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65 here. Got my 92 this Jan. It's my first Vette in a long list of cars owned, more a bucket list item than a mid life crisis thing. Every car guy should own a vette at least once in his life. Bought it for $2000 as it sat, spent about $1200 and now it runs great, but I still need to replace the A/C compressor and put a radio in it.
Just turned----- anyways this is my first corvette, I grew up in the muscle car years which were the best imho. Had Gto's, Roadrunners and Cudas. Finally got something that gos around a corner.
I'm 67 and this is my second corvette, first one was a 1966, 327 300hp convertible that I purchased in 1969. I sold it after getting married, 43 years later I bought my 95 vert and grin ear to ear every time I get in her.
57 yet closer to 58; bought my 1985 in 2012. Bought a C4 because it was the first "new" Corvette released since I started my career at the GM dealership level in 1979, I was totally blown away in '83 witnessing the first new C4 delivered to the dealership, the clam shell hood and digital dash were such radical departures from the C3. Once we got 3 kids off and through college, it was time to "go back into time" and buy the car I wanted way back when. Now to find a C3, the car that caused my love of Corvettes in the first place.
At 75, I must be one of the old guys on this forum. When I first joined I felt like one of the younger ones.
I bought my '86 coupe back in the fall of 1985. I still have it with 89K miles.
At 75, I must be one of the old guys on this forum. When I first joined I felt like one of the younger ones.
I bought my '86 coupe back in the fall of 1985. I still have it with 89K miles.
Wow 31 years ago, same owner, super clean C4. That's awesome
I think you'll find the largest distribution in the over 50 and 60 group. Its a proven fact that nostalgia items are cherished most by people who wanted or had one during an earlier time of their life when it was less than practical to own one. (We) older folks had a strong desire for things like C4 Corvettes, during a time of our lives when they were either too expensive or we just didn't have the cash. Old Chevy's are a perfect example. Those of us over 60 either had or wanted a hot rod Chevy in our youth. I had a 56 and a 57 (283, 4bbl, glass packs, coupe with a floor shifter). As we age our priorities change and we long for the things of our youth, like a hot rod. There was little interest in Dodges, Edsels or foreign cars in the 60's and now the only guys who want them are pure collectors. While Edsels are fairly valuable you won't see many getting oohs and ahs at car shows where the rows are filled with 60's and 50's Chevy's. Same for the Corvette. The C4 is a "perfect storm" for us. Its new and its old, its powerful, its noisy, its practical yet impractical, its exotic, sort of, and its readily available. For older geners its a pretty easy pick. Most of the younger, sub 35 or 40 guys are more into "rice". They would give their left *** for an Rx2 Mazda sedan while the rest of us probably never heard of it. Its all relative. Younger guys like the Honda type cars, small screamers with lots of technology. These are what they will long for as they age. We prefer good old fashioned "oomph" torque. Forget about turbo's and nitrous, just give me good ole cubic inches. GM is losing interest in our generation as our garages are full of C3-C7's. We probably won't continue to upgrade to newer ones. They just aren't that much better than what we have. The new buyers want 4 wheel drive, dual power mega power, drive trains. We may be nearing the end of the stick shift. Porsche and Nissan don't even offer a clutch in their "sports" cars. I seriously think the V8 is done, giving way to v6's and even turbo 4's. There are plenty of Corvettes for my generation; the ones that check all the boxes for us now and for our driving future but when today's 4o year olds are retiring I doubt they will feel the same way about 20 year old Corvettes as we do. Thanks for reading, I got a bit long winded. Going out to wax my C4.
I will be 65 in November and this is my first Vette and I love it, I had muscle cars in the late sixties and early seventies, I was a avid drag racing participant and fan. The " Snake" and "Mongoose" era " Big Daddy Don Garletts" later years the " John Force" era. I built a 67 Camero 350 that was a 12.5 second 1/4 mile street machine that would eat most 396 and 427s unless it was a Cobra or 427 Vette. So yes I love the C4 and look forward to keeping it and getting a C6 when prices drop even more.
46. The 86 Vette was new the year I got my license and I remember thinking how awesome it was. Had Z28's and 5.0 Mustangs but never had a Corvette. Then when I wasn't really shopping a month ago I ran across a friend of a friend that was selling an 86 Vette and boom, I got my 86 Vette. Sooo happy with it.
I think you'll find the largest distribution in the over 50 and 60 group. Its a proven fact that nostalgia items are cherished most by people who wanted or had one during an earlier time of their life when it was less than practical to own one. (We) older folks had a strong desire for things like C4 Corvettes, during a time of our lives when they were either too expensive or we just didn't have the cash. Old Chevy's are a perfect example. Those of us over 60 either had or wanted a hot rod Chevy in our youth. I had a 56 and a 57 (283, 4bbl, glass packs, coupe with a floor shifter). As we age our priorities change and we long for the things of our youth, like a hot rod. There was little interest in Dodges, Edsels or foreign cars in the 60's and now the only guys who want them are pure collectors. While Edsels are fairly valuable you won't see many getting oohs and ahs at car shows where the rows are filled with 60's and 50's Chevy's. Same for the Corvette. The C4 is a "perfect storm" for us. Its new and its old, its powerful, its noisy, its practical yet impractical, its exotic, sort of, and its readily available. For older geners its a pretty easy pick. Most of the younger, sub 35 or 40 guys are more into "rice". They would give their left *** for an Rx2 Mazda sedan while the rest of us probably never heard of it. Its all relative. Younger guys like the Honda type cars, small screamers with lots of technology. These are what they will long for as they age. We prefer good old fashioned "oomph" torque. Forget about turbo's and nitrous, just give me good ole cubic inches. GM is losing interest in our generation as our garages are full of C3-C7's. We probably won't continue to upgrade to newer ones. They just aren't that much better than what we have. The new buyers want 4 wheel drive, dual power mega power, drive trains. We may be nearing the end of the stick shift. Porsche and Nissan don't even offer a clutch in their "sports" cars. I seriously think the V8 is done, giving way to v6's and even turbo 4's. There are plenty of Corvettes for my generation; the ones that check all the boxes for us now and for our driving future but when today's 4o year olds are retiring I doubt they will feel the same way about 20 year old Corvettes as we do. Thanks for reading, I got a bit long winded. Going out to wax my C4.
Great summation! I'm 58 now and while I loved the C3 as a teenager, when the C4 arrived I was mind-blown. I've been hooked ever since.
Originally Posted by 73n95
...The C4 is a "perfect storm" for us. Its new and its old, its powerful, its noisy, its practical yet impractical, its exotic, sort of, and its readily available.
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.
