that you MAY have an addiction? After several C4s, my fourteen year old daughter drug me to the dark side of C3s by demanding we find one and redo it for her first car. We found a '79, and are about three quarters of the way through stripping paint, getting it ready for the paint job of her choice, which changes daily. She and I have similar, but not identical tastes.
Several months ago, I saw what I thought was a '77 in a neighbors' yard and began scheming about getting it, for parts if nothing else. Sunday, I drive by and realize the neighbor is an old friend's son. The old friend loves to horsetrade as much as I do, and it turned out the car was his. Even better, his wife had designs on my rarely used Scotty camper. Long story short, now I have a needy C3 for myself. It turned out to be another '79. I don't see rust issues, it runs decent with the distributor is firing, and it needs paint. Of course it does, since that's my least favorite thing.
It'll be a beater, but a roadworthy one. As I told my wife, there's more in parts if I parted it out than I had in the camper. We owned the Scotty two years, had $1500 in it, and used it exactly twice.

 

DEAR ABBY: My husband retired four years ago. At first he seemed to enjoy not having to go to work. Then he got bored and needed something to do. For some reason, he bought an old Corvette to restore. I was supportive, until I found out it's an expensive hobby. Finding and buying all the replacement parts costs money.
He has been working on that car for 3 1/2 years now. As soon as he gets it ready to drive, something else breaks. Meanwhile, he has bought four more old Corvettes "to work on." Our backyard looks like a junkyard.
We haven't had a vacation trip since he retired, not even a weekend to the mountains. He argues that we can't afford it, but he spends thousands on those old cars. It has become an obsession for him, and it's "driving" ME crazy. Any suggestions? -
- CORVETTE WIDOW IN THE SOUTH

DEAR WIDOW: Healthy couples discuss large purchases before making them. What your husband is doing is destructive to your relationship. It almost seems as though he is using his hobby as a way of avoiding spending time with you. My suggestion is that you and your husband find the money to consult a marriage counselor because what's going on is unfair to you. And if you need a vacation, consider taking one by yourself or with a friend.


Just sayin.....

 

ROFLOL. My loving wife, just rolled her eyes and told me to have fun. I'm a lucky man- she puts up with my hobby cars, because she knows when I get bored and sell them there's a profit coming her way. It helps that I bottom feed and don't obsess over date correct, NOS parts, I just like to play with them and enjoy them..
If I ever tried to tie off into a $50k restoration, she'd probably kill me. LOL

 

Make it fast and handle well. Then take it to a local road course track. You'll have a blast. If the body is in good shape you could just get it wrapped, the pros can do an awesome job

 

Each of the 3 C3s I have owned were my wife's idea!! I got the 69 when she came home from work one day and handed my the daily newsletter from work and said, "I think you should buy this"! She had circled "1969 Corvette, 350/350 4 speed"! A good friend and I went to look at it and this has been its home for the last 20 years.

What a woman!!!

 

Love it, It may well turn into the best bonding project with your daughter you could ever find. Be sure to post up pics of the progress.

 

Wow sounds familiar....I started with my 75 (all I had to do was add an engine and tranny) then reality set in. Have the body off and did the whole frame, suspension etc. Getting ready to put the body on any weekend, BUT in the mean time I bought a very nice 2002 to drive around until the 75 was ready, THEN picked up (saved from boneyard) a 2005 Vert stick shift that had a blown engine for 2k, then put in the motor, clutch, new top, etc.etc.etc.(was supposed to flip the 2005 to make money for the 75, but wife likes riding in it with the top down) .Wife has been great during this whole process. Is it an obsession or a sickness, I think I heard her on the phone with Dr Phil the other morning...

 

 

"Addicted"?? Non-Sence!
(see signature line)

 

Put me in the lucky spouse club. She doesn’t question me about the Vette and I don’t question her about her shoes and purses.

 

These were the first words I heard my wife say:
"I just wanted to tell you I've always liked your Corvette"
We lived in the same apartment complex & I was leaving my garage when she pulled up in her '72 Torino
That was almost 41 years ago. I knew right then......

 

ROFL!! Thanks Richard!

Ok Confession time for everyone!

I have a 68 and 72 project that I am working on and just a few more projects that are in the queue which we will not discuss right now, LOL's! I tell my friends we have a number of Corvettes, but only one you can drive on the highway, another one you can only drive in the backyard and the rest are on jackstands.

 

My wife complains when I sell them. Which is why I replace them with another one. Gotta keep her happy.

Your results may vary.

Ken

 

This is the second Corvette project in the que. I probably shouldn't admit the reason the first Corvette project (Cheyenne , my daughter's, '79) isn't currently one color is because I got sidetracked swapping a new rear end and transmission into my '52 Chevy pickup. I'm project poor. If my dumb butt would get off of the whole "I must own one of everything" mindset and focus on one vehicle, I'd have a show winner. But each of my projects up til now have a sentimental tie to them, which keeps me from parting with them. LOL On the bright side, all but two of my projects are actually licensed and drivable.

 

Yeah, I've been married 34 years and still don't get the shoes and purses thing. My wife and her bestie get together and discuss new purses and what a great thing they are - really strange stuff. And the shoes - what's the deal with shoes anyway, don't you just wear them?
Anyway my wife encouraged me to buy a toy car, and my 69 convertible L46 was the result. My daughter thinks it's so great that she has included it in her wedding plans! Ride to the church and reception in a convertible classic - how cool is that?

 

Dammit im still laughing..thats a good one