Know how Hot Rodders have been looking for the next great Chevroley "Hot Rod" car? Like the 1955-57 Chevy was or how the 1967-69 Camaro was. They tried championning the 1978-81 Malibu and the 1978-1982 Corvette, the former for being a great boxy RWD car that can accept any engine imaginable and the latter for being fiberglass and so having a body that can be changed in almost any imaginable shape, but it never really caught on. The 1975-1981 Camaro was never really a contender either. Too swoopy. People went for the 1982-92 Camaro as well, but it was never more popular with car modders than the Malibu.
I've always said that the spiritual non Chevy successor to those cars was the 1979-1993 Mustang. It's not Hot-Rod magazine's beloved Chevrolet make, but it has all the qualities that made the 55-57s and 67-69s desirable. They made a billion, they're cheap to buy, they come in several body combos, there's a million parts for them, they can fit any engine/transmission.
But what about Chevy? Hot-Rod probably expected that there would be a new hot-rodding "starter" car made by Chev every decade. Which didn't exactly pan out. The Late 90's/early 2000s certainly had slim pickings. The Camaro of that era was much too swoopy and expensive to buy; and everything else was FWD, which made old school rodding a big awkward. Unsurprisingly you see a lot of trucks being modified from that era.
But finally I think we've got a future winner. If there is a future for Hot-Rodding it is the 2010 and up Camaro. Retro enough for old school Rodders, modern enough for the Drift kids. Personally, I can't understand why someone would buy anything other than a Camaro/Mustang/Challenger if they want a sport coupe. Those cars come fully equipped and are a hell of a lot better value for the price than some factory hopped up Cobalt, Focus or Caliber.
Of course, none of this translates into sales, so we shall see won't we?
One thing I'm hoping for is that the engine is easy to work on unlike a 4th gen where half it is under the windshield. If your interested in purely nothing but performance yes it does have an advantage over the sport compacts. However if you live anywhere it snows, your trying to not spend a fortune on gas or you commute long distances, thats where the sport compacts have an advantage. Also if your under 25, insurance on a 4 cylinder is about all you can afford. Not everyone wants to pay SEVERAL thousand a year in insurance.
I was faced with a similar decision in 2002 when I was 21, I had just gotten the ATT job, I was in the market for a new car, yes I could have gotten a fairly new low mileage LS1 for under 20k. The insurance cost would have made it unaffordable for me. I hate the fact insurance is based on legal discrimination. Just because other people that age have accidents it doesnt mean everyone does. The only accident I've ever been in is because some moron mid 30s guy pulled out in front of me and ignored his red light. I'm sure he was paying less for insurance at the time too.
1989 Turbo Trans Am #82, 2007 Cobalt SS G85
Quote:
One thing I'm hoping for is that the engine is easy to work on unlike a 4th gen where half it is under the windshield
actually its not that bad. once i got the spark plug wires off mine the rest was easy. and the long tube headers went in with no problem. the stock exhaust manifolds where more of a PITA than anything to get off
Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!
compared to earlier f-body versions and the modern 94-04 mustang its not nearly as easy
1989 Turbo Trans Am #82, 2007 Cobalt SS G85
easier than you think
Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!
I got something in the mail from sutliff the local dealer they are having some sort of 6 week event launch for it on saturdays, a cookout and all kinda stuff
1989 Turbo Trans Am #82, 2007 Cobalt SS G85
