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Back in 1962 when I was about 14 years old I went to one of the local Chevrolet dealerships with my dad to buy an new 1962 Impala Super Sport. There it was a roman Red 1962 fuel injected Corvette. I asked the salesman if I could have a sales brochure and he said "Sure Kid" and handed me the brochure, I still have that brochure.
After returning home after active duty in 1968 I bought my first Corvette, a red 1964 365HP convertible. After that I have been fortunate enough to own twenty some corvettes of every generation except a C-1 and C-4.
In the 1970's I went SCCA production road racing with a very competitive C-2 big block A-Production Corvette I built. I had the honor to race with Paul Newman and Dick Thompson on a couple of occasions. I even met Zora at a Corvette event in Dallas in 1972. Then along came wifey and kiddo so that was the end of my racing days, gone but not forgotten.
Currently I have a 2007 Z-51 NCM Delivery black coupe which has been heavily modded. currently I have my eye on a 2015 Black Z-07 which may or may not be my last one, not ruling out a C-2 big block vert. Ever since that red 1962 I saw in the showroom I was hooked on Corvette, you will never see me in anything but a Corvette.
Just about to hit 63. Loved Route 66. They filmed an episode in Corpus and I got to watch some of the filming. I remember being disappointed to see the Corvette being pulled along behind a flat bed truck with a camera crew filming.
Anyway, I was washing my dad's new 1964 Impala SS convertible when one of his buddies came by in a new Sting Ray and he and my dad left me in the driveway with a wash bucket and a yearning for a Corvette.
Finally got it last April, 2011 Cyber Gray GS 3lt A6. Had a 440 Cuda and 455 HO Trans Am among other stuff, but the Vette is what I dreamed of.
Wife and I and some friends are headed out on the Power Tour later this year.
Luster, your GS is one badass looking car. I don’t say that often but is one I’d buy if I saw it first. Its definitely a keeper.
Thanks again everyone for your stories. If you know an “OldTimer” with a corvette encourage them to write on this thread, its certainly a trip down memory lane.
I'm 54 and just purchased my 4th Corvette back in Sep 14. I always had a love for Vettes. During my teens years the C3 was the bomb. Gorgeous cars. I told myself I would own one someday. Well as most you know, life happens and finally at 49 bought a 1999 TR MN6 coupe. Awesome car. After about 18 months found '06 AW A6 coupe. Then traded that one for a 2012 Silver 4LT coupe. Then at 53 purchased my now 2012 CRM 1LT A6 NPP coupe. Love the car! Looks amazing and handles very well.
The Lord has blessed me with an awesome military and civilian career and the best lady and children one could ask for.
73, soon to be 74. Current VY C6 is my 8th or 9th Corvette starting with a 1954 back in 1957.
The C6 is a manual with Magnaflow exhaust. No other mods. I am a semi-retired sales exec and business owner but grew up fixing and racing cars. Now I just enjoy a nice car.
Just turned 60, bought my first Corvette back in 1973, a 64 coupe. The body work and paint had just been done....flared fenders and a ZL1 hood scoop. The interior was somewhat lacking, trying to be politically correct, it was crap. The engine had been swapped for a 350 out of a 71 Chevelle. I loved that car. Swapped out the Q-jet for an Edelbrock aluminum high rise and Holley. Ran down the original distributor and rebuilt it so I'd have the Tach workiing again. Then had the complete interior done. This is the car I had when the wife and I got married. Soon there after we had #1 daughter and I was working oildfield, the Corvette just wasn't practical. Had it for a little over two years and sold it to buy a 4 wheel drive pickup. The day I sold it, standing there in front of the house with my wife, watching it drive away, I told my wife, "Someday I'm going to have another Corvette."
I plotted and planned over the years on how I was going to acquire another one. Always scanning the want ads. Talking to people that had them. But with three girls and a job that doesn't pay all that great (teachers don't get paid that great, but that was my choice), I continued to plan. My second year of teaching I got wind a 64 roadster that was sitting in a garage. It had been wrecked is all I knew.
Went to see it with my wife and a teacher colleague and his wife. When the guy threw the tarp off there it sat, no body from the back of the doors back. The guy kept saying it wasn't for sale, but the more he talked about the car and how it got wrecked, the redder his head got and I finally asked him what he'd take for it, "$1400 is what they offered me after it was wrecked". Would you take $1400 for it?" To get it out of my garage I'd take $1400". Reaching back to my wife "Give me the checkbook." She says I'm not giving you the checkbook for you to spend $1400 on that piece of junk. I can see the gas tank."
