Since college days in the '70's, I've owned Camaros and Firebirds. I'd always wanted to have a Corvette since childhood but could never afford one until recently.

When I got my first job and was still single, I went down to get a 2 year-old '72 C3 convertible. Everything was set to sign the dotted line but I thought it would be good to check on insurance first. Next day, I found out that the insurance would be more than the car itself. So I kept my blue '74 Camaro LT.

A few years later, I had my eye on a powder blue C3...gorgeous car with a dark blue interior. They let me drive it around to evaluate it for a couple of days and fell in love with it, so to speak. Well, the financing never materialized and so I kept my red '76 Trans Am.

A couple of years later, my oldest daughter was born and any thoughts of a Corvette were banished. I needed a car to carry my wife and kids so I bought a black, 5-speed, T-topped '83 Z-28. Loved that car.

After another daughter and a divorce several years later, I consoled myself by going out and buying a '91 red Firebird Formula. Still couldn't get the Corvette 'cause I needed room for 2 kids.

Well, my beautiful daughters are now "grown and gone" and last May, I traded in that same '91 Firebird Formula (with 176,000 miles on it) for my '02 Torch Red Coupe.

I loved those F-body cars and babied them as well, but I still drooled whenever I'd see a Vette roll by.

So I'm wondering...how many of you Corvette owners are like me and used to drive Camaros and/or Firebirds in your younger years?

 

My first car was a 1985 v6 firebird with a 305 with heads cam in it.

 

Two Camaros. White '78 LT and Cherry Red Metalic '87 IROC 350.
Got Red Vamp (first Vette) in June, 1999 at age 44.

 

I had three Camaro's before the vette.
1. 87 IROC 5.0
2. 91 Z28 5.7
3. 95 B4C police pkg

 

Yes, I had a very nice '97 Firebird Formula before I got my vette. She was a sweet ride, but no comparison to the vette.

 

I have had a few....

1969 326 Auto Firebird Vert
1970 455 HO T/A
1972 Formula 400 Firebird
1981 Turbo T/A (yes I know )
1987 Firebird
1989 Camaro RS Vert

I always wanted a Vette too - then got my 1969 Vert 4 speed with a stroker 383 - fun car!

 

owned a 1985 Trans Am after high school. 305 v8....it was a dog but it was fun.

 

1980 Z28
2000 NHRA PONTIAC FORMULA

 

Owned a beautiful '99 Z28 vert. This year traded it for an even more beautiful '04 mag red vert. And I've come to the following conclusion: In the heart of every Camaro driver there is a secret desire to own a Corvette.

 

I had an 89 and a 93. Sold the 89 to get the 93 and gave the 93 to the nephew after I got the 2000 coupe this past January. My childhood dream come true.

 

First Car 10/19/880-10/25/96: 1979 Firebird Formula with Big Block 403 C.I. Olds Motor putting out a whopping 185 H.P.

First New Car 02/26/96-12/29/98: 1996 Trans Am Ram Air. First year the Ram Air Birds returned. Also H.P. increased to 285 from 275, 305 H.P. for Ram Air Models. Loved that car. Great low end torque.

 

My first brand new ride ever, was a 1982 Berlinetta w/305 ci V8. 1st year of the third generation Camaro.

I also had a new 1993 Z28 w/5.7 liter, 6sp. 1st year of the fourth generation Camaro. I just sold it this week.

Now I have this,

 

I had a 94 with the LT1
Traded to a Dodge stealth RT twin turbo (CRAP and PROBLEMS)
Traded to a 99 Camaro
and now an 03 Vette

 

I have owned almost nothing but Camaros and Corvettes

1969 Camaro w/327 -high school/college car purchased in 1970
1977 Corvette- drove it 10 years until I got the IROC
1987 IROC w/350
1996 SS Camaro w/6 speed (kept the IROC)
Sold the IROC and SS to buy 2004 Z06.

 

Had an 80 Camaro, torch red with a 350 and 4 spd till and 81 torch red 4 spd Corvette came along. Now I've moved on to an 04 torch red vert and its a whole new world.

 

My first car was an 87 Camaro LT with a 305 ci V8. It was black with a silver strip on the lower quarter of the car. I have not seen to many of those cars. Eight years later I bought my first corvette, a 92 green coupe. Then two years later I bought my current corvette, my 02 pewter coupe.

 

Car prior to my 2004 Coupe was a 2000 Camaro Z28 (MN6 as well). Was the start of my 2nd childhood.

 

My ownership line looks a lot like yours. I tried to buy my first car in 1969, a '65 Vette Coupe. (Un)Fortunately, the "Bank of Dad" wouldn't loan me the money on the vette. A loan was "processed" for a new 69 SS Chevelle, so guess I had a pretty reasonable "bank". But you asked about F-bodies....

77 Trans AM
69 Big Block 4 speed Pace Car vert.
Sold pace car (aarrrgggg) to buy...
85 Vette
94 Z28 M6 Vert (recently sold. See sig)
99 Pewter SS M6 (still have)

Still haven't forgiven GM for letting the F-body die. But I tend to forget about that when I drive the '04 Vert.

 

Totally agree on that one... I may well have bought an '04 Trans Am had there been such an offering and wouldn't have found my '02 Vette which I now am very glad to have... Thanks, GM for not making F-bodies anymore!

 

Never owned one - but considered a brand new Formula Firebird in 1979 after coming home from Korea. Just wanted to tell you that I'm glad you finally got the Vette you've obviously worked (yearned) so hard for

Just noticed you changed your Avatar -

Be well my friend