vettebuyer6369

Here's my '80 when I brought it home (1983ish?) and the following summer with some cool JC Whitney shades added for a Corvette club display.

Does this qualify as "back then?"

Lakeside49

Uh - you pretty much nailed it -
Is that you in the lawnchair watching your car - or, the one standing up giving a tour of the engine bay? The blonde's higher-rise jeans brings back some pretty good memories, too. But, probably for a different type of forum.

AllC34Me

vettebuyer6369

No, thats me pointing to something in the engine compartment like I had some idea what I was talking about. (probably not) My buddy was sitting in the lawn chair pouting because his car broke down and wasn't able to display.

TCracingCA

We had our beast 1968 with the flares, Pearl paint and heavy pinstriping when they came out! A really good friend neighbor got the Pace Car and I road with him out to events and drove that a few times as I was already licensed and he thought I was a trustworthy teenager, and I even though it was a good riding and driving car; out in our area you hid at stoplights so as not to get beat by all of the Hot Rods still prowling the streets! The higher end stuff, won't waste time on you, but the four teenagers in a slightly modified jacked up Dodge Dart or someone in a primer 350 Nova would taint you! It got noticed, especially being a Pace Car edition and we got challenged which wasn't a good thing! And then it also got some compliments! I remember being in it at the gas station and having a couple guys come over and start a nice conversation about it! But hot rodders from my area generally got no pride from beating something stock! I really wasn't embarrassed riding in it, because It was a nice car being new, and I knew what I could go home and get! This was during the odd and even gas rationing days and the long gas lines! So my deal with my Father is I took the family cars out and waited in the gas lines and kept them filled, when he got home in the evening and I got to use them limitedly! I also drove my brothers to school using a 1970 Ford Country Squire 429 SCJ car motor blown replaced with a 460 with Anson mags and side exhausts that I got to use ! My Dad's new wife had a 1975 Buick Skyhawk (Monza looking thing), we had a 1963 Porsche 356, and the highly modified 500hp 1968 Corvette! I would go cruise and steal gas during the week and weekends by siphoning and keeping cans at a friends house, so my Father wasn't thinking I was out cruising! I had to be careful going and taking some passes on Whittier Blvd or going up to Turnbull because my Father would kind of glance at the fill up times on the receipts and the gas quantity and gauge how long I was gone! So I made friends with a hot rod guy gas station Owner who had a fuel altered on Whittier Boulevard! He had a private pump in behind his station with the high octane stuff, that was not a general public pump at his station! I was working then, so I didn't have to steal as much gas any more, but getting privileges at that station to avoid the gas lines gave me a valid reason to go over the hill and get a couple of cruise laps in and then home to get the next car! I saved his Corvette last, in case I got any race action lined up at either place! My Dad later after I had moved out joining the US Navy told me he knew I was cruising them, and he started filling the Corvette up himself at my Friends station! So then I was stealing his car (sneak it out) while they were out for the evening and filling it up getting it back home prior to them getting back home! They had like season tickets for the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Hollywood Bowl type stuff, so I just had to give my younger brothers a supply of quarters for video gaming, for them to not tell that I wasn't always home watching them! I had developed a reputation with the Corvette, but mostly in the Station Wagon drag racing older guys! The Vette when I got it out successfully, I stopped going to Whittier and took that up to show off up in the Road Racing Canyon between Whittier and our Hacienda Heights The Raceway Turnbull Canyon) ! I would get to hang out a little up there in the Family Porsche too! Then we got rid of the Station wagon and the step mother got a new car and I got to use the Buick Skyhawk to get to school and my Movie Theater job, till I bought my 1967 Camaro! The Station Wagon was instantly missed, as that was a tuned and headered big block and could leave the 231 Buick about a1/2 mile behind in a 1/4 mile drag race, but it did handle better, but was pathetic in handling and braking compared to our Porsche and Corvette, but I had zero restrictions driving it! For the friend with the 1978 Corvette, he got all into Corvette Club with Don Steves dealership Super Sport Corvette Club! Had the slick jacket etc. I to raise money to get my Camaro hand dug his fancy jacuzzi!

Ps our Station Wagon beat that 1978 Corvette Pace Car edition in a drag race, but I don't remember if that was before or after doing Station Wagon Mods! We tried it! My Dad raced our neighbor friend in a bet! Other than the Headers and BFG tires, it had a High rise Dual plane with a Holley and a dual point Accel unit, and an Isky cam! The heads from the 429 were transferred over onto the 460 which raised the compression about a point I remember! We had a 1967 427 Wagon bought special order, and the 429 was a dog in comparison initially! So my Father did his thing to it over a couple of weekends and then immediately took it out to beat guys in Camaro and Mustangs! He even drag raced it at Lions in some bracket stuff events! Even though my Father was a Chevy enthusiast, my Mother liked the Ford Country Squires and we lived in Torrance, which became Carson in 1968, and I remember getting these special wagons at Peyton Cramer Ford! I think Chaffee Ford handled the engine replacement now that I have better written our families car history!

lowbuck72

In 1972, I was 18 years old living in so cal. With my dad's help, I bought a '64 Sting Ray roadster with a small block and a powerglide for $1100. I entered the All Corvette Drags at Orange County International Raceway that year. It was bracket racing and my powerglide ran 14.42 - 14.45 every time, dialed in 14.45, just stomp and steer. I was racing against a lot of C3's, even big blocks in my bracket, and ended up winning my bracket, and then beating other brackets. Ended up taking 2nd placed overall, final race, got beat by a 12 second C2 who caught me and stayed inches ahead of my front bumper. One of the best days of my life.

