Sports Cars - What You Should Know, Before Spending Any Money!

Before we start, let's define the term 'super exotic sports cars'. Sports cars, by definition are borderline racing cars; boasting powerful performance and sleek looks. Their prestige makes them expensive, and thus the domain of a select few. With reference to sports cars, the term "exotic" refers to vehicles produced in very limited numbers. This of course increases their exclusivity and by virtue of this, their value. Exotic sports cars will, in all likelihood, be built by smaller manufacturers or perhaps the super high-end vehicles will be created by some of the better-known car companies outside of the United States, as exclusive models.

Many exotic sports cars are the stuff of legend. The world's fastest car, the McLaren F1, for instance is a well-known exotic. Although only around one hundred F1s were produced and the manufacturer is not a household name (outside of the Grand Prix circuits of course), the McLarens are coveted sports cars. All exotic sports cars are highly sought after and, as status symbols, are second to none in the sports car world.

But, assuming that you can afford it, is an exotic sports car for you?

It is easy to be seduced by the allure of owning an exotic sports car. Owning one can be very tempting. Amongst the purists, the cars themselves are often considered the pinnacle of design. Any enthusiast who has the means will tell you that when an opportunity to invest in an exotic sports car presents itself, resistance can be very difficult.

One should try and be objective about the proposition though.

Before making such a major commitment, there are three factors you should consider.

Exotic Sports Cars Are Very Expense

The cost of owning such a prestigious car, does not end when you part with the initial payment. Even if one can afford the initial asking price of an exotic (and not many can), one needs to be aware of the likely ongoing running expenses , which can be significant. The maintenance and repair of an exotic car is certain to be expensive compared to non-exotic vehicles and a buyer should attempt to discover what kind of costs he or she is likely to experience in order to keep the car in running order. There can be no cost cutting on parts for these high end vehicles.

Parts for prestige cars are likely to be in short supply, if they are available at all. The likelihood that the owners of exotic sports cars will need to have some parts custom made during their ownership of the vehicle is quite high. And the cost will be significant. This is especially true of older exotics, many of which will have been orphaned when their original manufacturer stopped making cars. Not only will this prove extremely expensive, one can also expect it to be time consuming as well. And, as time passes, the necessary investment will only become greater.

Your usual mechanic cannot be expected to be able to repair exotic sports cars. You will need specialised mechanics with specialised tools to be able to ensure that appropriate and professional repairs are carried out. Not only will such individuals be, in all probability much more expensive than your usual mechanics, you would be very fortunate if you found one in your town. You should expect to have to do a lot of traveling in order to find suitable mechanical help.

All too often a sports car buff will purchase an exotic, without though to the ongoing costs, and, as a consequence be completely unprepared to handle additional future expenses. A thorough planning of expected costs and the means to meet those costs would certainly be in order.

Reliability Of High End Vehicles

Even though an exotic sports car may represent the ultimate in performance, One cannot assume that it will also be reliable. This will hold particularly true for the older 'classic' exotic cars. As with any high performance machine, exotic sports cars can be quite delicate (temperamental) which will, in all probability, require that you, or someone close to you be regularly on hand to make the adjustments to ensure that the vehicle stays in operating order. Exotic sports cars are well known for the spectacular side of their performance when they running well. However, the other side of the coin is that they are notorious for being among the most temperamental of vehicles that one may encounter.

If you plan to run an exotic sports car on a regular basis, you should be prepared for the highs and los of motoring. The sublime feeling of driving a top car with top performance can often be forgotten if the same car stops and refuses to start many miles from any assistance.

The Drivability of Exotic Cars

Most owners of high performance cars will tell you that such vehicles take 'some getting used too'. Optimum performance comes at a price, and will depend very largely on the skill of the driver. So, if you are relatively inexperienced, then please do not expect to get the best out of your car straight away. This in itself could prove too frustrating for many potentials owners. One should also take into account the relative risk of driving a high performance cars whilst still inexperienced.

