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#1 |
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 198
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Alrighty folks... soliciting some opinions.
Planning on a little trip to Henderson Performance Tech down in New Braunfels. I'll be leaving from Dallas. The ZR-1 will be receiving a few upgrades. ![]() We're also taking the 92 Firehawk, and this is what my question is about. The forecast is currently calling for rain, or at least a strong possibility. We're a week out, and this is Texas, so that could change at any point. But the Firehawk, in 23 years, has never been driven in the rain. The plan had been to drive both cars down, have Corey & company work on a couple Firehawk related issues, then drop the Corvette and drive the Firehawk back home to Dallas. The wife drives the ZR-1, I'll pilot the Hawk. Now I'm torn: drive both cars and risk getting the underside of the Hawk wet after 23 years of not? It is, after all, a car. It was built to be driven. A little wet muck under the wheels and in the suspension and underside is the price of admission for driving a car. We're in a Southern clime so no worries about residual road salt getting up in there and causing corrosion or anything. And it's not like the car is never wet. It gets wet every time it's washed. I've even run it through car wash tunnels. OTOH, it's spent 23 years not being driven in the rain. This will already be its longest trip, having only covered a tad over 6000 miles since birth. It's got 23 year old wiper blades! I have a car hauler and a truck. I could put it on the trailer and drag it. It's an open trailer, so the car would still get wet, but not the same as if it were on the ground, with its big meaty tires throwing nastiness off the pavement up on the undercarriage. There's no guarantee I'll take anyone's advice. And I may change my mind a thousand times between now and next week. But I'm curious to know what folks think. So I'm asking... what would you do? GO!
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[B]1990 Corvette ZR-1 (#1930) Red/Black, Stock Engine, Henderson Performance custom ECM, FIC Injectors, B&B exhaust, Kenwood DNX6160[/B] Other Rides: 1992 Pontiac Firehawk (#010), 1967 Pontiac GTO 1998 Porsche 968, 2000 Harley Davidson FXST 1986 Pontiac Trans Am, 1931 Ford Model A Tudor Deluxe |
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#2 |
![]() Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Dunbarton NH
Posts: 7,358
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If I was buying the car, I wouldn't believe you that it had never been driven in the rain. I might if it was an extremely low miles car. Here in the North East, it's almost unavoidable. They tell us 0 percent chance of rain, then it does.
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#3 |
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 198
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Whether to believe me or not... well not much I can do about that. I don't plan on parting with the car anyhow so I'm not really concerned with using that for resale. It's more for... well, I don't know! It didn't get rained on in the first year we had it, and that turned into another year, turned into 5 years and then it became "a thing". Don't drive the Hawk in the rain. It's just sort of always been like that.
Again, I'll fully cop to the car has been wet. Car washes, puddles... in fact here is some evidence: ![]() The rain is totally avoidable for your average around-town kind of thing. As for extremely low miles, I'm not sure if 260 miles per year constitutes that or not. I guess that would be a relative and/or subjective response. I wonder how many miles the other 25 Firehawks in the world have. ![]() ![]()
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[B]1990 Corvette ZR-1 (#1930) Red/Black, Stock Engine, Henderson Performance custom ECM, FIC Injectors, B&B exhaust, Kenwood DNX6160[/B] Other Rides: 1992 Pontiac Firehawk (#010), 1967 Pontiac GTO 1998 Porsche 968, 2000 Harley Davidson FXST 1986 Pontiac Trans Am, 1931 Ford Model A Tudor Deluxe |
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#4 |
![]() Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Florence, SC
Posts: 1,343
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Personally speaking , if you have the ability to haul it, haul it. Treat it special as it should be. Yes these cars were meant to be driven but that doesn't necessarily imply in the rain. Not 100% my 94 Z ever saw rain but if I can't help it, she won't. That's what my DD is for.
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Jim Zorgias ![]() 1994 ZR-1 Admiral Blue/Black #245 1996 Callaway Supernatural 450 1990 Callaway Supernatural 490 / CR-1 #7 |
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#5 |
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 198
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Cool - so there's one for drive, one for drag. You guys... I'm so torn! I want to do both!
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[B]1990 Corvette ZR-1 (#1930) Red/Black, Stock Engine, Henderson Performance custom ECM, FIC Injectors, B&B exhaust, Kenwood DNX6160[/B] Other Rides: 1992 Pontiac Firehawk (#010), 1967 Pontiac GTO 1998 Porsche 968, 2000 Harley Davidson FXST 1986 Pontiac Trans Am, 1931 Ford Model A Tudor Deluxe |
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#6 |
![]() Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Found Member
Posts: 4,346
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Those are the original tires ? If they are I wouldn't drive on them period. Let alone in the rain. They would make a hell of a ride. Just my experience.
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Frank Urbo. NCM Lifetime member # 982 Registry Founding # 237 |
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#7 |
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 198
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Hey Frank - nah, this car is on it's 3rd set of tires. Right now it's wearing the same Nitto meats as the ZR-1. (NT-555). It *should* be wearing Firestone Firehawk tires, but those are no longer a performance tire. The Firehawk brand has been relegated to tires suited for your Camry or Focus.
Safety-wise, I'm not worried. Although, there are reliability questions that do make me consider the trailer. I simply don't have enough miles under my belt with the car to have a great deal of confidence. So there is that. In 6000 miles this $42k Firebird has gone through 3 sets of tires, 1 air conditioner, 1 headliner, and let's not forget the replacement ZF transmission. Value for the dollar proposition it ain't! LOL
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[B]1990 Corvette ZR-1 (#1930) Red/Black, Stock Engine, Henderson Performance custom ECM, FIC Injectors, B&B exhaust, Kenwood DNX6160[/B] Other Rides: 1992 Pontiac Firehawk (#010), 1967 Pontiac GTO 1998 Porsche 968, 2000 Harley Davidson FXST 1986 Pontiac Trans Am, 1931 Ford Model A Tudor Deluxe |
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#8 |
![]() Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Ledyard,CT
Posts: 8,117
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Want to barrow my tow-bar?
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#9 | |
![]() Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Dunbarton NH
Posts: 7,358
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#10 | |
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 198
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But I think I'm gonna drag it now. Don't wanna.... but I think it's safer.
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[B]1990 Corvette ZR-1 (#1930) Red/Black, Stock Engine, Henderson Performance custom ECM, FIC Injectors, B&B exhaust, Kenwood DNX6160[/B] Other Rides: 1992 Pontiac Firehawk (#010), 1967 Pontiac GTO 1998 Porsche 968, 2000 Harley Davidson FXST 1986 Pontiac Trans Am, 1931 Ford Model A Tudor Deluxe |
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