Mama Knows

[tlong]

Just sitting at the light waiting to turn right when I hear a little voice getting excited and squealing something like "look, mama!" The mother and her 4 year old son were standing there hand in hand waiting to cross when she said "That's a Corvette, honey." The seed is planted, the die is cast. I wonder when he'll get his first 'vette? Will he go for the classic old C6 or hold out for the new 2025 C9?

All this crossed the mind in 2 seconds. This will never be just a car.

 

[Remo]

Those Future Vette Guys

Tim,

What a great observation. I like the way you think. You remember the recent Corvette ad campaign featuring the 10 year old boy dreaming about a C6? That captured some of your thoughts as well.

Remo:cool

 

[tlong]

Wow Remo, it's usually 'get out of town!':L The beautiful Juneuary weather helps the positive vibrations. Thanks. Just another Corvette Moment I had to share with CAC friends. Do you remember when it happened to you?

That was one of the coolest car commercials ever made. Too much for the PC FCC crowd that allows heads to roll in Highlander but forbids love scenes. Thank God they took that off the air. Can you imagine the havoc? Children stealing C6 Corvettes and barrel-rolling all over the nation. The US Government has saved us once again.

 

[Kenney]

Just sitting at the light waiting to turn right when I hear a little voice getting excited and squealing something like "look, mama!" The mother and her 4 year old son were standing there hand in hand waiting to cross when she said "That's a Corvette, honey." The seed is planted, the die is cast. I wonder when he'll get his first 'vette? Will he go for the classic old C6 or hold out for the new 2025 C9?

All this crossed the mind in 2 seconds. This will never be just a car.

I took my car down to a small lakeside community the first day I owned it. I pulled up to a little hotdog stand for a nutritious “missile of death”(don’t tell my wife). There was a young boy no older than 10 sitting with his mother eating lunch at one of the picnic tables close to the parking lot. I didn’t pay much attention to them until I returned with my sinfully greasy delights. The boy had his mother’s full attention as he explained everything about my car. I stopped and listened to him as he described the intricate details. The boy stopped talking to his mother and looked over to me and said “nice car mister…some day I want a vette too”. As I drove away with a larger swelled head than earlier, I realized that the kids know what they want, they know about status symbols and prestige. As long as Corvette continues producing a quality product and doesn’t except second best, the potential buyers of tomorrow will be loyal long before their first purchase. It took me 20 years before I could afford and/or justify my first purchase.



Don’t second-guess the children of today…they will remember their first vette sighting, as I did.



As proud corvette owners it’s our duty to throw these kids a wave, spawning that next generation of vette owners.

 

[87blackroxi]

memory lane

I too remember being about 10 and seeing my uncle's old stingray. It was the most amazing car I had ever seen and I knew a vette is what i wanted. Took me 29 years to get it. not a stingray but the c4 suits me just fine.
One of the best days I can remember as a kid was when I was 18 and he let me drive it. I think the fastest i drove that day was 45 mph. It was the most amazing experience. The crisp leather hugging me in, the tight shifting, the responsiveness. I will never forget that feeling.
It's amazing what detail kids remember. I know i still remember the whole day.
and your description tlong was perfect. paints the picture well. I can imagine that kid standing there.
(I think he'll go for the c6)

 

[OLDCHEV]

Wow, you talk about a trip down memory lane! When I was 10 (1959) my neighbor had one of those "Plastic Cars" as my father described them. I spent as much time helping him clean and polish it as was allowed.

When I got my Vietnam REUP bonus I paid cash for a 1968 427 Corvette. Drove the wheels off of it while on leave. When I got out of the Army, the real world set in. Work, family, BILLS, FOOD, I had to get rid of it.

Finally, pretty secure (I think), I found a surperb 1990 convertible that I drive almost every day. People in Phoenix think you are nuts driving with the top down in the winter here! The blistering cold of 55 degrees can be overcome by the sheer pleasure of driving a Corvette with the top down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[OLDCHEV]

BTW, my 5 year old grandson always asks "Is Grandpa going to pick me up at school in the COOL CAR"

Another Corvette owner someday!

 

[TheAnarkist]

Blistering cold of 55 degrees!! HAHAHA. And I'm the one who runs the A/C from April til Nov. LOL.

