Back in 1976 or so I was a typical car crazy 16 year old. I worked at a local fast food joint in order to make enough money to keep gas in my car (66 Chevelle SS 396). Cruising main street on Friday and Saturday nights was my primary recreational activity (along with girl chasing of course ). I never dreamed I would ever be able to drive something as awesome as a Corvette. It seemed out of reach.

My first opportunity to ride in a Vette came when a manager from work bought a beautiful Blue '72 T-Top Corvette. Riding in that car with the T-Tops off and the sidepipes rumbling was an incredible experience. I didn't miss the fact that riding in a Vette attracted a LOT more attention. Although my seat time was very brief, one thing was for sure... I was hooked! I told myself that, one day I would own a Vette. What I didn't realize was that it wouldn't happen until 2002 when I bit the bullet and bought my 2003 Millennium Yellow Coupe. I've been VERY happy ever since. I forgot to get vaccinated and unfortunately caught a serious case of Mod Fever Damn the bad luck!

 

Back in High School.. By best friends Dad picked up a junker 59 vette, and restored it.. He gave my friend this one sweet 59 , on his 16th birthday! (little young for a vette?) anyways. I was sold on this car from that day!...

 

Rode in my mom's cousins C4 and was instantly hooked. Dad had one in his younger days. He bought a brand new C5, the next day I got my learners permit and drove it home, he was scared to say the least.

 

Back in 1981 my father bought a 69 vert for resale, had the 427.

 

When I was about 3 my dad bought a used '64 vert (this was in 1972). I remember being 5 and sitting on his lap steering it down the street in front of our house. He sold it in 1975 (for $3000!) to buy a new 1975 Stingray, and when I was 22 he sold that car to me. So I've been hooked for literally as long as I can remember.

Thanks Dad!

 

My first ride in a vette was after I paid for the one I have now. I always thought the vette was out of reach for me. When I did get some money I went to this place about 70 miles from my house to look at a 73 challenger. They had two 98 vettes one red one black both the same price and about the same miles. I have always loved the look of the vettes and when I saw that the price was about the same as the Challenger. I bought the black one without even a test drive:o The car is great, but the people I have met are even better

 

As a senior in high school (1968), I had an opportunity to buy a `63 split window for $1800. I passed it up because it had stress cracks around the headlights. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!

Four years later, I'm working, making fairly good money (for that time) and driving a `68 Camaro. My mother (who had driven Cadillacs since 1957) saw an ad in the paper for a `61 Corvette, "90% restored", and decided she wanted a Corvette. She sent her car-crazy 22 year old son to look at it for her. And I promptly bought it for myself! She was not happy with #1 son. The 10% that still needed to be restored? Wiring - there was not one inch of wiring in the entire car! How can you build a car without wiring?

34 years later, and there have been very few months in that time when there was not a Corvette in my garage!

 

In 01' my Uncle and I were driving to pick his up. He bought the car without test driving because he's always had one and it had a warranty. Well when the deal was done he told me to drive home that he was tired from the ride there. (I know he's crazy) So I'm loving every second of it. Well then I get behind a older couple driving 40mph on a 55mph road. I was driving it easy because it wasn't mine. I looked at him and said can I pass em. He said go ahead see what it's made of. So I hit it and it went. I looked at him and he looked sick and ready to jump out. He's like holy s*it this is faster than my 96' pull over at the next stop.

Finally 5 years later I got mine. It's a 98' without the HUD (which I really liked from day 1) but I got what I can afford comfortably. The main thing is I got my own and love it. My uncle now has a 92' because of a divorce and always ask to drive mine.

 

I had a chance to buy a 66 with 27,000 miles on it back in 1983 for 5500.00.

Biggest mistake I ever made. Would be worth about 40,000 now, but I still love my 2001 . This is my 3rd vette. Previously owned a 72 and an 91.

 

When I was a kid, my neighbor had a red C3 and every time I saw it, I would tell my dad that some day I'm gonna have a corvette...my dad said "Keep dreamin"....and "No way I'm gonna let you get into a rocket like that because you'll kill yourself".

A few years later, at the age of 10, one of my good friends dad picked up a red 84. One afternoon, he and his dad came by to pick me up to take us to the mall in the vette. His dad turns the corner and punches the gas pedal and the car breaks loose and takes off so quick that I accidentally scream out S**T!!!

Based on that ride I was never more certain about owning one when I had the opportunity. Picked up my brand new 03 coupe at the age of 29 and my dad was excited for me, but still a little freightened that I would kill myself or someone, but shortly thereafter realized how responsible I was. Now he tells me to make sure I keep it for as long as possible and to pickup a daily driver.

My name is Serkan....I've achieved the american dream!

 

I remember when the '63 split windows came out and how cool I thought they were. When I was a kid we lived about 45 miles west of St Louis. Well, in November of 1965 dad took us to the Cheverolet plant in St Louis and after watching them build sedans and station wagons the guy giving the tour asked us if we wanted to see where they built the Corvettes. That is an experience I will never forget! Seeing Corvettes of every color and configuration being built and a parking lot with about a million of them (at least it seemed that way to a kid) all together, WOW! Great stuff for a 10 year old kid.

