As high school graduation approached, my dad suggested I start looking for a car to take to college instead of the Blazer I was driving. It just so happened that I had spied a 66 Corvette convertible at a used car lot down the street. They were asking $9,500 for it. I talked them down to $5,500 but I needed help with the money. I knew my dad would be happy to help me with this. He was a car guy and could appreciate this bargain. I approached him with my proposition. His answer..."You don't want an old car." An old car!!!!! This was a CORVETTE. I was floored. They eventually sold the Vette.
The years passed. I went to college and envied the guys with the cool "old" cars. Then came career, marriage, kids, house payments, braces, etc. I didn't have the time nor the money to get my dream car. I let my dream fade away. I still turned to gawk at the muscle cars that I came across but I resigned myself to the fact that these cars would always belong to the other guy - not me.
Something happened in early 2000. I still don't know what happened. I know it wasn't the fact I would be turning 40 next year. I'm really not into that kind of stuff. I suddenly got the urge to stat looking for a classic Corvette. I equate it to the urge that birds have to fly South in the winter. You just do it. We had just bought a house so it really didn't make any sense to look for a car now. We used all of our savings for the down payment. But I began my quest. The old dream was beginning to rekindle.
I started out by studying the different years of Corvette. I wanted one with the biggest engine Chevrolet ever put in the Vette - the 454. So I decided on the 1970 to 1972. It must also be a convertible with a 4 speed manual transmission, air conditioning, power steering, and power brakes. Why not be specific? Next I started searching for MY car.
I searched every dealer and classified web site I could find that would have Corvettes. I bookmarked several as my "regular" sites but I still searched for new ones. I searched almost every day for over a year. There were lots of great cars but non that met the criteria I set. Then one day I found a new site and it happened. There she was! MY car. She was a 1972 convertible with 454, 4 speed, A/C, power windows, power brakes, power steering and tilt/telescoping steering wheel. She was white with saddle leather interior. I zipped off an email to the owner and waited. And waited. And waited.
To top off my anguish, my computer crashed and I lost the list of web sites and emails. I couldn't remember where I found that site. My dream was being dashed again. But to my surprise I received an email from the owner. He had been having computer problems and couldn't respond to my email. He attached some photos with email. She was gorgeous.
After emailing and talking for several weeks we agreed on a price. The only problem was he lived in Mississippi and I lived in West Texas - about 700 miles apart. You can't just drive over and look at the car. I went with my gut and took a chance on the guy. I loaded up my wife and a trailer and we drove to Mississippi.
After buying the Vette and putting it on the trailer we started back home. I could barely keep my eyes off the Vette...MY Vette....in the rearview mirror. A line from a popular song at the time went "it's a great day to be alive". That's how I felt.
Well now I have it. I decided at the time that I wasn't going to make a show car out of her but instead restore her to close to original but not be afraid to drive her. I've done most of the work myself and enjoy every minute of it. I am very fortunate that I have a wife that has let me reach my dream.
I hope you enjoy the story and maybe even can relate to it. My collection has grown from that first Corvette. My idea of this website is to share my passion with others and hopefully inspire others to follow their dreams.
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