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fatherlarry
04-21-2002, 07:48 PM
Not since 1963 has there been a true hardtop in the Corvette lineup. But, the best of it all is that it’s a hardtop with a trunk! The unique styling of this automobile sets it apart from the hatchbacks of the late ‘70’s to present. This hardtop emits an aura that says, “Don’t mess with me.”



The rear end of this Vette, sets it apart from any car built in the US or abroad. Motorists driving behind this phenomena, and gazing at the rear end, with center exhaust pipes and those wide, over 18” tires, gives the motorist a Class A view of the most incredible rear end on any car ever manufactured. Sitting in the cockpit and looking through the windshield gives you a real treat, with a smoothly designed hood to fender flair that slightly increases towards the end of the fenders. And, when the headlights are engaged, pulling the headlamp doors up, its sets you apart from any other sports car, and most definitely injects Corvette fever into your blood. Looking out over the hood and fenders, gives you a feeling of being a butterfly, but lookout, because this Vette looks like a butterfly, but stings like a bee.



Not only is the 1999 Hardtop Corvette the first of its kind in a series in Corvette history, but also it is starting to get recognized by collectors and Corvette enthusiasts as being something unique.



The technical advancements of this sports car and its styling and handling is incredible. It keeps up with the old big blocks of yesteryear, not only in styling, but also in performance. Where can you get a sports car, with 345 hp, that will do the high 12’s, in purely stock condition. In the past, you would have to buy a 427 to do that quarter mile time. And, incredible as it sounds, the Hardtop gets 28 hwy miles to a gallon. The handling of this hardtop, with it’s tighter structure opposed to the coupe and vert, sets it apart from many two seater sports cars that were built. This hardtop, for $38,000, compared to a ZR1, for $67,000, is giving you a lot for your money.



Naturally, the Corvette will get better as time goes on, with better technology, but the ’99 Hardtop will get better with age, like a fine bottle of wine. I believe this car to be a future classic. The styling of this car defies the old saying, that “all Corvettes are Red” This car is certainly not the norm. When you see a black on black Hardtop coming down the road, you will know that you have one of the meanest machines in Corvette history. Only 12% of all Corvettes made in 1999 were Hardtops, and only 6% in the year 2000. With a little over 6,000 made for the two years, followed by the Z06, which costs $12,000 more than the original hardtop did.



There is only one way to describe this car, and that’s by the great words of a champion athlete of all times, Mohammed Ali, “ floats like a butterfly, but stings like a bee.”

TopVette
05-06-2002, 08:18 PM
Wow, just reading this makes me want to sleep in my Hardtop. It is different! And, you do get a certain feeling driving this one. Not only that, it's the most modable vette you can buy. For a lot less than the price of a Z06, this Vette really rocks. With a little head and cam work, I can blow the doors off the Z06, but stock I will stay. This car is definitely going to be a classic. Watch out, '67 hardtop, we're right behind ya.:nod: :nod:

tscurt
05-22-2002, 12:01 PM
I think I'm gonna cry.....:cheers:

HT99+63
07-16-2002, 04:34 PM
I always heard coupe and convertible guys say on other forums "oh that's the Billy Bob or cheaper series"

I don't think they're really true Corvette enthusiasts and just buy a Corvette for their own ego. I personally think that hardtops make a better sports car for racing, quarter mile and performance. Let alone, how much safer they are. Less squeaks and rattles and waterleaks. I guess those that have the coupes and verts really need to look around to see if people are looking at them to build their ego.

I remember one site that they were putting this guy down for owning a hardtop. They had no mercy at all, just ganged up on him like a bunch of immature 7 yr olds. Most of them aren't even mechanically inclined. They have to count on other people to change a tire or brakes for them. But they sure knew a lot about hardtops and how to put them down.

Hardtops are the way to go! And, they'll be around a long time. Great piece on the hardtop father.:nod:

vincec5
07-16-2002, 04:41 PM
I tired of the hatchback that's been around since 1988. To me it looks like a baseball cap. Look at the true sports cars out there, like the Mazarate, Ferrari, Porsche and the '67 Vette, and now the hardtop. It's makes a statement and GM seemed to realize that when they made the Z06. The 1999-2000 hardtop and the Z06 are performance series.

I definitely know that the 99 and 00 hardtop is on its way to being a true classic and phenomena like the '63 split and '67 hardtop L88.

These two years are definintely going to go up in value. It's like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Roger Maris. GM hit a home run with this 99-00 hardtop. Too many Z06's though.