Your favourite Corvette?

dostacos wrote:

53 vette, OR 63 split window

there's a fellow running around Greenwood in a 1953 convertable that he built from scratch. Even the frame is his design. But the body pinnings and the body itself are either factory or accurate after market replacements. But what got me was that he didn't use the Chevy six in it or even a Chevy V8! It's power by Ford! This car makes an original look like junk it's so strait and just perfect in almost everyway. But my favorite is the 1957 with the hardtop.

gary

The 2000 in my driveway:

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Mark

Townsy11 wrote:

...Which year of this classic car do you guys fancy?...

1.  My 1968 convertible.

2.  My fiancee's 1971 convertible.

3.  The 1974 coupe I used to have and wish I had never traded.

4.  My 1980 L-82.

5.  My fiancee's 1996 convertible.

I LOVE THEM ALL!  Corvette is THE greatest car ever produced in my opinion.  Owning a real one is a pip dream, but 2 blocks away is a Corvette restoration/mechanic shop.  I cry seeing those vettes messed up and in pieces, but smile because I know they are getting the second chance they deserve.  I like every year.

 If you check the Scale Auto readers gallery archives, you can see a 68 Vette in British Racing Green, I built a few years back.  The sad part is before the photo was published my cat did the car in.  #$@%@#$^$%$%$% CAT!  It got flying lessons.

fantacmet wrote:

I LOVE THEM ALL!  Corvette is THE greatest car ever produced in my opinion.  Owning a real one is a pip dream, but 2 blocks away is a Corvette restoration/mechanic shop.  I cry seeing those vettes messed up and in pieces, but smile because I know they are getting the second chance they deserve.  I like every year.  If you check the Scale Auto readers gallery archives, you can see a 68 Vette in British Racing Green, I built a few years back.  The sad part is before the photo was published my cat did the car in.  #$@%@#$^$%$%$% CAT!  It got flying lessons.

well as much as I'd like to say that a Corvette is my favorite, it's not close. I wouldn't take two new Corvettes for a Viper coup. But as neat as a Viper is, it fell down the ladder after getting a good look at a silver Mercedes 300SL gull winged coup. The car just reeks with class, and maybe is only beaten out by a Dusenberg roadster. Another killer car I saw once was a 1963 250 GTO LeMans. This is absolutely the most beautiful car ever made period!

gary

My favorite Vette would be the 1964 hardtop in gold. One of my father's friends had it. She drove it crazily. Luckily her daughter plans to restore it and has it stored out of the weather.

Some people have called that car a 1963 remembering a split rear window, but I build a model of it and did a little checking. My memory is bad on the window aspect and I am on the opposite coast from the car to check. This Vette was factory painted and in 1963 Gold was not a paint option according to the lists I have seen.

Is it possible that early '64 hardtops still retained the split window?

Mike T.

telsono wrote:

My favorite Vette would be the 1964 hardtop in gold. One of my father's friends had it. She drove it crazily. Luckily her daughter plans to restore it and has it stored out of the weather. Some people have called that car a 1963 remembering a split rear window, but I build a model of it and did a little checking. My memory is bad on the window aspect and I am on the opposite coast from the car to check. This Vette was factory painted and in 1963 Gold was not a paint option according to the lists I have seen. Is it possible that early '64 hardtops still retained the split window? Mike T.

I used to own a 1963 hardtop with a new 1965 fuel injection motor in it. Was fun, but always something to fix on it. Corvettes made before 1973 are also a body shop owner's dream. The bodys will stress crack just setting still. Mine had been redone twice, and figured the repairs were good for about another two years. The half shafts were about ready for a complete rebuild when I sold it, and I got more life out of them than 80% of the guys I knew. But it was a fun car, and a real looker. I actually liked my AMX better (it'd suck the windows out of the one I had). Still I'm contemplating the purchase of one in the spring or maybe a Caddy XLR (same car but with a better motor & retractable hardtop). All I gotta do is figure how to pay for it.

     As for the color of a 1963, mine was a dark bronze color (as in Caddy firemist) from the factory. You could get just about any color you wanted back then for a sir charge (assuming that G.M. stocked it), and I've seen many Corvettes painted in firemist colors.

gary

Here's my favorite, the 1967 L-88:

telsono wrote:

My favorite Vette would be the 1964 hardtop in gold. One of my father's friends had it. She drove it crazily. Luckily her daughter plans to restore it and has it stored out of the weather. Some people have called that car a 1963 remembering a split rear window, but I build a model of it and did a little checking. My memory is bad on the window aspect and I am on the opposite coast from the car to check. This Vette was factory painted and in 1963 Gold was not a paint option according to the lists I have seen. Is it possible that early '64 hardtops still retained the split window? Mike T.

Nope.  The split window was gone after 63.  Gold was not a standard color in 1964 either.  According to the Black Book, 24 Vettes in 1964 were painted in non standard colors or primer so it may have been one of those.  Unfortunately, build sheets are unavailable from Chevy for individual cars from this time.  Hope this helps.

 Buddy

lewbud wrote:

...Nope.  The split window was gone after 63....

Correct.  The split window was available only on the 1963 coupes.

...Gold was not a standard color in 1964 either...

