ttt

My name is Curtis, 37 years old and I live in Columbia Missouri. I work for Dollar General Corporation as an operation manager. I manage a 1.8 million square foot distribution center that services over 1300 Dollar General Stores. I’ve been with the company for almost eight years and prior to that I did the same line of work for six years with several different companies in Chicago. I’m married to a wonderful wife and we have a couple boys. My wife is from Acapulco Mexico and we also have a small condo down there that we bought several years ago so we could go back and visit her family. Not too bad marrying into that! It’s always very hot down there.

I fell in love with Corvettes when I was very young. My dad had a ’65 convertible when I was growing up. He had the car before I was born and sold it when I turned 20. He painted the car metallic green which was the inspiration for mine of course. I finally was able to get to a point in my life to afford a Corvette so I bought my own and it’s been my passion ever since to create the car I had in my mind since I was a little kid.

I grew up on the west coast in Milwaukie OR. Went H.S. in Portland and won two H.S. state championships as a QB playing football. I got a scholarship to play football for the University of Oregon. That would be the secondary reason why my car is green!

Hi, my name is Jon and I'm a Guruaholic.

I'm 36 year old skinny white boy, single but with a live-in. Quite frankly, I'm not sure how it happened, she just stopped going home and more and more of her stuff showed up in my house. I don't know how they do that without me noticing.

I live in the Detroit 'burbs and work in the automotive industry as a vehicle dynamics engineering manager. I make enough money to be excluded from any of Obama's economic stimuli, yet I don't have a dime in my pocket because I spend every penny on a 15 year old car that I only drive 10 weekends a year, a huge trailer full of tires and lubricants, and a gas guzzling hog to pull them both. Thank goodness for retirement plans and 401(k)'s that take my money before I get it or I wouldn't have a dime in the bank, either. I let the lease run out on my beloved Grand Cherokee and got rid of the M3 by rolling it. Have replaced neither so I drive the rig every day. It looks even sweeter since my own mother backed into it with her Durango a few weeks ago.

I play hockey and soccer, have a bum knee that needs surgery and hurts all the time, and watch football all day Sunday during the NFL season as it gets too cold here in Michigan during that time to go outside. My second love is travel, and through both personal and business trips I have been to at least 32 countries on 5 continents, with a few of the interesting ones being China, Russia, Thialand, Bolivia, and Canada. And Utah; it's like another country there.

I'm a cynical jerk, but luckily people seem to like me so I have lots of friends. Mostly, I can't understand why people don't take two minutes to think about what they see, read, hear, or watch on TV before reacting to it, as this would make the world a much better place. I wish people would realize that catch phrases like "independant research shows" and "clinical studies prove" are no more reliable than some random dude in boxer shorts performing the tests in his mom's basement, and that what this really means is that the claims can not be backed up by any substantial evidence or a more reputable source.

Interesting stuff, guys!

We've got a real life sports star with Curtis there. Much better than Andy being the champion of CG thumb wrestling league.

Jon - whereabouts you work? Dad worked for AAM in Hamtramck for about 14 years before the lay offs. I'll actually be home this weekend for a family wedding.

Matthew

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That's funny! I road the bench for the most part in college, but it beats paying for an education.

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I'm Dean, I have an awesome wife of 24 years. 21 year old daughter in college and a 17 year old son. Lived where ever my stepdad took us. (NC, Calif, OK, Tx) When first married we moved to California and loved it until our daughter was born ( that's when we found what good friends we had ). Moved home to Texas to be closer to grandparents. Work for UPS as a driver for 19 years. This vette was a gift from my stepmom who never knew me because my real parents split up when I was a newborn. My real dad had died of cancer in 1992 and only drove the car a couple of times. My stepmom found me thru a search ( we both where in the Houston area ) We got close and after some time passed I found out she had his vette in storage and I offered to buy it. She said " your dad would want you to have it" She signed it over, hence the name Dads90. He rides with me always.

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Now THAT'S a cool Corvette story. Beautiful color by the way. :thumbright:

OK i did not read the previous posts, so I am un-tainted.

51 years old in August, married since 1985, we have a 11 year old son, we waited 13 years and had him at the age of 40.... the wife said NO MORE KIDS,, after only 1 kid,, at age 40,, go figure...

been self employed since 1988 as a Sales Engineer for automation assembly machinery,,,, no college degree, but I do have 30- years experience of hand on running mill, welding with a heli arc, running a lathe etc.. this experience has served me well... no book smarts, just real word smarts,

My goal in life is to be a respectable person, live by Faith, raise my 11 year old son well,,, for after I'm gone.

