blue67ragtop

Well I love the chrome look and fondly remember the '68 introduction. However I also think Chevy did a great job of dealing with the federal mandate and the car continued to evolve with dignity. I've owned many Corvettes but the C3 body design will always be my favorite.

Black & Tan

I don't remember the intro of the '68 and don't remember seeing my first Corvette until 1975 when an Orange '72 drove by our farm. Because of the gravel road he was driving very slow. I just stood there and stared thinking THAT is the coolest car I have ever seen or will ever see. I stand by that statement yet today.

PeterC3

Don't mean to start any flame throwing exchanges, but from this newbies perspective, describing the chrome as bumpers is being generous. I'd suggest highly reinforced trim. And that's fine given it is a car of it's day. The chrome is attractive and I'd get one given the right opportunity. And would drive very defensively.... :-)

LT4_CE

I was watching the show because Elizabeth Montgomery was HOT!!!

71 Green 454

Brings back memories....I met my 16 year old girlfriend (wife of 45 years) and her parents at a Chevy dealer in Tampa to look at new '68 Chevrolet's in 1967. Her dad had it narrowed down between a red '68 Chevelle convertible or a gold '68 Impala Custom Coupe. I told him I thought the Impala seemed to match his personality and style. Yep, he bought the Impala and to this day, I still hear about the Chevelle convertible that she never got to drive.

cor28vettes

Speaking of HOT...she's still the one. Hot even at 76. V V
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_H6fFNc5G0&t=258s [in 2015]

Saw her in VN w/Bob Hope Christmas Day 1967
note locker @ top: can U make out the '68 blue interior t-top from '68 dlr brochure?)
& open locker @ bottom... who dhat?

bkvette3

Great photos - thanks for posting. Thank - you for your service.

cor28vettes

Much appreciated. But the real thanks has to go to the guys and gals that have been/are deployed to Iraq/Afgahanistan over and over again as they were ordered. My time in VN was only a year.

I was so green behind the ears that I never entertained taking a trip up to to maybe sit it out, or to get a 4-F draft deferment for some little ole bone spurs.

I bought a jacket over in VN once which read "When I die I'll go to heaven because I served my time in Hell". Well for me, it was not that bad really. I was lucky. My best buddy from Jr HS Frank Schmautz, 1st Cav US Army, enlisted and one month in-country he was KIA. So they named a park after him in Worcester MA. All over a stupid A$$ war. But thank you USA, you did pull through w/the GI Bill for us.

Our friends in , Australia, S. Korea and 20 some countries in all did their best for that cause. We had many Australians in our Helicopter Company. And now we're on good terms w/VN which is fine with me.

Sorry for the digression. Back to topic. The year that was...1967, when the 68 came out.

bkvette3

6GenVettes - nothing but respect for the men & women who served in the military. God bless them.

The pic of you in front of the locker with the dealer brochure interior pic of the 1968 Vette on the locker door. You were obviously a Vette fan - did you want a new C3 upon your return??

cor28vettes

I managed to save around 4K (if memory serves me right). Even after buying Japanese tape recorder and the latest Spotmatic 35mm camera. Got home, out of Army and a job (county jail) within 30 days of discharge. Went all the way to my fav dlr Rosenthal Chevrolet on Glebe Rd Arlington Va and checked out the latest 1969. Colors they had in stock did not flip the switch for me so I bought another SWC in Va (seems that's where all the vettes were)(first SWC as well). I lived on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. After that I got my first C3, that 68 427 CV.

Then the 67 428 GT500 (prior page) which I wrecked on a slightly rainy day going over 100 on the new beltway coming out of Va. I was keeping up behind my buddy Bruce C. who had a 427/425 66 Coupe (and a 68 435 at home). Rain and beer don't mix. Went from one side of the beltway to the other. So glad no one got hurt. Stupid stuff we did. MSP got on the scene promptly. Said he got word there were two coming out of Va at high speed. Then had the Shelby painted Cadillac Firemist.

I remember a U.S. Park Police went off-road for a moment when he saw the GT500 enter his Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Ticked me off with the gravel hitting my new paint job. But I was out of uniform and didn't have my cruiser to pull him over. He must have been drinking too.

Somehow I became a LEO in training before the re-paint. Took a while but five months later I graduated from the Prince George's County Police Academy. Army trained me in drinking as you can see in locker. My boss at the jail laid down the law when MSP sent word. I was good after that.

