I know it's completely against the spirit of what you're trying to do, but I can't help thinking that a proper "Dakar Spec" Vette, with loads of ground clearance, knobbiles, spotlights etc, would look cool as hell!

Are you going to flog the performance bits to help the budget?

Hi folks, thanks for the general positiveness...

I've given up waiting for the sun to come out for photos of my new toy and taken some this afternoon anyway, in a lull between showers:


















I've driven it about 80 miles so far, and still haven't got used to its combination of excessive width and wrong-hand-drive when combined with its new Dartmoor home. Narrow lanes are a chore, and passing manouvres are best dealt with by sticking the drivers side of the car as far into the undergrowth as possible and hoping for the best.
However, the more the road opens out, the more tolerable the 'Vette gets. In a straight line it's not lacking in speed (being comparable to my 4.0l Chimaera) and the ride isn't nearly as stiff as I'd expected, being less lively than the Chim; though the auto box and excessive 275-section tyres blunt any inclination to have fun in the corners. The interior seems comfortable enough for us to survive the trip, but the boot is sufficiently small that we'll be packing rather lighter than we did on the African Porsche trip. As for other road trip practicalities, I'm not sure I'll be able to put a roof tent on it due to the lift-out targa panel, and something will definitely need to be done about the loud exhaust, as it drones like nobodies business whatever speed you're doing. On the plus side, the car seems to be a good'un - everything except the heater blower seems to work and there aren't too many rattles or worrying noises...

I've ordered the Haynes Manual this morning so when that arrives I'll get properly stuck into checking the car over, but until then, I'm just enjoying having a choice of V8 Sports Cars at my disposal each time I open the front door (despite the fact that together, they still cost less than a new Golf).

PS- I think I've found the ultimate marmite car! Blokes love it; women won't go within ten feet of it...

You, dear boy, are not normal.

OMFG, the interior looks like a brothel!!!

I can see why they didn't sell many to mafia types...you can't drive around with a body behind your front seat

Fantastic! At least the interior is a nice talking point amongst V8 startled locals!

actually as a dyed in the wool American car not i'd not thought of the NSX/Alfa arguemnt - though being said it's STILL an.... ahem 'interesting' shade!!