Re: How many feel the same
Well said , better then I did and that was my point
Well said , better then I did and that was my point
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Re: How many feel the same
Great thread, Roy...
One of the highlights of my few years of NCRS membership was getting to meet you at the San Jose National.
Some (1 or 2) may have noticed that I'm not on the TDB any more. As much as I love the technical discussion and camaraderie, my on-going restoration had it's third birthday,.....and the body/chassis was still sitting on a stand. So, I've rolled up my sleeves in an effort to get this baby finished.
National judging chairman Roy Sinor kindly gave me one hour of his time yesterday, for a face to face technical discussion. As you can tell from my taking this time, I am trying my best to get my 46,000 mile '67 L68 convertible as close to a 99 point car, as humanly possible. I may fail miserably in that goal, but not for lack of trying.
As soon as she's completed (hopefully, in 2010), it will go back on the road, for the first time since in was pushed into a Kansas barn in the last 1970s.
The first major planned trip, is a full length (both directions), run down Pacific Coast Highway.
Why there......? Because that's where I would have taken this '67, had I taken delivery when she rolled off St.Louis, in April of 1967.
I not only respect those who own striictly "trailer queens", I admire them for preserving their close to "perfection",......that others can learn from.
For me however,......I would be denying myself one of the greatest joys in life.......driving a great vintage Corvette.
Thanks to all for the viewpoints on both sides of the issue....
Hope to see many of you soon, as I drive this baby into it's first regional.Good carburetion is fuelish hot air . . .Comment
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Re: How many feel the same
Jeff,
Though I've never met Mark in person I can tell you he is far from a rude person. He has gone out of his way numerous times for me. He has taken the time to contacted me offline with information. He has gone out of his way to take and send photos of his '69 to me when I had questions. I know he has a busy schedule and is away from home often, which makes his efforts even more impressive to me.
Take his advice and get to know him in person if the opportunity arises, I plan to!Comment
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Re: How many feel the same
Someone please close this this! I think we are
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Re: How many feel the same
Sounds good, Ridge. . ! .. A great 'maiden voyage', to be sure for the '67. Sure gets the wheels and gears upstairs a thinkin' .. After paint and new tires I hope to do a similar break-in run in my '64 along the same route, come Spring season. Grandkids in WA makes for a good 'excuse'. .. I'm pretty sure those 'lousy' drum brakes on my car will be just fine. .
.. The Oregon portion (hwy. 101) is a great drive .. Especially like the art deco bridges along the way.
+1 on Roy's thread starter. While many are tucked away for reasons already discussed here it's a special treat to see such vintage Corvette on the road. Without repeating the obvious it's something you just don't see. Kudos to Roy for keeping the '55 alive and well..........................on the road! ..
BTW, Roy .. I 'met' your car at the San Jose meet this past summer. It was great to see it up close and personal!Comment
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Re: How many feel the same
I agree with the OP. It is sad that these and many other classic cars are not driven. I am 41 so what i saw as a youngster were the new C3s and the c2 & 60s detroit muscle was everywhere as hot rods/ jalopies of the day. But in all honesty, I can only recall ever seeing a c0 ('53-'55) once on the road until just this past summer, I saw a '55 being driven that one would assume was a test run for a PV at San Jose. That's it, only ever seen them in pictures. It is sad, but when the value of your car is very closely tied to the originality, I can understand. These are not trivial sums of money. For the life of me, I have been trying to figure out what you guys do to be able to afford all this. I can't even swing the time or money to go to a national meet (why are they always during the week?). I have purposely chosen a career with what i thought was good pay, not had children, etc and even still the c1/c2 purchase is well out of reach. Are you foregoing a retirement savings to buy a collector vette? This seems like a very real possibility given all the auctions that are considered popular entertainment these days.
Secretly, I am hoping that all of the guys who are holding on to the cars of thier youth will die off before I do so that i can get one (joking!) (ok partially). I take hope in the fact that the younger folk all like rice and maybe then i can have my own barn find vette. I have spoken with several people who lived it back in the day and it is just heart breaking, and cool all the same, to hear of all the really cool rides they wrecked or just junked for something faster/newer. These same guys now have way more money due to their mature age and help keep these rides out of my reach. I figure the generation after me has a much better chance to own and even drive because those just ahead of me got it all. Kinda like rain on the eastern side of the mountain- aint happening no matter how much you want it to.
steveComment
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Re: How many feel the same
unless you are my age 75 you never owned a new corvette that are now collectibles. most all collectors have them now because they were cars of their dreams back then when they could not afford them but now days most people with a lust for a new corvette own one so these people down the road 20/30 + years will not have much desire for them as they all ready had it new. maybe that is why these older corvettes don't turn me on as i owned most of them when they were new. JMHOComment
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Re: How many feel the same
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Re: How many feel the same
Lively discussion! I drove my '71 for 18 years, then put it away as other things in my life became prominent. Left it sit for 18 years and decided that I had better get it together and drive it before they took my keys away.
All the time, it was just my car, nothing else. My third corvette and I just loved driving them when I did. I expected to simply fix it and drive it again.
Well, when all was done, everyone told me how valuable it was, how careful I needed to be, on and on. I drove it to a summer fair. I took a bridge over a beautiful bay, great vette experience right?
While there friends told me. "You didn't leave your car in the lot did you?"
"It won't be there when you get back!" I left early. As much as I love driving my car, I now have to be aware of more than I wanted to. It took some of the fun from it. While I still drive it as often as I can, I am looking for a driver that I will care less about....My rant.
Great thread Roy. I have some limited experience with Mark and he was a solid stand up guy to me.
These cars make us,
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Happy New Year!Comment
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Re: How many feel the same
Joel, I LOVE that graphic!!!Comment
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Vice-Chairman (West), Michigan Chapter NCRS
71 "deer modified" coupe
72 5-Star Bowtie / Duntov coupe. https://www.flickr.com/photos/124695...57649252735124
2008 coupe
Available stickers: Engine suffix code, exhaust tips & mufflers, shocks, AIR diverter valve broadcast code.Comment
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Re: How many feel the same
I bet a lot of our Corvettes go through cycles:
Year 1 to 5: Frame off restoration.
Year 6 to 10: Trailer queen, flight judging, PV, concours, etc.
Year 11 to 15: Show career ends as restoration becomes less "fresh", car is driven on Sunday drives during perfect weather, and to local cruise nights.
Year 16 to 25: Car has become a full-fledged driver; driven hard, trips across the state or longer.
Year 26: Frame off restoration starts life cycle again.Comment
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