Pop quiz.
You’re in college, and your 2012 C6 Corvette needs some attention. What do you do?
Well, if you’ve grown up working on cars like Aurora Knutson, the answer is simple, you jump in and do the work yourself.
Granted, majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Aerospace Engineering means you probably have the aptitude, but you’re still going to have to get your hand dirty.
Fortunately, that is nothing new for Aurora. She’s been working on cars with her Dad since she was 7 or 8. We caught up with Aurora and her family during March’s Caffeine & Octane gathering at Town Center at Cobb in Kennesaw.
We’re lucky we did because her story is one of gritty determination and resourcefulness.
An Early Interest
Rod Worley – Editor – Have you always been interested in cars and automotive repair?
Aurora Knutson – 2012 C6 owner – My Dad has always been into cars, and I shared that interest early on. In fact, I can remember being 7 or 8 years old and helping him on his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, one of my favorite cars he owned.
I distinctly remember the first thing we did was a brake change on it. He explained the calipers and rotors and how each brake assembly part worked together.
And, more importantly, why we needed to do the steps in the order we did. That experience is something I can still remember vividly today.
By the time I was fourteen, I was changing oil, replacing brake pads, changing tires, and doing basic car maintenance.
In fact, helping him, repair cars inspired me to choose Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Aerospace Engineering at Kennesaw State University.
Choosing A C6
Rod Worley – Editor – Of all the various types of used cars available, why choose a C6 Corvette? Also, do you prefer a manual or automatic transmission?
Aurora Knutson – 2012 C6 owner – When I was looking for a used car, I didn’t want something the typical teenager has. I wanted to do my own thing.
I grew up with my Dad’s 5th & 6th generation Camaros, Lexus IS F, and several others. The common denominator was they all had an aspect of speed to them.
I also knew I wanted something American-made and not British or Asian. Something that I could build up easily and have a bit of fun with.
My boyfriend actually suggested a C6 because they’ve become affordable, considering the horsepower and handling they provide. So after some research, I chose a 2012 black 100th Anniversary edition Corvette coupe.
This Corvette looks and sounds fantastic, not to mention the excellent handling. The unique metallic black 100th Anniversary paint, logos, and red seat stitching make it stand out.
My Dad again played a huge role in the manual vs. automatic transmission decision because all his cars were manuals. Of course, when I was growing up, everyone told me girls couldn’t drive manuals.
But it looked fun and gave you greater control over the car. So I asked my Dad to show me how, and it didn’t take long before I fell in love with manual transmissions.
Needed Maintenance
Rod Worley – Editor – Some people shy away from older cars because of the potential maintenance issues. What work have you done on your C6 so far?
Aurora Knutson – 2012 C6 owner – So far, I’ve done the brakes and rotors on all four corners. The alternator, water pump, and thermostat have been replaced.
I replaced the harmonic balancer and all of the pulleys, plus new headlight bulbs. Unfortunately, when we fixed the harmonic balancer issue, we found the steering angle sensor had been ripped out of the steering wheel column.
This caused the active handling to kick in every time I turned left, which was dangerous. So I ended up, with my boyfriend’s help, actually taking the steering wheel out of the car and fixing it ourselves.
Once we put it back in place and realigned the steering wheel, it’s been fine ever since.
Upgrades Are Coming
Rod Worley – Editor – What changes do you have planned for your 2012 100th Anniversary coupe?
Aurora Knutson – 2012 C6 owner – Performance upgrades are high on the list, but the car needed more basic maintenance than I first thought.
I like Corsa exhaust, but that’s not in the budget at the moment. Also on the list are a cold air intake, stage three cam, headers, performance brakes, and some exterior parts.
I recently picked up a ZR1 splitter, which will be put on soon. C8-style headlights are on the list, but I need to do some more research first.
Resourcefulness Pays Off
Part of the college experience is learning to do more with less and being resourceful. We can remember cooking omelets and pancakes in the base of a popcorn popper because we didn’t have a hot plate.
Hunger can motivate you.
Freedom can also motivate you, especially when it comes to the freedom to hit the winding backroads of the Georgia mountains in your C6 Corvette. Sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves and give it the old college try.
One thing is certain. Aurora Knutson isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty to keep her 2012 100th Anniversary C6 Corvette on the road.
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