I really am enjoying this thread. heard about the commercial thing. Geez. Hopefully they can't BAN dreams!!! Thank GOD!! Kids are awesome. I have 3 little girls, 2, 3, and 4 (almost 5) years ols and they are ALL little carguys!! Thank you.

 

[Achilles]

My first Corvette experience happened when I was 6 yrs. old. My dad had special ordered a '66 ElCamino 396 SS. When he went to take delivery of it, his best friend went along and wound up buying a brand new silver '66 Vette w/427. I didn't know the details about the story until I was older, but I remember the experience well and I remember getting a ride in the Corvette. My second Corvette experience, was when I actually fell in love with the car. I was about 10 at the time and I was with my dad at a Peterbuilt dealership when a guy pulled up in a '69 or '70 Stingray. From that day I swore I would someday have one. I saved my allowance every week (.25) until I had $17.00 saved up. I finally gave in and bought some toy, I expect. But for a time I was pretty diligent on saving for my Vette. Thirty two years later I got my first and now I have three,(looking for the fourth). Is life great, or what?

 

[PLRX]

The seed was planted when I was 7. This blue 72 with a 454 owner gave us a ride (him, my aunt and me) he was doing 160MPH. I was impressed with "this car" it's speed and "shark style" Once I got home I told my mother on my experience "mom this corvette can do 160 MPH, more than dad's car" Oh boy mom when nuts.....

That was in 1976, took 21 years for me to buy my first, it was worth to wait!!!!

 

[kingman]

Mama got out of my car and walked home!

That's right , l took my mother for her first ride in a 1960 MGA 1600. I must have going maybe at best 35mph through a quiet town taking turns like l was driving on a road course. After about 5 minutes (really less) she screamed stop this race car and let me out. Well she got out of the car and walked a mile home and told my father l was driving like a man invaded with evil spirits.

Who did you think my father believed. that was the end of my sportscars until l moved out on my own.

Love that women!

Alan

 

[Chrisr]

The seed was planted in me at age 6. My cousin's brother in law got sent to Vietnam, and let my cousin "watch" his 67 427 vert. My cousin took me and his sister for a ride with the top down. That was it!!! Seed planted successfully!! Then in '69, my other cousin took me out for spin in his 427 with side pipes!! Holy Crap!!!!!! He didn't hold back either!!!! Now the seed is in full bloom!!!!
In '83 I bought my first vette. A 1980, black with oyster interior, glass t-tops with only 2880 miles. What a gem.

Move ahead to January 11 2005. My 13 year old and I are oogling the C5's at a local dealer. The salesman invites us in to see the C6. He opens the door and says to my son, "Go ahead....have a seat." The look on his face while he was standing there and then behind the wheel were absolutley priceless!!!!

Another seed successfully planted!!!! Glad I was there to see it too!

 

[sweet04]

One of the things I love most about Corvette ownership is when the kids recognize a Vette. Two short stories here...I'm the Room-Mother for my sons class at school. When I did their class party, all the kids (and the two teachers) wanted to talk about the Vette. At the end of the party, my son asked me to drive by the window of his classroom so his friends could see. Of course, I did. And as I sat outside the window, I looked up and saw 22 beautiful faces plastered against the windows...my son was getting slaps on the back and high-5's...the look on his face was well worth the price of the Vette, which BTW...he told his teachers I paid $9,000.00 for it.

The other.. I was at a country store in North GA a few weeks ago...as I walked into the store, I saw a Mom and her two sons stopping to look at Sweet. One of the boys squealed "It's a Vette!"... and the other squealed.... and the tag says "VETFEVER.... sweeeeeeeeeet!" I wondered how he knew what her name is.

Both stories still bring a smile to my face.....

Susan

 

[MyOtherCar]

All my life it has been my dream to own a 1963 Split Window Coupe, hi-power engine, 4-speed.... but the price rose and they were always "just out of reach". I finally got to buy a Corvette this past Fall, my '92 Coupe. It comes with the high fun factor and puts a smile on my face. While I am extremely happy with this car and love driving it and hearing positive comments, I still have that dream....

 

[WhalePirot]

All my life it has been my dream to own a 1963 Split Window Coupe, hi-power engine, 4-speed.... but the price rose and they were always "just out of reach".