For those to whom the additional cost of time in learning to drive a prestige car optimally and safely is not an issue, an additional, problem arises in the adjustment of seats and pedals for example. Small things that are irrelevant in normal cars take on much greater significance when applied to exotic sports cars.

When considering the purchase of an exotic sports car, one must look past the romance and excitement of owning a legendary vehicle. There are real concerns and obstacles to be overcome before the full enjoyment and benefit of owning such a car can be achieved.





Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/99428

Own Your Dream Sports Car at an Affordable Price

Want to take a race with wind! Not a bad idea at all; only you need to have the right sports car to give you company. Cars are the most passionate possessions in the boy's toy's list especially when it comes to throwing challenge to the wind. So how do you find your dream sports car that gives you the height of joy at the top speed, yet comes for an affordable price? Well, here are a few useful tips to find out your sports car without burning a hole in your pocket.

Begin with the used cars

The most practical way of buying your car for most affordable price is to go for a used sports car. You can look for the classic sports cars like Fiat or Triumph, which can be restored back to their old glory for little price. These pre owned cars will help you to save on your sports car budget without cutting down on your adrenaline rush at the time of wild driving of a sports car. Owning and driving sports car become really enjoyable when you know where to find the most lucrative deals. There are two surefire ways of finding your dream sports car at an affordable price.

Online auction

Ask around and most of the auto enthusiasts will let you know that the best place for finding your dream sports car is the internet auto auctions. If you really want to strike it big, then take a virtual journey through the online auction of eBay Motors--- the largest online auction in the world. The vast range of comparison that you can experience here is really amazing. But the best thing about eBay Motors is: you can strike gold here by taking the advantage of some real good bargains.

However you should take notice of some important areas like shipment and model number before entering into any sort of commitment.

Deals through friendly car mechanic

One way of grabbing a great bargain is forging a rapport with your local car mechanic. He is the best person to supply you with valuable information about fabulous deals at an unbelievable bargain. Informing beforehand your mechanic about the sports car you are looking for will definitely help you to come across the sports car of your dream. The mechanic is a person to rely on so far as buying a used car is concerned because the mechanic has worked on the car and he knows the exact condition of the car.

Sometimes the car owners fail to foot the bill of the car repairing and in that case the mechanic gets back his money by putting the car for sale. This situation can offer you a particularly lucrative deal as it allows for great bargains.

In case you do not happen to find the sports car of your dream in pre owned market, keep an eye on the advertisements put up by the car dealers; sometimes car dealers offer big rebates and huge discounts that make for a really lucrative deal. Grab these offers to become the proud owner of a brand new sports car that won't make you break the bank.





Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/506429

Sports Cars - Distinction With Performance

When talking about sports cars, it is important to make the distinction between cars which have been produced solely for this purpose, and normal road-going vehicles which have been modified to achieve sports car performance. One notable example of such a vehicle is the popular Golf GTI series.

Generally speaking, the term 'sports car' refers to vehicles which have the following characteristics:

2 seats
2 doors
Rear-wheel drive
Light-weight
Low ground clearance
A powerful engine (although this is not essential)
Many classic British sports cars such as the MG series have lacked powerful engines. However, due to their light frame and chassis, they still managed to attain exceptional levels of ride, handling and performance.

True sports cars are vehicles which have been specially designed to be fun to drive, with great handling and ride together with high performance. In many cases, these qualities are attained at the expense of practicality, driver comfort and fuel economy. However, many modern sports cars allow the driver the full sports car experience, without compromising on practicality, reliability or comfort.

Sports cars come in a number of guises. In their simplest form, they are designed for an uncompromising 'pure' racing experience. One of the best examples of this type of sports car is the Lotus Elise. Although lacking in the kind of specification and equipment one would normally expect from a road-going car, the Elise is one of the most fun to drive cars around.

At the other end of the scale, luxurious models such as those offered by Aston Martin and Bentley have spectacular performance, whilst at the same time offering a truly luxurious and decadent driving experience.

