The13Bats

So im curious when the 68 came out it was so vastly styled Different to the midyears, t tops, all kinds of stuff not seen before, how was it received, did people love it, hate it, were t tops a must have,

Then how was the 73 and 74 up received with the plastic bumpers back when they came out

Dino_'72

Only know from what I have read. I was only 4 when it debuted, but it must have really blown people away. Have to admit for 1968 it was very exotic looking compared to other Cars of the day. I think if the C3 series had ended its production run in say 73 or 74, it would be held in much higher regard today. I also know the early C3s had some teething pains quality wise but eventually many of these were resolved.

In the early 70s there was a Green BB coupe that use to park near my house. As kids we thought that car was something else. We use to peer inside and seen the 160 speedo and thought this is a super fast car.

Well I guess that car really left an impression because I have now owned my current 72 for 28 years. At one point I was really into C2s, still like them, but C3 is a timeless look in a different way now than the C2. Some say it's psychedelic, some say maybe disco car, don't know about that, but a BB chrome bumper vert is very out there, timeless and still turns kids and adult heads big time.

71 Green 454

The '68's were stunning, Coupes with removable tops, new sleek look, a completely redesigned Corvette!
One of my brother in laws had a 1953 Corvette #14, and another one had a 1964. That got me started having Corvette fever. When the '68's came out, I was hooked. My first one was a '69 350/350 4 speed Coupe, loved the way it handled. I bought it when the gas shortage started. The next one was my '71 LS5 Convertible I purchased in 1975, still have it.
The rubber bumpers ('74's & 75's) were really hot and I took a lot of teasing for having the "old fashion" chrome bumpers...they were so passe!

Iceaxe

When rubber bumpers came out they really dated anything with chrome bumpers. Almost immediately any car with chrome bumpers suddenly looked 'old'.

Jeffthunbird

I was 11 when the plastic rear bumpers came out. I remember my friend and I riding bikes to the local Chevy dealer and we pushed in the soft bumpers. They were very cushy. We did this multiple times on Multiple times...we were amazed. So cool. I'm sure we didn't do any favors to the paint!

gbvette62

I was 9 when the 63 came out, and it shocked the world. My cousin bought a new coupe in 64. I loved that car, but he only had it about 4 months, before it was stolen.

Everyone was waiting for the 68 to come out. There wasn't much in the way of "spy shots" back then, but all of the car magazines had been running drawings of it for a couple years. There was a lot of anticipation for that car, especially when it's introduction was delayed from 67 to 68.

When the 68 hit the market, it immediately made mid-years look like Model T Fords!

I don't recall the 73 being all that well received, but the 74, 75, 76 and 77's were. In spite of their reduced performance, sales exploded in the mid to late 70's, and even though they weren't as fast as earlier Corvettes, they were still as fast or faster, than anything else you could buy.

Cooter Tech

I was 17, thought it looked great, all Corvettes did. I worked at an auto parts store and a guy drove it in brand new and was telling us about it. He was already buying parts to make it faster. I always smile about people talking numbers matching, unmolested C-3s. Most that were bought at that time was to go faster and beat the guy on Telegraph or Woodward and were modified as soon as they bought them. None have been as sleek and great looking as the C-2. Just my thoughts.

vettebuyer6369

I remember when the '68 came out and the reaction of my crowd. I cannot speak for the public.

We fell off our bikes over that car. It was a full-fledged "batmobile." There was quite a time frame in the 70s when the midyear cars were considered dated and not all that attractive by some. The coupes were very popular.

When I bought my first car in late 1976, the "late model" (now C3) Corvette was the coolest thing since sliced bread, and the Midyears (now C2) were the old news. I bought my '65 big block roadster for $2500 because it was a cheap mid year and because coupes were more popular.

When the rubber bumpers started, the '73 was not received well. It looked confused. The '74 was very new and futuristic at the time. I remember the rubber bumper look being pretty fresh and respected up to 1977. Its seemed that the big window and 80-82 nose/tails were interesting styling cues, but the cars in general started showing their age and really suffered from way too long of a run. 1982 was waaaaaay too long for that series.

mortgageguy

The 68 was like a rocket ship, the 67 was like a locomotive. No exaggeration. The T-tops were a styling break thru. It was low, wide and sexy. The interior was like nothing seen before. And, they only got better. The 427 in 1969 was the fastest Corvette ever built. It would be 1984 before they built one faster. The new C3 became a major player on road racing courses thru out the world. It accomplished things the C2 never dreamed of. Yet, a 67 is worth a hundred grand more than a 68. I still don't understand it.

vettpapaw

I graduated high school in 67 the wife in 68. I was in college in 68 and skipped 2 classes to go to chevolet dealer in town when the first 68 hit the show room. It was a unbelievable day. It took me a few more years but I finally bought a 68 big block convertible. I sure would like to have that one back!!!

doorgunner

I rode my bicycle to the local Chevy dealer the day the '68 hit the showroom floor. It was amazing.....with gauges and a cockpit like a jet fighter......and the body/Marilynn Monroe!

