I nearly peed my pants today as I came out of an Earl's Restaurant.

Sitting two parking spots away from the door in the shade was ONE of my Dream cars.

A Silver Blue 1967 427 Corvette Stingray.

I had a lump in my throat for 25 minutes until the guy came and said something rude.

My first thought was about him being a "Lonely Cactus in the Desert".

What keeps these Cactus types from being nice ?


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Those old Corvettes used to be affordable sports cars. I imagine, back in the day, the young guys buying them were down to earth, friendly guys. I can't help but to think of that country song about the guy who bought a vette from a woman whose son died in Vietnam. Now-a-days, they seem to simply be a status symbol for those who can afford to buy someone elses hard work. Reminds me of the type that purchases a Hummer or Land Rover Defender, not because they need the capabilities, but because of the status they seem to envoke.

I am of the opinion that owning a classic car enters you into the fraternity of classic car/truck owners. There is a certain comradery and friendliness that goes along with it. Look at this site for an example of this. I say keep it real and don't be a jerk because you own the hottest wheels in the lot.

This is just a generalization of this guy and in no way reflects upon other/all Corvette owners.

 

Hey Mil1on, How you doing?
That rude dude is missing the best part of owning a classic, when he gets a atitude(spell check please). The talking, and friendships that you share at a moments notice in the drive way of McDonalds, or the parking lot of Wal-mart etc. One must be ready for a inpromt-tu car show with the all the details and smiles.

Dave Powell

 

yeah, I had the same experiance the other day, I came out of the bank and there was this beatiful (replica) shebly 427 cobra. When me and friends tried to talk to him about it, he gave us the "stupid kids" look and took off.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 26-Aug-02 AT 03:20 AM (EST)]Exactly!

"I am of the opinion that owning a classic car enters you into the fraternity of classic car/truck owners. There is a certain comradery and friendliness that goes along with it. Look at this site for an example of this."

In my "younger years"...hehe, I was the proud owner of a white '65 Vette, leather 'n' wood, 350 aluminum short block...built to drag & I did often at the 'ole Fremont Drag Strip. It was a time of great fun, comraderie & pride of ownership of a wonderful classic vehicle.

Just driving down the street or sitting in a parking lot found new friends and admirers to chat with. We didn't Need attitudes then, as we worked very hard to own & maintain these beauties. The Corvette Club I belonged to was full of great people like you all in these Ford forums, who just love their rides. (Of course there was always a handful of idiots & A***holes who worked hard to ruin the good nature of the whole. But they didn't have a life anyway!)

I have owned many wonderful vehicles over the years, among them, '65 & '67 Ponies, a '72 Lincoln Continental (so big I was gonna put CF #'s on her!), a '72 Blazer lifted & tricked out for offroading, a '74 Firebird (yes, with the Big bird on the hood), an '89 F-350 1-ton Ford to pull my horses, etc. All loved & cared for.

These new generations of kids (Young & Old) seem to lack the respect & responsibility I grew up with & some have attitudes from Hell!

OverBlown Egos & Bad Attitudes walk a thin line from Pride & Confidence! Maturity seems to be the wall that separates them.

I miss the good 'ole days when we ALL worked hard to have... what we were proud to own. And if something was given to us.....man, were we forever greatful!



Jane

 

I would have keyed him......

I love to show off my vettes, and Dennis I would probably even let ya drive one if you ever made it to Chicago.

If you see him again, start ragging him about how certain parts dont look original....tell him you dont think this in NCRS Correct, etc...ask him about his tank sticker. Mention how the big block 396 in the 1965's were actually higher horse motors, and how they dont overheat at every stop light.

Hell he probably paid someone to get it into that condition....


Drew

 

Thanks for reminding me why this site is so great, because there are few people like that here, and certainly no regulars like that. I think you're abosolutely right, that arrogance is the most blatant sign that he just stood back and threw money at that car to get it where it is, because any weekend warrior seen driving his baby will stop and talk to anybody about it. Nobody who has ever restored a classic has ever been able to do it all on his own, with absolutely no help or advice, therefore nobody would even think to pop an attitude like that to a fellow admirer of fine American Iron. It makes my day when somebody stops to talk to me about my truck, I'll pop the hood all day long if I can find somebody willing to listen! TK

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The TorqueKing

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 26-Aug-02 AT 02:26 PM (EST)]I would also just tell him how I think the earlier models were soooo much better.

