RatDog

I've been grounded from driving for the past 3 weeks (and will be for the next 2) because of cataract surgery. It's a beautiful 80 degree day today and I wanted to take the '67 out. So I told my wife it's time for her to drive it. She knows how to drive a stick but hasn't driven the Corvette since we bought it last spring because she's afraid she'll damage it or break it somehow. Anyway, we had a good ride and she had a blast. I didn't think I was going to be able to get the keys away from her.

Her only complaint was that the clutch was a lot stiffer than her car (Mitsubishi Eclipse). She's only 5' 3" and I noticed that her left leg is fully extended when the clutch is engaged, even with the seat moved all the way forward.

Revfan

Any pics of her behind the wheel?

I just love it when its a team effort/family affair!

Cheers!

midyearvette

it's really bad to use the drivers seat all the way forward in a c2
it changes the angle of the johnson rod for the crossmember which in turn can damage the transmission because of improper torque load...
if a pillow is used on the seat back to help with the clutch, it changes the smortagray load on the seat belt bolts and could lead to tragic consequences!

at least that's what my wifey has been told!.....

narlee

Oh, Oh, you might not get to drive again.

StingU2

RatDog...

Sounds like she had fun driving the '67. But, did she hit anything while driving? Oh that right, you wouldn't be able to see if see did, you just had cataract surgery.

Wishing you a fast recovery with good vision.

Bruce

capevettes

Now she will want to drive it all the time

At least you got to go for a drive. Best of luck with your recovery

36couper

I had cataract surgery 14 years ago (I was young!). At that time there were no driving restrictions. I let my wife drive me home from the hospital but other than that, I was free to drive. Now my eyesight is still virtually perfect!
Not so sure I'd like my wife drive my '63. It scary enough to ride with her when she is driving our Cad SRX!!

RatDog

It's more of my own self-imposed restriction. The surgeries didn't go quite as expected. I paid an extra $5K (not covered by insurance) for multi-focal lens implants. 85% of people who get these lenses don't ever have to wear glasses again. Didn't work for me. But they can't fit me for glasses until I'm done with all of my post-op stuff (3 RX eyedrops 4 times a day). That will be the middle of next month. Hopefully, glasses will fix everything.

In the meantime, you wouldn't want to be on the road with me right now if I were driving. I can see the road and the cars but it's all blurry. I can't read street signs at all. I certianly don't want to drive a 45-year old collector car with these eyes. And my driver license has a restriction on the back saying I have to wear glasses at all times when driving which might be tough to explain if I get stopped or I'm in an accident. Can't wear my old glasses. They make the situation worse.

So, my wife is my chauffeur for now. She's a good driver did good driving the Corvette today. She did miss a 2nd to 3rd shift but who hasn't done that?

Kerrmudgeon

Ya, but did she try parallel parking it?

RatDog

Heck, I don't even do that .

Frankie the Fink

Heck, if your wife gets tired of driving you around in the vette I can certainly run over there and do it. Just the kind of guy I am!

Your eyes are still too blurry to see the speedometer from the passenger's seat ? Right ?

Seriously - that sucks about the lens implants. You're doing the right thing taking it easy and letting things work out.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery !

dahogan

Thanks for the info Frank. I will need this when my teenage daughter gets her license this spring. Maybe JohnZ will come on board and post some pics. Is this forum great or what!

RatDog

Heck, Frank, from the passenger seat, I can't even read the "Corvette Sting Ray" logo badge on the glove box. I can't even see the computer screen without increasing the screen setting to 200%. So you can drive as fast as you want .

But the deal is, once my eyes recover or I get glasses, I get to drive your car (either one, makes no difference). Oh yes, my wife will want to drive it, too <LOL>.

darrahc

I was a little nervous the first time I let my girlfriend (of 6 years) drive my car because it certainly handles a little differently than anything she was used to driving but she LOVED it.

One day over the summer I had to take my 3 kids back to their mother's house and my 14 year old daughter wanted my girlfriend to drive her in Corvette. I said sure and it was really cool seeing my car on the road from a different perspective and hearing it when they went by. It was funny all the looks the two girls were getting from just about every single guy on the road! When we came to a stop light I pulled up next to them and said to my boys "Hey, check out the two hot chicks in the convertible!" and in all seriousness they said "Where?"

Frankie the Fink

That's a deal Steve.

Kinda feel your pain. I am not a candidate for LASIK so my hope was that when I finally need cataract surgery they could do corrective lenses at that time. Worn glasses since I was 6 years old and hated every minute of it.

Get better soonest pal!

BTW - you have to train those gals on that 2-3 shift from a young age. I'm already coaching my grand daughter on proper technique !

RatDog

My wife was surprised at how easy the Corvette was to drive. She didn't have to muscle it around much because the car has PS, PB, and I've swapped the original steering wheel for a smaller diameter wheel. Her biggest problem was getting into reverse. She did it, several times, but it was hard for her to pull up on the T-bar while pushing the stick forward. A weaker spring in the T-bar would have solved the problem, I think.

RatDog

When the time comes, go for the cataract surgery and spend the extra money for the upgraded multi-focal lenses. Most people (85%)don't have to wear glasses ever again with those. I've worn glasses since the 5th grade and was hoping to not have to wear them. So I took a chance on them. But it looks like I'm among the 15% who still have to wear glasses.

If you're wondering about the procedure, there is no pain at all. Takes 10 minutes and they give you an IV with a "twilight drug". I've had much worse experiences in the dentist's chair.

BTW, nice looking family members sitting there in the car with you.

Kerrmudgeon

Let her try it underhand, it's easier that way.

ChattanoogaJSB

I'm glad it went well, Steve! My wife can't drive a stick shift, I'm all the time trying to convince her to learn. I guess her dad was pretty hard on her during a session as a kid. That's on the C6. I can tell you with a C2, I'd have a hard time letting her out alone in one, she needs all the electronic help she can get, a car is simply not applied physics to her but rather a transportation appliance she expect to be capable of...almost...anything.