To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

[William L.]

Being a new member to the NCRS discussion board, I am guessing that there are some original owners of C1's that either bought a new C1 or was around at that time. My question is, was there a waiting list back then if you wanted one, or were they plentiful enough that you could just go in and buy one? Does anyone have a story about wanting a certain engine option like 2x4's or Fuel Injection and having to wait? Just curious?

Thanks, Bill

[Jerry W.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

Bought a new 62 340hp...posi...off road exhaust...two tops...close ratio transmission.....signal seek radio...black on black....no problem with option selection.

Only problem I had was accumulating half of the price of the car before my father would co-sign the papers ( his idea ) as was the practice back then when you didn't have established credit

This gave me plenty of time to get the best deal from the salesman.....i'm sure they got sick of me at the dealership

Once I ordered the car....It seemed like a life time til delivery

[Jerry W.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

Post note: I didn't order 360hp FI because everyone advised that "No one could work on them"

[Donald L.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

The original owner of my 62 mentioned that his parents gave it to him for his graduation from HS.They went to the dealership and bought it off the showroom. The dealer was a small volume store with maybe 3 cars in the showroom.

[William L.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

Bought a new 62 340hp...posi...off road exhaust...two tops...close ratio transmission.....signal seek radio...black on black....no problem with option selection.

Only problem I had was accumulating half of the price of the car before my father would co-sign the papers ( his idea ) as was the practice back then when you didn't have established credit

This gave me plenty of time to get the best deal from the salesman.....i'm sure they got sick of me at the dealership

Once I ordered the car....It seemed like a life time til delivery

These are the stories that I am talking about.....I am 51 now, 3 years old in 62, it must have been a great feeling going in and buying a new vette back then. So no trouble getting one?

[Loren L.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

Depends upon where you were and then what you wanted. Harry Mann would always have Corvettes in stock, the dealer in Butte, Montana was less likely

[John F.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

My 62 #0029 was purchased off the showroom floor in November 1961. Original owner said he wanted one since he saw the first ones in 1953. I'm glad he kept it 99% original.

[Jerry W.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

These are the stories that I am talking about.....I am 51 now, 3 years old in 62, it must have been a great feeling going in and buying a new vette back then. So no trouble getting one?

Placing the order wasn't that big a deal after deliberating for months on options......Driving it out of the dealer parking lot with the off raod mufflers for the first time was like S E X

My son and I are doing a body off resto on another 62 and i'm hoping to duplicate that event ( Yeh....Right )

[Bill M.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

Our '59 (290FI) sat on the dealer's lot from January '59 to May '59. The discount off of list was was over 15%...apparently not high demand!

[Jim P.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

Depends upon where you were and then what you wanted. Harry Mann would always have Corvettes in stock, the dealer in Butte, Montana was less likely

My uncle was Chevrolet District Manager in western Montana in 1962, he would never let a dealer be without a Covette.

[Christopher R.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

I don't know about C1s. But I do remember hearing stories around the late 60's/early 70's that if you wanted a Corvette for the current model year, you had to get your order in by the January or February time frame. In the Boston area at that time, my friends and I didn't know of any of any dealers who kept Corvettes on the floor. All the ones we knew about were ordered. I'm finding out as I get older that some of the stuff I believed then may have been apocryphal. But it was widely believed then.

[Larry C.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

With all the pre-production hype on the new Corvette for 1963, the factory lot was covered with 1962s waiting for buyers to submit orders. Most likely, there were plenty of 1962s with the options wanted.

My 62 was built approx. 6-22-62 but was not purchased until October, consequently, no waiting, except for delivery from factory to the dealer.

[Clem Z.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

i think a lot of buyers are like me. the first corvette you buy off of the dealers floor,impluse buy but after that you order what you want. JMHO

[Stuart F.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

I didn't buy my first new Vette until the 63 that I now have. Many of my friends did get C-1's while I was kicking around the Milwaukee/Chicago area after high school. I don't recall they had too much trouble getting what they wanted - usually a top of the mark fuelie.

With my 63; however, the new design was in high demand. I ordered in April from a small town dealer in central Wisconsin who had a quota of about 2, and had to wait until August to take delivery.

I believe still today that the C-1's are the most owner friendly and easiest to work on regarding suspensions and drivelines. I have yet to change a transmission, clutch or rear end with my 63, but probably would have many times over if it was a C-1.

Stu Fox

[Mike E.]

Re: To all C1 original owners or wanabe owners

My November 61-built 62 shows a sold date (original warranty book) of June '62. Perhaps the almond beige paint had something to do with that.
Mike