Lots of C6 pics from the Vette Museum bash this wkend
Registered User
Joined: Aug 1998
Posts: 854
From: neverneverland
Originally posted by Z28Wilson
Yup, the grill is functional and needs to remain unblocked, but that doesn't excuse the fact that Tom Peters and his team dropped the ball when handling the problem of front plates. It looks like a half-*you know what*, cobbled-together at the last minute solution.
Yup, the grill is functional and needs to remain unblocked, but that doesn't excuse the fact that Tom Peters and his team dropped the ball when handling the problem of front plates. It looks like a half-*you know what*, cobbled-together at the last minute solution.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,165
From: Sterling Heights, MI
Originally posted by IREngineer
I LOVE being a Michigan resident!!
I LOVE being a Michigan resident!!
You got that right!!!! Heyyy, why am I worried about it....if I were to buy a C6 I know I'd have one that looks a heck of a lot better than over 50% of the others out there...
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,504
From: Ohio
To all you non-front-plate-state guys... be thankful, ya lucky bastages!
BUT... this still does affect you guys, potentially, down the road in when C6's hit the used market... you Michigan guys may find that perfect C6 you are looking for, but it came from Ohio, and has three nice holes in the fascia...
BUT... this still does affect you guys, potentially, down the road in when C6's hit the used market... you Michigan guys may find that perfect C6 you are looking for, but it came from Ohio, and has three nice holes in the fascia...
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,650
From: Indianapolis, IN
Who says they "dropped the ball" when dealing with front plates? Maybe they decided to say F.U. to the states who require them, rather than compromise on a design that they felt was right. 
It seems to me that our own beloved F-bodies didn't leave much space for a plate (especially Firebirds, at least pre-LS1 era). My own B4C has two holes in the black area between the fog lamps (where the red bowtie is), not to mention a few spots where the paint rubbed off, thanks to the stupid front plates in California. But the front end styling of the car is awesome.
Front plates are lame and useless. When cars all had big metal bumpers with plenty of flat vertical space, they were no big deal. But today,
It seems to me that our own beloved F-bodies didn't leave much space for a plate (especially Firebirds, at least pre-LS1 era). My own B4C has two holes in the black area between the fog lamps (where the red bowtie is), not to mention a few spots where the paint rubbed off, thanks to the stupid front plates in California. But the front end styling of the car is awesome.
Front plates are lame and useless. When cars all had big metal bumpers with plenty of flat vertical space, they were no big deal. But today,
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,165
From: Sterling Heights, MI
Originally posted by 96_Camaro_B4C
Who says they "dropped the ball" when dealing with front plates? Maybe they decided to say F.U. to the states who require them, rather than compromise on a design that they felt was right.
Who says they "dropped the ball" when dealing with front plates? Maybe they decided to say F.U. to the states who require them, rather than compromise on a design that they felt was right.
Another great point brought up at Corvetteforum....yeah front plates and their brackets are a necessary evil for many people but at least other manufacturers only require two holes to secure it, why does the C6 require three?!?
Poor design!
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,472
From: South Bend, Indiana
I don't see why all of you guys hate this idea of the front plate? Its manditory in a lot of states that you have it there. GM is just doing there part, whats to not like here?
Why do states even have that retarded law?
Why do states even have that retarded law?
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,504
From: Ohio
Originally posted by Meccadeth
I don't see why all of you guys hate this idea of the front plate? Its manditory in a lot of states that you have it there. GM is just doing there part, whats to not like here?
Why do states even have that retarded law?
I don't see why all of you guys hate this idea of the front plate? Its manditory in a lot of states that you have it there. GM is just doing there part, whats to not like here?
Why do states even have that retarded law?
Since 84, Corvette has had a nice, integrated front plate holder... not anymore. And to top it off, you have to ruin your front clip to mount it.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,504
From: Ohio
Originally posted by Chris 96 WS6
OK, I'm sensing we have a consensus that GM pretty much dropped the ball bigtime on the front plate bracket. LOL
OK, I'm sensing we have a consensus that GM pretty much dropped the ball bigtime on the front plate bracket. LOL
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,574
From: Arlington, Texas
Even before the C4, there was a nice little area that looked like it was thought out to be a logial location for a plate, ala the split grille. You guys were right about needing the airflow through the grille now, but that just hammers home the argument about forgoing the split grille design in favor of the catfish look. They could have retained the split grille w/ functional grilles up front like the C3's had, and still retained some heritage, annnnnnd had a nice spot for the more than half of the states that require a front plate.