Correct.  No actual gold cars until 1969.

Never had much of an affinity for them--I do like the Stingray Hatchback though, that was one mean looking machine.

Now, if you talk about Chargers/Superbees/GTX's--now there's a subject that gets my heart pounding!

the doog wrote:

Never had much of an affinity for them--I do like the Stingray Hatchback though, that was one mean looking machine. Now, if you talk about Chargers/Superbees/GTX's--now there's a subject that gets my heart pounding!

I had a buddy that drove an endless string of Corvettes and Camaros for a long time. He got the chance to drive a Hemi roadrunner with an automatic transmission (boring). Then he shows up at my house and ask me if he could take a spin in mine. The next day he had a black hemi cuda on order. Since then I don't think he's ever owned another vette. He currently drives a turbocharged Viper Coup.

     Myself I never was big on Superbees or Chargers, but I always liked the earlier ones. For a sedan I think it would be either a 1967 GTX or a 1964 Plymouth. The one exception to this is a 1962 Plymouth two door hardtop. Car's so ugly you gotta like it. It's also the lightest full sized sedan ever sold in North America that was all steel (3400lb. real weight). These cars can be made into real monsters with little work. I have a friend that has owned a dark green 1967 GTX since it was new (he's gotta be close to 75 years young now). The only body work ever done to it was a new paint job twice over the last forty years. The motor has been gone thru twice by my brother. First time was a basic rebuild, and the second time was a complete redesign to make it run on unleaded fuel. The car will run very low thirteens thru the mufflers on 9:1 compression. Not bad for an antique. I might toss in here another tid bit about Stan. A couple years back my brother and Stan did the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour. They drove a Mazda RX7 that was powered by a 406" Chevy engine. Drove like a wild mouse (what a pun!)

gary

the doog wrote:

Now, if you talk about Chargers/Superbees/GTX's--now there's a subject that gets my heart pounding!

I hope we're not losing ya Doog... It used to be Tigers/ Kingtigers/ Panthers ...

the doog wrote:

Never had much of an affinity for them--I do like the Stingray Hatchback though, that was one mean looking machine. Now, if you talk about Chargers/Superbees/GTX's--now there's a subject that gets my heart pounding!

zgator wrote:

the doog wrote: Never had much of an affinity for them--I do like the Stingray Hatchback though, that was one mean looking machine. Now, if you talk about Chargers/Superbees/GTX's--now there's a subject that gets my heart pounding! Doog, Whats a hatchback Stingray?? I might have a couple (1-1's)

I saw a model of it on ebay--maybe it's not an actual designation? But it sure looked beefy!

The funny thing is, I'd drive a Charger with a four-cylinder in it if I could--I just think they look totally meeeaan!!!

Well did it have a big back window and C3 body (68-82). That window started with the 78 Vettes. However thos only one that hinged opened was the 82 Collector Edition. All the others had a fixed rear glass.

I came across a Corvette owners meet whilst on holiday in the US in January.   Just about every model was represented and all in great condition as you can imagine.   However of all the cars there this one really took my fancy and I took loads of reference photos for when I start a 1/16 kit that I have

I didn't note the name of the firm that does this modern update (dont need it!) but the idea of the classic shape with modern mechanics is hard to beat (?)

lewbud

thanks for the information. It was probably one of the 24 cars you mentioned. I had known the owner from about 1967 and she was the original owner of it. The interior, if my memory serves me, was in a gold or tan pattern that went well with the exterior. I am certain that it was in the same color as when she bought it from Chevy.

I've been out travelling for work which has delayed my chance to respond.

Mike T.

Martsmodels wrote:

... ...

Whew!  Big bucks spent on this sweetheart.  Aftermarket frame, C5\C6 drive train.  Nice work.   Let's hope it's an aftermarket 56/57 body.  It would be a shame to booger up a genuine 56/57 that way.

the doog wrote:

Never had much of an affinity for them--I do like the Stingray Hatchback though, that was one mean looking machine. Now, if you talk about Chargers/Superbees/GTX's--now there's a subject that gets my heart pounding!

I love all vettes but if I'm to point out the one that hit my fancy it would be the '63 HT, '67 HT-convert, An the king in my hart is the sassy '69 (I can't put up the work I want to use so I use sassy)

Some of my builds:

'57 vette:

Images of my '67 vette are missing I'll go and take some new ones of that old build and come back an edit in this space. I am going to build a new one of the HT version soon as well as a '63 HT vresion.

'69 Custom Movie vette;

'96 Vette convert.

Concept Vetts:

Doog do you mean the hatch like on the back of the Corvette Eckler.

http://www.greenwoodcorvettes.com/Other%20customs/Can%20Am/EcklerCRIIrtrear.jpg

http://www.greenwoodcorvettes.com/Other%20customs/Can%20Am/EcklerCat2.jpg

http://www.greenwoodcorvettes.com/CanAm.html

Or are you thinkg of the wagon version.

http://image.corvettefever.com/f/corvette-style-trends/corvette-wagons-and-other-oddities/1025999+w640+cr1+re0+ar1/corvette-wagon.jpg

I think that thing loos cool I'm saving that image.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jimlewis58/ChevroletCorvette19532008/photo#5084912113233158386