Here’s a recap of the Diamonds and Donuts Corvette Only Car Show on December 6, 2020.
Yet again, Diamonds and Donuts blew it out of the water with an absolutely phenomenal car show. This one, a Corvette only event, featuring everything from C1s to C7 and C8 Stingrays, Grand Sports, Z06s, and ZR1s. It was a complete Corvette paradise. Big thanks to the Corvette Owners of South Florida car club for helping us put this together!
With how many people showed up, it’s clear to us that South Florida loves their Vettes. Rightfully so…As Americans, the Corvette is a fantastic sports car that we can be proud of since the very beginning of Corvette-time. At the Diamonds and Donuts Corvette Car Show, we got to witness all of Corvette’s history in one place. We had all types of Corvette models from different years and with unique mods at the car show. Our lot at Diamonds By Raymond Lee in Boca Raton was packed full of Vettes. For a Corvette-only car show, the diversity of cars was spectacular.
CORVETTE ONLY CAR SHOW IN BOCA RATON
Corvette is one of the world’s most impressive car companies. They have the longest continuously produced nameplate of any car on the planet and each and every year since 1953 they give us beautiful cars with specs worthy of the time. The Diamonds and Donuts Corvette Only Car Show this past weekend put that truth on full display. But it wasn’t just Diamonds By Raymond Lee where Corvettes blessed the asphalt, we started the day with a meet and rally, traversing the streets of South Florida to North Federal Highway in Boca Raton.
The event had two meets, a North Meet and South Meet. Those who lived south of Boca Raton met in Hialeah, FL, while those north met in Palm Beach. The rally destination was all the same, Diamonds By Raymond Lee, which is NOT an outside sales center as Boca News Now would say, but more on that debacle later.
Once we arrived, everyone parked up and got out to peruse what felt like endless parking spaces filled with Corvettes. The car show ran from 2pm to late and food and drinks were provided by the Corvette Owners of South Florida Club. We also had three gorgeous models working the show, whom you will meet below, as we now present to you some of the highlights of our Corvette-only event…
VIP PARKING WENT TO THE LAST REMAINING 1962 CHEVY CORVETTE TANGIER SHRINE PATROL CAR
The 1962 Tangier Shrine Corvette Patrol was an easy choice for VIP parking. It is the last remaining one! Big thanks to James Hinson & Larry Wolfe of North Myrtle Beach for allowing us all to appreciate this classical masterpiece.
While this is the last remaining Chevy Corvette Tangier Shrine Patrol Car, even from the very start it was extremely rare. Only 13 of them were ever produced. The car was made to appear at public events to raise awareness of traffic safety as well as funds for their Children Hospitals. As such, only special members of Tangier Shrine Patrol received this Corvette, which has a 3-speed manual transmission, dual exhaust, and a V8 engine capable of 327hp.
2020 CORVETTE C8
2020 brought about a major change for the famous American sports car. For Corvette fanatics, you already know what that is…the mid-engine configuration.
Since the inception of Corvette in 1953, every single Corvette has had its engine under the hood of the car. However, in 2020, Corvette moved the engine of its 8th generation ‘vette behind the seats, which is approximately at the center of the car. This is the same kind of configuration that exotic supercars like Lamborghini, Mclaren, and Ferrari use. The great thing about Corvette is, you get similar power, but for a far better price. The base version of the 2020 Corvette is around $60,000, whereas its European brethren cost at least $200,000. The value of a Corvette is incomparable. This is why the new C8 sold out almost immediately.
The change to a mid-engine Corvette allows the American brand to take on the likes of the supercar giants. It produces an incredibly positive impact on the vehicles performance, such as acceleration, handling, and braking.
It’s a “quantum leap forward” for driving dynamics according to Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter.
As for top speed, the C8 Corvette base model claims a top speed of 194 mph, seven mph higher than the previous model. But you are probably wondering about the ZR1, as the C7 ZR1 boasts a top speed of 215 mph. Well, new-generation cars from Corvette are always a bit faster, so the ZR1 should meet our 217 mph expectations, but we will have to wait and see as it has not yet been released.
CORVETTE Z51 vs Z06 vs ZR1
Here’s a quick explanation of the three Corvette Z badges for those who may not know…
The base model of the Stingray is the LT1 (now the LT2 with the C8).
Z51, Z06, ZR1 are sports packages, and these codes essentially mean fast, faster and fastest.
The Z51 is the first sports package made for hard driving and track use. It has a 6.2 liter V8 engine with 495 hp and 470lb-ft of torque. The visual distinction is the lower front splitter and the two-price rear spoiler, which work to provide up to 400 pounds of downforce and its impressive 3 second 0-60 time.
