woodsdesign

For me I always think back to my first Corvette, a 300 HP 69 Vert. I would take it everywhere. No problem throwing the clubs in and going to golf. Or to a party etc. I miss that. That is why I also have been cruising the C7 for sale section. My plan has always been to go to the late model when I retire (2 years). My car is running and looking good so now I'm not so sure. But I'm thinking about it.

MrPbody

It would seem logical that the older the car, the smaller the market for those wanting to re-live a memory, own an icon, or whatever. but I'm always amazed at the number of times that I've overheard a very young kid, often as young as 8-10 years old, exclaim to the parent "look dad, a Corvette". they know exactly what it is, and that it's special. Second generation is often quickly recognized also, but the first gen is ALWAYS known.
My best friend in high school had a black on black SWC that I have many great memories from also, but the 62 remained my dream regardless. Only you know which one you really want to keep Frankie. follow the force.

Russ

Frankie the Fink

Funny, I had a young black middle school boy point to my approaching '61 at a good distance (50' or so) and yell to his buddies -- "look at that old Corvette!" and another time an old man (same car) ask me, "what year is your Thunderbird?"

Look at nearly any list of the top 25 most beautiful cars ever built, at any time, in any country and the split window will almost surely be on there. I think that car is a trans-generational, soul-stirring, timeless piece of rolling art.

The '61 (and most C1s) are primitive testimonies to how much folks would put up with to drive an American sports car - the Buck Rogers dashboards, buckboard ride, school bus steering wheel, etc.. are curiosities but I don't think they have the same 'pull' in the long run.

My C1 may go at some point and I'll miss it like the dickens but some other lucky owner will get one hell of a car

6850mike

I appreciate all of what you are saying and have had discussions like this with people wondering where the hobby will go for these cars over the next 10yrs or so. Other the Deluxe Supreme who is the exception to the hobby for the older cars I feel at 54 I am young for the hobby. All my car friends when it comes to the Corvettes are 20plus years older than me. Since I did not grow up with these 50's -60's models I so enjoy hearing the stories of what you all did with these back in the day.

I know you all have seen my wanted 67 Black coupe ad and I have taken heat for it and the variations on how I have listed it at times but I am still very interested in these cars and am looking for "that one specific car" as many of you have experienced that just makes your heart race and buts a big smile on your face every time you just look at it.

Let's face it for the majority of you these cars were never about the investment aspect, it was something that you felt about these cars that made you want to own them. It is a shame to see many of these cars now being sold off to dealers who care nothing about how you cared for your pride possessions but are just looking at flipping these for a buck. All that history etc... disappears and that is a shame.

So I want to thank you all for making this a great hobby and making the Corvette a premier car over all these years. If by chance any of you have a black in color one that I can continue the legacy of with it please reach out to me.

Mike

Frankie the Fink

I think if the older cars continue on outside of museums for people that want to drive them it'll be the restomods; Mike Coletta, Mark Napoli, John McGraw level cars with LS-3/7/X motors, "rides-like-its-on-rails" frames by Corvette Corrections and others, flawless bodies and chrome, A/C, cruise and killer sound systems.

You can have a car that gets all the attention of the pasta rockets, rides/drives like a modern car and still has the panache of the early body styles. And it'll cost you a fraction of what a true 'supercar' would set you back!

biggd

I had thoughts of selling this summer because I just didn't have time to drive the car. I've had it out 3 times all summer long. But I built it from a basket case over the past 6 years and it's like a part of me now. I bought a lake house and a boat so that's taken up most of the good weekends. The inspection sticker expired in June and I haven't even had time to get that.

Nicola

It has become standard practice now for my 3 year old grandson to "drive" my 66.
He is right into the Disney "Cars" movie.
From a age 2 he was able to recognize the 66 was a special car and it belonged to "Nonno"
Which is the Italian term for "grandpa". He wanted in the car at age 2 and I would not allow it.
But now I have changed...I put a towel down and let him drive to his heart's content.
He has named the car "king"
It's funny though as he looks back and says he has to go faster because the police are catching up to him. LOL
Maybe one day he will be the custodian of the 66.
With more grand kids to follow that could be a problem though.
So I have since changed my mind about selling her...long live the "king"
Keep your favourite and drive the wheels off of it.
Cheers
Nic

dcaggiani

The RestoMods will keep the hobby going !!!!
I am 46 and own a Mike Coletta 1964 RestoMod. Last week I asked my 15 year old son if I should sell it and get a modern supercar - his response: "Are you crazy? No way, this is a classic that you don't see everyday"

The youth has spoken !!!

ChattanoogaJSB

At 35, all I can say is that the market for them doesn't matter. The car is MY icon and I've got an uncle at 77 who just built a stock shift 41 chevy hot rod. He's going strong. I cannot envision anything but my terminal illness or a financial disaster causing me to sell. The thought of losing interest after being utterly consumed my these cars most particularly my whole life to this point is pretty far fetched. Or so it seems at my age.