Jeff_Keryk

The 68 Corvette was pure magic.
As the others have said, new cars continually supplanted their predecessors, just like today.

But the 68 was soooo different; simply fantastic. Seeing one on the road, especially at night, well nothing could compare.
The other really cool car at the time was the GTO, but they paled compared to the Vette. Don't ask me how I know...

7T1vette

It was AWESOME when the '68 C3's were introduced. What a classy, sexy body!! Cool interior and instrument cluster...almost looked like an aircraft interior. But sitting in it was AMAZING!! Felt like sitting on the ground; had to get used to looking over the fender humps.

Tail section finally had styling that was comparable with the better Italian sports cars. I think my tongue was hanging out for a few weeks.

Gave me the 'bug' bad; but I couldn't afford to own one--yet. And, I've STILL never got over it.

The13Bats

Thanks guys for a fun thread,
I was born in 64 so when the 68 came out i was basically oblivious to it, i just had a feeling it had to blow minds at the time,
When i started getting into cars late 70s early 80s i didnt pay much attention to new models i still dont, i was curious about the c7 but first one we saw my wife asked is that a kit car and that stuck with me,
I recall around 79-80 out cruising i see a low wide flared rumbling monster, as it pulls away i see the spinning 1/2 axles, my buddy asks did i like vettes then went on to say they are out of our price range but tge baddest things on the road at that time at least half the c3s were custom to some extent,
I was so hooked and had to learn all i could what was stock what was modded what did i like better,
My tastes have changed a heck of a lot, ive toned way down but i still get all excited at times with c3s like thst first one that started it all for me,

ed427vette

This thread was a good read. I was too young to remember the 68 introduction, only was a year old. But I do remember the 73 rubber nose. I didnt like it. I also remember the 74 intro. The first one I saw was on the TV show The Magician with Bill Bixby. I seemed to like the 74 better. But ICEAXE nailed it when he said it made the chrome nose cars dated. It just made them seem so old almost immediately. But that was also probably due to my child perception of time. Those were fun times.

terrys6t8roadster

My first exposure to vettes was my gymnastic coach and his white 66 coupe. At 17 working at a Shell station my boss let me use his 62 for prom, I was hooked. Almost bought that car, Pa said no 'I"d kill myself'. When the 68's came out all my car buddies were awestruck. Took me until I was 40 to get my first vette. my 6t8. It was beat to death but just had to have it and now I get to touch Marilynn every day. T

bkvette3

Great thread. I am going out to the garage and sit in my '68 for awhile (4:59 AM).

oldgto

I was 13 years old when the 68 came out. The first one I actually saw was at the "Five & Dime"... a little MatchBox car for 17 cents! It was the coolest thing I`d ever seen! The sleek lines were unlike any other car you could buy.
It would be a couple more years before we saw any C3s riding around town though. Back then, being from a small farm town in southern Michigan, most people had trucks....especially 4X4s. Those kids who did buy cars, bought bigger (cheaper) models.

3JsVette

I think the responses really depend on the crowd you were a part of and the type of area you lived in. My crowd revolved around muscle cars. Most were concerned with 1/4 mile times not with cornering. So it wasn't really about a C2 or a c3. It was more about small block, FI, big block and who was the fastest or the best driver. As far as the rubber bumpers went the end came in '71 when the net horsepower ratings and low compression came about. The rubber bumpers were just one more thing.

mrvette

My first car was a '60 vette in '66, just after my 'obligations' were over with....and I could get bank loan for 1/2 the 'value'......

so the car was lost in a wreck, and I jumped ship into Pontiacs, because INsurance was affordable, basically......so by time '68 came around I noted the car but the price was outta the world....3 grand?? 3500??

at any rate, as the 70's went by, I just cried how all that plastic crap had ruined car designs....Vette's included and it all the fault of the Fed.gov and Ralph Nader......sure, they were marginally safer, but the looks just faded away....so I settle for my '72 vert....bought in '95 my 3rd vette....

in a L O N G list of cars/vans/trucks....most of which were totally forgettable vehicles.....