Hey,

I'm conducting an interview about the C-2 and C-1 era Vette, and thought, why not go onto the Corvette forum?

So anyway, the interview specs are simple: talk about your car, what you like about it, and any helpfull info that I could use for a research paper. If the community were to reply, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

Here's a couple links to some info/history

http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/corvette/history.html

http://idavette.net/HistFact/stingray.htm

 

Not sure what you mean when you say "talk about your car, and what you like about it"; but, here goes:
Back in the day (late 1950's & early 1960's) there was a show on TV called Route 66, which featured two guys going around the country getting a new part time job in each location, and driving a new Corvette. That show, and the car, were cool. Many of us dreamed of owning a Corvette, based to some degree, on that show. But, of course, we were young, had no money, and couldn't afford one. Then, fast forward to the 1980's, and I had the money. So, I bought a 1958 Corvette, in part, to capture what I couldn't afford when I was much younger. Maybe others did too. It is a 4 on a 5 scale car, with new paint and interior, and original everything else. Its red with a white cove and red interior. There is no other car out there like it. It was a one year only style in terms of certain trim features. I've had many people exclaim over the years at local car shows and crusies how much they admire the appearance of the car. At a cruise once, a 40 something mother and her teenage daughter asked if they could sit in it, and have their picture taken. They were thrilled to be sitting there. That's pretty much how I feel everytime I take it out for a spin.

If this isn't what you were looking for, let us know, and we can oblige.

 

My first ride in a Vette came in about '59, it was cool for a kid 12 yrs. old. I grew up around high performance cars including many Vettes. This planted the seed, but when I could drive, the seed really grew. I drove anything from a '57 to a '69. As I continued to work and develope a career I knew I would get one. I bought my '67 from the original owner in '73, it was a white convertable, 300HP, 4-speed with a removable hardtop. In '74 I bought a '73 Trans Am and I put vanity tags on both cars. The Vette was TOY-1 and the Trans Am was TOY-2. I did a mild restoration and competed in several Corvette shows. During the restoration I added side exhaust for that distinctive Vette only sound. I won some first place and some second place. After three years I said it was enough and started driving my '67 on a more frequent basis. Over the next 8 years I doubled the miles to 112K. I rebuilt the motor in '84 for more performance and redid the car completely. I remember one time my girfriend and I went to the drive-in and the ticket taker said "no charge" with a car that nice. When driving I get the thumbs up, waves, questions etc. making it FUN to drive. Since the rebuild I have driven the car in Three National Corvette Caravans to the National Corvette Museum and several other road events. Since '84 I have made more performance changes, but nothing that can't be returned to factory correct configuration. When my wife and I went to buy our first home, the minimun was that it had to have a garage that the Vette would fit into; mission accomplished! When my daughter was old enough to talk she would indicate she wanted to go for a ride in "boom boom". It was her way of saying the Vette because of the varoom, varoom sound the side exhaust made. Driving the car is a total experience that I don't think you can get in any car made today, of course most of us Vette owners are "gear heads". The garage has been upgraded to A/C, heat, plenty of lighting and many shop tools and equipment over the years. I'm very lucky to be able to do 95% of my own work which adds to the enjoyment of owning a great car. Now that my daughter is going on 17, she has expressed and interest in driving TOY-1. It will happen in a couple more years as she gains experience. As of now the mileage is 202,349mi. Many miles of smiles! Dennis

 

Thank you guys for your input. To clear things up, I was infact looking for just what you guys posted: an informal interview about this era of cars and how they relate to you.

This will help me alot, but if anyone else want to add to this thread, it would be greatly appreciated.

Also, for those who already posted, may I have:

First and Last name, and which state you currently reside in. If you guys are ok with releasing that information, I can include these 'interviews' and give recognition to you.

Thanks

 

How about filling in your profile that would be nice.Bob W

 

OK guys, I know we have some other interesting personal historical facts out there. Lets help a student out and maybe we will continue the interest and ownership in this unique car. Dennis

 

ttt

 

All corvettes are not found in barns, some are in old garages.

I have owned a lot of old Corvettes and I am always looking for another.

A Policeman friend of mine told me about a retired gentleman in old town Florissant that had a 67 red coupe. He didn't drive it much, but did run it every week or so.

My friend knew the car had been painted sometime ago, it is a big block and that the owner had bought the car in the 1970’s and it was NOT FOR SALE. I always wanted to go look at the old car but I could never catch the car or the owner outside. I didn't want to bother him since the 67 was not for sale.

On a beautiful spring Friday morning Steve (my Policeman friend) called me and said the 67 and the owner was outside, come over and take a look.

So off I went knowing that the car was repainted. I just knew that it probably was a Goodwood Green car, after all weren't all red repainted corvettes originally green?

When I got to the owner’s house the garage was open and there she sat. a red 67 big block coupe. A little dirty and in need of a good cleaning but looking really well. As I started looking at the 67 I opened the hood I said to the owner 390hp? No he said 435 and I have the old carbs and intake put away up on the shelves, 7 bladed fan I said, yeah he said, but it makes it run a little cooler and I have the original 5 bladed one put away. As I went to the interior of the car to look at the trim tag another surprise. 900AA a black car. Wow what a car. And a build date of K 23, my birthday! I knew I was destined to own this car.

I asked if he knew what he had here and if he had any paper work? He told me that he bought it in 1977 and that he did a title search a few years ago. He had all the owners names and copies of all the titles back to the selling dealer Placke Chevrolet in St Louis Mo and oh by the way, when he took the gas tank out of the car to repair it, the gas tank sticker was on it and in very good shape.

By now my knees were shaking and I had to ask, have you ever thought of selling. He told me that if I had asked him that six weeks ago he would have said never, but that he and his wife had been thinking about selling it. I asked if I could be first in line when he was ready to sell and if I could come back tomorrow with my camera.

On Saturday when I came back to take pictures he told me that he and his wife had talked all night and they were ready to sell but he wanted to keep it for a couple of months and that I was the only one he would sell it to. It took three months, but we did arrive at a price and we got the deal done.

This great 67 now is in my garage and its amazing just how Original it is. It has never been hit and has almost all of its original parts including interior and running gear. It’s a shame it was repainted because it would make a great survivor candidate.

In late May of 2005 I took this wonderful 67 to a chapter meet in St. Louis. Even though we took the full deduction for paint she still scored high enough to get a Top Flight.

On Easter Sunday 2006 we found and talked to the 1st owner Ron Hampton.

In March of 2007 the 67 was painted black lacquer, just as it was in June of 1967.

May 5th 2008 we found the 2nd owner Bill Petersen.

July 2008 we scored 97.8 at the NCRS Nationals in St Charles Mo.

I truly believe that there are not very many original (2 repaints) Black/Black 67/435’s with complete owner history.




Bill Lacy