"Dear, this numbers matching car can be fixed and it would be worth way more than we'd have in it." (She and the other couple considered dropping me off at the 'nut house' on the way home.) I left telling the guy, "let me do some checking how much it will cost to fix, and I will get back to you." I went to a salvage yard where I knew they had several mid-year Corvettes and asked about a rear section, they asked me about the car I bought and after hearing what it was offered me $5500 to just go get it and drop it off there. At that point my wife said "I guess you were right. You can buy the car." So I call the guy (two weeks had transpired), and he tells me "I've decided to keep the car and I'll fix it myself." This episode just cemented my belief that I would again have a Corvette.
I worked extra jobs, started doing cabinetry and furnituremaking on the side to make extra money, stuffing it away in the Corvette fund. Very much like the guy in that "Corvette Heaven" video. And just like the video, things would pop up that would take my stash of cash. Braces, prom dresses, weddings other things in life that we face. Then, I dreamed of the day that our house would be paid off so we would have the expendable cash to buy one. But twice, we had to refinance the house to fund other things.
Once we had two of the three girls married off and the third one engaged, I decided it was time for 'me'. My wife and #3 planned the wedding, I shopped for a Corvette. First thinking I wanted another mid year, but they were already out of reach for my budget. Then thinking of a 70's C3, I just couldn't get into the late 70's cars and realized I could afford a C4. I shopped and shopped, the first one I looked at was a 94 ZR1. I didn't even realize what a ZR1 really was, but I sure liked that car. In early August 2004 #3 got married on a Friday evening ceremony. On the next Tuesday, I bought my 94 Z07 coupe. Things had come full circle. It was just the wife and I and we had another Corvette. We took that car on several trips. After almost five years and 35,000 miles, I started itching for a different one. So in 2009 I moved to a C5. What a change from the C4. The C5 was a great car. More trips all over the central US and one trip to California to visit relatives. Almost 4000 mile on that trip alone.
This past summer I started hankering for a C6. I looked and test drove several and settled on the AO 007 that I have now. The wife and I love taking trips in the Corvette.
Just turned 60 last month. On my 9th Vette. Fell in love with the cars when I was very young...I guess the days of Rt. 66. Bought my first one in 1980, a '73 coupe. Beautiful car, not very fast, but got lots of looks. Then my gf at the time and I bought a brand new '81. Had lots of trouble with it. Still had the '73, so she drove hers, I drove mine. Traded the 81 for an '82. Loved that car, but had trouble with it too. Sold it. Then sold the '73. Finally married the gf, had kids. Bought the '82 back (same car we bought new). Tranny went out 3 days later. Had it repaired and then 8 months later, insurance company cancelled insurance (they were not going to insure Vettes any longer). About 2 yrs later, bought a used '80 L82 auto. Kept it about a year, then sold it. Went without for several years, then got the itch again. Bought a '90 vert. Beautiful car but hated it. Hard to get in and out of, noisy, not fast at all. Sold it and bought an '01 coupe. Drove it about a yr then sold it. Bought an 05 coupe. Loved that car. Precision Red auto. Got the itch for a Z06 so I traded the 05 for the 06 Z06 I have now. This all started when I was 25 yrs old. So almost 30 yrs of Corvette ownership.
This is a great thread; love the pics and stories.
I'm 56, and my first Corvette was a C3 Matchbox series car. Paid for it with one paycheck from my paper route It was gold, and I painted a red and black stripe down the top of it because at the time, I thought that was really cool.
Actually, I still have that car. That in itself is pretty amazing.
It wasn't until 13 years ago I bought my '86, and still have it today. I've had lots of sports car wheels in my hands, this car is the best bang for the buck I could imagine (unless someone wants to give me one!). I plan to drive it till the good Lord calls me home, and I hope there are Vettes in heaven!
I also had a stroke. It was early last year en February. I never thought I would ever drive it again. I thought I would just have one of my sons drive me around, or maybe my friend that owns one too.
I was down in the dumps to say the least, I considered selling the car.
Now, through lot of therapy, exercise, I can start to driving it. I may need to drive it one handed, but it's no less fun. I took it out yesterday and had a blast!
Now with new treatments I am about to start, I am confident that I will get some movement out of my right arm.
I hope to get it back on the racetrack one more time.
Russ
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
When I was 13 years old, the owner of the neighborhood butcher shop purchased a new Venetian Red and Adobe Beige ’56 Corvette.
From then on I was hooked on Corvettes. School, military service, career, marriage, family and the kid’s college tuition became priorities over Vette ownership. In 2005, a couple of years after retirement I purchased my first Corvette, a ’01 Magnetic Red coupe.
Became involved with a couple of Corvette clubs and we started doing day trips, vacation trips and other Corvette related events. In 2012, I replaced the ’01 with my current Corvette, a ’13 Torch Red GS coupe.
I fulfilled my dream of owning a Corvette and formed many friendships along the way. We did the Corvette Caravan this past summer and God willing I expect to do the Caravan in 2019.
