...WW
remember the 60's?
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Grew up in the 70s when the older guys on the block had Challenger RTs, Camaros, Superbirds, AMXs, etc used to go to the street wars with them and cruise Van Nuys Blvd. Awesome machines youd see cruising around, got the bug young.
Terrified my Dad
Were at the tail end of the 2nd and possibly last musclecar era enjoy it while it lasts. They are quicker and drive better than ever just too many electronics and too expensive for me.
I love the bodylines, chrome trim emblems etc of those old cars, they all had character. Ones out today, none of that. Maybe a kind of chromed emblem at best and bland bodylines to make them more slippery.
Build quality has really improved overall but I tell ya the 44 yr old sheetmetal on mine compared to my 02 truck...forget it. Tin can designed to look like a big tough truck, lean on it and it folds in thats a joke.
Back then as a kid you could tell by ear who was coming down the street and what it was just by the sound. Today they are all silent.
Terrified my Dad
Were at the tail end of the 2nd and possibly last musclecar era enjoy it while it lasts. They are quicker and drive better than ever just too many electronics and too expensive for me.
I love the bodylines, chrome trim emblems etc of those old cars, they all had character. Ones out today, none of that. Maybe a kind of chromed emblem at best and bland bodylines to make them more slippery.
Build quality has really improved overall but I tell ya the 44 yr old sheetmetal on mine compared to my 02 truck...forget it. Tin can designed to look like a big tough truck, lean on it and it folds in thats a joke.
Back then as a kid you could tell by ear who was coming down the street and what it was just by the sound. Today they are all silent.
Last edited by cv67; Apr 8, 2011 at 09:33 PM.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 715
Likes: 21
From: Ontario California
I was driving Corvettes in the 60's My first was a 57, which I bought in 1960 for $2700. Next was a new 64 coupe, fuel injected 4-speed, followed by a 67 coupe L71 427/435HP, then finally a 69 coupe, LT1 (dealer built) 4- speed.
Since then I now own a 94 coupe 6-speed, and a 2007 coupe 6-speed. I will have to agree that today's Corvettes are far more refined, lots of power, with unbelievable gas mileage compared to the old Corvettes
But you got to look at the 60's era itself, rather then compare it with today's offering. At the time these various Corvettes came out in the 1960's...they were light years ahead in technology then most of the cars on the road at that time. It was also a time when the average blue-collar worker could afford a new Corvette. That's not the case with today's new Corvette
Since then I now own a 94 coupe 6-speed, and a 2007 coupe 6-speed. I will have to agree that today's Corvettes are far more refined, lots of power, with unbelievable gas mileage compared to the old Corvettes
But you got to look at the 60's era itself, rather then compare it with today's offering. At the time these various Corvettes came out in the 1960's...they were light years ahead in technology then most of the cars on the road at that time. It was also a time when the average blue-collar worker could afford a new Corvette. That's not the case with today's new Corvette
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Is that a function of higher vehicle cost (even adjusted for 45 years of inflation) or is it lower (adjusted) blue collar wages? I tend to think it's the latter. Much fewer mfg jobs these days....more service. Typically lower pay.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 413
From: WV
Just look at all the cars the companys have come out with in the last few years to try to regain that 60s flavor . The new Mustangs, the Dodge Challengers, and to some extent, the Chevy Camaro, they went for that same 60s look..There trying to bring back the best years these companys had as far as style and design...
..WW
..WW
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 73,568
Likes: 33
From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
I paid 6700 for my Z28 in 77 and that was a lot of money, but compared to 40K it was doable where 40K isn't doable for me.
Oh sure I could, but I wouldn't have some of the other things I have and I'm not trading them for a 40K car. No way
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 413
From: WV
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 951
Likes: 3
From: Placerville CA
Must be nice to reminisce about your favorite 60s rod. I spent pretty much the whole decade pinching pennies and working my way through college, and then attending Uncle Sam's party in SEAsia. I can't even recall any cars from the 60s, but I can identify any 50s-era iron. Before they all adopted the jellybean shape there was real excitement over model year changes. How big will the tailfins get?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 413
From: WV
Must be nice to reminisce about your favorite 60s rod. I spent pretty much the whole decade pinching pennies and working my way through college, and then attending Uncle Sam's party in SEAsia. I can't even recall any cars from the 60s, but I can identify any 50s-era iron. Before they all adopted the jellybean shape there was real excitement over model year changes. How big will the tailfins get?
