2003 Chevrolet 4x4 1 Ton Crew Cab Dually on 2040-cars

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Read This: Auto Extremist advocates for Corvette as brand with multiple models [w/poll]

The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette really grinds Peter De Lorenzo's gears. Or, more accurately, the self-anointed Auto Extremist has an issue with what he sees as mismanagement of the legendary sports car by General Motors executives. In a new editorial on his website, De Lorenzo argues it's time to split Corvette off from Chevrolet to create an all-new brand, complete with a model range with at least three new takes on the sports car. Capable of fully leveraging the successes of the Corvette Racing program and brandishing the full might of GM's technical prowess, the Corvette brand would theoretically give Porsche something to sweat over.
Sure, that sounds like a party, but given GM's troubled track record when it comes to launching (let alone managing) brands, we say that's slippery slope that could just as easily end with the whole Corvette franchise in the scrap bin. Either way, the notion is certainly an interesting one. Head over to Auto Extremist to take in the full editorial, and then let us know what you think in Comments. Should GM split off its most storied nameplate?
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Watch this time-lapse build of the Chevy SS for NASCAR

There's only about a week left until we get our first look at the production version of the 2014 Chevrolet SS sedan, but Chevrolet NASCAR teams have been looking at the race version of the car all winter. Autoweek has posted a really neat time-lapse video showing just a portion of what it takes to build one of NASCAR's new Gen6 stock cars.
Though the video is quite brief, it does show almost the entire build process starting with just the car's nose, and it gives us a good look at how integral the template is to the final product. As a bonus, Hendrick Motorsports also provided some videos showing two of its teams performing pit stop tests over the winter. The second video shows some of the more detailed aspects of the racecar's rear end, including the stock-looking trunk cutout and a newly mandated rear bumper extension that will be used on super speedways like Daytona and Talladega.
To see what Team Chevy has been up to all off-season, check out all three videos posted after the jump.

Junkyard Gem: 1980 Chevrolet LUV Mikado

During the 1970s and into the 1980s, each member of the Detroit Big Three imported Japanese small pickups and sold them with Ford (Mazda Proceed), Dodge/Plymouth (Mitsubishi Forte), or Chevrolet (Isuzu Faster) badges here. Ford developed the Ranger and killed the Courier for 1983 (though Americans could still buy the Mazda-badged version all the way through 1993), while The General axed the LUV after the S-10 debuted in the 1982 model year. Isuzu sold the same truck as the P'up through 1987, though, and we might as well follow up our recent P'up Junkyard Gem with its LUV predecessor. LUV stood for Light Utility Vehicle, and I've managed to spot a handful in the boneyards over the years. This one now resides in a yard in northeastern Colorado. The Mikado trim package included striped seat upholstery and a sporty steering wheel, plus these cool dash badges. As far as I can tell, no LUV Mikado advertising featured any Gilbert and Sullivan tunes. This one is fairly rusty for Front Range Colorado, and it has endured a bed swap from some other small truck. The engine is the 75-horse Isuzu 1.8-liter. Members of this engine family went into everything from Chevy Chevettes to Isuzu Troopers in the United States. Very unusually for a small pickup during the Malaise Era, this one has a luxurious automatic transmission. Acceleration must have been a leisurely affair in this truck. Air conditioning? Unheard of! Someone stuck every one of their lunchtime apple stickers on the driver's door. After 41 years of work, this truck is done. Come on strong in a LUV of your own!