ballen06

I was just out of college when the 68's came out.. I thought the new vettes were awesome. So I saved my money and in late 1968 ordered a black on black 1969 350/370 hp coupe with minimal accessories.. It never came in...the reason being they decided to wait until the following year for that option and called it the LT-1)

So I was p.ssed. I went to the competitor's dealership and bought a Fathom Green L46 coupe right off of the lot.

I still have that car today ... trying to restore it at the moment.

BLUE1972

The new 68's really stood out. I was saving for a car then.

The C2's kind of blended in - only the side pipe cars stood out. Probably due to the sound.

The 68 really stood out on it's own.

My friends brother was getting drafted I was going to buy his 63 split window - white, second motor for $1800 but could not get insurance.

Wound up with a 67 Firebird 400, 4spd - engine was not in the VIN... loved that car.

The13Bats

I respect you, i will try to give you my best reply on this i am many times misunderstood with stuff i post,

I dont not defend any custom,modded cars, i find many tacky myself, but tacky is subjective to personal tastes, i do however defend anyones right to build what they please, i also do wonder why some feel the need create a tread just to bash and trash other peoples dreams.

But I get it, people like to express their opinions im guilty and in turn i have said things in a comtext like i dont like c4s or i wouldnt keep a c7 for free or i dont like this or that spoiler or hood scoop, that has caused me furor, i see other people say worse and no one cares why is my opinion so much heavier?

I dont believe i slamned c7s in this case my remark that any corvette made after 82 is throwaway, i didnt think that up, i saw it posted here and agreed with it,

I said i doubt it will be easy to find a nice c7 in 30 years, do you disagree?

I would rather you be right on that & i would rather be wrong,

Yes, i know all the wonderful things a c7 can provide, thanks for assuming i never took one for a long ride, in that you are correct, lol, but i am not so jaded or blind to try to discount they are not a wonderful new car, so is a new jag or lexus, but i simply do not want one, lots of cars i dont want, so what?

Me or anyone else on here not wanting a c7 is not a personal insult on you or anyone who loves c7s, i am sorry you took it like that, and wish you felt differely about it.

crawfish333

No problem with your opinion, but I have mine also. I do not consider it a personal insult, after all it is just a car. I grew up in the days of muscle cars and of course I love the old ones. I say that because I am not saying that I do not like the C3 after all I am spending a lot of my hard earned cash on mine as we speak. I am just saying that for me, the C7 is a great road car that I enjoy. If we lived nearby, I would gladly allow you to drive my C7. I have done over the years this with many of my friends (in my C4, C5, or C6) and they suddenly "get it." Now how many C7s will be around in 40 years? I have no idea, but like the C3, they are certainly building a lot of them. Regardless, I doubt if I will not be around to find out.

I will now go in peace.

The13Bats

Thanks for being cool about, its not about getting it, im allowed to have one just dont want one, i fully understand why you love it,
if you were closer i would buy the gas and you could show her off to me all night,
Would be a blast,

Peace,
Cheers
Bats


Hey, now lets try something else,
I actually dont see many c4s drive around anymore where are all of them?
What was the c4 production numbers compaired to c3?

loup68

Pryia, the 68's were aerodynamic! They (GM) tried to improve them over the C-2's for road racing. Compare the windshield angle on a 68 Corvette to a 69 or earlier Camaro. And I will never forget my shock at seeing the low angle of the hand made prototype "Y" 1983 Corvette windshield pillars that GM sent my company, MTD Automotive-Cleveland plant, to make the production dies and parts for the new C-4's. Lou.

kdzdds

I graduated school in 1969 and really wanted a C3. After a quote
of over $3600. I went to the Buick dealer to see the Shark lookalike.
Turned out to be an Opal GT... I asked where the full sized one was
and was promptly ignored. Bought a Pontiac Lemans and joined the
Air Force but I now have my '69 BB!!!!

The13Bats

I had an opel gt in high school , more fun with the v6 and auto trans i swapped in,
But was gm pissed at opel?

doorgunner

O.K. You Guys....We're remembering history........

don't make me get the water hose!

Priya

Thanks for that Lou. It makes sense that it was more arerodynamic than the C2s. I'm pretty sure way back when I did hear/read they were more aerodynamic, I suppose its just compared to the brand new stuff people now say they aren't aerodynamic.

