When We were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #20

[Bill O.]

and the grandfather of Patriciaand







The early years: Part 1 of 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSUSiPKQBJs

Jennifer in 1961

[Oliver B.]

Re: When We were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #20

Great - as always......

[Rob M.]

Re: When We were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #20

I really enjoy your stories Bill, keep them comming!!! I wish i was born 35 years earlier...

regards,
Rob.

[Michael A.]

Re: When We were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #20

Moral of the story...... Forgiveness Is Devine!

Thanks again Bill.

[Bill O.]

Re: When We were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #20

Terry:

Isn't it amazing how we often undervalue old experiences....usually until its much too late to recount.

I belong to the 101st Airborne Association and get the Screaming Eagles publication on the same cycle as Driveline...the WWII guys, which made up the preponderance of the coverage when I started, are mostly gone. The Technical Discussion Board is now mostly of newer vintage Corvettes. It's the natural order of things, but it makes me sad for young folks to lose the perspective of how it was when we older types were young.

Through your eyes, I'm old. Through my eyes, things are exactly the same as they were 50 years ago.

God help us.

Bill

[Stewart A.]

Re: When We were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #20

Bill, when you first picked up your Vette, I know it was a special car to you but were they a special car in it's time. Did they have that WOW factor back then. I know there not a Ferrari but could you elaborate what people used to say about it.
I have a 1960 Corvette and live in Australia and drive a now clean 60 Corvette everyday. People nearly crash when I drive by, they stop and stare until the car is out of sight. I suppose petrol heads in Australia only see C1 vettes on paper and not in real life so it is an amazing car to drive and own. Can you tell me how they were perceived back then. Stewy

[Oliver B.]

Re: When We were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #20

VERY interesting question - especially for us foreigners to better evaluate our car's "as-new-status" in the US... (I'd love to know the same for my 77!)

[Bill O.]

Re: When We were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #20

Stewy:

Everybody’s got an opinion as to why these things are so popular. Here is mine.

There was a period of prosperity in America following WWII where owning and driving automobiles, and for some, life in general, had became boring, dull and routine. Sure, there were major styling changes for the 1949 models and with some, added pep but little excitement. And there was a growing appeal for V-8 motors….power and sound. Ford had them as early as 1932, Oldsmobile since 1949, but Chevy not until 1955. And then there were the clunky and weak ’55-’57 T-Birds whose intro literally drove you to the Corvette.

So phrases like “lure of the open road” and “adventures in driving” and “thrill of driving” were timed perfectly to appeal to the mood. The driving public was conditioned to be receptive to the idea of an affordable American sports car…some say the Corvette is an “invention”. But whatever, they conjure up a notion of youthfulness, power, performance, open, clean-swept styling…an every-day sports car where you pay two - thirds less and don’t need a bilingual mechanic (stolen from a Vette ad).

For me…Power, Speed, Styling, Handling and all the girls were crazy over them!

Bill
P.S The attached says it all.

[Stewart A.]

Re: When We were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #20

Thanks for that Bill. Stewy

[Bert L.]

[Bill O.]

Re: When We were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #20

Thanks, Bert.

Always room for an opposing view.

Bill

[Bob S.]

Re: When We were Young With Our Corvettes - Chapter #20

Stewart,
The answer to WOW is yes. I have it from a different perspective though.
I was a teenager in the '60's graduating from highschool in '65. Anytime I saw a Corvette go by I would stop and stare. I would always watch "Route 66" to see the cool guys and there Corvette.
In the late '60's in college, I had fraternity brothers who owned corvettes and I would come up with any excuse I could to get a ride. Man, was I in heaven when they would let me drive. I (or should I say my parents) could barely afford college so actually owning one was not in the cards but boy did I dream.
The story from there is the same as so many. I graduated from college, went in the Army and flew helicopters for a while. Got out, started an aviation career, got married, had kids, etc., etc., etc.
I'm 61 now and doing OK. Last year I told my wife of my dream and with her blessing purchased a '59 that is in the restoration phase. I go to paint next week and I am trying hard (it will be tight) to at least be able to drive it aroud the block on June 16th, it's birthday.
So you see the answer to WOW was, and still is, yes.
Sully