Then came Viet Nam, I was in college, got my draft card and a high lottery number and didn't go, (I salute you DG).

4 years later, came the oil embargo, gas lines, runaway inflation, 5 mph bumpers, and catalytic converters, new cars got ugly and were lame performers. However, muscle cars of the 60's became dirt cheap. Big block Mopars, Boss 429 Mustangs, Hurst Old's, could be had for under a grand. I bought a '63 Chevy Biscayne, two door sedan with a factory dual quad 409, Muncie, and 4:11's for $400. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. We'd go cruising almost every night, street racing wasn't that big a deal, plenty of empty streets. Got caught by a cop for racing once, got a speeding ticket and a talking to.

7T1vette

After the EPA had their way with reducing smog...and reducing engine power...the ZING went out of the new cars. Corvettes were status symbols...not hotrods. People bought them to be "cool" (or try to be).

Yes, there were those die-hard Corvette folks (God luv 'em) who kept the fires burning; but the muscle era was over and no-lead regular gas and low compression engines were the norm. And, with gas costing a whole dollar per gallon or more () and insurance costs skyrocketing for a car with any kind of power, who could afford to go fast???

No, it was different back then: bell-bottom pants, double knit leisure suits (remember John Travolta?), and Motown soul were all that counted. Cars had wild paint jobs and "cool" was the word. Glitzy cars were the thing; fast cars were not (except in some circles). GM literally dumped power for CHEAP! How else could the cars from Japan take over the car business?

Smokey and the Bandit did a job for the Trans-Am and it TRIED to keep the fire burning for a few years. But it was never the same. And neither were the Corvettes....

OldCarBum

I got a street racing ticket in the mid 70's. The judge advised me to sell my car and if I wanted to go fast, by a boat, and never appear in my court room again. Sold my 72 Buick, 455 skylark GSII, bought a Dodge, surfer Van, that my girlfriend and I enjoyed just as much, and a Sanger, Drag Runner, BB, built beyond your wildest dreams. That was my first drag boat. It turned 127 mph in the liquid quarter mile and was scary fast. Weekends, camping at the Parker strip on the Colorado River, the van and my girl. Life was good.

Sunstroked

I didnt buy the 82 red coupe with the smoked glass t tops, but man o man, I sure wanted to! I was a ford motor assy line worker, working a few weeks, getting laid off for a few weeks.
I went to the Chevy dealer and test drove it, I wanted it in the worst way. As an old man of 24, the Corvette really tripped my trigger. They were not considered" distinguished gentlemen" cars as we think of them today. At least not for me. But, the cars of the late 70's early 80's were nothing like the hi-po 60's and 1970 model cars.
In the end I did get laid off. For 2 yrs, but I was already enrolled in an aircraft mechanics trade school. By the time I was recalled, I had my ticket to a lifelong career. I told Ford sayanara! Had I bought that Corvette, I could have never made the payments. It was 20 grand! The car I really regret not getting was the 69 427 tri power vette. He only wanted 3 grand!

tokim

I bought my first Corvette in 1981, I was 26, the car was a '68 Red with black interior T-Top 327 a/t.
One of my best buddies at the time had a '76 red with black interior coupe.
We would cruise around together, often times drawing attention, and just plain thinking we were cool (I didn't say we were cool, just thought we were).
We often switched out our cars to drive, I loved his '76 being 8 years newer then mine and only 5 years old, seemed quieter, and more refined. He liked my '68 because of it's quirks and differences.
It worked out well for the both of us.
Four more Corvettes after that, I own my '71, and have grown to prefer the chrome bumper years.
Those were good times back then, and is why my appreciation for these cars has grown.

GregX1

Thank you guys for this time-trip ;-)

Illegal Vette

Mine was a '79, I bought it in 1980 or so and it was my first Vette. I sold a nice '55 Bel Air to get it and I was pretty happy to have such a cool car. In those days they were pretty cool cars but obviously not too fast compared to other hot rods running around, I remember getting beat by a VW rabbit at a stop light! This kind of thing isn't a problem for a hot rodder as we all know, and I eventually got it fast enough to lose the fear of Volkswagens and a bunch of other cars besides. Aside from how great they looked compared to most other cars they also had decent handling, braking, and creature comforts not to mention t-tops which came off whenever there was a nice day. I've had a lot of nice cars since that one but I missed it and decided to buy and build an updated version. It's really cool to get into a car that's like the one you once loved, your fingers know where everything is and it just fits.
Here's a scanned picture of it:

rastafford3164

Love that tag! I am assuming you needed those to drive it!