I also had a stroke. It was early last year en February. I never thought I would ever drive it again. I thought I would just have one of my sons drive me around, or maybe my friend that owns one too.
I was down in the dumps to say the least, I considered selling the car.
Now, through lot of therapy, exercise, I can start to driving it. I may need to drive it one handed, but it's no less fun. I took it out yesterday and had a blast!
Now with new treatments I am about to start, I am confident that I will get some movement out of my right arm.
I hope to get it back on the racetrack one more time.
Russ
My stroke left my right side paralyzed, after months of therapy everything worked but my right arm as well. I was given treatments with a device that electronically stimulated my arm, especially my hand (fingers wouldn’t move). I was told within 6 months I should start regaining some of my movement. Long story short my arm and hand came around within a month. Within 6 months I had flown to Texas picked up a 2008 C6 vert and drove it back to N. Dakota. So…I have complete confidence your arm will be as good as new within a short period of time if you put in the work. Good luck
I am 62 and was a happy Harley rider. Then in 2007 a lady in a jeep ended my riding days, so in 2008 I bought my first Vette an 88 Coupe I enjoyed it but family pressures convinced me to sell it. But I had the urge. I was retiring in June 2012 and had the urge for another Vette. Since the wife had a family car I started looking and found a 96 LT4 and bought it. We joined the local Corvette club and went to car shows having a blast. In Nov 2014 we traded the 96 for the 08 coupe we have now we are out every weekend just cruising around enjoying back roads and the scenery
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
St. Jude donor in memory of jpee '14
I will be turning 65 this year; I may look old but inside isthe same 13 year old who fell in love with the 63-split window. During myteen-age years I raced Mopars with a couple of friends of mine and then camemarriage and children. The Mopars went into the garage and were sold as thechildren went to college. Fox bodiedMustangs and finally a Cobra replaced the Mopars but I still wanted a Corvette.After the children were finished with school and I finally saved up enoughmoney to purchase a new Corvette and inDecember of 2004 I placed an order for a LMB 2005 C6.
My 05 Corvette hasbeen everything I expected. It was 41 years in the making but I have enjoyed myCorvette to the fullest, it has made trips from Jersey to Florida and backsince 2005 and has over 150 passes down the quarter mile with a best elapsedtime of 11.17@ almost 125 mph. Where else can you purchase a car that goes likehell and gets outrageous gasoline mileage.
As my 2005 aged I began to save for the C7. At first I wasnot that impressed with the design but my wife and I decided we neededsomething new so last January we ordered a NRB C7. I was having anxiety painsand could bear to sell my first Corvette so now we have two. I consider myselfvery fortunate to have been able to live my boy hood dream of owning a Corvette,let alone am lucky enough to have two.
I will be turning 65 this year; I may look old but inside isthe same 13 year old who fell in love with the 63-split window. During myteen-age years I raced Mopars with a couple of friends of mine and then camemarriage and children. The Mopars went into the garage and were sold as thechildren went to college. Fox bodiedMustangs and finally a Cobra replaced the Mopars but I still wanted a Corvette.After the children were finished with school and I finally saved up enoughmoney to purchase a new Corvette and inDecember of 2004 I placed an order for a LMB 2005 C6.
My 05 Corvette hasbeen everything I expected. It was 41 years in the making but I have enjoyed myCorvette to the fullest, it has made trips from Jersey to Florida and backsince 2005 and has over 150 passes down the quarter mile with a best elapsedtime of 11.17@ almost 125 mph. Where else can you purchase a car that goes likehell and gets outrageous gasoline mileage.
As my 2005 aged I began to save for the C7. At first I wasnot that impressed with the design but my wife and I decided we neededsomething new so last January we ordered a NRB C7. I was having anxiety painsand could bear to sell my first Corvette so now we have two. I consider myselfvery fortunate to have been able to live my boy hood dream of owning a Corvette,let alone am lucky enough to have two.
i don't see a front plate on either vehicle. shame on you.
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
St. Jude donor in memory of jpee '14
Originally Posted by billyboy47
i don't see a front plate on either vehicle. shame on you.
If you look closely you will see the license plate on the passenger side visor of the 2005. The visor on the 2014 is too small..... so YUP guilty as charged
I challenge all you old timers to make a $100.00 donation to the St. Jude Foundation. I made mine last week. Get in touch with moderator “Pewter" and he will tell you how to go about it, basically just mail him a check. Let him know your making the donation for the "vette old timers". Its a worthy cause and you will get a St. Jude 15 notation on your avatar.Thanks again for all the stories. I love reading them and seeing the pics, I hope more will join us both with stories and a donation.
02-02-2015, 10:12 AM
It was gold, and I painted a red and black stripe down the top of it because at the time, I thought that was really cool. 