If it helps, I had one and your car is a lot more fun to drive.

What a fantastic thread!

I was born a car guy, but the Vette fever never really hit until I went to an orientation for prospective AF Academy cadets. There were three 'real' cadets there from the state; one with a cool XKE, another with something else and the third with the coolest car, a '70 Vette. I still remember that guy's name!

Once I got to the Academy, I had to wait (regulations) two+ years to get my first. I worked on the 'car committee' which helped arrange the delivery of 300 (+/-) Vettes to my classmates! We used to have Vette parades at lunch formations, for a football rally, before certain games. I drove an L-88, chrome-Hooker-side-piped '68 coupe, painted in a stars and stripes motif, at one. That car would do a wheelie, but I refrained (barely).

While not as moving as the above stories, none of my three boys are really into cars (yet). My youngest (13) is autistic, but I see his grin emerge when we take the Vette out. I take a lot of pleasure from the young guys/girls at the local car gatherings, when they oogle and we 'car chat'. It is warming to see that not every young-un wants a foreign ride.

Still: Vettes rule; the rest, drool.

 

[black_81_vette]

Well the first vette I really remember knocking my socks off was a 68 or 69 (not sure) Gold vette with injector stacks sticking through the hood.Me and my mom were on the way to my dads work to drop off lunch to him.I was about 8 and this was back in 75 or so but ill never forget that car and the sounds it made.

 

[87blackroxi]

really excellent thread. thanks everyone for sharing their experiences.

I am truely happy i found this site a few weeks ago. y'all share my new passion to the extent that i do.
shane

 

[ProEMTPFF]

The seed was planted very early for me. My parents have been Corvette owners since before the day I was born "1968". There are several pictures of me sitting, wrapped up in a baby blanket, sleeping in the front seat of my parents 1964 Riverside Red vert and thats how it started. Over the years while I was growing up they ALWAYS had at least one vette if not two. I remember when I was 16 and they had a 1968 427cid w/4 speed, 1970 454 and had just purchased the 1986E coupe I now currently own. Those were good days when my dad would see me drooling over the cars and he'd toss me the keys to any of them and say go for a spin "I liked the '68 the best". He'd always give me the same speech before I left in the car...."If you scratch the car just park it there, lock the doors with the keys in it and don't come home". I never scratched any of them but it sure took some of the fun out of the drive. I was born to be a Corvette owner. My wife is currently pregnant with our first children "twins" and they will have the bug too I suppose. I keep telling the wife we need another Vette so both can enjoy rides at the same time......she's not going for the excuse. Anyway this the short version of many Vette stories I have from growing up the son of Vette owners.

PS: Whats up with the seatbelt laws now days?? My brother and I grew up in the back of vettes. Our family of four would go in a Vette together all the time.

 

[tlong]

I was 10 visiting Grandma in Bowling Green, KY., before they were made there. So I had roots to the Holy Ground early. Had a Colonel Sanders sighting that trip, across the street with a group of children a la The Pied Piper. A grubby, ill mannered little fellow named Toby made friends with my brother and me, and promptly became our guide into the area's attractions.
His 'uncle', for lack of a better explanation, was fascinating. Maybe 25, James Dean looking and acting with the cigs in the rolled-up shirt sleeve and all. We would hold reverent audience on his front porch. He didn't seem to work much. I wanted to be him sooo bad.
Right when we thought he couldn't be any cooler here he comes in a Stingray! '64 coupe, that pretty blue color with sidepipes. The sound attached to my soul. I was done right then.
"Get in" Bowman said. Should I ask mom first? Nah, my street cred would be ruined at 10 years old. The smell was glorious. The vibrations in my seat were perfect. Bowman sat ready with his hand on the wheel and stick, his sunglasses down a little on his nose, and the omni present Marlboro dangling precariously from his mouth. Vette-owner conception complete. I didn't need to see another day after the coolest guy in the world took me on a hell-ride in the coolest car in the world. 10 years later I got a Bowman style vette and thought about starting to smoke. It was a countdown from the first second of that ride.
Thanks for the indulgence down memory lane.

 

[1995vette]

My son also notices all vettes and what drives them. He notices a nice c5 and then points out that a rather large lady was driving. Its just a born thing I guess.