It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago.
 

http://hpux.students.engr.scu.edu/~sbeeby/vette3.jpg

Car sat in the driveway for many years, it was my job to start the motor up once a month. As I got older, I did it more and more. I used to sit in the driveway and just rev the engine... I loved to listen to it growl. Didn't have my license, but I could pretend.

When I got my license, the 'vette was the very first car I drove on my own. Now that I'm getting older, I find myself wondering every day if things would be better if I moved on to a different car - better handling, more power, A/C that works, doors that shut without a loud CHIRP and so on. I'm much more confident than I used to be when it comes to repairs, but I'm still afraid to tear into the steering column, the dash, or rebuild a carb...

Not afraid to drive it though. :D
http://hpux.students.engr.scu.edu/~sbeeby/vetteax.jpg

We'll have to see how things go when the results come back from the last AX... maybe that'll decide whether or not I sell this summer. :smash:

-Steve

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (Pacin'California)
 

dude, you sound like you're 30 or 40. so, you're thinkin about a ("better handling, more power, A/C that works, doors that shut without a loud CHIRP and so on.") C4, or C5 then? :cool: :D

i know everyone cant just keep two cars, but you know down the line you will regret letting this one go. just warning. maybe you can give it to me for safekeeping for a few years and ill give it back to you when you feel that theres room for a vette again. :lol:

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (Pacin'California)
 

What the hell? OK, Steve, stop letting other people have access to your cf.com account. Sell it???? Sure let it rot in the garage for a few months at a time, but SELL it? :(
-terry

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (Pacin'California)
 

When was the last time you talked to someone who said "I used to have one of them C3 Corvettes. Sold it 10 years ago. Boy, am I glad I got rid of that POS". I know I've never talked to anyone who said that, so what makes you think you'll be the first? People always regret selling Vettes.

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (Pacin'California)
 

Keep the car. All the problems you mentioned can be fixed with a little money :). You'll regret it if you sell the car.

If you're worried about autocross, get some slicks, or just larger rims with the best street tires you can afford.

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (zwede)
 

I know, and this particular one has been in the family for 25 years, and under my care for 20% of those years. Still, it's hard to drive something like this -every day-. The only way for me right now to keep a daily driver and a Corvette is to have a daily-driver Corvette, and I do feel guilty putting miles on the C3 every day.

I look at a L98 and see something with just as much engine potential as my car has, and know that the handling limits are way higher out of the box, let alone with mods.

I just need to find a job and get some more power out of my car, and fix all these ****ling things.

-Steve

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (Pacin'California)
 

i STILL sit in the driveway and rev my Vette's engine.

Don't sell it... just get another car too! :thumbs:

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (Pacin'California)
 

Get a hold of yourself man. You're scaring me :eek: Your car can be as fast and agile as you would like, but all of it will take time. Patience is always tough, but eventually pays off. I think you desperately need a beater. Not any beater, but a real 100% POS loser-mobile like my old 72 Cad. :D Well, maybe not a cad with gas prices like this, but you get the point. It's easy to get bored with the fun cars, but drive a beater several times a week and you will gain alot of appreciation for what you already have. It really feels great once you get back behind the wheel of the Vette. Trust me on this one.

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago.
 

Steve, it was killer to have met up with you. If you can, stop by the Sunnyvale Jake's Pizza Parlour off Fremont Ave. and S De Anza Blvd. on Thursday nights at 7:30. We're trying to get a bigger South Bay Area crew to show up.

There was one time for about 3 months where I had my old '80 Rabbit that was customized to corner VERY well and I had my Vette. The only problem the Rabbit had is that it wouldn't have passed smog and 5th gear exploded. I wanted to keep both as I could have kept miles down on the Stingray, but it cost money to me via problems right off the get-go :(

I'd be happy to find a cheap Mk1 (1979-1984) Rabbit with a 5 speed (preferrably an '84 GTI) in the $500 range so I can drive it, have a reasonable amount of fun in it, but still be able to dump money into the Vette and make it the car I want it to be. That Rabbit took a thrashing from me, as I had it from late '97 until mid '02. And just to think that it was an '80 with an '87 engine in it. I can only hope to find a virgin '84 that someone's grandma used to drive. No upgrades, not thrashed, etc. Perfect for starting a new life. I can see my plate frame now, "My other car is a Stingray" :D

Are you in a position where you could get an inexpensive daily driver and still have money left over to fix your Vette?

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (1969Vette350)
 

Here's a quote that catches us all: "All the problems you mentioned can be fixed with a little money" Yeah, right :rolleyes:

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (zwede)
 

My uncle told me last Christmas, "If you would have had your liscense or been into vettes when the brakes on my 78 went out on me during my trip to Houston, IDA GAVE YOU THAT SOM BIATCH!!!!" :smash: :smash: Damn the luck.

My point is, I am sure we all know a few people that would not have the patience it requires to own these cars. They are not for everyone.


[Modified by LAvetteman, 10:54 PM 7/8/2003]


[Modified by LAvetteman, 10:56 PM 7/8/2003]

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (LAvetteman)
 

Geez, pacin..get a damn 1k beater and swallow your pride. Keep the vette bro, your young and have time on your side. When you get to be 38 like myself you will sit back and say..sure am glad I listened to Joe and the CF.com guys! That sure is a pretty car..keep it clean and maintained, it will do you proud!

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (Pacin'California)
 

Its a love-hate thing. The more I fix the car the more I love it. I just got it back from havin the engine completely rebuilt and I really love it now. I was drivin around town and this little kid , about 4 yrs old, was with his mom and just started waving like he was drivin one. Im keepin mine till hell freezes over. Then ill drive it there to. :reddevil

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (Pacin'California)
 

Steve,

You've changed too. For one thing you are shaving now, you weren't then!

Chuck

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (Chuck Harmon)
 

I thought I kept it a secret from ya, Chuck. I swear I had shaved within at most a day every time I'd seen you. :)

It's just hard to keep on sometimes, especially when I go out and get spoiled, driving cars like the Z.

I meant to write a little reflective thing with this, but ended up a little bitter. I really do want to keep the car. :) It's just if something major were to happen like the engine blow up 3 years ago, I'd really have to consider another car, and I'd like to stray from C3s until I have a keg full of $100s laying around. :)

Hell, when that first picture was taken, I still wanted an Acura Integra! What a dream car...

-Steve

PS Tom- My little brother may be getting a Jeep within the next month... and you know which car I'm gonna take his 330-lb butt to practice in.


[Modified by Pacin'California, 12:05 AM 7/9/2003]

Re: It's been a long road! Found a pic from 5 years ago. (Pacin'California)
 

I've owned my Vette since '85, I bought it when I was a little older than you. It was the car that I always wanted, and at the time, I could afford to pay cash for it.
There have been many times when I have said the same thing as you. All I can tell you is that I am REALLY glad that I didn't sell it. It has gone from a daily driver to mostly a fun, sunny day ride, and in the lean times (no $$ or time to enjoy it), I just threw a cover on it.
I can't speak from experience, but I know you will regret selling it, especially since you such fond memories of it.
Look at it the same way I do, it's bought and paid for. Go buy a beater, or finance a newer car and keep the Vette for fun times.