ballen06

A 69 corvette c3 was my first car. I bought it brand new in 1968. I don't regret it. Oh by the way I still own it.

MISTERZ06

would sure like to see pics

........................................ ........... tom

LS4 PILOT

How about a Triumph TR7 as a daily driver ......or even a 1976 Jaguar sedan

since is the thread is about stupid ideas for kids

Shdggsdv

My '75 is my first car and my first experience working on anything mechanical. I love it and wouldn't trade it for the world


However, I would never recommend it to someone without several years of regular driving experience already as you really do have to know how to be careful and defensive to manage well with a vintage car. Not to mention that it's expensive and I'm lucky as hell to be able to maintain one. I would only recommend it to someone looking to learn heavily on their first car, already has driving experience, has the space to work on it, time to dedicate to it, the steady finance to afford heavy maintenance, and definitely access to another car. Also a bonus that I live in a dry climate with no real weather dangers

The only reason I can maintain and keep my '75 really is due to the charity of my parents on permitting me to use their second vehicle when I need to as well as being pretty lucky with a decent steady job and no need for college.

Also, I was surprised with insurance. I have a standard insurance plan and actually pay a good deal less on my Corvette than I would if I owned my parent's '08 Nissan Maxima which costs the same as my Vette. Not to mention registration costs me pretty much nothing. I feel I get pretty good visibility compared to most cars I've driven as well. I think it's due to the lower safety regulations from 1975 and thus smaller A-Pillars and such

SteveG75

• No air bags.
• No Antilock brakes.
• No traction control.
• All the idiots on the road texting that you have to drive around. (That is why you need the air bags and antilock brakes).
• Youngest C3 is 35 years old. So, either driven a lot and clapped out or never driven and dry-rotted to heck. Or well maintained and costing $$$
• And lets not even get into insurance, mpg, or finding a mechanic who can fix one.

.

Conclusion: The OP has lost his mind.

dochorsepower

You can't fix a carburetor with an Iphone. What's a torque wrench?

PeterC3

Guys... I'm pretty sure the OP/article author was joking....

ballen06

Hey Tom..

I'm in the middle of restoration right now... but eventually I will flood the forum with photos.

Rescue Rogers

We need to toughen these kids up. Bunch of sissy namby pambies that need a good John Wayne kick in the pants. They should all join the military and grow a big hairy set to go stomp on the commie hoarde waiting at the boarders just wanting to kill us all.

Buying a good ole american car from back in the day would be good for us all. BACK IN MY DAY all we could afford was old cars, and we liked it that way. We got a car, a gallon of bondo and a case of brown primer and it made us men GOD D@MN IT.

If Reagan was alive today you know what held be yellin, " Let me outta this box, damn it, I'm still alive"!!! Ya we didn't have seat belts, and air bags or wore helmets on our bicyles. We road in the back of pickup trucks and drank out of the hose and WE LIKED IT THAT WAY!!! We swam up hill both ways to school cause the bus was broke down and we didn't like that so much, but HEY!!! We were tougher for it so if Bubba the love sponge wants to get offf the couch and put down the headphones, cell phone computer and tablet to go outside and wwrench on a car older than his Dad, he should.

It would be a helluva lot better for this country if we knew how to work on stuff rather than buying something new when the old one broke. WE DIDN'T GIVE UP WHEN THE GERMANS BOMBED PEARL HARBOR!!!We got up and we went out and kicked some commie a$$. Ooh, we're afraid to go with you Bluto, we might get in trouble." Well just kiss my *** from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Wormer, he's a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niedermeyer DEAD Now whos with me, LETS GOOOOO..... ummmm

where was I........ Oh ya, I think an old car would be a good learning experience and a great character builder and stuff......carry on



thank you John Belushi for your help in writing this stirring and moving mission statement.... it was just a memo

Priya

I don't think so.

Sluefoot

Uhhhh.....I believe it was the NIPS, not the GERMANS, Mr. Not-S0-Rescue!!

SteveG75

Someone is not familiar with Mr. Belushi's work.

Titosvette78

my first car was a 78 vette, i was 16 when i first got it. had the car all through my high school years I'm 19 now. owning a c3 at that age was super fun and cool but all my money went into that car especially when s*** hit the fan and the engine blew. usually all my paychecks went into that car but when the car was running it was a pretty cool experience and i made a lot of cool memories with the car during my high school years.
Was it a smart choice? no, but it was well worth it! it also thought me a lot when it comes to working and modifying cars. my advise is to baby the car, keep it clean! and enjoy it!

