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Had my first Vette after serving 4 years in USMC a 57 green and white, got recalled in 63 because of the buildup for VM, sold it. Came home from war and bought a 63 split window thinking I was done, surprise, was redeployed in 68 just in time for TET. Decide if I never bought another Vette I would be safe. Got married had kids and a career, retired from DOD in 94, wife passed away in 96. Got the itch in 98 and bought a 94 Maroon convertible, developed cancer from exposure to Agent Orange and was given 6-8 to get life in order. Surprise, new drugs and good doctors.In 2013 flew down to Atlanta to visit daughter and her husband brought home a Torch Red 2011 Coupe from his Toyota dealership that had come in a trade. Took a short ride, went back to house and got checkbook and haven't stopped writing checks. Love this car, feel like I'm 50 again.
Awesome! Best story yet, and thanks for your service!!!
Had my first Vette after serving 4 years in USMC a 57 green and white, got recalled in 63 because of the buildup for VM, sold it. Came home from war and bought a 63 split window thinking I was done, surprise, was redeployed in 68 just in time for TET. Decide if I never bought another Vette I would be safe. Got married had kids and a career, retired from DOD in 94, wife passed away in 96. Got the itch in 98 and bought a 94 Maroon convertible, developed cancer from exposure to Agent Orange and was given 6-8 to get life in order. Surprise, new drugs and good doctors. In 2013 flew down to Atlanta to visit daughter and her husband brought home a Torch Red 2011 Coupe from his Toyota dealership that had come in a trade. Took a short ride, went back to house and got checkbook and haven't stopped writing checks. Love this car, feel like I'm 50 again.
Short version, I'm 65 and always wanted one since the old Stingray ads on Bonanza. I came close a few times (once a 1958? fuel injected C1 for 15K) but lacked the funds in the early 70's.
Anyway the wife pushed me to buy a C6 about a year ago saying that we only live once. She was right and named the Car "The Lady" since the 08 CRM vert looks so elegant. We enjoy the car at least once a week and to us each drive is like a little vacation. Best toy I ever bought.
I bought my first Corvette, a '58 fuelie, in 1960 at age 19. The $1600 selling price got me a car that had never been driven on the street, strictly raced on local tracks and showed it. The bones were good and the RPO 684 suspension, steering, finned brake drums & 283c.i. 290h.p. were what I was looking for (only 144 were built). Two years, new paint/interior and engine produced a beauty. I sold it in 1966 prior to departing for my first tour in Vietnam.
When I returned to the states I bought a 1968 L71 427c.i. 435h.p. coupe from Harry Mann Chevrolet in Los Angeles. It was great fun, but trying to get all that power to the pavement was a full time undertaking. I was reassigned in 1970 to Pensacola, FL, and realized that a car without air conditioning wasn't going to work in the FL panhandle so I sold it.
Fast-forward 35 years; I've married, raised a family, sent both kids through college, retired from a second career & at age 65 bought my current '06 C6 Z51 3LT coupe new from Cormier Chevrolet in Los Angeles. Turning 74 next month and having driven fine Corvettes for over 55 years, all I can say is, "life's been good!"
I fit the old timer description in two ways:
I bot my first vette at 20, a '64 365/4spd vert in 1966 so I am an old timer at owning vettes.
I bot my present vette at 68, an '11 GS vert in 2013 so I am old timer owning a vette.
And there were several vettes in between...a '59, 61, a couple more '64s, '65, '89, and '05.
I'll be 68 this June. I always told the wife I'd have a Vette before I turned 40 but really never expected to as something always seemed to come up to take our money. When our daughter turned 16 I finally managed to buy a 79 and enjoyed it for a couple of years before selling it to buy the wife a new car to drive to her job. I went to "economy" and "other" more affordable cars for the next 20 years until I was driving home from the golf course one afternoon passing the local Hyundai Dealer. In the front way out on the end was a really sharp Black Corvette. On a whim I went in and asked how much (I went to school with the owner of the dealership), and the next day I bought it. An 04 Coupe, Auto that makes me smile every time I go out to the garage.
You guys are so cool. I spent some time in Nam myself. I sold my 70 429 cobra jet Torino before I went over, though if I made it back I’d by something cool again, but same story as most, got married, had kids etc.etc. I once told a “friend”of mine I’d have a vette someday. I was sitting in a bar that we played softball for one friday night after a game. This “friend" came in and said I’ve got your vette outside wanna see it? I got up along with the rest of the ballplayers to see “my” vette. In one of the parking spots was a silver coupe…….toy car vette. He busted out laughing and said thats the only vette you’ll ever have. Well the last laugh is on him, I’ve had 5 vettes since 2008. He won’t even talk to me anymore, thats just fine by me. Keep the stories coming fellas, hell if your in your 50’s you qualify for this thread, so lets hear it. I feel I’m getting to know some of you through your stories. If you have any after thoughts let em fly, what the hell, why not.
Then a year later, when I was 59, my wife saw a brand new 2010 GS Vert on a car hauler at Bloomington Gold.
