I enjoy taking my 55 Corvette to local car shows to let people see what started Corvette and it being the first V8.
%99.9 of all people at shows are great to talk with and many like having their pic taken near it. Now we drive it and I mean drive it! Have had it for 30 years second owner and I'm not a NCRS fanatic but keep it original and think it looks good.
I see it as a ice breaker and a piece of history to introduce people to the corvette world and allow people to touch it and many times let them seat in it, kids like my grandchildren ride with me now and then while playing in it. I also let kids at shows sit in it to take pic's and ask about this and that when they show an interest.
I cant see having guard dogs to keep people away from it if you know what I mean. I see that to often with other car owners that do and understand their concern.
Any thing can be repaired or fixed in my mind and is worth seeing people enjoy our Corvette , even taking other Corvette owners for a drive in it to experience it, is a real joy to me. (I'm always surprised when they say Really!) I've done this with all the many Corvettes I've had in the last 40 years.
Am I one of only a few people that feel this way about their Corvette? I'm curious????

 

Roy,

I am in agreement with you. But only if I am near the car. I really don't like the big shows, like the one they put on for several days here in Boston at the Bayside Exposition. The reason being is that I can't stand to be in one place for 8 hours for several days, plus the crowds are too big.

The small local shows are much more fun and you get to talk to a lot of people. I had one little 7 yo girl look at my Vette and her father said look but don't touch. I then asked her if she would like to sit in the car while her dad takes a picture of her. Don't know which one had the bigger smile, Dad, me or the little girl.....

 

fingerprints can always be removed. I see it as a great opportunity for young kids to see, touch, and experience a true classic that they will only see close up at a show, cruise-in or their neighbors garage. If their passion is ignited by close contact - it's awesome.

I was recently at a show in Maggie Valley (only 11 c2's out of about 300) and many people and kids wanted to see my car close up. many of the c6 owners were also very envious.

So I agree with you completely. Let em touch ... let em sit ... take them for a ride ... enjoy.

 

PS - you have a beautiful car.

 

I horrified fellow exhibitors at the 50th Annual Autorama in Detroit by letting hoards of sticky fingered kids pose in the car for pictures.......

 

Very well said! That mind set is what makes this hobby so fun. I'm sure you have reinforced a bunch of peoples love for cars doing what you stated.

One kid (one of those 0.1%) though is banned. He was in the garage waiting for my son to come out for the school bus and he took his finger and ran two arches across the hood of 3 cars really hard. My son came out and said, "what-a doing! STOP!!". The bratty kid said, "What? Are they valuable?". My son said, "I don't know, but they are nice and my dads". That kid equates value/valuable to respect which is the problem now a-days. His parents are a lawyer and doctor too....so he knew what he was doing (he was 8yrs old).

My kids always respect other peoples property and have manners.

I'll still do as you though.

 

Roy, I'm with you. I always let anybody sit in our car. My daughter and her little girl friends used to sit in the car and play Spaceship! Now my Grand kids get the same privilege. I only wish more drivers on the road would give a little more room for a Royal Vehicle. Al W.

 

You're NOT alone, pal.

I share all my corvettes with others. Of the first 3000 miles on my 2003 50th AE vert which I bought new from the dealer, I would estimate that 1700 of those miles were spent giving kids rides or letting people drive it.
I am not quite as free with the driving priviledges on the 1960 and 1966 but I still let people touch it and drive it. Gotta keep the passion alive and share it with others who will probably never know the joy of owning one of these cars.

 

When I had my 54 Vette I would let people set in it and some I would take them for a ride. As far as kids, if they showed respect to there parents and the cars that they were around I would let them set in it and have there pic taken. Like you said who's smile was the biggest kids or parents. I did keep a close eye on the car at car shows, cought a guy trying to take door **** off. I told him if he came up with some part of my car in his hand, that I would put him down with my hand. This only happened one time. (Most) people like to look and do respect others peoples items. But you have to watch the people who let there kids and pets run wild and do what they want with no respect for other peoples property. I tell them if you break or scratch it, you just bought the car, not just what you scratched. They get the hint and move away or yell at there bratty kids real quick or I ask " what part of DON"T TOUCH don't you understand. DAAAAAA

 

Although my C3 is very nice, it is not a trailer queen. Last year at a show and shine, a couple of us let some teenagers sit in our cars and posed for pics with their girlfriends. We were the hit! I believe that we really were doing a valuable service to the Corvette and collector car communities in general by taking time to show them our cars and answer their questions. Others with their "Do Not Touch" signs on their cars could not believe what we were doing.