BLUE1972

[QUOTE=The13Bats;1594186579]Hud,
Not trying to offend but after 82 corvettes are with the exception of special rare models throw away like any other used car, my guess in 30 years you could find a nice c3 easier than a nice c7....



I think you are correct, the problem with the newer cars is that with all the electronics in the car, the road feel, senses of driving .. etc are gone.

The other thing that will kill the newer cars is the electronics will fail and the car will be dead. Unfixable...

Some C4 and C5 electronic parts are already impossible to get.

Can you picture a carbureted - Cast-iron SBC in a C7?

Priya

I think that's what will happen when the C7's get old. The electronic boxes they need to run will be unavailable and people wanting to keep them on the road will be retrofitting all the systems in them to older technology that doesn't require computers. Already with some cars after ten years you can't get new computers for them.

Richard Daugird

No. All the ugly with none of the technology. Just an opinion of course.

bb62

Some thoughts:
- The 68 was a dramatic and exciting look when it came out. I personally loved the look.
- While the 68 did have initial issues with quality (that C&D article for one), it was really the later cars that had the significant quality issues and with it the reputation for poor quality that would dog the car for years. I know one "famous" Corvette restorer who will not touch the 75 and later C3s because of how difficult they are to tune properly (and stay there) with those early emissions engines.
- Perhaps because of the lower performance and quality issues of the later C3s, I view (and did view when the cars were first produced) the rubber bumper cars as less mean and purposeful that the earlier lithe and lean look of the chrome bumper cars.
- I remember the difficulty people had early on restoring C2 and the lack of parts availability. As prices got higher, there were many solutions that were developed to keep the cars going. I suspect the same will happen with the C4 and later cars as well. Today's kids are as attuned to computers and electronic calibration as yesterday's kids were to tuning a 4-barrel carburetor. They problem with the C4 generations is ironic in that, unlike the C2 or C3, too many good ones are still on the road. Supply has to drop (to below demand) before they get the aftermarket attention they deserve.

Sunstroked

I was 10 in 68. Although too young for a corvette, that body style was deeply imbedded in my mind as the coolest car ever! At the end of my block 2 brothers owned early C3 corvettes. I would walk past them on my way to school. At the opposite end of the block, a neighbor owned 2 superbirds! I grew up in a blue collar area S of Detroit. American muscle cars were very prominent.
In the late 70's as I was hot rodding my 73 Camaro, it wasnt uncommon for early F bodys to be converted to rubber front ends. Updating them. Of course the rear window was different, but guys thought the cars more modern. I saw more than a few during that era.

RonR80

I was 9 in 1968 and don't remeber it coming out , my 1st memories of a vette was in 1974-75 , a white one , friend of my dad's , also my first ride in one .

crawfish333

I owned a C4 several years ago and i can tell you that this is already happening. There are a few places where the "star wars" readouts can be rebuilt for a reasonable price (250-500.) I totally get the issues some have with the styling of the C4, but it is a pretty easy car to work on and IMO, a reliable and inexpensive car for a young person. Since a decent example can be had for 5 grand, it is a great "gateway drug" for new Corvette enthusists.

bj1k

Bats , I'm with you on this one and in fact I just said it a couple days ago but it is hard for some people to accept what we are saying when they just paid close to a hundred grand for their corvette. I'm sure we both agree that the C7's are an awesome car for their engineering and a fun car to drive but they are in fact going to be throw away cars starting with the C4's an on because of all of the technology that makes them seem so great today. So I say enjoy them while you have them !

bj1k

You are probably right that the only way to keep those cars on the road is to convert them back to old technology , but isn't that what they love about the newer cars ? If you are going with the old technology in the newer body then you may as well stay with the classic style of an older corvette. Just my opinion but I don't get the excitement over the new corvette styling.

Priya

I'm with you there. The one poster mentioned that his base C7 runs 13 second quarter mile times and gets 30 mpg and you should drive it on the track and so on before you criticize it. For me its not about that. I'm sure from a position of transportation capabilities its a far superior car to the C3 but for me its all about appearance, I like the looks of the C3 a great deal and am perhaps slightly warmer than indifferent to the looks of the C7. If the C3 had the transportation capabilities of a Ford Pinto I'd still want it badly.