11 Ways to Focus on Fast Times for a Break from the Headlines

Coronavirus has led to many postponed or canceled automotive events. Here are some ideas to keep you active during this time.

The virus has hit us hard and has impacted the automotive world in a way we have never seen before. Obviously, the health and safety of friends and family is by far the number one concern. However, the hobby we enjoy is being impaired due to recent events, and that can take a bit of a toll on us as well. It is especially tough this time of year when the car season is just about to take off in earnest. Winter car projects should be wrapping up, track days and car events for the northern section of the U.S. are starting again, Formula One is kicking off, and so on. At least all these things would normally be happening, but now everything is in a holding pattern.

But some times you just need a break from tough realities. So, we want to shift focus to some things we still can enjoy while we maintain our “social distancing” protocols. We may not be able to watch races, or go to an auto show, or even attend track days in some cases, but there is still plenty we can sink our teeth into while we ride out the storm. Instead of focusing on the toilet paper that is more difficult to find than 10mm sockets, and a pummeled stock market, let’s turn our attention to more enjoyable pursuits. So, what can we do? As it turns out, plenty.

1. Build a Dream Car for Free

Just about every car manufacturer offers car configuration tools online, and Chevrolet has one of the best for its new C8 Corvette. There is no need to leave the comfort of your chair if you want to design and visualize your perfect dream car. Even if you will never actually buy the car, it is a fun way to spend hours just browsing and playing with crazy color and package combinations.

Go ahead and build a new Corvette Convertible covered in Sebring Orange Tintcoat with Sterling Silver Racing strips, Adrenaline red seats, and yellow brake calipers if you want. The best part is that it won’t cost you a penny.

2. Become an Online Andretti

If you want something a little more involving, how about joining an iRacing league? You can hop in the driver’s seat of an online racing simulation and experience competitive motorsport in your own home. It does require a membership, which gets you access to 24/7 online racing with about 20 cars and tracks included, and many more available for an additional cost. Included in the mix is a Corvette C6.R. All you need is a computer equipped with one or more USB ports, and a digital wheel/pedal, or gamepad backed by a high-speed Internet connection. The next thing you know, you are going racing.

3. Learn Something New About Your Car

Stepping out of the fantasy world, how about actually reading your owner’s manual? If you have a modern car, the chances are you have an owner’s manual and possibly supplemental manuals as well that are several hundred pages in length. Have you ever read them? Granted some of the information covered includes items such as how to fasten your seat belt. If you had to read instructions on that, you probably shouldn’t be behind the wheel. However, modern cars are quite complex, especially with all the infotainment features. This could be a good time to read your manual and maybe learn something new about your own car.

4. Get Lit

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If reading a manual is not your style, how about reading some of the excellent books that have been written about cars, drivers, manufacturers, etc.? If you are interested in racing or performance driving, then Ultimate Speed Secrets by Ross Bentley needs to be on your must-read list. The Unfair Advantage by Mark Donohue is also an essential read for a look inside the world of motorsport. Porsche fans can settle in with the third edition of Karl Ludvigsen’s masterwork Porsche: Excellence was Expected. It is the definitive history of the marque and weighing in with over 2,800 pages, and 3,000 photos and illustrations, it should keep you busy until well after the pandemic subsides. For some insight on the man behind America’s sports car look for Zora Arkus-Duntov: The Legend Behind Corvette by Jerry Burton. For an insightful look into the management of GM, Car Guys vs. Bean Counters by Bob Lutz is fascinating. There are dozens of excellent books to choose from, so take your pick, find your comfy chair and get to it.

5. Catch Up on Corvette Classics

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Not a reader? No problem. There are plenty of excellent movies and TV shows to keep the gearhead entertained. If you want to take your mind off things with some mindless fun, check out Mark Hamill‘s post-Star Wars role in 1978’s road-trip crime-caper Corvette Summer. That same year gave audiences another Seventies salute to the Corvette with the comedy Stingray, another crime thriller that kicks off after two friends buy a used 1964 Corvette Stingray that has a drug kingpin’s stolen drugs hidden inside it.