 

I think its great to let people get a good look ,sit in them and way cool that you give them a ride.
I came out of a restaurant the other day and to young kids were taking a picture in front of my car. When I walked up and told them to get in and I would take a picture of them with their camera they thought I was the coolest.
Maybe we will inspire the next generation of Vette lovers.

 

yes

 

Roy, good to see you're still around!! I loved your "Accessory" posts on the NCRS website.

Regarding your post....an 8-year-old boy moved in two doors down from our house. His Dad has a blue C5, but Matt loves the old Corvettes. Whenever I fire up the 59 or the 62, he comes running up to the house, usually with a new friend. I let them paw all over them, sit in them and get excited about the cars. Sure, they leave fingerprints, but they can be easily removed. These are memories in the making that they will have with them all of their life. I'm glad I could be a part of that.

Last summer, I gave his dad a ride, Matt a ride and even gave an unknown friend of Matt's a ride in the 59. They loved it, BUT I loved it more. When I go to car shows, I always take pics and then burn them on to a CD for Matt and his dad. They love the CD's.

I drive both of my cars all the time on sunny weekend days. I don't drive them to work as I can't rely on people to park correctly without leaving door dings and dents. Buying gas at a service station is always a treat as it usually turns in to a 30 minute affair with someone. I wouldn't have it any other way. Frankly, I don't want an NCRS correct car that should be in a museum. I'm not enjoying my cars for the money. I'm drivin' 'em!!!!!

 

Did it occur to anyone that if we don't do as Roy suggests, our prizes may eventually become worthless? (Anyone looked at the auction prices on some realy nice 30's and 40's cars lately?) Besides, it's just plain fun to do it!

 

Roy, you are not alone.

The beauty of owning a vintage Corvette is that it was meant to be driven, admired by fans, and (if necessary) repaired to do it all over again.

I find the "guard dogs" are more numerous with newer cars (and newer corvettes). I was recently at a competition where the "guard dogs" in one off-track hospitality tent were out in force. There attitude, after seeing me pick up one of my children, was to yell loudly. It's not that my kids would smear boogers on the street cars displayed (they know proper car show behavior) but they often ask to be picked up to look into the interior of what they cannot see. In an attempt to justify their concern, the "guard dogs" at this hospitality tent were quick to yell that the car displayed was "special," one of five-thousand (or maybe one of five-hundred). I walked away knowing these "special" cars were depreciating with every step we took.

I have to contrast this experience with what occured later in the day under a different tent, where the owners showed incredible hospitality to my daughter, only hours after this rare car posted a record performance (and gained a fan for life).



I imagine you have witnessed similar grins in your 55'?

My children would be totally amazed and amused to look at an interior through a bubble top (and I hope that one day they have a chance).

Thanks for giving fans of truly rare cars like your the chance to experience more than a far away look.

 

I was at the big Moroso corvette show last year. A guy and his young boy where looking at a 67 roadster. I know the guy that owns the roadster and the car is far from perfect. well the little boy just touched this guys car. No big deal, just touched it. The guy went off on this little kid. The kid started crying and the father just took him by the hand and walked away. My 66 BB coupe was two cars away. I saw this whole thing and went right up to the little boy and told him to come over to my car. I opened the door and told him to climb in and he could touch anything he wanted. I also told his dad that the other guy was an A-- Hole and I said it loud enough so the guy heard me. The little boy sat in the car and played with the steering wheel. He was all smiles after that. I can't stand the guys like that. Hers the car I let him sit in. I'v since sold it but it was a real nice orig. car[IMG][/IMG]

 

I agree with you although I also believe that women who can't operate strollers and men who lean over cars with 20 lbs. of chains, keys, and crap hanging from their belts should be hanged, drawn, and quartered.

 

Roy, my wife loved your car to death when we saw it at the Marriott last Saturday. She won't stop talking about when and how she wants one exactly like yours.

 

These pic's of some of my 9 Grandchildren are worth more then the 55 any day!

 

GEEEZZZ Roy, how the heck could you not let those cute kids play in your car. Shoot, I don't even know them and they can play in my car!