Kevin A Jones

I had a corvette while in high school as well. I ordered a brand new 75 coupe silver with red leather and would drive by the Chevy dealership every day to see if it had been delivered. One Saturday when I dropped by it was just being unloaded off the trailer and the driver let me drive it into the holding area.
I remember it being one of the happiest days of my life, or at least certainly was then.
I believe it was a little over $7000 and had been saving for it since I was about 8 years old cutting grass, delivering papers and rebuilding Briggs & Stratton engines mostly for my friend's mini-bikes and go-carts.

At that time a new 3.5 to 5HP engine was $55 to $70, so I would rebuild them for about 1/2 that. We would run them so hard that the rods would start knocking, sometime even throwing them through block. Sometimes if a good friend couldn't afford a rebuild and had one that was knocking bad I would take the cover off and sand a little metal off the rod cap to tighten it up on the crankshaft a bit and they could get another 10-12 hours out of it. They were the good old days.

I guess the point of my story is that a corvette makes a good first car if the kid can earn to pay for it theirself, if parents buy it, probably not so good an idea.

Rescue Rogers

All my first cars were as old or older than I was. I didnt own a car much younger than me until i was 25. And all those old cars were great, f100, gto, mustang, trans am, mercury monte claire the original Arc. Great memories with all of them. And I spent alot of money on them as well, as I would have with any car doing maintenance. This arguement is pretty stupid over all. A newer car will cost you alot in sensors, check engine lights, catalytic converters, struts. No car is cheap unless you buy grandmas honda that just had a complete ovrhaul. If I wasnt dicking with my car "improving it" it was fine after $2500.00 and I havent HAD to put anything additional into it. I have but thats because i wanted to upgrade the wheels and tires, and heads and carb. It was running fine. My suburaru needs more atttention than my vettte. So does my f250. Go buy an Audi and see how much a tune up costs you. Ya I want to go to my Senior Prom in moms station wagon, no wait, the family minivan. Or lets see, my 66 mustang which was pretty nice and ran well until I wore out the motor, then replaced it and had fun doing it.

Go buy the vette and have a hell of a time. buy an old one with no computer or sensors and derive it like a SPORTS CAR!!!! Jusst keep up on the maintenance it it will drive great and be fine. Napa and those guys have mosst of the parts it will ever need to keep moving. Vette supply houses have the eclectic odds and ends that will cost a bit more but for a first car you dont need numbers correct heater hoses and belts

C3 4ME

My first car was an old car, and I was fortunate enough to have someone teach me how to work on it. I also read A LOT to learn how to do things. Teenagers today would need an app to work on a car, when in actuality, the answers are usually pretty easy to find. I find videos all the time on you tube on how to fix stuff. I think a C3 could be a good first car for a kid who loves old cars, but obviously not for someone who isnt willing to get their hands dirty.

Rescue Rogers

I agree. But if they arent willing to get dirty then they should go ask mommy for a ride to the mall.

LinC3

My grandson helps me work on my classic cars all the time and say he can't wait to drive an old car, he has 7 years to go. My 1st car was a 70 R/T challenger when I was 17 and I'm still here alive and well. Young kids are the future "car folks" and we need to remember that. I'd much rather my kid spend money on ball joints and header gaskets than video games and sit in a room eyes glued to a screen. If a kid takes a C3 into a curve at 75 and hits a tree and dies guess what if they were in a 2017 Honda Civic they still would die air bags and all. Only the parent knows their kids behavior and interests if they have classic car fever get the C3 if not get the Honda. just one mans opinion.

UniqueApollo

So I'm going to get my uncle's 1982 silver blue corvette in October it's in good condition it's been in the garage for 6 years it just needs seats and a new carpet he has all of the parts he said he can sell it for 12k should I keep or sell it for something better?

Buccaneer

This was AWESOME! I chuckled, then laughed out loud a bit. You hit it right on the head for sure, well at least your opening statement anyway. I had to scratch my head a bit on the Pearl Harbor comment thinking that surely a Navy vet knows better. Then I saw the Belushi reference and understood it all. Nice going.