AccordWarrior : 1999 Chevrolet Corvette

[AccordWarrior]

Dusting this thread off.

Still haven't solved the head lamp issue, but putting together a list of what I need to do in the coming months / years. Last year I had the harmonic balancer replaced by an SFI complaint part that solved that issue. I also picked up a clear targa top, which was pretty awesome.

I found the Corbeau seats to be too high, so I took them to an upholstery shop to have the seat base shaved down. I also sourced a pair of slightly janky OEM seats for $150. I sold my OEM seats for $600, so I'm still ahead of the curve, but I felt weird not having a set of stock seats anymore. The ones I got were from a flood car, so the electronics are a bit wonky, but I can likely get everything cleaned up and working again.

Purchase
Immediate
- Replacement Headlamp Motors
- Replacement Fog Bulb
- Driver Side Headlamp Shroud
- Replacement A-Pillar vinyl

Future
- Replacement Console
- Floor Mats
- Hella Micro DE Driving Lamps
- Clear Corners
- Corner Lighting
- Oil Pressure Sensor
- Replacement Sun Visors

Install
- Restore seats
- Replace Headlight Motors
- Install HIR Bulbs
- Replace Fog Lamp Bulb
- Reinstall Corbeau Seats
- Install Temp Sensor Cover
- Repair broken Oil Pressure Sensor
- Detailing

[AccordWarrior]

IMG_1634-edit by Mike M, on Flickr

Pulled it out of storage this weekend.

Before:
IMG_4079 by Mike M, on Flickr

After:
IMG_4078 by Mike M, on Flickr

The previous owner painted the calipers red and just painted over everything. While I don't like the paint at all and would much prefer the OEM dark gray or even black, the fact the letters were painted bothered me immensely so I went in and sanded off the paint.

Purchase
Immediate
- Replacement Headlamp Motors - Purchased new GM motors
- Replacement Fog Bulb - Purchased Morimoto Elite 3500K HID Kit
- Driver Side Headlamp Shroud - Purchased new OEM shroud
- Replacement A-Pillar vinyl

Future
- Replacement Console
- Floor Mats
- Hella Micro DE Driving Lamps
- Clear Corners - Purchased blackhoused DEPO corner lamps
- Corner Lighting - Purchased switchback LED assembly and white DRL conversion wiring harness
- Oil Pressure Sensor
- Replacement Sun Visors

Install
- Restore seats
- Replace Headlight Motors
- Install HIR Bulbs
- Replace Fog Lamp Bulb
- Reinstall Corbeau Seats
- Install Temp Sensor Cover
- Repair broken Oil Pressure Sensor
- Detailing

So that's where I'm at with this. It was nice to simply drive it again this weekend.

[AccordWarrior]

A pair of photos from today. The second photos shows up the updated corner lighting. I have yellow HID fog lamps and switchback LEDs for the DRL / turn signal so the DRL is now white LED with the correct amber blink. My parking / running lamp is the correct amber color to avoid any issues. The new housings are from Depo.

[Straight Success]

Man, I know this thing is fun.

It's something about driving a clean Vette that speaks volumes.

[Crankshaft]

Very nice car, my very first choice was a FRC C5 or a C6 but i chose the Camaro over ease of maintenance and the fact i dont need a lift to work on the Camaro. My brother just bought a 16 Sting Ray and he is already crying over the price of parts and cost associated with everything, some people believe the "Vette tax" is a myth.

[AccordWarrior]

IMG_6628 by Mike M, on Flickr
IMG_2708 by Mike M, on Flickr

This year's updates.

I gave up on the Corbeau A4s as they were simply too uncomfortable for me. I ended up trading them away for a set of kinda broken OEM seats from a 1997 and $700. From those, my spare Sport seats from a flood car, and a Z06 seat I got for $20, I cobbled together a complete working set of dual power, memory seats with lumbar, which matched my car's original configuration. I ended up with new leather covers and new foam for the driver's side.

The first photo shows the seats directly after I installed them. The summer sun firmed up the leather a bit. It also shows the Lloyds floor mats and cupholder I installed. My goal this year was to make the car comfortable to drive compared to what it was in years past.

The second photo is my new shifter. The original shifter was worn out and sloppy. The C6 shifter is a drop in with a shorter through and firmer action. I do think I still need to fine-tune the placement of it in the car to get rid of a little of the crunch when I shift, but there's ways to fix that. The knob / boot combo is from a C6 Carbon Edition car. I have a 60th anniversary edition knob as well but I simply cannot track down the matching shift boot to run it.

I think I'm basically done with the car at this point, and plan on simply maintaining and driving it moving forward. I've hit too many dead ends trying to change things on the car, so I'm leaving it be.

[AccordWarrior]

This will piss off the boomers. It can cycle through pretty much any RGB color, it can transition between colors, fade in and out, strobe, etc. The only thing that grinds my gears is I got the passenger seat slightly dirt working in the footwell and when I cleaned the seats the dye for the seat came out. Super annoying since the leather covers are only three years old, but it's a 24 year old car with plenty of flaws.

[verothacamaro]

I love that underglow is making a comeback. I always thought it was cool in the right applications. C5 looks great

[AccordWarrior]

IMG_3666 by Mike M, on Flickr
IMG_3667 by Mike M, on Flickr
IMG_3675 by Mike M, on Flickr
IMG_3647 by Mike M, on Flickr
IMG_3648 by Mike M, on Flickr

Cleaned it up and snapped a few pictures today. They came out pretty decent, I think.

[Raf99]

Car looks good 

[deev 2.0]

Did a few donuts as well!

It definitely looks good. I love how the BBSs give it an import flare, all while pissing off the "traditional" vette crowd.

[SSMAccord]

This looks really clean! Love it. The "traditional" Vette crowd will forgive your misdeeds if you show up in the most basic, white New Balances.

[AccordWarrior]

This looks really clean! Love it. The "traditional" Vette crowd will forgive your misdeeds if you show up in the most basic, white New Balances.

The "traditional" owners can run into something sharp at high speed. I got lectured once, I'm over it. I'm like the anti-Vette owner on many, many levels. Great car, terrible interior, awful owner base.

[AccordWarrior]

Sold this one today. Hopefully delivering it to the new owner next weekend. It developed some issues which hurt the value, but it's gone and I'm pleased.

To the next one!

[owequitit]

Have you decided what to replace it with?

[AccordWarrior]

Have you decided what to replace it with?

I think so. The pull of the Subaru world is too strong, I think. I looked at a Bugeye wagon last September as a third car and it wasn't the right fit for me, but I had my ear to the ground for something for awhile, originally focusing on a 2011-2014 WRX hatch. When the slave cylinder in the Vette started to act up, I decided to unload it and go for broke. I want a 2019-2021 STI, Limited trim with the big dumb wing. My dream would have the Harmon-Kardon audio package and Recaro seats, but those aren't deal breakers, either. My preference is black, but I wouldn't turn down the right World Rally Blue one, either. I've got all the time in the world to look for the right one, so we will see what the future brings.