I"m usually a chevy guy, but new corvettes just don't do it for me.  However, I do have a soft spot for the 68-71 big block vettes...  All of the guys around here who have vettes are 50 years and older.  They're all snooty at the car shows too.  And if you look into, you'll see I'm right about the ls7.  Great motor, but it's just about as far as you can go on it.  Can't really bore or stroke it anymore, the cylinder heads are already incredibly good.  Cam is pretty big too.  It's already got 11:1 compression.  The 5.4 in the GT at least has some room to grow.  If I had my choice, i'd rather have my rusty project camaro over both of them.  Why?  Because what good is a hot car if you don't have a backseat ;-)

Yes, the GT would be much much easier to make more power with.  All it would take is a different blower pulley.  The vette I don't think is maxed out (how much more displacement could you want out of a small block!!??  Its a 427!!)  GM is releasing a hot cam kit for it that is supposed to put it over 600HP...but it'll cost after that to add any more power. 

I agree about the projects...I like my Cutlass, Camaro, and 88 better than anything else...even a corvette or GT, lots of sentimental value between them all.  But I'm a fan of both the Vette and the GT...I've always been a huge Vette fan so forgive me for being so excited about the 505 net horsepower...but I'm more excited about the prospect of dropping a 425 in an 85 Delta 88!!!  Whether or not it happens anytime soon is another story...money be tight

Well considering the GT's racing heritage was built to win one Race , LeMans and it did it 3 times in a row, then was no longer raced actively as its engine was banned . I think it did pretty well if you consider it was unbeatable . Now Corvettes have been racing a long time and have a long tradition of doing fairly well. They have good power yes and are nice cars . I however do not think they ever dominated the racing world or made the splash the GT-40 did in all of the various incarnations . They just did not do it . Porsche and Ferrari make nice cars but Ford set its mind out to whip Enzo and did it several times over . Then they lost interest, as they did away with all racing in the early 70's . The 10 year span they were away clouded alot of the accomplishments of Ford in the 60's. But simply ignoring it does not Change the fact. I still contend that if you are basing buying a "Trophy Car" like this 'vette and the GT and are worried about the mileage it gets then you should look elsewhere. I also will bet you that no one else buying them is standing there with the mileage numbers from these supercars wondering just how much more they can save buy buying one that gets better mileage. If you own one of these you do not care . You probably own the gas station.  Yes the Vette has a good racing heritage but more Glory than the Gt-40 ? I doubt it . Plus the Mustangs have just as much racing success in their own right as the Vette can claim.  So it really is not quite the overall victor as you might think is it. Oh as far as not typing in the 6 , who cares ? it is just another mundane albeit fast vette with little to no real character. The last new vette with Character came out about 1986. The disco era vettes had better styling that these even if they were pooches and the Stingrays bury these even further down. That was when it was a cool car . Sadly those days for the Corvette are long gone. But hey live in your Chevy fantasy land . Enjoy it , revel in it , just do not expect everyone else to drink the kool aid.  

Thanks...finally some good points brought up!  Actually it won four in a row...once after its engine was banned...it stopped after that as the design was becoming out dated (this according to wikipedia.com).  The corvettes have been racing for quite awhile...but most recently with the C5-R and C6-R racing teams, the Corvette has been just as successful as the GT, winning the 24 hours of Le Mans 4 out of the five years...in fact, the one time they did not win, they placed 2 and 3...each instance in which they won they placed 1 and 2. 

I personally dont think Ford's racing achievements in the 60's were over looked.  I'm a die hard GM guy, and I knew of the legend of the GT-40s, and the lightweight galaxies.  Even the Torino's did fairly well in NASCAR if I remember correctly.  Ford has a great racing history, but if you are going to throw in the mustang's then you have to throw in the camaro and the Pensky cars in the Trans-Am series...wanna talk about dominant??  Those were some impressive cars.  So comparing Ford and Chevy, you'll probably end up with both neck and neck...wanna compare the Corvette to the GT, they've accomplished the same things, but the Vette is a street car, and so has been able to outlast the GT-40 in the racing series. 

What you are thinking with the gas mileage issue is valid...you don't buy a performance car thinking about the economy, but with gas prices going up as fast as they are, its nice to know that you can still drive the car without selling some stock...most Vette owners are not rich, but simply wealthy or have saved their pennies for a long time to afford one.  Most of the rich guys who own entire towns tend to lean towards ferrari, or lamborgini, or porshe for their sports cars...as they are "better engineered" because they are european.  Stupid mentality, but it is one that many people have. 

1986???  Are you serious???  That is the most mundane corvette ever made...and it was weak.  I agree about the cars from the 70's they did look better, and the older body style was even better, but nowadays those bodystyles just arent aerodynamic enough to compete...sucks, but thats the way it is.

As far as Chevy fantasy land, I don't live there...I live in Oldsmobile fantasy land...I have 2 Olds and one Chevy...if I ever have to sell one, its gonna be the chevy.  I'd take my 68 Olds Cutlass over any car available...mostly because of the sentimental value, but mostly because its mine...I built it starting at 15...did pretty much all of the work with my dad...except the exhaust and the bottom end of the motor (waaaaayyy too good of a deal to pass up).  I like chevy, I love the Corvette (always have), but I also like some Fords even though I know relatively little about them.  I love the GT, I think its an awesome car...I would enter into that Ronald McDonald raffle if I could afford the tax necessary to actually recieve the car ("Hey you've won a 2005 Ford GT, now give the government $39000 and its all yours...").  But you cant doubt the performance of the car...its too awesome

Anyway, good discussion...I'm out

Actually I meant from the redesign in 86 or 85 whichever. The only thing I would disagree with you about is I think the Vette won its class where as the GT-40 won overall.  If you do not drink the Chevy Kool aid I apologise . If anything I would think as a Olds guy you would be a little more upset the way GM mismanaged that division. Oh well . It has been interesting anyway.  

I looked into it, you are right, some Audi has been the winner overall for the past couple years...the vettes have placed like 6th overall, with class victories...

New GM pretty much sucks...bout the only things I like are the Vette and the V series Caddies...but since every one of those lists for over 50 grand, that leaves plenty to be desired...GM didn't manage the Olds situation very well at all...I dunno...buying a more reasonably priced car, i'd be more inclined to buy a ford or dodge...luckily i'm not constrained to new cars...

That Northstar is a sweet motor . Why they do not put it into something else to really show it off is really endemic of what is wrong with GM . They have this GREAT engine then put it in barges. I do not get it. I do not agree with all of Fords decisions , some also border on what I think is the edge of sanity . I agree with you on not being restricted to new cars Thank god for that. SEE I can be agreeable with GM guys. Truth be told I really do like the mid to late 60's Pontiacs too . Plus being a kid in the 70's , who could not have liked Trans Ams? Talk about a babe magnet.  

I like GM over the past few years.

I purchased a couple entry level Chevy cars in 2002 / 2003 for daily transportation for the family.  I am impressed with the Ecotec 4cyl.  High 15s stock and 33+ mpg.

I think the new Z06 is a wild car and although expensive, it is probably worth it.  The GTO is nice, but too expensive for me.  Too bad there are not really many performance rides in the $15k range.  The days of affordable muscle like the Mustang LX 5.0 seem to be over.  A no option Z-28 was a little over $20k when they stopped making them.

Just my opionions.