I started takin stuff apart and putting it back together at 7 or 8, built my first lawn mower engine at 11 and rebuilt my first motorcycle at 13. All on my own, then went to live with my dad at 14 and started building race cars (dirt track in east texas). Got my 1st car, 69 Chevelle SS at 17, more toys and cars later, got my first vette in 89 a 77 L82. Had to do without a while then got the 81.
Worked on a bunch of them over the years, Still doin it.
Got to build one for the grandboy someday.

 

My dad and Mom!! I was 19 and they pushed me to buy it since I had a good job at the time for my age ,and I guess they were tired of me spending paycheck after paycheck at the local icehouse with my friends with nothing to show for.All they did was co-sign for the loan.That is them in the picture the day the Bank approved the loan and brought the car home!....
.

 

In 1971, Randy Kolb, my best friend in high school had a Tascam Turquois '60 hardtop only. He had moved to Omaha from Olympia, WA and before they left Olympia, his dad bought the Corvette for him for $800! It was an automatic but Randy swapped the powerglide for a 3 speed during our junior year.

It didn't have the original 283 but it still ran very well.

We went everywhere in that car and Randy didn't baby it either. I remember a time when he had to replace the mufflers. He poured a half quart of motor oil inot each one and we drove it out to the country to "burn them out". There were no mosquitos on that road when we were done!

I didn't get my first Corvette until 1979, a '65 convertible project for $5600. I had to write a check for $100 because I had only brought 55 $100 bills with me but I wasn't about to leave without it.

About a month prior to buying that '65 I asked Randy to help me find a Corvette. He told me he had seen one on a trailer about 5 years ago while he was working a drywall job north of Omaha. He was sure he could find it again.

So we went looking and I'll be an SOB if he didn't find it even though it had been moved. It was a '60 sitting on a flatbed trailer with no interior, no engine, no chrome and no paint. It was on a farm and the farmer said it belonged to his son. It had been there for 15 years in the same condition. The farmer said the interior and the rest of it was in his barn. I told him to tell his son I'd give him $5,000 for whatever he has of it.

Two days later I called the farmer and he said his son was not interested in selling it. He was going to restore it someday.

So, I kept looking. Honestly, I'm lucky I didn't get the '60 cause I would have been in way over my head.

The '65 was plenty of work but at least it was in running condition.

Well, I've rambled long enough but that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Oh, by the way, I'm on my 4th Corvette now. Had to sell the '65 in 1986 due to a divorce, and didn't get another one until 2000. A red/red coupe that I traded in 2002 for a red/red convertible. That one got traded in 2006 for the '72.

 

Man, I feel young. I distinctively remember playing with my matchbox cars when I was about 4 or 5 and playing with this one red convertible c4. When I was a little bit older, I would point every time I would see one driving on the road. I started looking on craigslist and ebay almost every day looking for a corvette and trying to convince myself that I could afford it, although I couldn't. I told myself and my parents that I would take out a loan to pay for it. While I was up visiting a friends beach house with my family, I saw an orange 76 for sale, up at Hampton beach and went to check it out like 9 times that day. It didn't have a price but I convinced myself it was cheap. I laid out the facts to my mom and tried to make it seem reasonable. Although, yet again it wasn't near my price range. So I kept on my search on craiglsist and ebay and a bunch of other sites trying to find a car that I could buy, while working numerous jobs. Well, a couple years past and I ended up going to college and continuing my search for the vette that was perfect and affordable. I found my car during my sophomore year. I saw it on craigslist posted for 2500 and hadn't seen any other vettes that ran for 2500 - mostly just the body without engine and tranny. So after a couple days I convinced myself to go and take a look at it. Once I laid my eyes on it coming around the corner to the guys house, I was instantly in love. I brought my best friend, his girl friend, and my girlfriend to see it. After seeing it, hearing it run, and driving it around the neighborhood, I was hooked and desperately wanted to put a deposit down on the car. We went to a local bank and my friends pitched in as I didn't have an atm card. Went back put the deposit on it and went home to tell my parents every detail about the car. After finally convincing them, despite their thinking that this car was going to be a money pit and an eye sore sitting in our driveway, I went to the bank and retrieved the rest of my money. I went back down a couple days later to finalize the deal and then I was the proud owner of a 76 corvette.

(sorry for the long story)

 

LMFAOOOOOO.......... ........I think everyone had a Pinto like that.

 

My Older sister (got a 67 Camaro for graduation ) & My Older brother who I helped put a 283 in the family Nomad(was a 6cyl) when I was 11.....The good ol days

 

[QUOTE=Michigan Vette Guy;1566091675]
What is that creature on the rear deck of the Vette

I thought I was the only person not able to tell what was on the back of the vette. I thought it was a chicken.

 

Morbid, but true. Two of my friends died in each of their new '67 Vettes. I had to have one. I do not know what I was thinking but I've had at least one Vette ever since.

 

I was 12 years old at a car show the first time I remember seeing a corvette. It was yellow, and from what I can remember, it looked to be a '74 or so vert, was also for sell. I asked my dad if he would buy it for me, didn't even know what it was at the time, but knew I wanted one. I remember the owner laughing good natured and then telling my dad how much he was asking for it. Don't know the mans name or if he ever sold it.

