OK, so you have or will purchase a C1 or C2 Corvette. What is (was) the purchase driver once you decided on the specific year Corvette you wanted?

Seems that people who want too much (like their favorite color, AND favorite engine AND, favorite transmission, AND etc.) may never find the Corvette of their dreams. Selecting a primary option tends to make the purchase easier.

What I've seen in the past is that most people tend to either color or engine. Sometimes the desire for an automatic or A/C overwhelms all else. What was your primary purchase driver?

 

Depends on what your "strengths" are. That is assuming you are going to work on it. In my case, I want "drivers" and "NOM", and enjoy working on mechanical and electrical items of all kinds, but body work and paint are not my "strengths".

For C2s, perhaps you should add Conv. or Coupe as "options"!

In used vehicles of any type, condition is another "option" that is more important than the actual options listed in your poll.

Plasticman

 

When it comes to a driver type car it's all about price to me. I don't even need to start the car, just inspect the bird cage and frame.

My current 65 project which was a driver (poor driver) and I looked it over made an offer than drove it home on 6 cly. The points and dist cap were 25 years old at least.

 

My present car i traded a 58 vette for cause it had the bb and 4 speed trans--I had promised myself years ago that i would have at least one more bb b/f i chroke --So the choice was body style and engine (BB) for me --Glenn

 

OTHER - had to be a vert for me, since I was buying this car for fun, sunny day drives with the top down. The fact that I have a peppy L76 is a nice plus, but I have other toys for pure speed adreneline rushes; I am not immune to stoplight wars though.

 

Originality!

 

Price!

 

I wasn't even in the market for any kind of car when I saw an ad in the newspaper for a 1966 Nassau Blue, convertible, 427, 4-speed Sting Ray. As this combination was my dream car in high school, I knew I had to buy it!

 

If I was forced to come up with one item that I would consider a
"Deal Buster" it would have to be that the car has to have a manual transmission.
For me rowing thru the gears is a big part of the experience
Scott

 

Other!

I bought mine because it is completely rust free and I mean completely. It is an Arizona car , I am the third owner and it had less than 80,000 miles. I knew that it was a perfect candidate for my modernizing modifications in the engine, suspension and transmission areas as it had all of the original parts and was not messed up by amateur mechanics...

 

I eyeballed mine for 3 months before pulling the trigger. I wanted one that was going up in value, but would be a blast to drive. I sold my 2001 a couple of months later. Now I'm in the market for another c5. I'm afraid I drive the 62 far to much. It was a tossup between a 65 and my 62. The guy wanted about the same price for both. The 62 just kept saying, "Take me".

 

I was twenty years between vettes before I popped for my current ride. Always liked C2 coupes as verts never quite did it for me. I did a bit of research and planning on how I wanted the final product to look and drive. I went Ebay searching for 2 months before I found my air coupe. Ever since that fateful day that I parted with my hard earned coin it's been a true labor of love. I've kept the original lines but did quite a bit of mods to get her transformed into a lean, mean, and fast driving machine.

 

It had to be a 57 (or 56) and nothing else. I wanted a straight, unmodified car as complete as possible, but otherwise nothing mattered. A 57(or 56)--------------------OR COMPLETELY FORGET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Since 1957, I wanted a "hotrod" in 57 Vette skin. Period. I built it the way I wanted it. It won't even Third Flight now. FINE! But there are DAMN FEW 53-62 Vettes that can keep up with my 56!

 

Had to be a midyear roadster for me. Love the way they look with the top down. Color or other options were not as important as that and condition/price. However Riverside Red suits me well.

 

I wanted a 1967 that that was clean and mechanically sound. Of particular concern was the integrity of the frame. A 10-foot paint condition was fine. NOM was OK as well but the engine had to be period correct (327 with crankcase vent, etc.). (And of course I was working within a limited budget.)

And that is exactly what I purchased several years ago. Pic of frame shown below. The 10-foot paint was taken care of in 2005. The price was very reasonable as it is the dreaded Goodwood Green and has a Powerglide transmission that many shun. My preference was a roadster but no regrets in getting a coupe.



Here it is back then.

 

I would have to say that price and closeness to my home were the most important factors in both the purchase of my 1960 red/red and my 1966 mosport green/green.
When I bought my 1960 I was looking for a red/red with white cove 1958 powerglide. I didn't care about the engine size or originality since lack of those items could significantly lower the entry price and I just wanted to drive and share and enjoy the car. What I ended up with was a red/red with white cove 283/270 dual quad 4 speed. I realized that the drive train would make the car more valuable and that the odds of finding another local car that was as moderately priced and available were slim and none and slim was out of town! So I bought it. One year later a friend of the guy I bought the 1960 from was selling his 1966 due to health reasons and he called me up. I was not even in the market but had put out the word a year earlier that I was looking for a 1966. Since that time my wife had gotten me to commit to windows and siding on the house and garage so I didn't have the funds for the 1966 but I sold some stock and bought it. My 4 other corvettes were red and 3 of the 4 were convertibles (I should have held out for all convertibles but I made an impulse buy of a 1974 454 T-top 'cuz it was a decent deal) so while Green wasn't a color I dreamed about, it was unique, available, convertible, priced right and it completed my collection of one of each body style C1 to C5. My 20 year old daughter said to buy it and who am I do refuse my baby girl?

 

I chose my '62 and '67 because of their engines. Cost is always a factor as well, so the trick was to find what I wanted and could afford.

I guess condition was also a factor in the sense that I did not want a "done" car. To me, having something to wrench on is part of the pleasure

 

I bought mine because it is a red '63 coupe with a 4 speed. To me, it is the ultimate Corvette.

 

I bought mine because it was the only one the guy had in his
garage,while we were working on his house. He mentioned he was
thinking of selling and I jumped at the chance. I didn't care what
color, year or anything else.

Shemp

 

A-C convertible.

The only other c2 I ever owned did not have A-C. Twenty years ago these vintage A-C companies weren't around.