Now days I rarely drink beer. But when I do it's Becks or none at all. Maybe a couple six packs per summer (when on sale). Just a little wine for health.

Mike Furman@Criswell

Below is the story of the 1968 Corvette, the first year of the 3rd Generation. Our appetites had been wet since as far back as 1957...1967 was supposed to be the first year of the 3rd Gen but that got pushed back. From 1967 to 1968 the wheelbase was the same and much of the chassis was the same but the interior and exterior was drastically changed.

"The Corvette C3 was patterned after the Mako Shark II designed by Larry Shinoda. Executed under Bill Mitchell's direction, the Mako II had been initiated in early 1964. Once the mid-engined format was abandoned the Shinoda/Mitchell car was sent to Chevrolet Styling under David Holls, where Harry Haga's studio adapted it for production on the existing Sting Ray chassis. The resulting lower half of the car was much like the Mako II, except for the softer contours. The concept car's name was later changed to Manta Ray. The C3 also adopted the "sugar scoop" roof treatment with vertical back window from the mid-engined concept models designed by the Duntov group. It was intended from the beginning that the rear window and that portion of the roof above the seats to be removable.

The "Shark" has the distinction of being introduced to the motoring public in an unorthodox—and unintended—fashion. GM had tried their best to keep the appearance of the upcoming car a secret, but the release of Mattel's die-cast Hot Wheels line several weeks before the C3's unveiling had a certain version of particular interest to Corvette fans: the "Custom Corvette", a GM-authorized model of the 1968 Corvette."

1957



1961 Mako Shark



1964 R&D



1965 Mako Shark



1965



Clay at work





Mike Furman

cor28vettes

^ ^ ^ Good stuff from Mike@Criswell as always. Might take a look at his special Sunday Edition Thread which include throwback pics from days gone by. Every Sunday. Here's the current one...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=3963543

He's the one to go to for your new Vette.

Priya

I actually think the later second gen Camaro's are far better looking than the earlier chrome bumper ones, ditto for the second gen Firebirds. I think the Camaro hit its peak appearance in 1980 and the Firebird in 77.

loup68

I just wanted to point out that the above GM photo of the Mako Shark II, is the the first, non-running show car. Not many people know that there were two of them. The second one made, is the running one, and does not have the large black side exhaust. Lou.

mrvette

INteresting thread, brings back lots of memories....and Mike@Criswell, did you work there some 24 years ago?? I was a member of CCA#1 and you all were sponsoring dealer, every once in a blue moon I call Tony at the vette shop.....he and Andy most likely remember me....I moved to Florida in '97.....

As for my '72, I bought it up there, and showed it once or twice at your dealership....it was burgundy and an old show car from the Suitland region.....'68 OLDS tail lights, flares, etc....

Now it's green nothing lasts forever....

Now for the updating of the car, it had OEM # matching L48 and muncie in it, both are gone....and sold off years ago.....'89 truck block, L98 heads, headers, and now a highly modified LT1 injection manifold with HEI in back the way GOD intended....it grew the speed density and serp drive up there yet......along with '92 vette wheels/tires, now traded here for '89, because look better and are ONE year only....

there is NOTHING stock about my '72, except they year it was born.....I mean from stem to stern and wheels through roof, NOTHING.....

pix below just for grins.....it's possible to see that green from backside of the moon, at night, even....and yes, it gets reactions from folks in Florida.....old farts that remember.....

even a few chicks and kids......

Mike Furman@Criswell

I was running Damascus Chevrolet back then. I worked at Malcolm Konner Auto group thru the 80's and I came to Criswell in 2009.

Mike Furman

marshal135

I'm probably too young to be of any contribution as I was 6 when the 68's came out.
I do remember in 69 when my mom came home in her new Mach 1.
I ran and looked out the bathroom window to see what this loud thing was in the driveway.
I really wished she kept it .
I have fond memories riding to Wildwood NJ in it.

A college classmate had a white 76. He let me sit behind the wheel and we went to lunch in it. I thought what a cool car.
Who would have known some 31 years later I'd have my own.

My Cpl in the Marines had a nice early C-3, I forget the year but it was a liquid pewter color and I just stared at it every time I saw it.
Marshal