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How old are we?
Hi folks, I hope it's OK that I posted this. I am really curious as to roughly what age groups we all belong to here? I have wanted more than anything a Corvette since I was wee high to a grasshopper and now that I am comin' up hard and fast on my 40th birthday and we finally got one, I have been thinking a lot lately on age groups and 'Vette's.
Also, if you are inclined, I'd love to hear some stories about how some of you folks went about on your missions to find your 'Vette's! |
RE: How old are we?
Well, TopSpeed, that one vote for -25 is mine. I am only 19 (I am turning 20 on August 11th) and i have had my 94 Corvette since about a month after my 19th Birthday. As my story goes, I have really always been into cars because of my father. He and my mother were divorced since I was a child. My sister and I would go visit him all the time in Arkansas and he had a 25th Anniversary Stingray (It was a '78). The car was gold and it was BEAUTIFUL. He had the exhaust redone and the car rumbled louder than any C3 I had ever heard. We would go out driving around and he would let me sit in his lap and shift the gears for him. Well, he died in 2001 and the car was sold. Ever since then, I knew it was my duty to go find my own and keep the tradition alive in my family. I was searching for a C4 because the C3's were the body style that he grew up seeing and the C4's were the body style that I grew up seeing. When I found my '94 for $10k last year and less than 85k on the clock, I knew I had to jump on it. The car had some problems but its pretty much in mechanically sound condition now and I love every minute I spend with it. That is my story ;)
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RE: How old are we?
Hmmm... I'm 40, three kids from 5 months to 7 yrs. Dad is a serious motorhead, from sprint cars (which he builds and crews now that he is too old to drive them), to tractor pull monsters, to drag strip toys... Fond memories of helping to rebuild an abused '68 back in the mid 70's. Bad memories of the title showing up as "stolen" about 60 days later. Fond memories of the original owner's face when she saw what he had done to fix it up when she came to claim it. The short version. Ebay, found an 81, mostly original, rather abused, $4k. Definitely an impulse buy, I was looking for a fun car to play with. Searched for cars "less than 200 miles away, under $10k, closing in less than 48 hrs". Had the frame straightened. replaced the whole front suspension from the frame to the wheels. New shocks and bushings. Fixed a couple little electrical glitches. When it hit 25 yrs old and became exempt, pulled the Q-jet, installed a Holley Street Avenger and removed all of that HP sucking greenie-weenie emissions stuff, along with a "slightly stronger" cam setup. Added an Astrotop to get some more headroom (I am 6'5"). I'm at well over 200k miles, original engine and trans. Next project, removing about 4 coats of bad Maaco paint and going back to the midnight green pearl. Adding a stinger hood. Recessing the headlights. Possibly adding the Greenwood style fender vents and the slotted door skins while I am at it. Hell, this one is very much a "driver", so I might as well play with it. My 2 yr old daughter puts her hands over her ears and yells "toooooo loud!!!"... Then begs me to take her to WallyWorld in it. :) She has already claimed it for her "first car". Next project is my '75 Bricklin gullwing... I'm thinking about wedging in a Hummer motor (since the LS1/LS2 conversions would cost 5 figures). bill. |
RE: How old are we?
ORIGINAL: 94blackC4 Well, TopSpeed, that one vote for -25 is mine. I am only 19 (I am turning 20 on August 11th) and i have had my 94 Corvette since about a month after my 19th Birthday. As my story goes, I have really always been into cars because of my father. He and my mother were divorced since I was a child. My sister and I would go visit him all the time in Arkansas and he had a 25th Anniversary Stingray (It was a '78). The car was gold and it was BEAUTIFUL. He had the exhaust redone and the car rumbled louder than any C3 I had ever heard. We would go out driving around and he would let me sit in his lap and shift the gears for him. Well, he died in 2001 and the car was sold. Ever since then, I knew it was my duty to go find my own and keep the tradition alive in my family. I was searching for a C4 because the C3's were the body style that he grew up seeing and the C4's were the body style that I grew up seeing. When I found my '94 for $10k last year and less than 85k on the clock, I knew I had to jump on it. The car had some problems but its pretty much in mechanically sound condition now and I love every minute I spend with it. That is my story ;) Your car sounds pretty incredible, too!! Man, you got a wicked deal on that baby! A car like yours up here in Canada would go for much more. Thanks again for taking the time to share your story like that, my friend, I really enjoyed it. |
RE: How old are we?
