Same reason most guys are giving. C3's grabbed my attention when I was a young guy. My father's buddy let me have his brand new 1975 Corvette for a day when I was 19 years old. It was a gutless bone stock automatic but I didn't care. I spent the day making sure everybody saw me in that car. Flash forward about 35 years. Last year I bought a 1976 Stingray. Bright red, new black interior, 350 crate motor and an automatic. Not a collector car. Just a really nice driver that gets me constant thumbs up and positive comments. The paperwork I have states it's a 350 HP 350 GM long block crate engine with less than 10K on it. The seat of my pants says the HP rating is about right. The tranny has a fairly aggressive kit. It shifts so hard that my seat belt kicks into restraint mode going into 2nd gear.

 

PRICE....

I owned a C1 and a C2 while I was in college in the lat 60's... and loved them both BUT when I got married ...well you all know what happened... Fast forward 20 or so years when I had the money I just could not afford a C2 ... so I went with a 79 then picked up a 72 then a 76 and took my time getting all 3 back on the road ..

Today... I own a C2 three C3's a C4 and a C5... my favorite over all car TO DRIVE is my 76 (low option L48 4 sp) but my favorite car to OWN is my C2 (64 conv)... least favorite is my C5 followed closely by my C4...

Don;t get me wrong the C4 and C5 are great cars BUT they sure do not have much of a "mechanical feel" to them... drive the 74 or 72 and you know you have a mechanical contraption under your ... which I LOVE....

Bob G.
BTW how anyone could call a C2 ugly is beyond me... LOL

 

With the exception of the Lamborghini Muira, I think C3s are the best looking sports cars ever made and they're about 5% of the cost.

My neighbor across the street bought a black '70 new. I was 10 and drooled over that thing every day while looking at its rear end sticking out of his garage. I took every opportunity to cut through the garage and run my hands over its curves.

A few years ago, I had a small inheritance and bought my '80 for my 48th birthday.

I love working on it, I LOVE washing and waxing it and its a blast to drive.

I would only trade it for a '63 split, otherwise I'm fine.

 

I was 12 years old when the C3 came out. I always liked the C2 as a kid also , but when the C3 came out I remember just being totally fasinated by it's spaceage design. I thought then and still do that it is one of the best looking cars ever produced. I always wanted one and it took me until 3 years ago until I got one , a 72 small block 4 spd Steele Cities Grey coupe. Needless to say I am not disappointed with my purchase. Added a C5 that my wife uses as a DD. My next purchase is going to be a C2 , but the C3 will remain. The C5 can go when the wife get's tired of it but my fantasy is to look out in the garage and have a C3 & C2 sitting side by side.

 

 

I love the looks of the C3 and the fact that they can be modded to run with the big boys!

 

Nothing wrong with a C4 at all. They are great cars but either you like the styling of them or you hate it. I enjoyed my LT4 while I had it but it is gone and the C3 remains.

 

Given the fact they didn't make black Corvettes in 1970, this is highly unlikely.

 

I agree with this post totally. My wife got me into Corvettes late in life . And I like all Corvettes!

I originally bought the 76 because it was a cheap way to get an older Corvette.

Now after having ridden in friends straight axle C1's and studied many Corvettes, I really do not ever want a C1 or a C2. The C3 shape is so original, so seductive, so sixties, for me it is the quintessential "Corvette"

 

 

It was the first and only car I ever fell in love with lol (no I'm not a freak). Although I very much like the C2 and would love to own one, after all the hard labour I wouldn't trade my '74 for one.
Nick

 

I have an addictive personality, I collect things. In a period of 18 months I've bought a 70, 95, and 98. I'm currently shopping for a 56-62 while waiting for the C6 price to drop further.

I do not like the looks of the C2 and I'm not looking for one. In the day, I sold my 62 C1 and bought a 66 XKE, it was an incredible machine. I would still take the XKE over any living or dead C2.

The 70 is my Stingray. The price of a used C7 Stingray will not be within my means when I retire in 7 years.

