[Astra RL]

While reading Backfires section of Car and Driver I found that some people are not very bright. Under the heading "Corvette Crazy" I found a very interesting letter. In it the writer starts out positive with all of the fun features of the ZR1 but he says that there is a "hopelessly outdated two-valve-per-cylender 'pushrod' V-8 engine. Not a northstar V-12 or even a V-10." He goes on to say that for the price you get an eaton supercharger, a crude and obsolete "pushrod" engine, a manual transmission lacking paddle shifters and cheap seats.
What is wrong with people is more than 620 HP and 620 tq not good enough. and this is CHEVY with the SMALL BLOCK CHEVY.
I like television cop shows withheld names to protect the stupid.

 

[DuSpinnst]

Perception.

Anyone who thinks the SBC is inferior to DOHC V8's is a fool.

 

[marinerbc]

Perception.

Anyone who thinks the SBC is inferior to DOHC V8's is a fool.

True dat.

But they're just following the herd instinct. Their import owning buddies rave about SOHC and DOHC engines, so that's what they parrot.

Funny that they don't realize that OHV is newer technology than OHC; not new, by any means, but newER.

 

[demonspeed]

It's the same people who will only buy a Honda or a Toyota because "everyone knows they are better".

 

[Swahili]

While reading Backfires section of Car and Driver I found that some people are not very bright. Under the heading "Corvette Crazy" I found a very interesting letter. In it the writer starts out positive with all of the fun features of the ZR1 but he says that there is a "hopelessly outdated two-valve-per-cylender 'pushrod' V-8 engine. Not a northstar V-12 or even a V-10." He goes on to say that for the price you get an eaton supercharger, a crude and obsolete "pushrod" engine, a manual transmission lacking paddle shifters and cheap seats.
What is wrong with people is more than 620 HP and 620 tq not good enough. and this is CHEVY with the SMALL BLOCK CHEVY.
I like television cop shows withheld names to protect the stupid.

You are totally right. Some young yuppie who thinks because the motor isn't the latest and greatest technology means that it's inefficient and outdated really doesn't know any better. Problem is that that represetnts a large portion of the car buying public. Thankfully Corvette enthusiasts know better.

 

[marinerbc]

You are totally right. Some young yuppie who thinks because the motor isn't the latest and greatest technology means that it's inefficient and outdated really doesn't know any better. Problem is that that represetnts a large portion of the car buying public. Thankfully Corvette enthusiasts know better.

You're right. Imports SHOULD come up with something a little more modern than say...OHC. :

 

[SuperSS27]

So the idiot wants to put a Cadillac Motor in a Chevy?!?!?! That guy needs to go play in traffic.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Pushrods, please. I can stand SOHC, sometimes

 

[marinerbc]

That reminds me; I need to buy 8 spark plugs for a tuneup I'm doing tomorrow on a G5.

:zippy:

 

[Astra RL]

this Guy also complained that the manual transmission does not come with paddle shifters now wouldn't that make it an automatic?

 

[member12]

this Guy also complained that the manual transmission does not come with paddle shifters now wouldn't that make it an automatic?

Does anyone have manuals with paddle shifters?

 

[Kennyboy]

When I read that in Car and Driver, I said to myself, w t f? Then I read where's it's from and it says Los Angeles, then I realized, oh ok.

 

[Col Klink]

Does anyone have manuals with paddle shifters?

Ferrari F430 http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Overview-c8016-2007-F430.html

Others no doubt but hey they aren't in cheap cars!!! (not that the vette is cheap but in comparison).

I'd hardly call the Ls motors crude - hell look at the performance for the money/fuel use - thay seem pretty good to me.

 

[SDRacing]

tell that idiot to watch this:

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/C6-Z06-fly-by_157604.htm

and tell him its a pushrod motor.

 

[MonteCarloSS86]

So the idiot wants to put a Cadillac Motor in a Chevy?!?!?! That guy needs to go play in traffic.

Well they put Chevrolet motors in Pontiacs and Cadillacs, why not just water down the Northstar name a little bit while they're at it?

 

[Hudson]

I'd be careful about who you're picking on about their car knowledge...or lack of it. Some of the posts on this thread tend to make me think author of the C&D letter might be cruising this site.

The Northstar engine has already been found in Pontiacs and Buicks (and Oldsmobiles, but in a different version). There are no "Chevrolet" engines anymore and haven't been in years. And Ferrari's F1 transmission, for example, is a manual transmission with paddle shifters.

 

[greenrail]

To many complexity is always superior. However, one needs to keep the KISS maxim in mind. Extra mass, of the added componenets does not always equal power and efficiency. Likewise the extra rotating mass of the cams, chains, gears , or whatever is used to drive the multiple cams, does not make them more efficient.

The Small block V-8 design, is nothing short of a technical marvel. It is simple, powerful, and dare I say it fuel efficient in comparison to it's predecessors. Add active fuel management, and perhaps some day flex-fuel capability, and you have even more benefits to the simplicity of this engine.

As far as the Northstar, keep in mind that GM recently killed off the development of its replacement. I am sure it wasn't only due to cost of devlopement. (i.e. fuel efficiency, complexity of manufacture, manufacturing capacity, weight.......)

 

[psece]

Doesn't it make you wonder why Car and Driver chose that letter to print?

 

[psece]

Does anyone have manuals with paddle shifters?

The next version of the automatic will be a hybrid of a normal Manual transmission with electronics, servos, etc to shift the transmission. The computer also matches the revs of the engine to the transmission speed. There is no torque converter or the other power robbing parts of the normal automatic transmission. Volkswagen has an even more advanced version called DSG.

Problem with above is that it is completely electronic, so there is no clutch and they use paddle shifters for going thru the gears. There are still people who like the feeling of the shifter directly connected to the transmission and that feeling is lost.

 

[KillerMRK]

Doesn't it make you wonder why Car and Driver chose that letter to print?

To make people angry beyond all belief? Real car people respect the SBC.