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I've driven over 60 automobiles in my life, sadly not all of them were Corvettes. Tom and I have disagreed on at least one item that became quite a lengthy discussion in which I learned from, although I still try not to push punctured tire limits like he does. Look it up, something you should be aware of running Runflats on a Corvette. Tom's knowledge will eclipse mine in the engine department and has helped me in the past.

I have mentioned them but never, as I recall, tried to tell someone which they should drive. Never in my wildest dreams or grouchy attitude would I go to a non-related automobile site and tell them to drive something else. Actually the first thing you see is ALT.AUTOS.CORVETTE so my guess would be that it is about the Corvette as that's the only name I see in the subject header.

I appreciate the Corvette for what it is, not what someone else thinks it is. Its value to me has grown for the fifty years that I've driven them and equally as much when I had to drive something else because of financial limits while the family was growing up. The one thing you will find I'm very intolerant about is people that own them just to own them. To me it was never about its status some like to bestow on it, driving it was its reward to me. Few people in my club, 3 out of 56, drive their Corvette year round, equally as few a number scoff at driving them that way.

You can judge me grouchy if you want and if you're around this group very long you will see many trolls, spamm artists, and just plain jerks come and go. Some of that grouchiness was earned by that type of posts and will happen again. Most times I don't reply, just kill file them. With that in mind you are most welcome to this open news group even with the manner you came in and hopefully be able to gain a true interest in the Corvette.

Reply to
Dad
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If we didn't disagree occasionally, what good would this group be? Everyone sitting around agreeing that ____ is the best color, you should only use _____ tires, and that 62.5 mph is the only speed to drive or some nonsense like that.

It is the disagreement of best that often brings out the knowledge people need. Not knock down fights, just disagreeing over issues.

As part of that, Dad has experience in paint and bodywork that has helped me on more than one occasion. Would I let any of the issues we disagred on prevent meeting for dinner is the chance came up? Not on your life!

While not trying to say what Dad thinks or feels, I think he made his feelings quite clear. People with traumatic experiences often have a reason not to do things others can't understand. His experiences with the Japanese and WWII account for that and I didnt know he has them. But I do now and respect his view.

I had a friend who was a POW in Viet Nam. He won't eat Chinese or similar food to this day. Others I knew in Viet Nam love Thai, Chinese, Vietnames and other Asian dishes. It is all about experiences.

I had a great uncle killed on Lexington. Several great-uncles joined the next day to go "kill the japs!" Several of them to the day they died had never owned or used a Japanese car and tried to not have any Japanese-made items. In this world of electronics, though, that has become nearly impossible.

I think driving them is all about choices and desires. I think those that can and do drive them every day are lucky.

To me, it is like chocolate cake. I like chocolate cake, Cut me a big moist piece and you have made a friend. But cut me one every day, and after awhile, I won't want it. Is the chocolate cake any worse? No. I just want a change. or a break. And I also like other flavors of cake. or pie. or whatever. Just not all others and not better than chocolate cake.

And while only my first one was daily driver in that it was driven daily, the others were not stored in barns or garages for months on end. Financial and other concerns meant they weren't the only and every drive I made. I had a Vega for the commute to work and school. I was doing about 400 miles a week for commuting during the gas crisis. I know, it was an outrageous $.60 a gallon. But at the time and with the paycheck, it was significant and so the 25 mpg Vega was the more important choice than the 10 mpg Corvette. Still, the Corvette often made that trip. It probably averaged out to almost

2 days a week over the long run, but by it not being the daily-only car commuter, I got lower insurance, I saved gas money, and I enjoyed it much more.

The same with the '95 Neon I bought a few years ago. I was commuting a 800 mile week. I was getting an oil change every 4 weeks. I didn't want to subject the Corvette to that much mileage. I didn't want to pay the gas for that on the van. What was a benefit was that the Neon handled like a go kart, unlike the wife's Corolla and other small rental cars I had used. So there was still a fun factor. Would it replace the Corvette? No way. Would I recommend one to someone? Sure, if they are looking for a fun commuter. After all, Chrysler built the '95 ACR as a factory race car for SCCA racing.

I was not and am not one of those guys that parks it for weeks at a time, or for the 3 or 4 months of winter. I won't drive it daily in salt-melted slush, but I won't panic because it rained or snowed on me. The only time I really regretted the rain was once while working down in Florida. I got up to go north to see the shuttle launch. I opened the door and it was raining. That was a really drag, as I had spent the day before cleaning and waxing, so I really hated to take the Corvette out and get it wet and dirty. By the time I got up to Cocoa, the sun was up, the rain was gone, and soon I had the top down and having fun. If I had been like many and taken the daily driver, I would have missed out on all of that. Simply over a bit of rain.

Reply to
Tom in Missouri

Thank you and I'll try to behave myself . And again I apologize to you and anyone else I offended.

Actually its nice / refreshing to see a person so devoted to their love of cars / corvettes over many years.

Outa curiousity, which one was your favorite and why?

Reply to
No Vette Yet

Snip

That's easy, the one 10 foot from me that I can walk out to and get in and drive. They were all the same to me, in the year they were made they were the best thing on the road. It would be hard to say what a new Corvette owner would feel driving a car 50 years old because it was new when I drove it. Every year they became more comfortable, faster, smoother, more efficient, and just plain fun to drive. Other than that the one with the most memories was the '61, besides being married and bringing my first son home from the hospital I lived in it on the road for a company I worked for at the time.

Yesterday I got caught in a blinding snow storm and was glad it was only 10 more miles to home. Adding to the poor visibility, the low silhouette and being silver makes it hard for other drivers to see. Plus the deer were moving that evening and everything considered I didn't need to be out in it.

When I retired I bought a van to travel in, it has 30K on it and during the same period of time I've put 80K on 3 Corvettes.

Simple answer to your question is that the best one is the one you're driving.

Reply to
Dad

Thanks Dad for the reply.

Sounds like you are pretty brave to drive your Corvette in the snowy conditions but I gather this isn't the first time for you. Now that I live in the south, snow and ice driving is just a memory but I used to live in NY and learned from experience how to drive on both. I don't mind driving on snow if I must but I don't like driving on ice. I have memories of both.

Be careful driving up there and let me shut up and just let others discuss their Corvettes.

Reply to
No Vette Yet

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