A Z06 is a sharper version of the Z51. It is legitimately track-ready. It has grippier tires, downforce-generating aerodynamics, stiffer suspension, and more powerful stoppers all around. The C7 generation of the Z06 was a six-speed manual transmission capable of 650hp. As of now, the C8 Z06 is yet to be released, but the word is it’ll have a twin-turbo setup on a flat-plane crack to really take its power to the next level.
The ZR1 can be described as the ultimate Corvette. It puts Corvette in the same class as the world’s finest exotic supercars. The ZR1 badge came about with the C3 Corvette and it has remained the king of Corvettes with every new generation. It’s just a matter of time before we get the C8 ZR1. The C7 ZR1 is already incredibly imposing. It’s the hardest-core Corvette ever made. Under the hood, it has an engine capable of a 755hp output. And thanks to its sweeping aerodynamics, the car provides a whopping 950lbs of downforce.
CORVETTE Z MODE
A really cool feature new to the C8 is the Z Mode. There is a button on the steering wheel’s left spoke that offers instant access to a customized calibration of the driver’s ideal suspension, steering and powertrain settings. This allows for a personalized driving experience at the touch of a button.
C8’s also have Chevy-defined modes such as performance and comfort.
The Z in “Z Mode” is a salute to Zora Arkus-Duntov for his vision. Zora is a GM engineer. He is known as the “father of Corvette”. He was the one who pushed for the mid-engine layout. Unfortunately, he passed away so he couldn’t see it come to life, but it is because of him the new mid-engine Vette exists.
CORVETTE C7
While the C8 is all the hype this year, the C7 is still a very special and up-to-date Corvette. With its short production run from 2014 to 2019, it is as relevant as ever, especially considering it is still the latest Corvette with the Z51, Z06 and ZR1 sports packages.
At Diamonds and Donuts’ Corvette Car Show, we had a gang of C7s. From the base model all the way up to the ZR1, they were all in attendance. Many of them even had mods that would blow your mind. We are talking about magazine-worthy modifications.
All in all, the C7 is a wonderful car, both when staying still or going fast. It is incredible in every sense of the word.
2013 CORVETTE ZR1
Check out this white Corvette ZR1 coupe (to the right is a black 2019 Z06).
This ZR1 has a 6.2L V8 engine that boasts the power of 638 horses. It’s a 6-speed manual with 604 lb-ft of torque. It can do a 0-60 in 3.4 seconds, while reaching a top speed of 190 mph (these numbers obviously improved on the ZR1 since then).
On the whole, the car uses a lot of lightweight tech to achieve this, such as carbon-fiber body panels and carbon-fiber-and-balsa floorboards, and a gearbox in the back for better weight distribution.
Altogether, the handling is magnificent, so taking it to the track is a real pleasure.
In 2013, when this car was first released, they put it up against the Dodge SRT Viper GTS. These two American beauties have identical power and pretty much identical gearing, with only three pounds separating their curb weight. As such, it was the perfect match up. In the end, while the ZR1 was just ever so slightly behind to 60mph, it caught the big snake by the quarter mile and it was over a second ahead at the 150mph point. Overall, the ZR1 put the Viper in its place. The ZR1 was smoother, flatter, more controlled. It had no shudders or bucks on rough track surfaces. It was clearly superior. The Viper is another great American car, but it doesn’t have the same engineering magic as Corvette…
69 CORVETTE C3 CONVERTIBLE
The 1962 Tangier Shrine Corvette Patrol wasn’t the only piece of American history at our Corvette only meet in Boca Raton. We also had this stunning, incredibly well-kept convertible 1969 Corvette, owned by Scott Kietzmann.
This C3 is now an appreciating asset. The classic fiberglass wonder has a 350cu engine which put out 350 hp through a 4-speed manual transmission. It comes from a time before the troubling era of regulations that choked down Corvette’s numbers quite a bit. So, without a big block, the car does a 5.9 second 0-60 time. Of course, that’s not impressive by today’s standards, but back then it was. Anyway, regardless of the speed, this car is as fun, if not more fun, to drive as a new Corvette. Hearing this car’s V8 engine revving at the car show was an honor.
All in all, this car was easily one of the coolest vehicles on the American roadways in 1969. And today, in 2020, it still is. That’s no easy feat.
CORVETTE OWNERS OF SOUTH FLORIDA
None of this would have been possible without the Corvette Owners of South Florida car club (C.O.S.F). They brought all of these Corvette owners together for our event and they even provided food and drinks. We can’t thank them enough for letting us co-host the event at our store.
The C.O.S.F is an awesome club to be a part of. They put together so many great events here in South Florida for Corvette owners. Moreover, they are super helpful for those who are interested in buying a Corvette. You can ask them anything and they will give you the answers you need. The C.O.S.F car club is the only one you want to talk to when it comes to Corvettes.
If you are a Corvette owner and you are not part of this club, it’s time to get acquainted. Contact Corvette Owners of South Florida on Facebook.
