Why a C3?
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,535
Likes: 25
From: San Francisco's North Bay California
You don't have to be a fan of the C3 to spot one from a very long distance. That can't be said for all the other generations.
When I went looking for a vette, price was the last thing on my mind.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,821
Likes: 204
From: Lincoln CA
Ah..... let's see. My best buddy's cousin had this 69 C3 BB coupe that his wife absolutely despised. She refused to ride in it. He'd had it for 14 years and only put about 20K miles on the car. It sat all alone in his detached carpeted garage and he never drove it. I've known the guy for about 35 years and he knows I'm into vintage cars, so he gave me first crack at the Vette when he decided to sell it. I knew it was an untampered, numbers matching car, so I was interested despite the fact that I'd never really been a big Corvette lover. I bought it and the car grew on me. The C3 body is a real work of sculpture. The lines are beautiful. Unfortunately, I was a teenager in the early 60s and the "real" Corvettes, to me, are the 58-62 C1s. There's something about those coves in the fenders that I just can't explain. A Corvette buddy of mine has a 62 that is absolutely beautiful. It wins lots of shows in the C1 Modified class and I really drool over that car. Anyway, I like the 69 very much and the shark gills are nearly as good as coves.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,048
Likes: 0
I bought the first C3 I went to look at, but I loved the two tone blue and 80-82 styling so it was a fit. I'm only 25, so of course price was a factor. Local availability was a factor too. I'm not sure if I would've pulled the trigger on a 74-79, but I greatly prefer the 68-73 and 80-82 more so. I love the styling of the C3s probably even more than a C2, but now that I've got a C3 and C4 I'm on the hunt for a C2 preferably a SWC or vert and a C1. I plan on keeping the C3 and C4, but I've got 20+ other cars and I'd certainly trade or sell a lot of them.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
From: West Milford New Jersey
growing up in an urban part of new jersey it wasn't really common to see classic gm's all over the place. of the few that i saw, there were 2 cars in my town that always stuck out. the red early 90s firebird, which at the time was brand new, and the white 1980 corvette with a black stripe and flat black painted stock wheels right down the street. i used to ride my bike down the street just to look at the old vette sitting in the back of a gated alley, only saw it drive once, and never forgot the sound.
my freshman year of highschool, my aunt bought a 77 with plans to restore it, she put new tires on it, re did the entire brake system and ignition, and then sat it in the driveway for a few years. when i came back from my deployment to afghanistan i had some money in the bank n she wanted to sell it, so 4,500 dollars, a new battery to drive it up the uhaul trailer, and a 5 hour drive in the pouring rain later i have a corvette in my driveway
my freshman year of highschool, my aunt bought a 77 with plans to restore it, she put new tires on it, re did the entire brake system and ignition, and then sat it in the driveway for a few years. when i came back from my deployment to afghanistan i had some money in the bank n she wanted to sell it, so 4,500 dollars, a new battery to drive it up the uhaul trailer, and a 5 hour drive in the pouring rain later i have a corvette in my driveway
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,971
Likes: 6,196
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
I need one really bigger too although not in the 20+ league like you! I have a few other cars, but 4 Corvettes at a time has been enough for me in the past. I'd like to knock the back wall out and make it a 6.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Arroyo Grande CA
My reason for a C3...
They're incredible. I've got a post-smog '77, and even though EGR can be a pain in the ***, I still love my car. People say that just going out for a drive can fix rough patches in your life. That is definitely true. Over the years I've bonded with my car.
I originally chose a C3 because of the styling. I love the look of Stingray's. Being a Junior in high school, (And a very active Corvette enthusiast) I knew that my first car HAD to be a Vette at ALL costs. This is where the whole "price" factor comes in.
Overall, I couldn't ask for a better car. A solid running 350 with 75,000 original miles.
They're incredible. I've got a post-smog '77, and even though EGR can be a pain in the ***, I still love my car. People say that just going out for a drive can fix rough patches in your life. That is definitely true. Over the years I've bonded with my car.
I originally chose a C3 because of the styling. I love the look of Stingray's. Being a Junior in high school, (And a very active Corvette enthusiast) I knew that my first car HAD to be a Vette at ALL costs. This is where the whole "price" factor comes in.
Overall, I couldn't ask for a better car. A solid running 350 with 75,000 original miles.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,971
Likes: 6,196
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
From: Riverside CA
I think my 75 found me,
i wasn't even looking for a car, in fact i was cleaning house and selling my vehicles.
(I had just sold my Mazda and my Kawasaki 1000)
one day while out for lunch, the guy in the next booth started asking computer questions, (I fix computers)
after the computer questions, we just started chatting and i mentioned selling my vehicles.
after a bit, he mentions that he has had a car in his garage for about 9 years,
and that he might as well sell it becuase he doesn't drive it.
and that i should come and look at it.
At this point, he has not said what kind of car, just that i would like it.
I get to his house and find a 75 in great condition,
which just happens to be the first real car I noticed when i was a teenager,
just beautiful lines.
during it's time in his garage, he had kept it up with repairs,
his next project was to be the brakes, but was glad to let me do it.
the guy gave me a great deal so i just had to take it, and I've never been happier since.
I actually like tinking around repairing it
i wasn't even looking for a car, in fact i was cleaning house and selling my vehicles.
(I had just sold my Mazda and my Kawasaki 1000)
one day while out for lunch, the guy in the next booth started asking computer questions, (I fix computers)
after the computer questions, we just started chatting and i mentioned selling my vehicles.
after a bit, he mentions that he has had a car in his garage for about 9 years,
and that he might as well sell it becuase he doesn't drive it.
and that i should come and look at it.
At this point, he has not said what kind of car, just that i would like it.
I get to his house and find a 75 in great condition,
which just happens to be the first real car I noticed when i was a teenager,
just beautiful lines.
during it's time in his garage, he had kept it up with repairs,
his next project was to be the brakes, but was glad to let me do it.
the guy gave me a great deal so i just had to take it, and I've never been happier since.
I actually like tinking around repairing it
