From this piece by Corvette Blogger is the news that Chevrolet has announced a final production amount for 2021 Corvettes: 26,216. That figure is about 29% higher than the number for the truncated 2020 model year. As best as I can figure, 2021 production will bring the total number of Corvettes produced to 1,788,799 since its beginning in 1953.
Apparently, 2022 model year production will begin on Wednesday, September 8th. Although David Banner (not his real name) may be buying an Italian car in the near future, I think he really wants one of these.
My stance hasn’t changed: I don’t think I will buy a C8 or any other Corvette, for that matter. I love the looks of the front half of the C8, but not the rear and especially not the rear three-quarter views. Also, remember the hashtag, #somanycarsjustonelife.
In the opening for the show Hand Built Hot Rods, Pure Vision owner Steve Strope says something like, “There are people who only like muscle cars, and then there are those [narrowing his hands] who only like Chevrolets, and then there are those [narrowing his hands more] who only like Camaros. Well, I don’t frickin’ think that way.” For me, I think three Corvettes is enough. If I am ever in a position to buy another car–not counting a potential replacement for our damaged Cadillac ATS–I will buy something completely different. Variety is the spice of life. I just want to avoid heartburn.
While I almost certainly will not buy a C8, Andy Reid of Classic Cars thinks it’s the best sports car in the world and not just “dollar for dollar.” The piece is titled, “Why spend more when you can buy the best, the C8 Corvette.” Here is an interesting excerpt:
“Quite simply, the C8 Corvette has democratized the world of super high-performance sports cars. It is not the underdog. Instead, it is many cases the top dog.”
The fact that two-thirds of C8 buyers have never previously owned any Chevrolet speaks to its broad appeal. If a few sticks in the mud–OK, let’s call them “purists”–don’t want to buy a mid-engine Corvette, so be it. Remember, though, that Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter recently remarked that Chevrolet could have sold three times as many C8 Corvettes as it has produced. Taking him literally would put 2020-21 Corvette sales at about 140,000, or about 70,000 per year. Corvette sales have only exceeded 50,000 twice in its long history.
From the Classic Cars piece:
Maybe it’s just my bias, but it seems as though most published photos of C8 Corvettes show a side view or a front three-quarter view and not a rear view.
I will lament the end of Internal Combustion Engines in the Corvette, but that development is inevitable. Enjoy ICE Corvettes while you can. While I will probably never buy another Vette, I will also probably never get rid of my 2016 Z06.
#CorvetteSaturday
#C8Production
#SteveStrope
#somanycarsjustonelife
#disaffectedmusings
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Disaffected Musings 
” I will also probably never get rid of my”
In my case, it’s the first new car I bought, 1986 Dodge Shelby Charger. I don’t drive it as much as I once did (due to growing more out than up), it currently shows just over 79K miles, but I just can’t bear to sell it.
I’ve had a busy few days due to helping a good friends widow with his funeral arrangements (been in bad health, so it wasn’t completely unexpected) but touching on yesterdays post:
I’m not sure I will completely retire for a couple of reasons. First, I’m one of the owners so until we either sell the business, or shut it down, I’ll be involved to some extent. Second, I still enjoy the challenge of our work. While the last couple of years have been a challenge due to the Chinese Lung Crud, and trying to find competent help, we are starting to get back to, what I guess will be the “new”, normal. I’ll be doing some traveling this coming week, to go reassure a new customer who is having a mild panic attack about an upcoming production line installation (small company, 3 million dollar project). It’s under 600 miles each way, so I’m going to drive instead of subjecting myself to the current level of insanity that seems to be occurring on the various airlines. Not sure which vehicle I’ll take, but I’m leaning towards my “hot rod” diesel truck. Close second choice would be my “long roof” Belvedere wagon. I would possibly have taken my “short bus” mini van, but it’s been loaned out again (of the 6K miles it’s accumulated since I bought it I’ve put about 1800 on it). I had considered taking my bike, but I just recently got back on it and don’t think my leg has healed enough to handle 1,500 miles over 4-5 days, as I’ll probably stop and due some visiting on the way back, make a mini vacation out of it, so the comfort of a nice seat and AC will win out.
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Great to read from you, DDM.
I didn’t want to retire completely, but cannot work just for the sake of working. If I do not have a high level of intrinsic interest in something, then I cannot do it for long.
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” If I do not have a high level of intrinsic interest in something, then I cannot do it for long.”
I understand completely. If I didn’t enjoy some of the challenges we face on these projects, I would never have gone into this type of work. I had a good career working in the white collar office environment, but grew to hate the politics with the fire of a dozen suns. So when it became time to change directions, this is the way I went. Like any new business, the first few years were lean, but over the last 20 years it’s paid off. I make more now that I ever would have working for someone else. Being as I dislike the paperwork end of things, as does my partner, we hire folks to handle it. We will review it, just to make sure an employee isn’t trying to build a home tool collection (it happened once), or a mystery bill isn’t submitted (also happened once). Same with the physical aspect of some of the work. I CAN do it, but why should I? I’ll hire folks to that.
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You’re very lucky in terms of your career as most Americans, about 70%, do not like their jobs. I’m sure you have worked very hard, though, but if you enjoy what you’re doing it can be seen as not being work.
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I am a die-hard(er) Ford guy. That said, for the right Corvette and price, I could be persuaded to purchase said vehicle. Now the hard part: selecting which Corvette. That would be mostly determined by which model I could pretzel my creaky old body into.
I saw a car of which you would be interested. Not in the real sheet metal, but in a movie. Yesterday, we watched “To Catch a Thief” with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. She drove him around on the French Riviera mountain roads in her 1953 Sunbeam Alpine, Mk I. I had to search it out on the IMCDb website. A sweet two seat roadster.
I haven’t been commenting lately, since my computer was in the shop for some corrupt software files.
DDM, a heartfelt “Thank You” to you for assisting your friend’s widow. My condolences to her and the family.
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Many thanks, Philip. I think the C1s are hard to drive because the steering wheel is basically in your lap. It can be difficult getting in and out of a C4 because of the high door sills.
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