ORIGINAL: wrwalke Hmmm... I'm 40, three kids from 5 months to 7 yrs. Dad is a serious motorhead, from sprint cars (which he builds and crews now that he is too old to drive them), to tractor pull monsters, to drag strip toys... Fond memories of helping to rebuild an abused '68 back in the mid 70's. Bad memories of the title showing up as "stolen" about 60 days later. Fond memories of the original owner's face when she saw what he had done to fix it up when she came to claim it. The short version. Ebay, found an 81, mostly original, rather abused, $4k. Definitely an impulse buy, I was looking for a fun car to play with. Searched for cars "less than 200 miles away, under $10k, closing in less than 48 hrs". Had the frame straightened. replaced the whole front suspension from the frame to the wheels. New shocks and bushings. Fixed a couple little electrical glitches. When it hit 25 yrs old and became exempt, pulled the Q-jet, installed a Holley Street Avenger and removed all of that HP sucking greenie-weenie emissions stuff, along with a "slightly stronger" cam setup. Added an Astrotop to get some more headroom (I am 6'5"). I'm at well over 200k miles, original engine and trans. Next project, removing about 4 coats of bad Maaco paint and going back to the midnight green pearl. Adding a stinger hood. Recessing the headlights. Possibly adding the Greenwood style fender vents and the slotted door skins while I am at it. Hell, this one is very much a "driver", so I might as well play with it. My 2 yr old daughter puts her hands over her ears and yells "toooooo loud!!!"... Then begs me to take her to WallyWorld in it. :) She has already claimed it for her "first car". Next project is my '75 Bricklin gullwing... I'm thinking about wedging in a Hummer motor (since the LS1/LS2 conversions would cost 5 figures). bill. I love hearing of stories like this, where someone puts so much into a car yet drives it daily like that. These babies were meant to be enjoyed! The bit about your daughter made me laugh. I can totally picture that. I am willing to bet dollars to donuts that your kids carry on the pastime you have started here, my friend. I wish my dad was into cars, but he sure ain't. I dunno where I got my fever for hot rods, but I believe to this day it's in my blood. An old Bricklin! Haven't seen one of those in near 20 years now. Rare'n snakes feet out here. Man, you must be quite the fabricator to be able to do full scale swaps like that. Thanks so much for sharing your story here! I really enjoyed it. |
RE: How old are we?
Hey Topspeed,
In 1958 a friend of the family bought a new Vette. My Mom's car had to go in the shop and the guy LOANED her his Vette for about a week. When my Mom went to take the car back, I got to ride along. As we pulled onto the hiway, Mom jumped on it and ran it through the gears pinning me back in the seat. (GO MOM!!!) I was only 6yrs old at the time, but it left a lasting impression. I've owned a 1970, 440, 6-pak Road Runner and a 1970 SS 454 Chevelle. The Road Runner fell victom to 5 deer crossing the road at 10:00 at night, while I was doing about 95 mph on a mountain road in Nothern Calif. The Chevelle was a victom of divorce sale. Finally in 2004 I was able to buy my own Vette, a 1980 L-82. It came out of Oregon and had major problems. Day by day and dollar by dollar I am building my dream car. I put about 4 grand in the suspention and drive train, and am currently building a 400 hp 454 to drop in my baby. The interior is shot and the paint is horrible but this too will change in time. I'm doing a rolling restore so that I can still drive her. I am now 54 yrs young and diggin' every day in my "Starship". |
RE: How old are we?
ORIGINAL: C3 Starship Hey Topspeed, In 1958 a friend of the family bought a new Vette. My Mom's car had to go in the shop and the guy LOANED her his Vette for about a week. When my Mom went to take the car back, I got to ride along. As we pulled onto the hiway, Mom jumped on it and ran it through the gears pinning me back in the seat. (GO MOM!!!) I was only 6yrs old at the time, but it left a lasting impression. I've owned a 1970, 440, 6-pak Road Runner and a 1970 SS 454 Chevelle. The Road Runner fell victom to 5 deer crossing the road at 10:00 at night, while I was doing about 95 mph on a mountain road in Nothern Calif. The Chevelle was a victom of divorce sale. Finally in 2004 I was able to buy my own Vette, a 1980 L-82. It came out of Oregon and had major problems. Day by day and dollar by dollar I am building my dream car. I put about 4 grand in the suspention and drive train, and am currently building a 400 hp 454 to drop in my baby. The interior is shot and the paint is horrible but this too will change in time. I'm doing a rolling restore so that I can still drive her. I am now 54 yrs young and diggin' every day in my "Starship". Man, my friend, you've had a couple REAL wicked rides!! I am following your threads and your story on the forums here, and am really looking forward to hearing more as your project progresses! Thanks so much for sharing your story! I really enjoyed it. |
RE: How old are we?
