McGarrett the C7 (Kirsty & Sean’s)
The purchase of a C7 came almost by accident, as some people are aware Kirsty put in 2 entries for us in the Nationals lottery to purchase a C8 and my entry came in second, so the black C8 went to someone else, who has since put the car up for sale at $300,000.
In the meantime Kirsty then put us on the waiting lists at numerous GMSV dealers around Australia for a C8, despite the fact we were looking at a 5 to 10 year waiting list because the flippers market has to be satisfied first. The decision was made that if we got to order a new car, it would be white.
Then one evening I just happened to be perusing all the flipped C8 Corvettes on Carsales and noticed, quite by accident, a white C7 Z06. This car had only just been advertised by a prestige car dealer in Melbourne. I slid my laptop around to show her and she nearly slid off the seat. It was love at first sight.
After a conversation with the salesman, a holding deposit was paid, and we flew to Melbourne the next Tuesday. The salesman warned me that the car was very loud, he fired it up and yep, it was very loud. I jumped into the seat and re set the muffler sound control on the stereo, to which he replied “how the hell did you do that?” He was even more amazed when I showed him the gun safe.
An examination of the car on a hoist showed it had been fitted with stainless long tube headers and new exhaust system, but there were no catalytic converters fitted, hence the extra noise. The car had been dyno tuned at Harrop Engineering in Melbourne and made 600 horsepower at the wheels. After a couple of spins around the block the deal was done. The exhaust was fitted with new high flow Cats and the car trucked to Adelaide.
We then had to let Jim and Catherine know the good news, that they were about to become the new owners of Jack the C6 Z06. My ’73 Kawasaki 900 was sent off to Auction. Someone has to pay the ferryman.
After some messing around with the tint, registration approval was sorted at Lonsdale. As is the custom at our house, the car needed a name. McGarrett was settled on, named after the cool tough white guy from Hawaii Five-0.
McGarrett is a 2016 C7 Z06, it has the supercharged 6.2 LT4 engine, coupled to the 8 speed auto which has manual and auto shifting. The car was brought to Australia and converted in 2018 by Corvette Clinic in Melbourne. It has had 2 previous Australian owners, the last being the Zamel jewellery family. Since purchasing we have replaced the brake rotors and pads, had the trans fluid changed over to the upgraded Mobil1 synthetic, window tint replaced and ceramic coated the paint.
I bought a C3, to get away from electronics and fault codes etc
Purchased a 25th anniversary C3, but after investigating the vin no. I found it to be a 1979, 350sb rebuilt to L82 spec, including new alloy heads, cam etc.
All new suspension shocks rubbers etc, new callipers, brake master cylinder and booster.
New interior, steering wheel.
What I have done in last 3 months, rebuilt steering box, rebuilt carby and tune, car was 2 1/2" too low so put in stock springs and new correct tyres to raise suspension. Just had paint correction done, cut and polish.
Originally cheap paint job but looks much better now.
Things to do, refit air con ducts, recommission air con, fix dash lights, calibrate speedo, fix electric windows switches on doors.
All I need now is to find a space saver wheel.
Car now drives really nice and steers nice.
Now can enjoy driving without worrying about going into limp mode.
My love for Corvettes started when I was 21, I purchased a framed photo of a C3 in red with a tan interior, had it on my bedroom wall for years, it's in the Man Cave today, After seeing David Daw driving his yellow C3 in the same complex I lived in, I eventually went over to have a chat about it, within minutes Dave kindly took me for a drive on the northern expressway, I was hooked! Not long after that I bought a 25th anniversary C3, needed a little work but was unmolested.
Eventually had the 350 sb fitted with alloy heads, mild cam etc etc, now it drove like a Corvette, circumstances came that I had to sell it, but I missed the club runs so I purchased a cheap red C4, however the footwell was too narrow for me and the conversion was a nightmare so eventually sold it and a Jaguar XK8 to raise the money for the C5 I now have.
I bought it from Andrew Temby from Vic, (ex racing driver) who did a few mods to engine but was otherwise stock and only 30k on the clock, After having previously sat in in Rudys C5 I like the comfort and more modern cockpit so i looked for a C5 and found it on CCSA web site, Andrew spent 5 days in his work shop fitting new tyres, new road/track brakes, changed all fluids in car, polished it up, ready for me to drive it home to SA, needless to say it poured with rain all the way home, I also found out on the journey home that if you turn off traction control you can overtake a combie van sideways, but you need to carry spare underpants.
Kate and I really enjoy the club runs and the people who make up the club, so I guess im gonna have a Corvette for a long long time.