She drug me over there and pointed up and said... "That's the one I want!" How can you argue with that? A month later I was driving this. (I'll be 65 next month)
I bought my first Vette in 1967, I was 18. It was a red 60' with both tops. After the motor blew, I rebuilt a monster 327 and dropped it in. I ran that car at the track and on the road. It was just barely legal for the road. I then bought a 62,63 SWC, and a 66'. I left them mostly stock. I soled the 66' in 1973 because of the gas crisis we were having. Using that Vette as a DD just wasn't economical at the time and I wasn't making a boatload of money to support it. Just the predicament I was in. But, 34 yrs later and no great overhead with nobody depending on me to support them and a supporting wife..... I bought a brand new 07' C6, with all the bells and whistles. Finally,after all those years, I got my dream Vette back. Some things are definitely worth waiting for and I'm glad that I'm around to enjoy it at 65.
You guys are so cool. I spent some time in Nam myself. I sold my...
Don't know about cool, but a lot of us were in the same situation. I sold my '58 Impala when I shipped out and left my wife and '64 vert behind...damn, I missed the car!
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
Originally Posted by garye
If you have any after thoughts.....
As a matter of fact I do...and great thread, by the way...
Back in the late 70's when I lived in Ohio, I spotted this powder blue C3 with a dark blue interior that I thought was the most beautiful Corvette I'd ever seen. The owner allowed me to test drive it a couple of days but being a teacher back in those days, I could not quite swing it financially. But that didn't keep me from going down to the Chevy dealer and looking at and test driving other new Vettes on the dealer lot. This was in Mt. Vernon.
When we'd go down to Columbus, I'd occasionally stop by the Chevy place and gaze at the Vettes in stock there. One place had the black and silver Indy 500 version with the silver interior, again one of the best looking Vettes I'd ever seen.
So yeah, Im a long-time Corvette enthusiast whose dream finally came true with a Torch Red C5 I was finally able to buy in 2004 and continues today with my '06 Victory Red coupe downstairs in my garage.
At 68 years of age I have spent 50 years behind the wheel of one Corvette or another. I wanted to own a Corvette after seeing the promotional "kid's Corvette" in a dealership showroom when I was around 10 years old.
My first was a '62 340 hp hot rod that I purchased after selling my first car, a 348 ci Chev Belair. That was followed by a '65 Corvette convertible that I purchased from a friend when I returned from Vietnam in '67. The next Corvette is my '66 coupe that was purchased in the fall of '68. This car I've liked so much that I've hung onto it ever since (it is the car pictured to the left). We added a '79 Corvette coupe to the garage along the way followed by an '01 coupe we purchased for my wife. That Corvette was followed by an '08 coupe that we drove for five years and then traded for her current 427 convertible.
great stories, I'm 70, first one was a new 77, wife drove it mostly, I worked a lot. then life got in the way. Retired at 62, decided to do something for me, bout time. anyway got the 2005, Z51 LMB automatic . But I still wanted a manual, so why wait or just hope, don't want anymore wish I had, so I got my GS,
I love the way it feels when I wear it.
I am 58 years young, I bought my first corvette at 18, 1967 427 coupe (yeah I wish I still had that one) owned it for 20 years.
2nd vette was a 79 while I still had the 67, didn't keep the 79 long.
3rd vette was a 59, sold it to a neighbor (don't ever sell a car you love to a neighbor, every time he drives by it drives me crazy)
4th vette and still have is a 71 LT-1 convertible (pictured below)
5th vette and still have is a 05 Z51 6 speed convertible (pictured below)
and our 62 red fuelie, (also pictured below) it's been in my wifes (Kara) family sense 1969, we purchased the 62 a couple years ago from Kara's father. It was sitting in a barn for over 20 years.
I guess you could say I love Corvettes
Don't know about cool, but a lot of us were in the same situation. I sold my '58 Impala when I shipped out and left my wife and '64 vert behind...damn, I missed the car!
the 58 was my favorite year, even more so than the 57 that a lot of guys like. to me the 58 had better lines to it. jmo
Les, that's the first time I've seen that pic of you and your wife---excellent picture! Glad it made it to a magazine cover. These are all great stories to read about. It just about covers the history of Corvettes. What a great thread.
I'm 65, I bought my first Corvette 1974 (C3) in November 1973, i was 24 and single at the time. It was a Sunshine Yellow Coupe Auto. I got married in December 1974. I then bought a 1976 Vette in November 1975. It was a Green Coupe with a green leather interior. I had multiple mechanical problems with that one. However, I kept it until my son was about 6 months old in June 1977. On day when i was waxing it, my wife then informed me that the "Three of us cannot ride in your Car." She was dead serious when she said the Vette has to go. I sold the Vette and bought a 1978 Cadillac Seville.
While my son was growing up I always told him that he "owed" me a Vette. When he graduated from medical school in 2004 he said to me, "Dad, I'll be able to buy you that Vette soon. I told him not to worry I can buy my own now.
So in 2007, I bought my beautiful 2007 Black Vert with the beige top with two-tone ebony and cashmere seats and interior. It was an M6 Z51 with all options.
01-31-2015, 12:37 PM