..................and years............WW
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 15,127
Likes: 283
From: Salt Lake City Utah
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (stock)
I don't remember much about the 60's, but I can remember enough about the 70's to make me sick. I can still remember going with a friend to pick up a 1967 GTO, 4 speed 400 H.O. car with 45,000 miles like new in 1975 for $550, ouch. I didn't pay much more for my 65 Impala SS, muscle cars were all over the beater lots and papers being given away by today's standards.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
I don't remember much about the 60's, but I can remember enough about the 70's to make me sick. I can still remember going with a friend to pick up a 1967 GTO, 4 speed 400 H.O. car with 45,000 miles like new in 1975 for $550, ouch. I didn't pay much more for my 65 Impala SS, muscle cars were all over the beater lots and papers being given away by today's standards.
In high school I worked part time detailing cars at the Ford dealer. This was in 1978 and I was 16.....a 1970 Mach I was traded in, 351 auto, A/C Calypso Coral....excellent condition. They put it out on the lot for $1695. It sat. And sat. And sat. And sat. I drove it frequently on errands, which the owner didn't mind since it wasn't selling anyway.The owner was friends with my parents, and told me to take it home, keep it, and have my folks come in and sign the papers. He would finance it as long as I wanted, and take the payments out of my paycheck. I took it home. My mother went ballistic. The car went back to the lot the next day where it sat. And sat. And sat.
It finally sold for $1195 6 months later. Nobody wanted it....gas had gotten up to .65 a gallon after all.
33 years later, it's still a sore spot with me. I would have never let that car go.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 290
Likes: 5
From: Winona MN
Well being born in 1961 I enjoyed the 60’s performance cars from the passenger seat. Growing up on a 2 family farm with an older gear head cousin was great. Back then farming allowed us to live quite well and have nice cars. I rode to school over the years in a variety of very nice cars. (66 Impala SS 327 4sp, 68 Camaro SS 396 4sp, 71 Dodge Demon 340 Auto, 72 Cuda 340 4sp, 70 Road Runner 383 Auto, 68 Barracuda S 340 4sp, 69 Dart GT 340 4sp. Yup he was a spoiled child. In 1977 at the age of 15 I bought my first car a 64 Impala SS 327 4sp and when I got my license the following year added a 76 Camaro (145hp 305 2bbl auto) that my mother had bought brand new and drove till then, Yup I was also spoiled and mom wanted me to have a dependable car. I know not the 60’s but we were still having fun through the 70’s.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,971
Likes: 9
From: The reason time exists is so everything doesn't happen at once
Also, cars were easier to work on. The only tools needed were a good set of wrenches, not a degree in computer science.
Last edited by jrzvette; Apr 9, 2011 at 03:36 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 73,568
Likes: 33
From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
I guess one of the reasons so much value is now placed on originality is that as soon as we brought home our new Corvette (or other muscle car) we immediatly set out to show that we knew more than the engineers who designed these cars by removing this and changing that. The upshot is some parts, like the A.I.R. system on late 60s cars are very hard to find because most of them ended up in the trash.
Also, cars were easier to work on. The only tools needed were a good set of wrenches, not a degree in computer science.
Also, cars were easier to work on. The only tools needed were a good set of wrenches, not a degree in computer science.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 73,568
Likes: 33
From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,787
Likes: 9
From: La Marque, Texas
When I was in high school in 1963 I bought a 55 Chevy (post) w/Auto & 265 V8 for $250. Sold it in 1965 for $200. Then a 66 SS396 Chevelle off the showroom floor in 1966 for $3200. Wanted to buy 1968 Corvette W/4spd in 1968 but with a $5300.00 window sticker it was way beyond me.