Corvette Owner Age Distribution Poll

[Peter M.]

Re: Corvette Owner Age Distribution Poll

Clem,

Your statement made me very curious so looked at your profile. You owned new vettes from 62-66 consecutively, which is unusual, but awesome, and then a gap to 99.

Questions if you care to answer as I find this fascinating: what motors in the 59, 62-66? If you had to pop one sentence on each car, what would you say? What was the best performed(not knowing what engines you had-see first question)

and why the gap till 99?

Thanks

Peter

[Clem Z.]

Re: Corvette Owner Age Distribution Poll

the 59 was a base engine,62 and 63 were 340 HP and the 64 was a 365 HP. the 65 was a 425 HP 396 and the 66 was 450 HP 427. you can see from the engine choice what would have been the best performing. after the 66 we started a family and i needed more seats so we got into Z-28 camaros,454 450 HP chevelles and later BBC pickup trucks to haul the dirt bikes and snowmobiles. i always wanted a ZR-1 but every time i drove a C-4 i could not get to like the car,loved the ZR-1 engine but hated the car because everything seemed to shake when driven on rough roads.when the C-5s came out in 97 and the reports were good i got back into corvettes. i bought my early corvettes to use them in competion events like drag racing,hill climbing and autocrossing but since 97 i just use them for corvette club events. my dealer was also a very close friend and the mrs worked there so that is why i was able to buy new corvettes so often

[Chuck S.]

Re: Corvette Owner Age Distribution Poll

I should have added that this poll is also biased toward C6 Corvettes since it was posted on the C6 General Forum...these owners are primarily buying new or barely used Corvettes, and the admission price is a little steeper than a perfectly serviceable fun driver.

The best way for the frugal and financially challenged to get into a Corvette is to do what Roy Braatz did...buy them when they're old, ragged out and cheap, then restore them yourself and hold/enjoy them with a healthy profit. To get that healthy profit, you may have to enjoy some year classes longer than others.

However...many of the responders to this poll have been, like Clem, multiple Corvette owners since their youth and just prefer the latest in performance, technology, and comfort...it's doubtful any conclusions can be drawn about model year according to age. You were fortunate to have had your Dad mentor you in this hobby from an early age, but his influence has certainly altered your interests from the usual young owner.

You probably represent an exception to the commonly voiced concern that youthful interest in NCRS membership and goals is fading away. From this poll, I doubt that this will really happen...as young owners fall in love with the marque, and want to perserve their life experience, the model years of interest will gradually slide up as the owners age.

We owners of older year class Corvettes can draw our own conclusions about future values and the best financial decision for ourselves, but I expect the older year classes' value to plateau into slow growth as their respective market shrinks. I doubt we will ever see a Black Tuesday in classic Corvette values.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Corvette Owner Age Distribution Poll

there are 2 ways to look at corvette ownership,the older corvettes mean aggravation and the new corvettes mean depreciation. i am too old for any more aggravation in my live and i can afford the depreciation.

[Bill M.]

Re: Corvette Owner Age Distribution Poll

Tom

Bought my first corvette when i was 18 for $2800 my mother wanted to kill me. i just turned 50 and was given(by my wife) the ok to buy a 66 roadster. my mother still thinks i am nuts. at last count the 66 is the 27th corvette that my wife and i have owned.

Bill

[Jeremy D.]

Re: Corvette Owner Age Distribution Poll

I'm about to turn 39, and I feel fortunate to have had a '79 L-82, '68 L-79, '69 L-46, a '70 LT-1. I currently have a '70 base coupe, and a '71 LT-1 project car. I've enjoyed these cars and had to sell them for various reasons, the last being the '70 LT-1 because a FORD burned my house down 2 years ago and I needed the money. My favorite of the bunch? The '70 base coupe. It's just a simple, sweet car that will get me into trouble almost as fast as an LT-1.

I believe the age demographics in the Forum would be very different if the C1-2's weren't priced into the stratosphere. Not all of us are bankers & lawyers. I don't know of anyone in my age group that wouldn't LOVE a Corvette, but dismiss it because it's out of reality for them. They need minivans. I move dirt for a living, and have a wife and one son who is a special needs child that requires unusual amounts of attention. I'm lucky enough to be able to go to Carlisle & Bloomington Gold and when I see people trying to sell absolute JUNK for ridiculous amounts of money just because it has a solid axle or a big block hood, and actually GETTING it, it just makes me realize even more that I probably will never own a C1 or 2,or 5 or 6. A new Z06 is out of reality for me. I also notice that I am at the young end of the spectrum at these shows, as well as the Corvette Clubs I belong to. Sure, I'd LOVE to have a '57 fuelie or a '65 fuelie, but it takes me 2 years to make enough money to match the price of one, and chances are the one I'd buy would turn out to be a fake.

So, I'm going to stick with my low optioned C3's, because they're the best I can afford. It's funny....I have friends with C5's & one with a 6 that cannot believe I can drive something so archaic...no power steering, brakes, mono radio, no cupholders, and worn out seats that are actually vinyl, not leather. And the older folks I associate with have a hard time relating, as they all have solid axle/big block cars they bought when they were 19 or something and vacuum wiper doors & headlights scare them. Anybody in my age group that could buy a Corvette when they were 19 was either selling drugs or really spoiled by mommy and daddy, or REALLY far in debt. I know one girl from high school that wrapped her mom's '89 Callaway around a tree after prom. She had no business being in that car. She walked away, fortunately. The car is gone forever.

So, for those of you of older generations, please enjoy your cars and take good care of them, so us "kids" can still have something to dream about having someday. They don't make those cars anymore.

[Michael W.]

Re: Corvette Owner Age Distribution Poll

Nice post!

Well I think I will keep the averega age low :-). I was around the age of 6 when I saw a picture of a silver split in a magazine and since then I was hooked.

In 2004 I was able to give myself a 65 C2 for my 27th birthday. Currently looking for my 2nd vette, which will be a late C4 or early C5. The vettes for me are no daily drivers, just the start of hopefully a slow growing collection which I will be able to enjoy when my age will range between 45 and 55!!

Michael

[Brett H.]

Re: Corvette Owner Age Distribution Poll

I now fall into the gray haired bunch. 46 yrs old now. Bought my first of 20 corvettes when I was a 17 yr old senior in high school. Paid $3350.00
Now own three 53's, one 54. In that 29 yr period, I have rarely been without one. Bought a new 96 Collector Edition once. Loved it but I just can't get in/out of a C4 anymore! Want a new Z06 but I'm just too tight to pay big bucks again for something that is depreciating every day. Wish I could get over that!!
I'd probably be happier on the road!!!