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My son and I have a lot of fun with our '68 L-71 but, until we moved closer to our granddaughters they had not had much exposure to it. When our daughter, SIL, and 3 granddaughters came over for Memorial Day, I asked 'who wants to go for a ride in The Beast' and all 3 said 'Me!'. So I got it out and took each of them for a ride. What a great time I had with each of them. Lot's of questions like "why does it have 3 pedals"; "what's that handle you're pulling"; "is it fast" (didn't have to ask twice); "why is it so hard to steer when you're turning around"; etc. Each of them enjoyed it and want to ride more often (ok, I'll take one for the team). I was surprised by the number of questions and interest.
One other thing surprised me. Our middle granddaugther said "Can I go first? Middle kids never get to go first". I told her I understood because I'm a middle kid. She went into the garage and helped me get if down from the lift (I let her do a lot of the 'work' to get it down). Then she surprised me with lots of questions before I even fired it up.
"Can I see the engine?". So I opened the hood.
"What's under there?" (under the air cleaner). So I told her it was carburetors. She asked what those were so I took the lid off and showed her the 3 carbs. She asked how they worked so I explained the difference between this car and modern cars. She kept asking questions so I kept showing her stuff.
Got her buckled in and you should have seen the look on her face when I lit the 427.
She asked lots of questions about shifting, etc. so I slowly took it through the gears and explained why you need gears and how this works vs. the automatics that her partents have. She got it.
I told her to give me her hand and helped her row the gears. She understood the pattern on the console and got it right away (she's 10!).
I asked her if she wanted me to make it go a bit faster and she gave me the look (the 'are you kidding me' look). The road to our home is straight with no homes for the first 3/4 mile so I ran it to 5k through 1, 2, and part of 3rd. HUGE smiles.
I discovered something I didn't know about our granddaugthers - they really enjoy learning about older cars, and I have a genuine gearhead in the group. My how I love those beautiful kids and the ability to share our hobby with them. I'm a very lucky boy.
Great car, family, pics! I started my basketcase project with ONE Granddaughter,,,as of this year I now have 6 to take for a ride. I better quit dragging my feets.
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Great Thread Paul👍
Took my niece and her daughters to a cruise in last summer when they were visiting. They took turns riding with me and all loved it. We competed in a car limbo competition at the cruise in (lost to a lowered C8) and my grand nieces rode with me….they had a blast and it was great seeing their smiles😊
I called my 1977 Impala “The Beast”. It’s also my forum name. I blew up everything on my old impala, my old man was a mechanic. In the end, it had a jet black paint job, 350 Chevy, bored and stroked to a 383, TH350 with a shift kit, Auburn posi unit with Richmond 3.73 gears, comp cam, Dart Cylinder heads, Holly 750 on an edelbrock RPM intake, and Hooker headers, keep in mind it was a sedan that did consistent 13.90’s. Start it up and drove it everyday. My “Beast” is long gone, but never forgotten. I hope you hang on to yours forever.
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
All of you guys better hide those keys & not let those devious, up to no good smiles see where your keeping them. They are all planning ......................
Planning to try and take this same picture every year on the same date with our granddaughter as she grows up. One day down the road she’ll be behind the wheel driving!
Don't count out those granddaughters! I got the fast car bug from my Memaw. My grandpa always drove a Lincoln so he had a trunk big enough for his golf clubs. I loved riding with my Memaw because the music was loud and there was no backseat, so I got to be up front with her. Just bought my first Corvette this week- a '79 L-82. My 8 year old daughter was the first to ride with me. I tell her to always remember that a woman's place is behind the wheel of a fast car. Keep encouraging those daughters & granddaughters! We're not any less inclined to love cars than our brothers. I can't wait to spend the summer working on my new baby and making her as beautiful as some of the C3's you fellas have posted here.
At least one of my 2 Grandsons has been out to visit me and my red ‘80 Corvette in the garage, almost every evening for the past 6 weeks. I’ve been replacing the engine. We are warming them up to the car scene. My adult son and I hope these little boys can take the C3 to their high school prom nite some day.
Granddaughters and 'The Beast'