Revfan

Chat...

Bah humbug!
You are going to be sellin' too when you hit your mid 70s!

Until then, you got 40 years to enjoy your car so you better get busy!

(tongue was planted firmly in cheek!)

narlee

At this stage there is no thought of selling any of my cars. It's a little tougher wrenching now than it used to be but that's OK. I've had Narlee over 40 years and hope to enjoy it many, many more. Family, friends, and cars are what makes me tick and life without any of those things would just be less. Oh, I forgot ........bacon and coffee.

tuxnharley

Glad to see there are some on here whose thinking parallels my own.

Like the line from the George Jones song:

" I ain't ready for the junk yard yet
Cuz I still feel like a new Corvette!"





The video is just for FTF's enjoyment

GTOguy

Nic, that's great news, and you are doing the right thing. As an infant, I was fascinated by cars. By two, I could ID special cars, and at 3, insisted that my dad put a racing exhaust pipe on my Murray Fireball pedal car. And nobody in the family was into cars. Our family had a Peugeot 403 and a Renault Dauphine. Luckily, the neighbor had a '62 XKE, which he would give me rides in (Can still hear that wonderful exhaust!), and my dad had a few friends with what I could tell were special cars ('58 Packard Hawk, '61 Chrysler 300F ragtop, Lincoln Continental, etc.) There was a guy down the street who had a Model A, and I would chase it on foot at night as a 4 or 5 year old, fascinated my the single glass tail light. When the '66 Impala's came out, I was disappointed that they 'ruined' the tail lights....and I was 5 years old! 30 years later, a woman and her small boy were walking by my place of work and the boy ran to my parked '37 Chrysler coupe and started jumping up and down and screaming. The woman apologized to me, but I simply opened up the door and told the kid to climb in. The kid was ecstatic. He was jumping around, grabbing the big banjo steering wheel, grabbing the shifter, and working the cowl vent. He was maybe 4 years old. I looked at the woman and said "your son is hopeless. I know. I was exactly the same." What I'm getting at is that some of us have old cars in our blood, and instinctively know what a true classic is. You are very fortunate and blessed to have a grandchild that is gifted......and you should nurture it. I love it when kids ask about my cars, and try to educate them as much as I can. Very rare these days. Anyway, I hope you keep the car!
Jeff

Vetterway

Hey Revette, lose the Harleys - keep the Vettes. You don't need no stinkin Harleys!

Vetterway

tuxnharley

Left nut vs right nut................., 'tho in my case I've had the vette longer and the HD will go first - when my reaction time diminishes significantly.

waltonb123

I sold my 60 last month to buy a boat because we moved onto the water and built a dock and boat house. Although I only put 2000 miles on the Vette in 4 years, I find that I really miss it. Every time I go into my garage and see the empty lift I have a sinking feeling. I'm enjoying the boat with my wife and she never liked to ride in the Vette so I guess that's a good thing.
I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to get another Corvette but if I could swing it I would buy one in a nano second. My advice to anyone thinking about selling just because you think it may be time, think long and hard before you do it.
Bob

biggd

I sounds exactly like what I'm going through though I haven't sold the Vette yet, but it has crossed my mind more than a few times.

Frankie the Fink

Trust me - the boat thing will get old too; especially if you aren't an avid fisherman. Here is a typical boat scenario at my house (on the water with boat lift and boathouse):

1) Friends/relatives call and will be over on Saturday
2) I spend 2-1/2 hours cleaning the boat, removing the cover, gassing it up and doing a safety checkout, inflating the tow toys.
3) Company shows up and we go out for an hour; they get hot/tired/hungry, see an alligator and get scared and want to come in to shore.
4) No more boating the rest of the day....I'm cooking on the grill.
5) Company leaves late Saturday night.
6) Sunday I spend 2-1/2 hours cleaning the boat, replacing the cover, securing it in the lift, deflating and storing the tow toys.

biggd

The boating might get old but sitting out on the dock on a nice hot sunny day with a cocktail in hand never does. Up here in the Northeast we never get enough of them.

GTOguy

Man, Frankie, you nailed it. I haven't had a boat in 20 years, for good reason. Motorhomes are the same way. They are an 'attractive nuisance' for drawing guests, and require much maintenance. And they tend to depreciate like rocks compared to classic cars. Not all of them, but most. I sold a cherry '66 GTO to my boss in 1991 for $6500, which was good money at the time. He sold it for $6000 about 2 years later in a hurry to buy a new PC with about 32 megs....I think it was a 386? It was a few grand. I wonder which would be of more value today? Anyway, glad Nic is holding onto his 'Vette because his grandkid is a a gearhead!