I like the "slouch" design of a C3. In my mind I look like this when I pass with the top down.

 

For me it's in the future, haven't bought one yet. I've started research on buying something in the 68-72 range. Unless I happen across a killer deal on a BB, I will probably go with an SB, cause it's enough, convertible. If I really get a craving for more power I know there are things that can be done to the engine.

My reasons for this specific range include:
Styling - Have always liked the lines and I like the chrome bumper look.
Price - A decent driver won't set me back a huge amount, and it won't be so precious that I will feel hesitant to drive it to work.
Workability - This range is before much of the emission control and electronic stuff. It will be easier to work on mechanically than newer cars.

 

First off, this is a great thread! I have always liked the '68-72 cars and '80 - '82's. When I was in high school a guy that my brother was good friends with saved his money, drove a POS as a daily, and during his senior year he paid top dollar for a mint black on black '82. It was beautiful to say the least. He took me for a ride in it, the car ran so well and just looked perfect. The seats, the styling, the whole flow of the car was exotic. C3's had never been on my "to-buy" list until about a year ago. I had always owned Camaro's and Firebird's including 4 '69 Camaro's and over a dozen 3rd gen Camaro's and Firebird's. I will be honest, I like cars with back seats and trunks.

Seeing that I could not afford a chrome bumper car finding a clean '80 - '82 to just go look at it was somewhat difficult. I had talked with owners and a good friend of mine has a '78 Pace Car. Everyone complained how gutless they were but they loved the look. So when I found my '81 with aftermarket EFI on it, a T-5 trans already installed, and 3.55 gears I knew it was the one. It was the first 80-82 C3 I drove and I bought it. It has put up a good fight with restoring the interior but it will all be worth it. I occasionally look at C4's as my Accord coupe does get boring as a daily driver but not sure if I would pull that trigger just yet.

On a plus note for the C3, many women like them, including my fiance' they are sexy cars! She is always asking when I will be done with my car so I can take her out to dinner in it.

 

:yesnod
My Mom had a red 64. Sold it when I turned 16. So, you'd think C2s would be my fav. Nope. C3 for me. Can't stop looking at it! I actually like C1s more than C2s
C3s.....Smithsonian material

 

when i was looking for a corvette i was looking at a c4 becasue of the price and figured it would be more in my price range. i drove of couple of c4's and was impressed but once i got behind the wheel of a c3 i was hooked and bought the first one i drove. looking out the front glass and seeing those fins had me hooked!

good luck with your decision.

 

I have always loved Corvettes. When I was a kid and saw C1's driving around I thought that they were the coolest cars on the road.

My first Vette was a 63 Red roadster. I loved the car and have so many great memories. When the C3 came out in 1968 I fell in love all over again.

I managed to save my money, sold the 63 and bought a 69 coupe. The car was only 6 mos. old and I bought it from the original owner. I have the car to this day and still really enjoy driving it.

I have a C5 and it is far superior in every way to the earlier generation Vettes, however I still get more people looking at and commenting on the C3. The C3 is definately the classic Corvette.

 

That's a good story. The car looks great!

 

C1s and C2s are hideous - no contest, I bought the C3.

 

I had bought a 280ZX to restore a couple of years before buying the Corvette. I loved the looks of it but as a winter car restoration went on I started thinking about "What summer car would I get if I picked from anything I could think of?" I eventually decided on a 78/79 Corvette and bought one on a bit of an impulse buy. Had a lot of buyer's regret after I experienced the teeth shattering ride and very cramped quarters. I'm a big woman, but not that big. I had sold the 280ZX but wondered for the next year if I made the right choice. The 280ZX was actually much more roomy on the inside than the Corvette, way more comfortable, had about the same level of performance and got double the gas mileage.

I eventually decided I did make the right choice and I'm okay with the Corvette now. After a lot of pondering I decided I really do think its a better looking car than the 280ZX and I really did want a car primarily for its looks so I'm happy to be a bit of a fashion victim.