Nice Story! I also grew up then (1947 DOB) , had a lot of hot cars but couldn't afford my first Vette till 1993. Got lost for a while with a Mercedes but now back to the Vette. Maybe in a few months I'll have my DSOM Vert?
AL

 

I knew when I saw my first Corvette in 1953. It was owned by a young lawyer in town. It took me until 1962 until I could buy my own new Corvette. I have owned a Corvette ever since.

 

I am the reverse of many of you. I have never really wanted a Corvette until I saw the C6. I don't have one yet but I hope to solve that problem this summer.

 

Drove a '58 in 1961 while in LA for the Rose Bowl. Ordered a '67 327 4Spd vert but cx'd it to get married, and go fly airplanes in the Navy. Bought a 'the last new 72 SB coupe on the West Coast, (still have it) and just took dlvy on a LMB C6 3 weeks ago. Didn't care for the soft nose C3's or any C4 and the C5 has always carried a 5K premium in the NW. In the middle of all that there were 2 GTO's; a 442, 2 Firebirds (one a TA), a Bimmer and other assorted non descript vehicles.

Still Vette guy with an understanding wife!

 

Always wanted one as soon as I saw the 1st one in 1953m but always told muyself I couldn't afford one.

Got prostate cancer in 1993 - bought a C4 the same weekend - got rid of the cancer (surgery) 2 weeks later - have been driving vettes every since. 1993 (C4), 2000 (C5), 2005 (C6).

 

Well I think I was about 8 or9 and my dads brother had one.might have been a two year old car at the time and I don't remember what year it was but I'd say a 59-60.red with white cove.Went for all kinds of rides in it and that was it for me.Next came the split window.WOW!!!.Then when in high school I worked after school in one of those old kind of car washes where you drove in back and they sent it through.Well I worked the front and the owner had a deal with a local used Vette dealer down the street and it was my job once a week to go and get each and everyone of them and bring them through the wash.This was around 76-68.Man did I get to drive some nice and rare cars back.Been hooked ever since.Don't flame me too bad but I'm a C3 guy.Can't help it.Love those Sharks.Got a low miles 82CE

 

Heh, heh. The first Corvette I can remember seeing was a new 1959 red and white convertible. Man I wanted that car, but I didn't have the money. Later Corvettes with the hidden headlights didn't appeal to me, when they also started to get *slow*at the end of the muscle car era, they really didn't appeal to me. I sort of forgot about Corvettes after that, until I saw the 2005. Good looks and power. I had to have one, and this time I had the money.

 

I had to think about it. I remember seeing a 63 and really liking it. But I never got to ride in one. One of my many jobs when I was younger was working for a detail shop on weekends. I was the one that would pick up new C3s to be cleaned up for sale and drive them back and fourth. I probably drove 30 or so and knew I had to have one. But I became a pretty successful motorcycle racer and mechanic and decided I wanted a Ferrari or a Pantara. Then later I decided to get a C4, then a C5, and then a C6. To be honest the C6 has really put the bug in me.

 

Age 4 - I rode in an orange C3 (don't know the model year - I was only 4!) Ever since then, have been Vette crazy. Finally bought my 03 when I was 32. Long wait, but worth it!

 

Late 1978: The first time I saw a pace-car edition. I was in third grade, but I promissed myself that I would buy a corvette.

 

Growing up I was indifferent to Vettes. Never knew much about them, and they always seemed out of my league, so I didn't spend any time wondering "what if?" I wanted a 3rd Gen GTA T/A terribly as a teen, but it never happened. I also wanted a DeLorean, but it seemed too exotic, like a Ferrari, so I never allowed myself to hope for one.

So, this F body desire was on my mind for like 16 years, then I got a job as a Durability Test Driver at GM's Desert Proving Ground in '98. One night I found myself assigned to run tests a '99 Vette. Of course I was thrilled. I mean, I didn't know jack about Vettes, but who'd turn down an evening with a Vette. One eight hour shift in a C5 was all it took. I lost all desire for F bodies that night. I instantly became a Corvette enthusiast after a shift of nothing but high speed and 0-80 schedules. Yea, and I got paid to do it. I also got to drive the '01 Z06 prototype when there were only THREE in existence. Words can't describe that experience. So, eventually when I finally had the money for a sports car, I naturally bought a Vette. It's a '79, not a C5, but it's still a Corvette.

On a side note - Guess that DeLorean wasn't too exotic after all. I purchased one just over a week ago. Now the Vette has a playmate. And as far as a C5 goes, with the way the prices are coming down, it's only a matter of time.

 

When I was very young, my Dad sold Chevys in Az. One afternoon he stopped by our house on his way to deliver his first ever Corvette sale. He took My mother and me for a ride - had to share the passenger seat with her. It was a mildly spirited drive, but very exciting compared to riding in our Kingswood wagon. I remember asking, "Daddy, can we get one of these?" His reply was, "You can have one when you can buy it." from that day on, I always had lots of model corvettes or matchbox / hot wheels vettes. I watched car magazines in the drug store and actually bought issues that had vettes on the covers. I was addicted at first ride, and got my first "fix" (ownership) almost, exactly 20 years after that first ride. I've been on a continuing Corvette ownership high for about 28 years now. No sign of crashing or coming down. - Gotta stop these drug analogies, they are not me.

 

I have had others during my life time but from my teen years I always new one day it would happen

 

Same here. First car I bought was a brand new Mulsanne Blue 1970 LT-1. A child's dream come true!

 

I was late to the table. It wasn't until I was in my 30's did I want a Vette. I had been through Z28's, a Mercury, three Nissan (Datsun) Z cars in a row, then my friend bought a new 1992 C4. OH MAN! I was at the Chevy dealer trading in my 1990 300ZX the next day! I drove home with a 1992 C4. Then came the 1995 C4, then the 2002 C5. Is there a C6 in my future?

 

Never knew I would have a "Vette until I actually got one. In high school, my friends were driving Chevells and GTOs while I was driving assorted Corvairs. Through the years I've enjoyed several nice sports cars, but nothing is ever better than the rumble of a big V8 with a manual transmission. Now I have the best of that genre. I'm finally satisfied!

 

I had a girlfriend in college whose father bought her a 1978 Corvette. Naturally, I got to drive it. I was hooked.

It's taken more than 20 years, but I finally have one of my own.

 

I first got the Corvette "bug" while a grad student at the University of Wisconsin. My neighbor had a 63 silver split window with side pipes. I fell in love with that car and it wasn't long before my wife and I were scouring southern Wisconsin, looking for a Vette we could afford. Fortunately, my wife had a good job at the Veteran's Hospital in Madison. We finally found a nice 67, 390 hp, Marlboro maroon coupe with side pipes. Man, we were in heaven. We finally sold that car when our daughter came along and we needed a vehicle better suited to transporting a baby. I've owned a 92 coupe, 97 coupe, and 2000 coupe since then. The past 3.5 years I have been without a Vette and I finally couldn't stand it any longer and ordered a 2005 mag red coupe that I took delivery of in mid-December. I think I'll keep this one and pass it on to my new grandson someday. Now, if this d*mn snow would just melt and the roads would dry up, I could enjoy driving it.