[QUOTE=Tim H;1561457196]Speak for yourself on that on!
QUOTE]

Well, it seems you've had a little more exposure than some people (not me), but at least they are trying. I too have been involved with cars since early days when my dad and uncle owned a gas and repair station where I used to hang out and learned at least a couple of things. I still think it's better to help someone learn than it is to look down your nose at them!! But, some people will think that's too idealistic, won't they?

 

I just think people should select something else beside starting from the top and ruining a car not in their league!
Do you see all the "Bubbaized" cars that show up on here that people buy and have to spend twice the time to repair?

 

The majority of old cars throughout the generations (not just Vette's) have been "Bubbaized" as you put it, at some time. There is always someone waiting in line to fix-up these neglected cars and make their dream car. Every person has their own dream or vision of what they want the car to be. Some people start a project and realize they need additional skills and they ask for help, that's how people learn, it doesn't mean they are working on a car out of their league, just a car within their budget that they are intersted in. We are not talking about Ferrari's here.

Anyone can be taught how to do a task and the more a person practices a particular task, the better they get. It's all about self accomplishment, the satisfaction a person get's from doing a repair job on their own. Everyone that turns a wrench has a little Bubba in them whether they like it or not and everyone that has turned a wrench in their lifetime has done a Bubba at least once in their life and they probably knew it, but went ahead anyway. Bubba is the first repair method many people think of before common sense kicks in. The important thing is to improve on a task everytime you do it until it is no longer a Bubba repair. This is what differentiates "Bubba" from an experienced mechanic.

I think "starting at the top" would differ in opinion among every car group out there and I can think of several different cars that would be considered "at the top" if a poll were taken. That statement epitomizes why many people think Vette owners are stuck-up and conceited. To many spectators, Corvette's tend to look alike and are just another car, and to those people a Camaro or a Cobra might be their dream car. If every car guy had the same taste, life would be very boring.

Sure Corvette's have a beautifully designed body, but in reality, underneath the older cars share many common production Chevy designs, just a little more improved, but not so sophisticated that they are beyond the means of a typical backyard mechanic. Vette's are not some holy grail that only the most experienced mechanics can work on, so newbies are not necessarily "starting on the top", especially when you can buy C3's for less than many Camaro's and Cobra's.

The people that ask questions are simply seeking advice from those that have already been there once or twice. And those that offer advice are usually not condescending like the stereotype I described above.

 

[QUOTE=ahoover;1561464261] Same catogory!!!

Even a Mopar guy or Ford guy would say a Corvette is at the top, not a nova. Im not a Ford guy but I know a Maverick is not top dog!!! , Not one vette in the local trailer park around here! I beleive the rear end in a vette is like no other? Lets see ya disasseble a trailing arm under the shade tree with or without a 6 pack!!! Yea they are!

QUOTE] People who ask what is an HEI distributar does not need a big block vette, this one very good reason why the big block flew over the coo coos nest!!!!

 

Well put.
Makes me think of this question...
What if our founding fathers thought to themselves; we don't have enough experience to start our own country.
I've been following this thread for a couple days now, and I'm starting to see that if we all sat around on ours cans being afraid of what we think we can't do, this country would be in sad shape. I know we're talking about C3 Corvette's, but the fundamental issue is the same. The self-satisfaction that comes from working on the Vette is nothing short of exhilerating. The other C3 owners I meet out at car shows all seem to share a common goal: keeping the C3 Corvette spirit alive. While I don't have kids, I have a nephew(currently in the National Guard in training, soon to be deployed to Iraq), who swears to me that he will be the next owner of my Vette. He is a heavy equipment mechanic(maybe he'll be good enough to own a Vette, huh?).
Anyway, I continue to enjoy the Vette and give the wave to fellow owners. In fact, It's such a nice day here, I'm going out for a cruise...

 

I always wanted a project car. I can only learn so much by reading. Most of the knowledge that stays with me is from hands on experience. Until I bought my Corvette all I had owned were late model cars and trucks. There's only so much tinkering you can do with those when they have to be able to drive you to work the next day.

I chose my Corvette because it was the car my wife and I wanted the most. However, the original poster should stop judging people for their lack of knowledge and choosing to start with a Corvette vs a '76 Nova. Makes him sound rather arrogant like the Corvette belongs on some sort of pristine pedestal. At the end of the day, it's just a car like the other two originally mentioned. It just happens to be a little bit cooler.

 

The disappearance of the Big Block was due to (1)Government restrictions placed on the automotive manufacturers to increase fuel ecomony. (2)The fuel embargo of the early 70's.
Not necessarily in that order. The effect was a non market driven product that not everyone wanted(can you say Hybrids?). Today's result is pre-71 cars being more desirable than their later counterparts which had compression reduced, less HP, etc. Fact is, if you have a 427/435, you probably don't have a problem either buying racing fuel at $10.80/gallon, or 93 octane to put in it. I only get 10MPG with my 350/300...I don't have a problem with that, it's a hobby!
Why a Corvette?.......I'll tell you why, it's American and we're proud of it, and Corvette's will be around a long time. We'll see to it!