Going back over 50 years prior there is Grand Prix starring James Garner, and Steve McQueen’sLe Mans, these are some of the greatest racing movies ever made. If you like action and car chase scenes more than actual racing flicks you can look for Ronin, Bullitt, The French Connection and Vanishing Point as some of the best. Looking for more of a thriller? Try Christine or the often-forgotten TV movie Duel, which also happens to mark the full-length directorial debut of Steven Spielberg.

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For some silly, guilty pleasure fun look at Cannonball Run and its sequel, or the Fast and Furious films. On the TV side, there is of course Top Gear, and The Grand Tour, the Netflix series Drive to Survive offers an excellent candid look at F1. On the guilty pleasure side for TV, maybe Knight Rider or Miami Vice. There are countless options, so you can binge for days. That is before you even delve into the world of YouTube.

6. Get Your ‘Vette in Great Shape

This is also a good time to get your hands dirty a bit — the good kind of dirty with grease, oil and grime. If you never worked on your own car before, this might be a good time to start. Oil changes, brake changes, and new air filters are all fairly simple tasks for those starting out. If you are more advanced, you may have the extra garage time now to tackle the big stuff. Make this a productive time for both you and your Corvette. And the best way to explore your next project and find answers and advice for any Corvette project is to head over to our forums, where you will find countless exciting and inspiring threads that will keep any Corvette enthusiast entertained for hours.

7. Clean Up Your Act

When you are done working on your car, treat it to a nice bath. Give it a good hand wash inside and out. Giving your car a comprehensive scrubbing certainly can’t hurt and it is a nice way to bond with your vehicle. And you can find plenty of solid, proven advice and tips from fellow Corvette owners and enthusiasts in our forums, like Senior Member “enventr.” “I use Blackfire waterless wash as recommended by my detailer — no scratches as this has more lubricity than water,” he says alongside a gorgeous shot of his shiny ride (below). When you are done giving your Corvette some TLC, maybe take some glamour shots of it. You might discover that you have some untapped photography skills that you can exploit. And as our forum will remind you: No automatic car washes for your ‘Vette! Ever!

8. Become a Model Citizen

If you want to build or tinker a bit but don’t have the confidence to try it on your actual car, how about building a model? LEGO makes some incredible kits such as their Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 model with nearly 600 total pieces to keep you occupied. If LEGO is not for you, check out the models by Revell. They offer everything from classics, to muscle cars, to street rods and race cars, including a Corvette C7.R and a 2014 Corvette Stingray. Keep your hands and mind involved and have a cool model to show for it at the end of the day.

9. Get Moving

If you like your models to move, give slot car sets a chance. AFX makes some cool HO slot car sets to provide for a peaceful afternoon of fantasy racing. Modern supercars, vintage muscle cars, Le Mans racers, and more are all available, including our favorite: a Chevy Camaro SS350.

Pick the cars you like and start off with a simple track and have fun. You can always buy track extensions to keep you entertained for longer. Scalextric is another well-known slot car company that offers a ton of various track and car options, like a Chevrolet Corvette L88, to suit just about every taste and budget. If you have a bit of extra space, this could be a fun way to pass the time.

10. Just Drive

Just go for a drive. Spring is just about here, the weather will be getting better for most of the country, so this is a great time to just go for a drive for the sake of a drive. With all the stress going on right now, a nice drive on a back road with your favorite music can be extremely therapeutic. We all love to drive, and this is the perfect time to do it. Many folks are now working from home so traffic may even be lighter than normal. Look for the silver lining here and enjoy some open road.

11. Plan a Fun Trip

Let’s end on a positive note. This situation is not going to last forever. It is concerning now, but hopefully in a couple weeks things begin to get back to normal. With that being said, this may be a good time to start planning some future car-centric trips. It is never too early to plan for Amelia Island or Pebble Beach. Maybe you want to check out Cadillac Ranch in Texas or Carhenge in Nebraska. You can’t go wrong with a drive along Route 66. The National Corvette Museum  has over 80 cars on display plus a race track less than two miles away. There is plenty to do out there once the threat of the virus subsides and looking forward to those days by planning a trip now might make you feel better.

What we listed here is by no means an all-inclusive list. There is a lot that we can still do to have a bit of fun as we pass the time until life gets back to normal. Hopefully, this at least provided you with some ideas. We will see you all out there soon enough.

Photos: Corvette Forum; Cameron Abernon; LEGO; Chevrolet; iRacing; Nintendo; 20th Century Fox

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