I was driving around town with the tops off an windows down. I stopped up to a red light in the right lane. A car pulled up to the light on my left, full of teenage boys. I hear them say "Nice Vette!" I look over and they are drooling over the sight of my car. I say "Thanks!" And the one kids asks "Is it a 'Stingray'?" to which I reply, "No.". Instantly they all look horribly disappointed and make that disappointed "awwwww" sound. So, there I was after a very brief moment of pride, quickly shot down by a bunch of teenage boys.
I had to stop at a grocery store late one night (like 11pm) to pick up a few things. There was only one register open, so I had no choice but to get behind the only customer at checkout. The woman had a TON of items, and I had just 3. I got in line behind her and watched as the items were rung up. After the last item was scanned her total was about $180. The woman handed the cashier a HUGE stack of coupons. I mean, HUGE! Of course, all that ran through my head when I saw this stack was that it was not going to take A LOT longer for me to get out of there! What I didn't know is how interesting the purchase was about to get.After ringing up the last coupon, the total on the screen said -$15. That's right, MINUS $15. The cashier said to the customer, "we can't owe you money, you'll have to buy more stuff." So, I half jokingly said to the customer "You can buy my stuff!" to which she quickly replied "OK." However, that wasn't even enough to get to $0, so she bought a few things for the person behind me, too. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it for myself!So, I started chatting with the woman, asking if she does that everytime she shops saying how amazed I was, and her son (maybe 10 years old) says to me "you should marry her." I chat with her out to the parking lot about her coupon clipping and am still in shock that she got her groceries for free. She told me she usually gets 85-90% off her bill each time. So her $800 monthly bill has gotten down to less than $100. Her son chimes in again saying, "you should marry her."So we near the parking lot and I headed off to my Vette while they did something else. As I'm getting in my Vette, they walk past me and the kid see's my Vette, his mouth drops open and with this look of awe in his face, says "you REALLY should marry her!!" Now I'm thinking not only does he want a dad, but a dad with a Vette would be even better!
Well if you want a story, I have one with some frustration and finally joy.
I had a dealer friend buy my first Vette, a 86 Convertible 5 speed (replacement tranny) one day short of my 64th Birthday through a car auction (last month). I'm in Mn. and the car was in N.M. so it was road trip time. Had arranged with the seller to pick it up at their lot on Saturday evening so flew in with a check in hand. Car was gone. Turned out the auction had picked up the car and locked it up till Monday, so we were stuck there over the weekend. Dealer loaned us a car (a 2012 Infinity something or other) till monday and we explored Albuqurque till monday. Go to get the car Monday Morning, the auction won't accept the certified check made out to the selling dealer (even though their rep was with us), so off to the local branch of my bank to get cash.
Got the car and head out. Can't find the gas gauge (no manual with the car) and hard to read the dash with sunlight coming in behind me, so found a gas station after about 10 miles. Took 18 1/2 gallons to fill a 20 gallon tank. Hit the road and kept it at the speed limit because the wife only had enough meds with her through Monday night.
Got almost to Wichita, low coolant light comes on. Found some coolant and a motel for the night. Next morning, radiator is full; no problems found. Take off, about 10 miles out the light comes back on. Going through a small town, downshifted and accelerated out of town - light goes off and stays off the rest of the trip.
Drove 1300+ miles, otherwise uneventful. Got home and as I'd taken that week off on vacation I drove the car about 100 miles total.
Drove the car to work the next Monday to show it off. Left to go home, about 8 blocks from work the clutch was gone. Had it flatbedded 20 miles to my mechanic. He replaced the clutch master and slave, had a bear of a time with bleeding it then called to say it wouldn't start (no starter). I worked on that, bypassing switches etc and totally frustated after 2 weeks. Turns out I'd bypassed the cruise control switch on the clutch pedal, not the starter engage switch so now it ran.
Now it running, but the clutch won't fully disengage - still has air in the line. Looking on Youtube, saw a video where someone had gotten air out of a clutch line using the hose and a fitting from a one man bleeder kit. Looked simple enough, $5 and some time was my cost so decided to try it. Well low and behold, it worked.
It's now back on the road as of last night, so going to take it out this weekend after being laid up almost a month!
Was it worth it - it's a Vette so yes it was absolutely worth it.
This is my 2d long distance vehicle. I'd bought a F150 4 years ago in L.A., Calif but I have to admit the drive back was a whole lot more fun in the Vette. Driving home, while in Missouri, there was one guy that passed us 3 or 4 times. He'd pass and had the biggest grin on his face, after a couple of miles, he'd slow down enough so we'd pass him and after another mile or two he'd pass again. He was driving a little Toyota, so it probably made his day.
I’ve got a story from the heart rather than from the road:
+ 30 years ago my father and I visited an uncle. I was about 15 years old at that time. The son of the uncle had imported a shining black Corvette Coupe -73.
It’s combo of brutal yet harmonic design just emitted wibes of brutal raw power that hit me right in the face and stomach (at the same time). The sound of the V8 was like music. It was love at first sight and the dream to one day have one myself started to grow.
You all know what happens. Years pass by and we get stuck in the spinning wheel of studies, career, family, kids, house repairs, interest expenses, etc. Life gets other priorities and the dream faded a bit, but if it didn’t fully disappear.
2013 has been a very difficult year for me. I got severely injured in a snow mobile accident and had to stay in bed for almost 3 months. Today I’m lucky to be alive. My 22 year old son had a workplace accident, hurt his foot and had a 2 months sick leave due to that. But worst of all, during my and my son’s rehabilitation my dear father passed away in leukemia…
After all the bad things that have happen I decided to from now on follow the motto: “You only live once”. I’ve fulfilled my dream and got a -94 Polo Green Corvette Convertible!