The
smooth sexy lines of fifth generation, the C5, has made it a favorite
driver among the Corvette crowd. The relatively low market prices for
the C5 is really a testament to just how good this car really is. The
C5's devaluation is a direct result of an over abundant supply. The C5
had a seven year run; out of that run 246,012 units were produced.
The
C5 is a victim of its own high standard of quality. For the first time
ever GM mass produced a vehicle that was virtually flawless. The price
drop can be credited to the fact that most of the C5's out of the 1997
to 2004 production run are still on the road.
This is in stark
contrast to past years where only a small fraction of a production run
was still in service after five or six years. It's just a simple
function of supply vs. demand. Supply is very high and demand has
shifted to later generations of America's only true sports car. For the
time being the high supply of excellent quality C5's has presented
potential buyers with some outstanding opportunities.
This
brings us to the car in question. This months cover page Corvette
belongs to Richard and Susan Stockman form Woodland Park, NJ. The
purchased the car about five years ago and have made an outstanding car
even better. With a few simple mods the C5 can be transformed into a
real show stopper. Richard and Susan have done just that.
The
Stockman's are very representative of what the vast majority of
Corvette people strive for in the car. The wild "hyper-vette" builds
that most of the Corvette publications focus on only represent a small
fraction of whats actually out there. The high dollar builds make for
some interesting reading but very few of us actually have the time or
resources to devote to such an endeavor.
Richard
and Susan focused their efforts on customizing the C5 with some very
cost effective modifications. The C5's beautiful factory lines were
enhanced with the installation of and aftermarket hood, rear and body
graphics and a rear spoiler. Z06 inspired front screens and a
functional front air ducting by Vararam improver the look.
An
aftermarket exhaust system replaced the mild mannered tones of what GM
supplied. Under the hood an SLP cold air intake system compliments the
exhaust and wakes up the beast when called upon. Other goodies include
an Optima Red Top battery, red engine cap covers, red weatherstrip,
hood spacers and an under-hood year panel A set of Z06 styled wheels and a set of racing red brake calipers increase the already aggressive look of this C5.
Many
Corvette lovers attest to the fact that the interior design of the C5
was one of the best ever supplied by the General. The C5 has an
aircraft like wraparound cockpit that was lost in subsequent models.
The Stockman's enhance the look with the addition of some red leather
accents that include door handle, dash grips ,steering wheel, shifter
boot and shifter knob.Richard and Susan are active members in two local
Corvette clubs. They participate in various fun runs and cruise nights
which give them plenty of opportunities to talk about their favorite
past-time. They enter their C5 in local shows and have made the
pilgrimage to Bowling Green.
The
car was also featured at Mid AmericaFunfest, Bloomington Gold,
Corvettes at Carlisle and Corvettes at theBoardwalk in Ocean City, NJ.
The Stockman's car like most other C5's been relatively trouble-free.
Equipped with the base 350/346 engine and 6-speed manual transmission,
the car manages a miserly 32 mpg at highway speeds. We call that eating
your cake and enjoying it.