This is obviously not a deal breaker, but it just ties in, for me anyway, w/ a concern about them ditching heritage for seemingly marginal gains. The headlights for example, we all know the reasons they went w/ the fixed...but the popups were such a tradtion, and a "look" for Corvette, that you just wonder if its worth the weight savings and questionable styling to save 5..10lbs? Now we get the liscense plate thing..sure the grille is functional, but its the plate bracket is fugly. I know it's trival, but this is a Vette d*mmit, it's supposed to look good. It just seems that they're leaning on engineering at the expense of styling and heritage with the assumption that we'll just "get used to it". Of course, I'm still mad that they did away w/ the corner mounted wipers on the C5, which if nothing else, was a vette trademark and just looked trick.
Unrelated C6 question...what happens if your key fob battery goes dead? How do you get in if it doesn't know you're standing there, and how do you start it w/ no key and a dead remote?
This is obviously not a deal breaker, but it just ties in, for me anyway, w/ a concern about them ditching heritage for seemingly marginal gains. The headlights for example, we all know the reasons they went w/ the fixed...but the popups were such a tradtion, and a "look" for Corvette, that you just wonder if its worth the weight savings and questionable styling to save 5..10lbs? Now we get the liscense plate thing..sure the grille is functional, but its the plate bracket is fugly. I know it's trival, but this is a Vette d*mmit, it's supposed to look good. It just seems that they're leaning on engineering at the expense of styling and heritage with the assumption that we'll just "get used to it". Of course, I'm still mad that they did away w/ the corner mounted wipers on the C5, which if nothing else, was a vette trademark and just looked trick.
Unrelated C6 question...what happens if your key fob battery goes dead? How do you get in if it doesn't know you're standing there, and how do you start it w/ no key and a dead remote?
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,504
From: Ohio
Originally posted by CLEAN
Even before the C4, there was a nice little area that looked like it was thought out to be a logial location for a plate, ala the split grille. You guys were right about needing the airflow through the grille now, but that just hammers home the argument about forgoing the split grille design in favor of the catfish look. They could have retained the split grille w/ functional grilles up front like the C3's had, and still retained some heritage, annnnnnd had a nice spot for the more than half of the states that require a front plate.
This is obviously not a deal breaker, but it just ties in, for me anyway, w/ a concern about them ditching heritage for seemingly marginal gains. The headlights for example, we all know the reasons they went w/ the fixed...but the popups were such a tradtion, and a "look" for Corvette, that you just wonder if its worth the weight savings and questionable styling to save 5..10lbs? Now we get the liscense plate thing..sure the grille is functional, but its the plate bracket is fugly. I know it's trival, but this is a Vette d*mmit, it's supposed to look good. It just seems that they're leaning on engineering at the expense of styling and heritage with the assumption that we'll just "get used to it". Of course, I'm still mad that they did away w/ the corner mounted wipers on the C5, which if nothing else, was a vette trademark and just looked trick.
Unrelated C6 question...what happens if your key fob battery goes dead? How do you get in if it doesn't know you're standing there, and how do you start it w/ no key and a dead remote?
Even before the C4, there was a nice little area that looked like it was thought out to be a logial location for a plate, ala the split grille. You guys were right about needing the airflow through the grille now, but that just hammers home the argument about forgoing the split grille design in favor of the catfish look. They could have retained the split grille w/ functional grilles up front like the C3's had, and still retained some heritage, annnnnnd had a nice spot for the more than half of the states that require a front plate.
This is obviously not a deal breaker, but it just ties in, for me anyway, w/ a concern about them ditching heritage for seemingly marginal gains. The headlights for example, we all know the reasons they went w/ the fixed...but the popups were such a tradtion, and a "look" for Corvette, that you just wonder if its worth the weight savings and questionable styling to save 5..10lbs? Now we get the liscense plate thing..sure the grille is functional, but its the plate bracket is fugly. I know it's trival, but this is a Vette d*mmit, it's supposed to look good. It just seems that they're leaning on engineering at the expense of styling and heritage with the assumption that we'll just "get used to it". Of course, I'm still mad that they did away w/ the corner mounted wipers on the C5, which if nothing else, was a vette trademark and just looked trick.
Unrelated C6 question...what happens if your key fob battery goes dead? How do you get in if it doesn't know you're standing there, and how do you start it w/ no key and a dead remote?
As for your question at the end, there is apparently a keyhole in the rear fascia, out of sight above the license plate (where the license plate light would likely be) that will unlock the doors.
Either that, or call OnStar if so equipped.
It really looks like the c5 from the side view.