So I've got this urge to get a mid-year.

I know, I know, take two asprin and get plenty of rest and it'll go away. But it keeps coming back. I was an impressionable 9 years old in '65 and the middies were the baddest cars around. I can still remember building my first '67 427/435 model; I painted it red with a black stinger.... It was a coupe and it was beautiful!

Anyhow I recently started looking at the mid-year market pretty close
and reading absolutely everything I could get my hands on about them.
I've even figured out how to decode the "descriptions":

numbers match: all serial numbers use some combination of the
following symbols: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0
good condition: not good condition
67 427/435: yeah right; one of 12,000+ currently advertised for sale
NCRS judged: reasonable price + $25,000
documented: two or more people swear in writing car did not
start life as a Corvair
rare: one or more undesirable options
most all factory correct components: not all factory components correct
condition 1: car photographs well
condition 2/+3: seller hasn't actually seen the car recently
body off restored: undercarriage de-greased
she's FAST: faster than a 66 mustang

So, just as I was getting more than a little discouraged, it occurred to me
that, with so much "inventiveness" going on out there, I could be inventive myself!
I could make my own mid-year, a sort of simulated one. I could start with my Z06 and with just a few simple changes, I could get reproduce the 1960s driving experience all over again without actually buying another car!
My mind raced; all you would have to do would be:

o Pull one, two, or three spark plug wires, depending on which
engine you wanted: big block to base V8
(Pull a different set of wires each trip to simulate a fuelly)
o Remove one spark plug from a disabled cylinder to get that aroma
of fresh gasoline evaporating from the front of the car
o Replace the Goodyear F1s with 4 late model space-saver spares
(Note to self: research spinner hub-caps!)
o Spot weld the top and bottom shock tubes together
o Adjust the suspension as high as it will go.
(It won't be enough, but its a start...)
o Drain the power steering fluid
o Drain 1 1/2 gallons of coolant and tape over lower third of radiator
o Pour 2 cups of water in gas tank along with some sugar
(that should work the starter like the origonals)
o Buy and store 55 gallon drums of CAM2 and
mix 3-to-5 gallons with every fill up and call it SUNOCO 260
(No smoking, no sparks, please!)
o Grease the right front and left rear brake pads
o Remove mufflers
o For side pipes, drill 6 3/8th inch holes in each catalytic converter
(Can anyone help me re-create the risk of passenger burns on exit?)
o Turn off ACH, Traction Control EVERY trip
o Promise NEVER to use 5th or 6th gear
o Turn on heater to full and vent on feet
o Run shoulder belt behind your back
o Turn off passenger air bag
o Whittle the leather and padding off of the steering wheel and gearshift
o Position seat and steering wheel as close as possible
o Black out the middle 2/3rds of the rear-view mirror for '63 SWC
o Saw off the passenger door mirror
o Clip off antenna, adjust fade and balance to only use one speaker
o Degrease all hood and door hinges
o Smack front end into garage wall at 6 mph to achieve stress cracking
o Tape over digital clock with a time you find mildly annoying
o Last but not least, epoxy the trunk shut

At this point, I heard a voice inside my head literally screaming.

"HAVE YOU *&^%$ing LOST YOUR *(%$&@!!ing MIND?"

I took three asprin and went to bed. I'm much better now! ;)

So here's to all the 8 and 9 year olds painting Z06 models red.... :flag

PS If anybody has a nice original '65 fuelly coupe, lets talk...... :cheers:


[Modified by NVaVettes, 10:30 AM 2/11/2003]

 

:lol:

 

How serious are you? I know where a lot of rare vettes are

 

Seems to me like you figured it out! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Think of how much you saved! :chevy :flag :chevy :flag

 

After reading your good old days experience i started think about my 66 BB coupe sitting next to my Z06. I love listening to the side pipes come to life everytime i turn the key. The smell of some raw fuel exiting the combustion chamber, and the sound of that Big Block horsepower reminds me of the days when muscle cars ruled the streets.
But jumping inot my Z0 is another workd all together. Power, speed, comfort,and style all in one package. Chevrolet had it right when they designed and built the C5 and espically the Z06.
No matter what platform that we may drive C1 thru C5 these cars can't be beat. :chevy :chevy

 

I have always owned C3s prior to purchasing my Z06. I thought I was getting a true performance car, Now I realize I have a luxury car with LOTs of power and great mileage. I can even hear the stereo. :hurray: