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It's funny just how upset people get about snow and Corvettes. There's a post in the C3 General Section right now, where someone took a picture of a 70-72 sitting in someone's drive way, with snow on it. The post is titled "Heartless", and the comments about the (unknown) owner are just plain ridiculous! One poster even claimed that the body could pop off the frame, from expanding ice where the body bonds together!
I know it's hard to believe, but Corvettes are cars, they're not some piece of fragile porcelain artwork. It's only in recent years that Corvettes became something so special, that we're not allowed to drive them unless there's a zero percent chance of rain.
I had the opportunity to attend a 2014 Corvette high performance driving event, at NJ Motorsports Park this past summer. Part of the program was a session with Corvette sales people, promoting the cars. I was surprised when they told us that the 14 Corvette came with summer tires, and that they did not recommend driving the 14 in the snow? They actually told us that you should have another car, to drive in winter. I found this amazing, especially when you consider that as recently as the 90's, Goodyear was making an Eagle M+S snow tire, just for Corvettes.
I've never had a Corvette as a daily driver, but my wife did. I always had company cars, and for the first five years we were married, my wife had a Corvette for her DD. She only gave up the Corvette, when she was 8 month's pregnant, and needed a car that a car seat would safely fit in.
Here's a picture of our 74, around 1980 or 81. It was replaced by a new 81, that was driven in the snow too. Even my 62 has seen the snow. I wouldn't deliberately take it out in the snow, because it's just plain scary to drive in the snow, but I have been caught out with it when it started snowing, a few times.
The first Winter (1967) that I had my '62, I bought two '63 wheels from a buddy who had mag wheels on his for $10 (sold them a few years ago for $170, but I guess they're worth ~$500 now). I put studded tires on them and - on the WORST snow days - I drove it to work, not having to worry about the '63 Dodge w/push-button automatic down-shifting on me and putting me in a ditch. By the time they wore out after the third Winter, the value of the Vette had increased...and I came to my SENSES! It hasn't seen a snowflake since 1969
When I was 17 I bought my 1st Vette , a 60. It was my only car and I put snow tires on it and drove it to work. Few years later I sold the 60 for $1600 (made money on it) and bought a 65 coupe for $3000 and again put winter tires on it ! A few yrs ago I had a C-4 and I remember passing cars and trucks in a snowstorm, it went well. My C-5 is not as good but still works. Go figure.
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Same story here - when you are 18 and your only car is a '59, you put snow tires on it and drive it. And I know the guy I sold it to drove it at least 2 winters also. Maybe the frame finally gave up and that's why it does not show in the NMVTIS.
Our 67 was the family chariot when purchased in 1972. Drove it in the snow till 1985 when I did the first Frame Off. Took it Snow Skiing lots of times with the Ski Rack on it. I'm restoring her again his year and taking it Back in Time to those days. Trailer Hitch is at Librandi's being rechromed as are the Bumpers. I'm installing a 427 Hood which is how I ran it Back in the Day, and will show her this summer with all the old stuff back on it! Al W.
Haven't been out playing with mine in the snow for quite a few years - specially since the polished raw aluminum motor and wheels.
Can't bring myself to do it any more - but it sure was fun when I did!
License to enjoy: Notice no bumpers on the snow. Spent hours afterwards cleaning the chassis, and was stripping it down anyway to be refinished.
Soon after the body was pulled up, frame detailed and entire car got painted the following year.
Last edited by PaulUptime; 11-21-2014 at 02:29 AM.
My first Corvette was a '70 Coupe which was my only car at the time and I drove without issue through 3 particularly snowy Michigan Winters. I do, however, remember having to hold it in 1st gear until the tranny warmed up or it would pop back into neutral. Good times!
Not my first, but my 70 Vette 350/350 4 speed coupe was my daily driver every workday for 15 years. 247K miles.........in Chicago area driving with a "minimum" of 45 minutes each way, and many times a lot longer.
I tried snow tires (including studded tires for a while), and still occasionally got stuck, including trying to go around the back side of a shop, and finding an ice covered "road" that sloped off to a canal. Had to be towed out, and we almost lost the tow truck and Vette into the canal.
Ah the "good" old days......VERY HAPPY to be in Florida!
11-19-2014, 09:22 PM
They actually told us that you should have another car, to drive in winter. I found this amazing, especially when you consider that as recently as the 90's, Goodyear was making an Eagle M+S snow tire, just for Corvettes. 
It hasn't seen a snowflake since 1969
Cruz 
