Lets just talk fun

[Roy B.]

On the other Corvette forum people talk a lot about their driving experience and the pleasure or problems they have and post pictures of their Corvette. I find it interesting to read and look , it solves problems others have and learning how to maintain the Corvettes. The stories about trips they take meeting other Corvette junkies is a great read.
How about you guys that really drive your Corvette share some stories here just to brake up some of this talk about engine stamping and paint over spray.
I for one would like to hear about how you drive the Corvette and what you like or don't like about it ( any year) , keeping the money thing a side do you really love having it and enjoy it??

[Greg L.]

Re: Lets just talk fun

Well Roy I don't have a good pic but I do have a story.

Back in 88 my Dad had a 77 that he bought from an Autopac sale(insurance salvage) that was hit on the left wheel, door pillar area. We replaced that portion of the birdcage, door, fender, trailing arm etc,etc and for some reason the frame checked out so it wasn't touched.

The car looked great with it's white paint and red interior but one day while turning a corner in town the rear end locked up and the a$$ end swung around. It just wouldn't go forward at all so I tried reverse and it let go with a clunk...tried forward it was as though nothing was wrong so we just kept driving it. This happened a few more time both with my brother and Dad but we couldn't quite figure out what was going on. Then one day while around 25 mph or so in town I changed lanes and it locked up big time with the a$$ end swaping with the front, cars swerving, fingers flying and so forth..."damn kids in thier corvettes driving like idiots all the time".

Anyways I had enough of this and it seemed to be locking up a little more often so I headed home with a buddy of mine. We had a nice stretch of highway and no one in sight so I thought I would open it up a little. We got it to just under 140 mph when we saw a car way off coming towards us so I started to slow down. At around 100 or so there was this tremendous BANG in the rear of the car that raised the rear end like we drove over a log or something. I remember looking in the rear view mirror and seeing all this dust and rock bouncing of the highway that were dislodged from the frame! ...then all was normal again. Funny thing is that car coming towards us was my Dad and I was down to around the speed limit by then so we just waived.

The next weekend we started pulling the rear end apart thinking that it must be in the diff and sure enough it was. I remember pulling the rear cover off on the bench and all these pieces of pinion gear falling out. And as God is my witness one whole pinion gear was gone, not just the teeth but the WHOLE gear gone right down to the pinion pin itself, and there was only about 3/4 of the other one left, and again not just the teeth! If you turned what remained of the pinion gear you could actually see the full pinion pin in the carrier!

Now here is the interesting part...the pinion pin was bent away from the side that was hit. I guess on impact the side shaft and yoke were driven into the pin and bent it possibly cracking the gears, but obviously causing some damage that came back to haunt us. Well we replaced the diff and all was well and then we sold it a couple years later. All I have left of it is part of the rear fender and the busted up carrier housing and a picture or the car.


The silver one is my 69.

[Terry D.]

Re: Lets just talk fun

Roy

I guess that would fall under the catgory of regular forum and not Technical Discussion Board. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against idle chit chat,or interesting stories, but there are plenty of other boards for that. People come here to solve problems and learn things that are not in books. In other words I think the powers to be will frown on it. Just my 2 cents.
terry

[Kevin M.]

Re: Lets just talk fun

Terry,

I'll take all Roy #182 will post and say as far as your 2 cents #11486 who made you forum police? I guess how I drive a Corvette is not technical in nature but which trailer do I buy to haul my car to meets is, come on.

Kevin

[Kevin M.]

Another No No

Here's one of me driving, in the RAIN top down, Ahhhhhh the humanity.

Kevin

It's all in fun

[Donald O.]

Re: Another No No

I suppose in Mexifornia those dozen drops of rain on the windshield constitutes a downpour, but here in Chicago that doesn't even rate as drizzle

[Terry D.]

Re: Lets just talk fun

I'm not any POLICE, I simply stated what has been stated before about this board. I take all of Roy's posts and copy them. I've even asked him to put together some king of booklet to share with others. So get off my case till you know what your talking about.
terry

[James J.]

Re: Lets just talk fun

What's this, idle chit chat about driving our corvettes? Come on, let's get back to the real idle chit chat about towing stories, engine stand horror stories, and which car trailer is the best.

[Wayne K.]

Heck Kevin, I get that wet with the top up. *NM*

[Kevin M.]

Re: Heck Kevin, I get that wet with the top up.

Wayne,

Funny you should say that, the picture is one I found looking for this one. I was going through Kentucky and experienced driving in the rain for the first time in my brand new painted refreshed 67. Anyway I have video of the rain pouring through the front header like you say. When I stopped I noticed most of the cars had towels shoved over the visors. When I stopped for gas I bought a small rug to put against the header. Still use the rug when I fold my top.

Notice how big the drops are hitting the ground.

Kevin

[William L.]

Roy Keepem comming *NM*

[Dennis H.]

Re: Lets just talk fun

Thanks Roy, after reading some of the posts in the last week, it is refreshing to have a light hearted moment or two. We all get too rapped up in nuts and bolts sometimes and forget why we have these cars. My 64 will soon be back together after a repaint. It was hard to keep with my original plan, a nice driver. Let my wife's next husband do a frame off after I'm dead and gone. I'm going to drive it and enjoy it.

[Ray C.]

Re: Lets just talk fun

Thanks Roy!

I find reading these type of posting very interesting and fun! I wish there were more. I enjoyed the barn finds and other interesting stories that use to be in the Restorer.

A great Corvette moment for me was at the SACC National Convention, when it was held in Harrisburg PA. We had over 50 Solid Axel Corvettes caravaning to the Gettysburg National park. I believe we had one from every year. Then Three days at Carlisle driving the 61 around town.

I can't wait for the National Road Tour! Back roads from Western NY, to Boston!

Ray #36314

My wife, Janet in our Sateen Silver 1961

[Roy B.]

Re: Lets just talk fun "greg"

Man that was a story, thank God nothing happened causing you to lose control ,I was thinking reading the story it would end bad. You can always replace a Corvette but not you.

Well reading other replies to my post I see I'm stepping on toes , talking buying trailers is more technical info then driving Corvettes.

I thought sharing with others that drive these Corvettes and telling stories of how to keep them running and enjoying the fun of driving them was a good break for a day or two>
I keep forgetting Corvettes are not a hobby to day for many people, they worry about broach marks,engine stamping and which trailer to haul it in !!!!!

Well!! you see we enjoy camping with our Grand kids and going places in our Corvette, let the next owner trailer it.

[Myron Sleeva]

Thought "wife's next husband" drove a Porsche! *NM*