I never met anyone, who did even part of their own restoration, that did'nt want to jaw it up about it. Too much hard work and sweat goes into it. I would proudly display my knucle scars and manifold burns.

No, if someone is stuck up about the classic their driving, a few possibilities come to mind. Some already mentioned, but maybe, just maybe, it was'nt even his car. Perhaps his brother, or another relative, was letting him drive it for the day. If that's the case, he may be totally stupid about it, and would be embarrased with regard to his lack of knowledge. This could also explain his rude behavior, ie a defensive mechanism to keep away those who would be knowledgeable about the ride.

I have to admit, I like the Vets up through the mid sixties Sting Ray, but there are jerks everywhere, especially in GM products!

 

The guy looked like Ricky Martin, all dressed up with sunglasses hanging from his shirt.
He came out while I was looking down the lines of the car checking out the paint job.
Michelle was looking in through the driver's side (window was rolled)

He came out and said: "Get away from My car you FAT...."

I came back with." This car has been a dream of mine for at 30
years and I had to get a good look at it,But don't worry,I have classic's of my own so I know not to touch them,My Wife knows that too,and that's why there's no reason to be upset".
I've driven a 58,62,67,68,72,78,80 Corvette and this is my favourite.

His reply:" Yeah Right !"

Michelle at that time said to him:
"Do you know the diiference between a Corvette & a Cactus?"

He gave us the finger and drove away.


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WOW, that was easily the most arrogant thing I may have ever heard. Boy does he view the world through some messed up goggles. Dennis, you are a wise and patient man, I might have attacked him. But then again, hopefully at least, I would have thought better and laughed at his cheeziness. I am with the previous opinions here, I beleive that there's better than a 90% that the car isn't his, but by some unjust "glitch in the matrix" that car is really his, there's a 100% chance that he didn't do any work on it himself. I'm sorry to hear about that Dennis, I thought that race of super cool tuff guys died in the 80's.

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Cadet Second Lieutenant John F. Daly III
South Carolina Corps of Cadets, The Citadel
The TorqueKing

 

Remember when the super cool tuff guys always had their shirts unbuttoned about half way down and were wearing a lacquer coated brass chain hoping the rest of us would mistake it for gold? Remember how they always seemed to drive the IROC cameros thinking it would help their image being seen in a car supposedly name after the "International Race of Champions? What's the dirty little secret is that chevy didn't want known? IROC actually stood for, "I Reek of Cologne".

Sounds like you met a super cool tuff guys spawn.

 

Sounds like the guy is worse than I pictured him. I do not do violent things in cases like this, but I know I would be tempted to provoke the analpore by working up a great big wad of saliva, and letting it go upon his hood!

And that would be that!

 

I liked waving and smiling at people (and still do) when they look at the car I am driving, unless they give me a finger salute... I worked at a dealership/body shop that did only Corvettes (back in the 80s) and when I "road tested" a nice refurbed Corvette I would take it to the Salem Willows (MA) and just cruise around the beach/arcade. Not just to pick chicks up, just to show the car off we worked on and have a good time enjoying it before we gave it back.

My favorite was one that looked exactly like the one from the Heavy Metal movie, B&W. I think it was a 63 convertible.

Some of the nicest people drive customized vans and are a pleasure to stop and talk too. Even Chevy Astro owners ;D

Once (only I even stopped to talk to a real Ricer at a parts store with a dropped (Honda?) car that was exceptionally cool that was custom made and not some cheese box wanna-be with a 5" chrome tip from Autozone. Actually ... we were at Autozone

When I had my Bii painted Camo (Rustoleum Forest Green and Sand tinted with black) many kids waved and thought it was cool and a "real" Army truck Once at a shopping center I had a lady say she "loved" my JEEP and thought it was cool! Maybe I should have kept the Ford and BII emblems on... I just thanked her very nicely and said my kids help paint it and they loved it too. We both left the parking lot happy.

You met a stuck up jerk who's Daddy probably financed the car for him. Just be glad you arent him!

 

When I bought my 1971 F-100 recently, I had left the $850 sign on it a few days until I bought brake cleaner to get it off since it was written in gray primer on all the windows.

Three (!) of my neighbors came over and wanted to know if they could buy it! We popped the hood and had talks about the truck etc. Half the fun of owning something is sharing it with others imo.