This is the final post from my "Dad's old cars" series, and this last one is special. While in the Navy from '58- '61, my father wasn't a typical drinking or gambling sailor- He was a car guy. This meant every weekend while many of his shipmates were... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
I have memories of my Dad taking my brother and I down near the local train station in his red '62 Vette (with light flames and 5-spoke Americans) to watch the trains. My little brother liked trains. If I recall correctly, Dad said he sold that running/driving car for $400. Wasn't too much longer that Dad started working on the '33 tudor. Also with flames.
Stylistically, I am a huge fan of the original version with the caps and lowered stance...... ....but the Hot Rodder in me cannot ignore just how fucking awesome the later version is and the work it took to get there. The chrome steelies and slightly raised stance give it that "ready to pounce" look. It makes me wonder if Old Bob K has a 327 under the hood of his vette hahah!!! My father had a 66 GTO dark blue with blue tints and it was jacked up in the back. Not nearly as cool as your father's vette but he also graduated in 1970 so it was a different time frame I guess.
Cool story... I especially like the locale. My FIL was a millwright at the Corvette Plant until it moved to Bowling Green. Unfortunately, he never really had any appreciation of the cars that were built there.
Great story...... Solid axle Vettes are the best. I had a '62 340hp/4sp car in my younger years. Had more fun in that car than any other car I ever owned.
My all time favorite cars. Great story. JB, cleaned up the color shot. The B/W didn’t have enough detail. Thanks. Slim
Oh, what I'd give to have my old '56 back. the car was bought with out an engine and trans. It had a hardtop only and a perfect unmolested body. I stripped the paint and had it painted black laquer. A 365 hp 327 and a Borg Warner 4 spd was just the ticket to compliment the 4.56 posi rearend. I still would like to remember the reasoning I used to trade it for a '55 2dr BelAir but after a summer of getting my kicks with the Vette that's exactly what I did. I kept the 327/4spd/4.56 and transplanted them in the '55. I do remember my wife being happier with the '55 as we could take the two kids with us so I'll blame the trade on her until my memory improves. Frank
I really like the looks of the early single headlight corvettes. I have a friend who still has a 56 and I have been in it many times. I am 6'3" and the car is definitely made for smaller people. The dog leg door opening, cramped leg room and my head sticking over the windshield made it clear I didn't fit.
I love the look of the 56-57 Vettes but it is true that they are very cramped. I have no idea how my dad ever fit in his. I think he told me he had to put in a later model seat back cushion to drive it. He sold it a few years ago and I helped him get it out of the garage and man was it tight.....it felt like the stg wheel was right in my chest.
Who can ever forget riding in Dad's Corvettes! I can barely remember riding in the back of my father's '64 Coupes as a toddler. When he had the '63 Z06 Split Window with the 36-Gallon gas tank, there was no room back there for children!
My first ride in a fast car was my old mans '64 Corvette. I wasn't even born yet and Mom made him sell it before I saw the light of day.
when my brother and i were little, we fit in the back of my dad's 63...still remember riding in it, someday it will be mine. Hasn't seen the light of day in about 25 years. 39K original on a 340hp, it will live again...
$4,500 was a lot of money then! Couldn't of he had bought a new 61 for the same price?? My parents bought my brother a one owner 56 Corvette in 1967, all orginal with two tops for $500. Anyways, very interesting story and I love old photos.
"Taking measurements, he quickly realized that the new ‘62 and his old ‘56 had the exact same chassis dimensions, leading him to pull his complete body off the frame and dropped it right on the new chassis, running gear and all. When he was done he had the quintessential sleeper: A stock-looking 1956 Corvette with a brand new 340 hp solid lifter 327 mated to a 4 speed." -J-B. This is too cool for school!
good story but needs more detail. it was a nice car in both pictures. my Dad bought a 67 427 roadster in 71 for less than your dad gave for that 56, my Dad still has the car with around 70k on the odometer
with me it was the "only one other passenger syndrome"---it was a white 60--327 340/360, dual afb's, 4.56. ran like a scalded dog.
Cool story...My dad bought his 56 vette out of a junkyard for $1400, I believe around 1968. It was an ex drag car that the clutch had exploded in. It came up through the floorboard, and supposedly took the old owners arm with it. I remember riding on the hump as child..no seatbelts in those days...I hate they're so expensive now, i'd love a 56-57.
2 things... #1 When you have an interesting story as how it came to be, WTF cares if it's "numbers matching" You only need one for the museum. #2 Drag racing and spider caps...? Musta found a good set, or they got loose over the years... Nothing better looking than a reveresed rim and chromed OEM wheel.
My dad's '56. He almost bought the same car back in '58 - but didn't like the 265/3-speed - so he bought a new '58. His friend bought the car, and in the early '60's, bought a '62 327/340hp car, swapped the motor, 4-speed, posi - and then sold the '62 with the 265. Later he put a '64 fuelie on it. My dad's friend decided to sell it about 5 years ago and thought that my dad should have first chance at it. All we did was rebuild the fuel injection and it fired right up (it had sat since the early 70's). A new set of Goodyears and a rare set of NOS optional 5.5" steel wheels (with dogdish caps) and it was ready to roll. Car was orginally white with red interior. Still has the original interior, just dyed black. We are looking at repainting it silver some day...
I bought a '63 split window in the early 80's for 4000.00(still had less than 5k in it after repairing it)Those were the days.....
Thanks for sharing that one I idolize elders who were rodders back in the day. There sure was some cool iron to be had then, and anyone who didn't dip into it then wasted a precious one-time opportunity. Wish I was 40 years older. Kevin
I've had a few dollars burning a hole in my pocket looking for the right '33-'34 coupe. Looking at the '56-'57 with rev chrome wheels makes me think I might be looking for the wrong car. Man that thing is cool.
My Father worked with a commercial photographer in the 60's who was shooting a lot for GM. Here is my father driving his 1960 Corvette. (I feel lucky to own a very large high res. photo of this). He went on to purchase a 1963 Corvette. This shot was taken down near the Irvine Ranch Land in Orange County, CA.
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