 

First experience was around 1986. Just out of high school and was shooting a music video. We were using some collector cars and we were one driver short in driving the cars from the display room to the location. So I picked the corvette to drive - It was a C3 . First time I had driven a vette or really saw one up close. Got in it and it really took off

 

My first experence was in 1986 in a 1975 white t-top stingray, it was my mom's and it was the first car I was ever in That probably explains why im such a gear head

 

it was 1964 & I was walking to High School-This really cool car
was driving by really slow-as I walked on the vehical stopped,
the window rolled down & the guy inside said "hey kid want a ride
to school"--it was my High School Basketball Coach-well I sure had something to talk about that day! Finally got one last year

 

In the spring of 1965, I was nearly 5, my uncle showed up at our house with a 1963 white/red Corvette convertible at that point in my life it was a neat car but, so small compared to our new Impala family cruiser. In 1972 I was hospitalized for a couple of months, while in the hospital my Dad would smuggle in model cars to build to help pass the day. My favorite was a '72 Corvette convertible after leaving the hospital he arranged to have a work associate give me a ride in his 1967 hardtop. It was sooooooo cool I couldn't stand it. From that moment on I was smitten. In high school I owned several MG's and then sunk to the bottom of the barrel in 1980 while going to college got my first vette, unfortunaltely was the only thing I could afford, you got it a 1980 Chevette . After leaving college I wanted the new c4 vette but had to settle for a Z-28 and then finally in the 1991 I bought my '87 C-4 which I held til this past summer when I purchased the FRC.

 

When I was a kid of about 10-12, my older sisters best friend took me for a ride in her brothers 66 coupe. He was in Vietnam and she was taking care of it for him. I wanted one since that day. It took me until I was 45 to get one. I'm on my second now. I'll never be without one again.

 

I grew up with 4-bangers: Toyota Corollas, Fiat 124, Fiat X1-9s then a jump to a V6 with a Pontiac Fiero GT all of which I have autocrossed at one time or another. Then I got a drive in a SCCA Solo II B-Prepared 1968 Corvette roadster. Loved that V8. Bought the roadster and autocrossed it for about 8-years. Never in the top in class locally but managed a 2nd place at the 1986 Nationals. Strictly a race car and not "roadable". Finally got pushed further down the class (B-Prepared vettes were sometimes 10-deep in class in Northern California in 80's to mid-90's) and sold it.

Went vette-less until 1999 when I decided to get a new Camaro Z28 SS and started a serious search. Then wife said we gotta check out this red C4 at a local dealer. High mileage '94 with 6-speed and Greenwood aero kit (big *** spoiler and side skirts). A lot cheaper than a new Camaro so we bought it. Two years later at the same dealer saw a used '01 Torch Red coupe and liked it so much better than the C4 so traded in the '94 for the '01 (early '01 first sold in Sept '00) which I have to this day.

 

i remember i was around 10 years old and my uncle pulled up in the drive way with a brand new corvette, it was the most amazing thing i had ever seen or driving in and i new i had to have one since that day...this is now my second one and the wife wants one too

 

In 1968, I was 9 yrs old and my Father owned a pizzeria in the Bronx.....

I used to have to go and help out there after school..... One of the jobs I had was to deliver pizzas. One place that regularly ordered from us was Pape Chevrolet, just around the corner.

Whenever I used to deliver there, I had to wait for the sales manager to pay me, because everyone was usually selling cars and only had enough time for a quick slice. Usually, I would wait inside one of the new cars and check it out.... If he was taking too long, I would start flipping the wipers or turn on the radio. The guy never yelled at me, but instead they would come pay me quick, so I could leave. My favorite cars then were Camaros and I used love to sit in them.

One day the they had just gotten in a '68 blue vert, with side pipes and it looked so cool, I just had to sit in it. I didn't really know what this "new" vette was all about, as I had only seen C1 and C2's before.

While I was sitting in the car, waiting to get paid and after a while, I was getting impatient and was going to flip the wipers on.... I noticed the keys were hanging from the ignition and instead of flipping the wipers, I decided to start the car instead.

When I turned the key, I punched the gas (You had to do that, to start Pop's '63 Buick) and everyone in the place turned around to look at who started the car.... One guy even jumped, I still think he **** his pants

Needless to say, afterwards, whenever I delivered pizza to Pape Chevrolet.... I got paid ASAP.

Why in the hell did I wait 38 years, to start (and drive) another vette?!?!?

 

When i was eleven and my brother was nineteen he brought home a 58 red Corvette. My dad hit the ceiling and made him sell it. I never even got a chance to sit in it. But when i was seventeen my brother and his best friend came to visit us for the weekend, and his friend had a 1963 Corvette. I thought it was the most beautiful car i have ever seen. To my utter amazement he threw me the keys and said bring it back in half an hour. I brought it back threw hours later. From that moment on i was hooked. When i was nineteen i bought a 1961 Corvette ragtop. The front end was smashed in and everything else was there except most of the engine. I paid 500.00 dollars and it was in 1967. Like my 2004 it ended up far from stock.