It started when we picked up our Nassau Blue 1999 Corvette on March 5, 1999. We had ordered the C5 about a year earlier and with the allotment numbers to Dealers we had to wait, which seemed like an eternity.
While we waited for the C5 I drove our White1962 Corvette to do errands and shopping. I also visited my dealer often to update them with any information that I picked up off of the Web and obtain the status on our order. All in all it wasn’t too bad of a wait with the enjoyable driving of the `62. It did feel good although it did get a bit chilly in the winter.
Now to the bad feelings that arose after the C5 did arrive. I was out in it all the time breaking it in gently. I polished it the first week twice and washed it two to three times a week. Nancy also wanted to drive it or just go for drives. The kilometers were put on rather quickly during the break-in period and on a trip down to Memphis, Nashville, and to the Plant and Museum in Bowling Green in April for the NCRS Regional.
After the trip I spent a lot of time in the garage with the C5 working on an antenna system for a CB. It was then that I started to get careless and put things on top of the `62. That’s when the relationship got really strained.
In September 2002 we took delivery of our 2003 Anniversary Edition Convertible and the `62 was really being neglected.
On Saturday October 1st the sun was shining, the temperature was about 75 F, and we wanted to go for a drive. I backed out the C5 out of the garage and started to feel guilty. REAL GUILTY!! So I parked the C5, uncovered the `62, put the top down, connected the battery, and tried to start it. The `62 cranked over but didn’t start. I decided to wait a minute or two to try it again. While waiting there in the drivers seat I felt good, and a feeling of affection for the car returned as I had done a frame off on it eight years earlier and knew every sensuous and concealed part of the car.
When I tried again it fired up, the gauges read OK so I backed it out of the garage and off we went. I started out slowly to get the fluids flowing and everything warmed up to the right temperature. We were in the country in minutes and started to open it up a bit. The `62 ran fantastic and never questioned what was asked of it on the straight-aways or in the corners. As we passed through the country side I forgot the attention the `62 drew from on lookers. I think more than the C5s do. I got home about two hours later. I have to mention how much fun it was and all the attention it still gets.
After the `62 cooled down I went out to cover it up. When I went into the garage the `62 appeared to be sitting higher and the paint and chrome shining brighter. It seemed to know that it will be driven a lot more often than it has recently. Also that it may be older than the C5 but will not be neglected and it is still our first love and will never be replaced.
If there is a moral to this story it is this. “Pay attention to a loved one and to not neglect or abuse them for a C5 or C6 just because they are new and possibly the best Corvette ever built.
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