[85vette]

Not that it's so difficult to work on them, but my issue is now finding parts. My CTS V is the first year manufactured (2004) and being a low number of these cars produced (2461) also brings the curse of a limited number of shelf parts made for warranty and/or resale.

When I first bought this car in 2010 I could go to a dealer website and view the parts list online and order anything I needed. IIRC they even had some complete LS6 engines for sale as well as Tremec 6 speeds and complete differentials.

My car had a warranty differential installed at 59K miles thank goodness, so it has the heavier duty 2006 upgraded one that replaced the original hardware that was prone to breaking when it was properly abused. Actually, when I look back over the warranty record I see where it has had THREE differentials replaced under warranty. But the first two were of the original design. Seems like they would have caught on a little quicker, right? This car apparently had four previous owners before I got it so I'm sure that it was flogged unmercifully during the first 97K miles. One of the owners only had it for about 1500 miles so I'm guessing he was scared of it.

Fast forward to today, the dealer parts list shows practically everything marked N/A. So now, if you can't repair it or rebuild it you have the choice of looking in wrecking yards for what you need or hoping some aftermarket company makes what you need. With production numbers this low the wrecking yard isn't much help. One particular aftermarket company, Creative Steel, does make a complete replacement rear-end from Ford 8.8 parts and it appears to be up to the task from the reviews I've read, but the cost is around 6 grand. Not including installation. To be expected I guess.

I have to say, the LS6 has not given me any trouble though. I don't beat on it. I actually only hammered it two times since I got it. The first time was when I had a friend I worked with telling me how much power his Escalade had. He had NO idea what this car was all about at the time but he was shocked when I slammed second gear and couldn't believe that it went sideways like it did. But I do love interstate on ramps where I can easily reach 96 mph in third gear!

But I do drive it so now it has 209K miles on it. But honestly, I have talked to others at car shows who have an easier time finding parts for their 60's and 70's cars than I do. It certainly takes the fun away from owning this car. It crossed my mind to upgrade to one of the later supercharged models, but I'm certain that I would be in the same situation in a few years.

I do love this hot rod Cadillac with the Z06 powertrain but it's becoming a burden.