DIAMOND AND DONUTS GIRLS
We had three lovely, beautiful, smart and talented ladies at the show, just to liven things up even more. The only thing more beautiful than the Corvette’s were these three women…no offense to all the sexy Vettes out there 😉
To show thanks, we want to give the three of them a special shout out.
Alyssia Deutsch
Alyssia can be seen in this pic on the left. She is a civil engineer, a model, and a mom to a very cute cat. She has stunning modeling photos on her IG. Go follow her!
Kaelynn Pannier
Kaelynn has absolutely breathtaking beauty and she is super fit. The best part is she is also super fun and she has such an awesome personality too. Her Instagram photos express all this and more. It’s no wonder she’s amassed a healthy following.
Vanessa
Vanessa is not just positively beautiful, she is also incredibly smart, inspiring, and motivational. She is constantly striving to help more women become confident and successful. She hails from Ecuador and now calls South Florida home. As she says, she is a “very spicy girl with a big attitude”. Thanks to all of her wonderful characteristics, she has gained a sizable following on Instagram. Definitely check her out!
HERE’S WHAT SOME OF THE CORVETTE OWNERS HAD TO SAY ABOUT OUR EVENT
“Very nice. Good people and great time” – Mily Cortes
“Amazing event!” – Jeff Greenberg
“My first meet up with COSF. It was great. Looking forward to the next one.” – Stephen Dybas
“Great turn out!! My kind of day!!” Otis Evans
“My first show!! Thanks for inviting me. Had a great time and met many great people. Looking forward to the next.” Paul Gagliardo
“So much fun, great to meet so many corvette lovers” – Steve Bauer
“Awesome! Surprised boca pd didn’t make an appearance even to see the American made rides” – Steve Weinfield
This last comment is funny, yet true. Our car shows seem to stir up some drama every now and then here in Boca. The turnouts are massive. What can we say? People love our car show and we love throwing them. Overall, we play things safe with COVID and promote mask-wearing, but we want to bring some life back to Boca. We can’t all be endlessly stuck at home. A car meet and rally ending in a car show outdoors is the least we can do for our city. Anyone who knows Diamonds By Raymond Lee knows that we are all about helping our city economically, charitably, and spiritually (we like to have fun with our community!). All of our shows are completely free and like our upcoming 2020 toy drive car show on the 20th, we give back to organizations here in Boca Raton and Broward County.
This is why when we read “news” from sources like Boca News Now condemning us for having a car show during this ongoing pandemic, we can’t help but turn our heads…
BOCA NEWS NOW GOT IT ALL WRONG
You may or may not have seen this in Boca News Now, but they published an article right after our Corvette car show stating “At Diamonds By Raymond Lee in Boca Raton, the outside sales center apparently led people to believe that masks could be worn around a neck — if at all. A reader sent this to us and reports that it was documented today, Sunday, December 6th. We remind our readers: there’s no need to wear a diamond if you’re dead.”
“Mask are apparently fine around your neck — or not at all — at Diamonds by Raymond Lee in Boca Raton.”
First of all, we are not an outside sales center 🤦♂️🤷♂️. This was a FREE car show…These “reporters” are clueless, and dare we say, haters. If they had a Corvette, you know they would have wanted to join.
Second, people are going to do what they want regardless. These self-righteous “COVID Police” are getting out of hand. Of course, it’s not just here in Boca, it’s all over the map. What’s the point in shaming people? It’s not the way to go about getting people to change their behavior. Yes, we all want this pandemic under control. We shutdown our car show for nearly a year because of it. It clearly didn’t help. Now, we are trying to bring some normalcy back to everyone’s lives.
In our opinion, Boca News Now is not doing any good for the community of Boca Raton by pointing fingers. We’d love to know how they have been helping Boca Raton maintain. Was that post, which didn’t just include Diamonds By Raymond, but also other businesses here in Boca Raton, raising awareness of some sort? Is it going to achieve anything, really?
Well, good try…Get your facts correct next time. Diamonds By Raymond Lee and the Diamonds and Donuts car show doesn’t lay down to anybody. As long as we are giving the people what they want and we are happy, we go for it.
Let’s end this rant.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE – DIAMONDS AND DONUTS CAR SHOW TOY DRIVE ON DECEMBER 20, 2020
You won’t want to miss our next car show, which is taking place on the 20th of December. It’s a Diamonds and Donuts toy drive car show for the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County. There’s going to be all kinds of exotic supercars, American sports cars, classic cars, JDM imports, trucks, and more. Plus, there is going to be food, live entertainment and even a giveaway. It’s completely free to join, we just ask that you bring an unwrapped toy(s) for the kids.
You can learn more about the Diamonds and Donuts Car Show Toy Drive and RSVP here.
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