 

O.K., just one more post......
It's a lot cooler!

 

I'll jump in here.

My skill level is about a 4 or 5 out of 10. My corvettes are my hobby; my pasttime. The hobby fits my lifestyle and my personal nature. I really did not buy them to drive so much as I did to work on them; to improve them. Yes, they could have been another type of car. Yes, I have made mistakes on them both through the processes. But I can absolutely guarantee everyone here, in writing, that no one on this planet would care more for these two corvettes than do I. No one would be more concerned about their mechanical ills than am I.

That's what this is about; attitude; not skill level. There are plenty of good wrenchers out there with cars rotting away and projects wasting in forgotten garages. Most of the cars here get much more attention than the average corvette does. And for the most part, the guys here are just working at an average or slightly above average skill level. It's about rolling up your sleeves, going out into that garage on a hot sticky day and doing that project you've been saving for. The parts just showed up. You drop what you're doing and open that package and call your buddy or just get going, digging into that rear suspension or that interior or whatever.

For my part, I respect the duffer with the positive attitude and the stick-to-it mentality over the big bucks guys or those who can't see the pleasure we duffers get in the simple turn of a wrench; the slow but steady improvement in their own special machine; the pride in a job well done by the sweat of their own brow and the grime under their own fingernails.

The last time I checked, this was still America, and the fellow with the desire and the checkbook can jump in with us anytime. The day this hobby becomes exclusive territory for the highly skilled and deep pocketed is the day it begins to die.

Do we need everyone's contribution? In the short run, I really need the skilled member who educates and informs me. In the long run, we can't survive without the newbie. Think about it.........

 

It's all in the eyes of the beholder. My brother and his friends are serious gear heads. We are talking about 4 9-11 second cars between them. They won't even look at Corvettes. Of course, they aren't concerned with turns. My eyes have started to drift towards the 50's, 60's style hotrods and restorods. I've kind of been considering selling my car lately just to move on to a different project.

 

Alot of you have missed the point.
The point is a Corvette isn't a car to buy and learn on, or buy then ask"where are the headlites".
I saw a question on here about "I just bought a vette and why does my drivers wheel lean out? Well his friends probably said it was a shock or a coil spring sagging, only to find out once he gets it home somewhere in that rear end mess is a inner u-joint shaft wore out inside the differential.
Well next thing you know he has the hammer and hacksaw out, oh yea and kitchen knife!
Anyway pulls most of the rear end parts out. Lets move on 6 months from now, 12 months,2 years and its still sitting in the yard and is now a piece of junk worth $800 out of the $6500 he paid for it.
This equels another vette bites the dust and is now a parts car.
Why do non car people buy vettes?
I bought mine other than pics off the net sight unseen, it arrives and the owner is spilling his guts about whats wrong with it blah blah blah.
Well it was ideling 300 rpms, and didn't have a timing tab, and they were trying to drive it like that until they had enough.
He said the power steering was going bad, but two washers later to aleign the belt and add some bolts to hold it to the bracket, it was perfect.
Couldn't get the interior in,hood to shut, gas smell, ETC.
Needless to say I was driving it that afternoon.
I am going on experience on buying a vette from a non car guy, the crap they put this car thru, Why???
He clearly didn't know anything about this car or any other either.
I never touched one book and put it togather and drive it almost everyday.
This makes me feel only certain people should own a vette, either you know how to fix them or have the money to get them fixed, they are not just an everyday comuter without day to day troubles.
Otherwise wear out a Toyota!

 

All you need is a little help with the crazy use of apostrophes and you'll be all set!

 

Well... why can't a corvette be a car to learn on? Given that you have the appropriate guidance (i.e. other enthusiasts, interent, books, guides etc.) Im 19 and purchased my vette for two reasons. One because i love the cars, and two because i wanted to learn all about them.

 

Why not?

According to your point of view, people should only upgrade to Corvettes after they have earned their stripes busting knuckles on other cars while striving to achieve the Holy Grail of Chevrolet's.

So am I not worthy of my car after purchasing it to learn on? Do I offend you when I refer to my car as my learning curve? At car shows, do you treat non-Vette owners like the gum on the bottom of your shoes?

 

Why not learn on a corvette, indeed?

Who among us has been given the right to tell me what car I can or cannot buy and do what I please with it? Likewise, what gives me or anyone else the right to tell you or anyone else what you can or cannot do with your hard-earned money? Where is it written that, in order to own a corvette, one must pass a mechanical proficiency standards test?

If a guy wants to buy a corvette and learn how to change oil and spark plugs and fix headlights on it, more power to him.

That is not the only point of this forum but it is a major piece of it. And if that is not the point of much of this, then many here have been in the wrong place for years.

 

AAHHH you see my point!!!!! Thank you!!!!!

 

Sounds to me like you need to sell your Vette and get a station wagon, or at least something big enough to fit your ego in.

 

Bubba?

 

Oh sorry I didn't take it off the frame and add a greenwood kit just to tighten some bolts!!!

 

Good God Almighty, some folks just want to be control freaks, and some just think that they are better than others, all in all that was what the ***** were thinking!........LT