I went to the same car show this year, didn't take my vette to it, but there was two C3's, a silver '73 454 and a '75. After looking at the cramped spaces around the engine on that '73, I like my small block. And one C2, all three of them were for sale and from out of town, oddly enough. A couple of C5's and C6's, one red C6 had an America Flag painted across the back bumper, but other than that they looked like someone had driven them off the dealership.

As to why I got one, I just needed something to drive, so I got what I wanted. In these past two years, I think it's kept me sane and given me some sorta focus. I don't even want to think about how much trouble I could have gotten into if I would have partied with that amount of money.

 

I've always liked Corvettes, but I didn't really get hooked until one of my older brothers rolled up in our driveway in an '81. Fell in love as soon as he took me for a ride, but got hooked when I got to drive it. He has since moved to NC and left the car in my possession.

 

A B-52D pilot whose family was close with mine bought his first Vette in '66 (Laguna Blue ), so I vowed at the age of 8 that owning a Corvette must be in my destiny if I was to be like my boyhood hero. During this impressionable period in my life, one of my dad's brothers was building sprint car chassis and crewing for a local hot shoe, so he's to blame for my eventual involvement in racing. On top of that my dad was a partner in a detail & restoration shop at the time (sure wish he'd kept that business), so you don't have to be psychic to figure out how wrenches came to be in my future.

Guess it's little wonder that I still like to take Vettes apart to see how they work, but will I ever get my SA back together?

 

In the mid 60's. A neighbor of mine who was about eight years older than me, owned a new 63 vert. He saw me walking home from a Little League game and gave me a ride home. Hooked ever since then. I have owned over 30 Vette's since 1969. Brian still has the 63. It's been under a tarp for over 30 years in his back yard. And no, he won't sell it.

 

my dad's cousin

he and his wife came up to the lake cabin one time in her 71 bb vert that she bought from her father, ontario orange, black interior,auto,
wire wheels and hooker sidepipes, god that thing is gorgues, he took me for a ride and let me drive and every summer I,ve been getting rides and driveing and like everyone say's on here I was hooked, when I finally get my own it will be Identical to that exact car

 

dad got me started, he had a 72' orange coupe me entire life. and he talked me outta getting a motercycle when I found the vette I eventually bought, best choice Ive ever made

Thanks dad!

Miles

 

My dad was just wrapping up a body-off restoration on his Riverside Gold 69 Vert when I was born. I grew up riding in the passenger seat (at first it was in a car seat with a stroller jammed in the back). I don't remember ever NOT being in love with Vettes. We have two second-gen camaros, and they're great and all, but they lack the vibe of a C3.

As for when I got mine... Well, I was in my junior year of high school and I was dead set on buying my buddy's supercharged six speed 98 Camaro SS. Man that thing was hot. We spent many a night crusing in that thing. Never lost a race, either. I had saved up about $6000 from working in a guitar shop and gave it to him for a down payment, and I was going to make payments to him until I had paid $10,000 in full (he's my best friend and made me a hell of a deal). Well, my dad found out and threw a fit. He said it was way too fast for a first car, and insisted that I buy a C3. So I asked for my money back and my friend ended up selling the Camaro to someone else for $25,000. Well, after a few months of searching, we finally came across a white 81 for $6000 (how perfect!). When we went to go see it for the first time, I knew I had to have the car. I gave my dad the cash, and he said he would take care of it in a few days.

I came home one night from a school band concert I was playing in and went to pull my mom's car in the garage, but when I opened the garage door, there was something else sitting inside

Day one:


One year and a ton of money and work later

 

I putzed around with cars all thru HS in the late 60's till Uncle Sam came calling. That time, college, family all the grown up stuff and the urge came & went. Finally my Mom passed and she left me a few dollars. My wife asked me what I was going to do with it and said I think my Mom would like for me to do something for me, to have fun, and remember her. I told my wife what I thought of doing and she said do it. So I bought the car and every time I look at it and drive it I think of her. Thanks Mom!

 

My Dad got me (and my brother) started.
He was the best shadetree mechanic ever.
He loved working on that 60 Vette! This was
in about 1977. He departed this world in 1987.
We still have the 60 Vette!

 

Man, a bunch of great stories and pics. Man I miss the 70's! Did I say that already . I appreciate all for participating. Some sad stories, and may our loved ones that have passed Rest in Peace. I am so happy to now be a Vette owner, and a member of this great forum!!

 

that's pretty cool that ya all still have the 60. I know your father is smiling down!

 

I was a die-hard Ford guy(still have a bunch of old Stangs!!!),but in '88 a friend of mine took a adventurous young woman out of town for a week on a road trip,and she left her 71 LT1 at the house w/the keys,and permission for me to drive. That started the bug.Why they didn't take the vette,and took peepers truck.....I will never understand.Anyways.....still messed w/the Fords until got my first vette in the late 90s...a 74 Cpe.Now.....a vette guy w/a couple cool old fastback Fords.Don't flame me over the "blue ovals".I have a 35k project Stang out back.