Traditionally, owning a sports car was a costly affair. Early incarnations were less than reliable and were notoriously temperamental. They also lacked the refinements we have come to expect from modern vehicles.

Nowadays, due to advances in technology, sports cars are as trustworthy and comfortable as passenger cars. This means that their owners can quite happily use them everyday.

British sports cars

Although none of the British sports car manufacturers are now independently and privately owned, Britain can still be proud of its illustrious motorsport heritage. Luxury British marques include Aston Martin, Bentley and Jaguar, while those looking for that pure racing experience need look no further than the stables of Lotus and TVR

Italian sports cars

Nobody makes sports cars with more passion and flair than the Italians. Select have a full range from Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.

German sports cars

German cars are famed for their build quality and reliability, not qualities one would normally associate with a sports car! However, Audi, BMW, Porsche and Mercedes have a range of luxury cars which are as fun to drive as they are dependable.

Japanese sports cars

Combining fine racing pedigree with the technology and innovation we've come to expect from Japanese manufacturers, Honda's S200 and Subaru's Impreza are perfect for those who want a fun driving experience, without compromising on everyday dependability





Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1748847

Renting a Sports Car

When one thinks of rental cars, they usually imagine overused sedans in neutral colors that lack pep or performance. Rental cars have often been generic, neutral vehicles maintained due to their functionality and reliability. The ho-hum prospect of renting a car in the past rarely elicited any feeling of excitement.

The car rental process, however, has changed over time. Now, a prospective renter can choose from a wider spectrum of vehicles, including popular high-performance sports cars.

A sports car might appeal to a renter for any number of reasons. A single person traveling alone may crave something novel and fun while on a dull business trip or as a means of rounding out a vacation trip. Others may wish to try their hand at driving a sports car on a temporary basis just for the sake of variety. Still others can use the opportunity to rent a sports car as a financially viable means of creating an extended test drive prior to making a sports car purchase. There are true sports car enthusiasts who need a rental car for any number of reasons and can simply not imagine a return to the doldrums of driving a conventional car.

This great variety of reasons has created sufficient demand for rental agencies to add sports cars to their available fleet of autos. Now, in addition to station wagons, economy class cars and base sedans, more and more rental companies are providing prospective customers with a healthy array of sports car options.

Of course, one cannot expect to rent a high-end import sports are at rates similar to those they might pay for a domestic standard issue vehicle. Sports cars, of course, are more expensive to purchase, maintain and insure. Thus, one can expect to pay significantly higher rates when renting one.

In addition to higher base rental rates, prospective customers can also anticipate some additional expenses. For instance, sports cars generally do not boast the fuel efficiency found in the more frequently rented subcompact cars and gas bills for the period of the rental are likely to run high.

Additionally, the rental agency may require additional insurance purchase, or at the very least, more expensive insurance options, than are generally required of other rented vehicles. Remember, the agency must purchase (or lease) these cars at considerably higher prices than standard models and that expense will be reflected throughout your rental experience.

Younger drivers may also encounter some difficulties in renting high-end sports cars. Rental agencies have always been somewhat restrictive when it comes to the age of drivers, but there are likely to have even stiffer requirements for the rental of sports cars. Rental agencies want to insure the safety of their sports car investments.

Sports car rentals create a unique opportunity for renters. It allows someone who may otherwise never have the opportunity to take the wheel of a high-performance vehicle to see what all the fuss is about. It can give one a chance at glamour and excitement for a few days without any real commitment or long-term burden. Although the cost of renting a sports car may be high enough to freeze some renters out of the market, their availability does increase their accessibility to those who may never have another opportunity to enjoy the sports car experience.

The next time you are renting a car, you may want to consider trying an exotic sports car for a few days. It can add something unique to your vacation or business trip. You can experience the excitement of sports car driving without the burdens of sports car ownership. If one can afford the additional expense of a great rental car upgrade, the rental sports car experience may be a great alternative to chugging about in a dull generic car.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/449218