I am 57. I've been a muscle car/sports car fanatic since 1966, when I bought my first copy of Car and Driver.
At that time, I lusted after my dream car - a silver corvette big block coupe -- it basically ruled the street. Car and Driver did a comparsion test of it and a Cobra 427 in that issue I bought -- I still remember the quarter mile times: 1`2.8 for the vette and 12.2 for the Cobra. But the Cobra didn't even have roll up windows -- how lame, I thought. The vette was fast and had every power option and a stero and AC. Fantastic!! I had to wait 36 years to get my car: through my own college and then raised three kids and paying for three more college educations. In '02 I finally bought my silver 'vette, a ZO6 model--partly because it was the most powerful vette available but mostly because to me that model was the real coupe, not the standard "coupe." I loved it from day one (357 RWHP), but it was not a big block, so after a flirtation with a Magnusen SC on the stock engine (465 RWHP) I took the plunge. Since no 427 was offered at the time I went about building mine by purchasing the C5R block ($5100 at a big discount and paying Charlie Hempfield, a local NASCAR builder to put it together. Originally it was normally aspirated (510-520 RWHP), but it was built with all forged internals and only 10:1 compression so I could eventually SC it because I figured eventually, even 500 RWHP would not "rule the street." As my original dream car, it is completely streetable and mild mannered with AC, all power, killer sound system, etc., and yet it has all that power. Now I have what I always wanted. It was worth the wait. |
RE: How old are we?
21 college student, I work at compUSSR. I had an 02 mustang in highschool and I really like American cars, I now have an 02 c5 that is supercharged. I got really lucky to get my car at what I did, it wasn't really much of a mission. I just searched online, found one that I liked in the area and went down to the dealership. The car was not advertised as superchared because they did not want everybody and their brother comming down to test drive the vette. I went rounds with the dealership and talked them down to $26,250; the vette has 28,000 odd miles on it. The only thing I could ever think of trading my vette in for would be a decked out, low miles 98 twin turbo Toyota Supra wide body.:)
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RE: How old are we?
ORIGINAL: Lee Willis I am 57. I've been a muscle car/sports car fanatic since 1966, when I bought my first copy of Car and Driver. At that time, I lusted after my dream car - a silver corvette big block coupe -- it basically ruled the street. Car and Driver did a comparsion test of it and a Cobra 427 in that issue I bought -- I still remember the quarter mile times: 1`2.8 for the vette and 12.2 for the Cobra. But the Cobra didn't even have roll up windows -- how lame, I thought. The vette was fast and had every power option and a stero and AC. Fantastic!! I had to wait 36 years to get my car: through my own college and then raised three kids and paying for three more college educations. In '02 I finally bought my silver 'vette, a ZO6 model--partly because it was the most powerful vette available but mostly because to me that model was the real coupe, not the standard "coupe." I loved it from day one (357 RWHP), but it was not a big block, so after a flirtation with a Magnusen SC on the stock engine (465 RWHP) I took the plunge. Since no 427 was offered at the time I went about building mine by purchasing the C5R block ($5100 at a big discount and paying Charlie Hempfield, a local NASCAR builder to put it together. Originally it was normally aspirated (510-520 RWHP), but it was built with all forged internals and only 10:1 compression so I could eventually SC it because I figured eventually, even 500 RWHP would not "rule the street." As my original dream car, it is completely streetable and mild mannered with AC, all power, killer sound system, etc., and yet it has all that power. Now I have what I always wanted. It was worth the wait. What a really neat story, Lee. This is the thing my wife and I are learning now; the kids have left the roost and we are actually focusing on ourselves a little bit... and things have never been better. Thanks for sharing your story and keep the Corvette wave alive!! |
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