BLUE1972

I remember when the chrome bumpers disappeared. I thought the rubber cars looked ugly. Some people thought they were modern.

Then came the rear "aero windows" of the late 70's . Most thought the cars looked sleek.
The "bolt on" spoilers were not well received around here.

The 80 was the first car that was not looked down on. (around here).

Then the C4 came out with the star wars dash and European styling - it rendered the C3 outdated.

Amazing how things have changed.

Lakeside49

Thanks for the impressions and experiences of the times. I've "Thanked" everyone on our forum who has responded (who owned one). And, with a sincere, respectful thanks to the early C3 owners for letting the late-seventies/early 80's bubble back C3 owner's jump in this one time. Bottom line - as a forum member here - please share with everyone here your recollections of what ownership was like with the "late model" (1978-82) C3's between 1978-82, even if you have not posted before. (pics are nice using the "advanced options" feature which is easy, but optional at best). Mostly interested in how you personally felt, and fit into the car and public opinion community at that time. As as aspirational young fan at the time, I was blown away by their looks, and remember looking up to the type of owner that owned one. There have been some excellent posts from both, an enjoyment to a humbling (performance) standpoint. All are interesting. Pls add your POV.

ajrothm

My dad bought a 79' Vette brand new. He had already owned a bunch of C2s and C3s before then. He said he remembered that when the plastic bumper cars came out, everyone thought they were high tech, modern, the way of the future...and no one wanted "those old chrome bumpers" anymore. He said he even recalled people doing custom plastic nose/tail conversions on chrome bumper cars to "make them more modern". He bought the 79' new, ultimately, did not like it and sold it after a couple years and went back to a hot rodded 69' C3, until the C4s came out. Then he bought a new 1985 C4... And space shuttle was the correct term. I was 9 years old when he got the 85' and I was just in awe over it...and was for the 5 years he had it..Then sold it to build a 59' C2.

Ironically, all these years later, he still owns 7 corvettes (C1, C2s , C3s, C7) and he told me today he is selling his C7 because he likes to drive the old ones more.

Somethings never change...



Me personally, I was never a fan of the 74-79's, but man I love the 80-82s.... Sporty, classy, elegant.... I still wouldn't mind having one.

Illegal Vette

My brother and I installing a Lingenfelter 383 after getting smoked by the VW Rabbit. If I needed a pair it was after the install.

TCracingCA

It wasn't a Callaway Turbo Rabbit was it?

I remember very early 1980s we punched out a VW Type 1 to 2110 and used to go look for victims like Corvettes, for my girlfriend who liked to race!! I remember Reeves Callaway just being a guy that showed up at cruising hang outs with His water cooled modified Wabbit!

KapsSA

In the 70s I was into Novas. Had a big block 70 and a small block 71.
Sold the big block to get married and buy a house in 79 The 71 was a nice driver I kept for a few more years.
In 84 I found myself working with 2 Corvette owners, one guy had a 76 that he kinda beat up(he managed our softball team and hauled all the equipment in the thing), other guy, a boss, had an 81.
One day the 81 owner asked me if I'd run him down to the Chevy dealer to get some work done. I gave him an annoyed look and he said "you drive the Vette". OK......

That did it!
Wanted a Corvette after that.
Really wanted a brand new 84 C4but couldn't afford the $25K.
KNEW of a restored 67 427 coupe at $18K but was still too much, plus I had decided I liked the swoopy look of the C3s.

FIRST C3 I looked at was the one I ended up buying. Black 79 L82 manual with 6000 miles on it, absolutely mint for $12K. Sold the 71 Nova 3 weeks later. Still have the 79 Vette 33 years later(I DO really wish I still had the Novas, tho.).
Did the chrome and headers/dual exhaust stuff right away till the originality bug hit 25 years later and I returned it to stock.

4 other 78/79s have shared the garage since but 3 have since gone to new homes with only my white79 remaining alongside the "original" black one.
I admit I don't drive either one as much as I should, I prefer playing around with them.
And I have no regrets owning 79s!

chiefttp

I was 17 in 1979, the popular new cars for young guys back then were Trans Ams, and Z-28's. Corvettes were still way out of our league, and most guys drove muscle cars from the late 60's early 70's like Chevelles, GTO's and The like. I left for college in 80 and every weekend when I drove home I passed a Chevy dealership who displayed a rainbow colored assortment of new 80 Vettes parallel to the road. I'd crest a hill and once on top, there was the row of Vettes, gorgeous. In 84 a friend of a friend asked me to join him on a road trip to visit college friends. I agreed and he offered to use his car since it was newer. He came to pick me up in a 81 Vette, and I ended up driving it from New Jersey to Nashville!, what a rush. After that I vowed I'd own one, and a 79 Trans Am...4 Vettes later (all 81's) still loving the looks, hating the performance...still working on the T/A too.