Am I Crazy for Trying This Right Now?

[GaryH]

I guess I'm looking for opinions/info. I have plans to fly to TX. the end of next week to pick up a Corvette and I'm driving it home to Pittsburgh. I know gas is going to be expensive but I'm more concerned about the supply. Anyone "in the know" have any speculation on what the situation will be like? I don't really want to have it shipped.

[SOM2001SS]

I don't think it would be too bad if it's a C5 or C6, because you can easily get around 30mpg and you have to use premium anyway and I think only some places are running out of the cheap stuff. If it's a car that gets about 10mpg I'd probably cancel the plans for a few months.

[GaryH]

It's a 72 LT-1. Premium is a must. I'm figuring on about 14MPG at best.

[Stuart Adams]

Maybe ship it home, and do something else fun while it is being transported. Just a thought.

[NCGuy68]

Talked to a buddy in San Antonio last night. According to him, thousands and thousands of people fled Katrina's path and are holed up in hotels in and around Houston, Dallas and much of Eastern TX. Gas is above $4.00/gal and many retailers simply ran out.

Here in central NC, there are plenty of "Out of gas" signs popping up on the hour. The Interstates throughout the Southeast are jammed with rescue vehicles and utility crews trying to help.

Not a good time to get that Vette in my view. Wait a few weeks if possible.

[TimG]

Gary, I think the car will make it, I've put some miles on the LT 1 when I owned it and it's a sound car. If ever there was a time of year to do it, it is now. The forecast is clear and you could go the northern route through Tulsa and Missouri. The 3.70 gears are nice for highway driving.

[GaryH]

[ QUOTE ]
Gary, I think the car will make it, I've put some miles on the LT 1 when I owned it and it's a sound car. If ever there was a time of year to do it, it is now. The forecast is clear and you could go the northern route through Tulsa and Missouri. The 3.70 gears are nice for highway driving.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the words of encouragement Tim. I have faith in the car. If it has gas it will run I'm sure! I can't wait to take it for a cruise! I'm undecided on the route at this point. I was thinking about hanging a right at Dallas and going through Little Rock up in to Nashville. It depends on the weather. I'm going the dryest route.

[Keith Tedford]

Unless the engine has been rebuilt it is about 9-1 compression and induction hardened valve seats. GM dropped the compression on their whole line in '71. They were developed to run on regular unleaded gas.

[GaryH]

[ QUOTE ]
Talked to a buddy in San Antonio last night. According to him, thousands and thousands of people fled Katrina's path and are holed up in hotels in and around Houston, Dallas and much of Eastern TX. Gas is above $4.00/gal and many retailers simply ran out.

Here in central NC, there are plenty of "Out of gas" signs popping up on the hour. The Interstates throughout the Southeast are jammed with rescue vehicles and utility crews trying to help.
Not a good time to get that Vette in my view. Wait a few weeks if possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know I couldn't have picked a worse time to try this. Plane reservations are made. I am going to see how the weekend goes and try to find out how long it's going to take for the newly released reserves to hit. If it does not look good I might try to postpone. I hate to do that though. I'm sure the seller isn't going to want to drag this out any longer than necessary either and shipping just isn't something I'm fond of. I'm to paranoid about something happening to it.

[GaryH]

[ QUOTE ]
Unless the engine has been rebuilt it is about 9-1 compression and induction hardened valve seats. GM dropped the compression on their whole line in '71. They were developed to run on regular unleaded gas.

[/ QUOTE ]

The engine has a fairly fresh stock rebuild with the exception of smaller combustion chamber heads. I'm thinking it's probably 10 to 1 now. I might get away with 89 octane in a pinch if I keep my foot out of it. I will only run that if I have to even though I'm not going to run it hard. Well, at least not until I'm within 100mi of home