Oh yeah, and I am a speedoholic, always thinking of the next project, and not afraid to make mistakes :angel9:

Ok, am I the only chick? There's the minority to start with, and contrary to all the rest of you I'm single. Divorced actually. I tried marriage twice, it ain't for me. Got my first vette while the husband was on a far away deer hunt. Boy was he pissed when he got home! Tough crap, my money - my car - '87 black and silver two-tone. Bought the '96 black one I have now the week the divorce was final with that same husband (also his Mustang was repossessed same week...) No kids.
I like to drive long twisty roads, sit at the beach, love most kinds of music and since I have been alone for quite some time, I can do pretty much anything from small car repairs to semi-large scale home repairs.
Been at the same dead-end graphics job for 16 years at the local newspaper here. I don't know crap about my car but am trying to learn more everyday and get farther thanks to help from all the guys like you here

Hi! my name is Keith, I have a corvette problem

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Welcome Keith!
You're among friends here!

my name is patrick, 28 years old, i live near cleveland and am getting married in august. we're buying our first house right now, and i'm an addict when it comes to building cars. always working on something new. it sure beats having to go to a shrink anyway. something about fabricating my own parts is therapeutic.

i own a remodeling and flooring company, we work all over the greater cleveland/akron areas and specialize in kitchens, flooring, accessibility modifications for people with disabilities(wheelchair ramps, making bathrooms accessible, etc...) and custom carpentry. we do pretty much anything but those are the things we like to do the most.

i love the browns, indians, and cavs therefore i hate the steelers, ravens, white/red sox, yankees, lakers, and celtics.

Lots of interesting things to learn about you guys (and gals). I'm glad the thread is still goin!

Matthew

OK. My name is Marcus and I'll be 58 next month. I was born in western Massachusetts, but we moved to the desert in 1958. I live in Scottsdale, AZ in the house that my parents bought new in '58.
I've never had any friggin' wife or kids (and the Corvette is not a chick magnet). I am fairly conservative and became a Roman Catholic three years ago.
Besides Corvettes, I like 4-wheeling, camping, shooting, fishing and Canadian whiskey. I have an M.S. in botany (lichenology) from Arizona State and have worked for the last 11 years as an agricultural engineer for a local Indian Community. The end.

I'm 34yrs old. I have a live in GF (actually I'm a live in boy toy), and no kids of my own other than my little Silky Yorkie Terrier.

My name is Billy but only my family calls me by my given name. Everyone else calls me "Will" which is part of my last name, since we tend to shorten names in the Marine Corps and every one knows your last name since it's written right on your uniform...

I was in the Army National Guard for 4yrs and the Marine Corps for 9 years. I started out in the Infantry (11B)(0331) and lat moved to Communications (0651) during my 3rd enlistment. I'm a proud veteran of OEF. I left the Marine Corps last year. No regrets -I just chose to pursue better money making oportunites in the DOD contracting world that didn't involve me getting shot all to hell again. It is working out pretty swell so far. Right now I'm working as a Developmental Test Engineer for the US Govt on the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle Program in Woodbridge, VA. I don't like NOVA or DC very much but the pay is good so I'll most likely stay. At least I get to travel a lot.

My father builds engines for a living (semi retired now). My family has been involved with racing for as long as I can rember. I love racing -I just never cared to do it for a living after working in his shop for most of my young life. These days I do what I can, on my own time and on my own money. I raced motorcycles and go carts when I was a kid and moved on to drag racing when I was old enough to drive.

I have 2 Corvettes,a 92 LT1 6spd and a 76 L48 automatic. I also have a 2001 Triumph Speed Triple, a 2001 Yamaha YZ426F, and a 95 Jeep Cherokee for a DD. The only one that is stock is the 76...

I like shooting (shot competitivly in the USMC back in my first enlistment), I also collect weapons from most modern era conflicts and lately have been concentrating on US military firearms from WW1 to present.

We have a NOVA Corvette Dinner club that meets to eat every month or so up here. I've met some really good folks from it. Like wise I've met some really good folks over on CF and here.

I always wanted a Corvette. I rember the first one I ever saw was a buddie of my dads.... Cliff Norton had a 66 roadster with a BBC & 4spd. Another of my dads buddies Jobo Elam had a 64 Coupe with a SBC that ran down in the low 10's and held a bunch of NHRA records. From the first time I saw that roadster I knew I wanted to drive a Corvette. I strayed from my Corvette dream for about 8yrs when I bought a 1984 Porsche 928S and spent a good portion of my life re-living Risky Business... but I eventually came to my senses. True to the cause I worked hard and saved my $$$ to buy the 92 a few years ago. Not satisified with just one I bought the 76 last year. I'm working on a personal goal with the engine in the 92 right now and its eating up all my discretionary money.

Thats about it.
Will

Let's not let this thread die - lots of new members to learn about.

Matthew

Oh boy! I love crap like this!

My name is Chris. I'm gonna turn 40 this October. My screen name comes from my initials, and my love of the Ducati 996 Superbike.



Someday....



Born in October of '69 in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Spent the first 27 years of my life there. (Pennsylvania, that is. I've lived all over the state.)

I was in Johnstown, PA for the historic flood of 1972.

I was in Middletown, PA for the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island in 1979. (I could see the cooling towers from my bedroom window)



I was in high school from'84-'87. I got my first ride in a C4 from a girlfriend's older sister. I was hooked, and knew someday I had to have one. Only took 22 years...

I took a few years to work and go to college part time after graduating from HS, and started as a stock boy for Kay Bee Toys in Harrisburg PA. I was promoted to assistant manager, then got my own store in the Ross Park Mall in Pittsburgh. I had my own store at age 20. I quit school to go into retail management. (Never Do This!)

I met a cute little assistant manager there at the store, and we hit it off pretty well. Ended up marrying her in July of '92, but not before we had our first child in November of '90. A little backwards...

I left the toy store because I just couldn't hack my supervisor anymore, and did a few stupid jobs for a couple months, then my girlfriend, infant daughter and I moved back to Pennsylvania to live with my mom, who was a professor at Penn State Main Campus in State College, PA.

I graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with a BA in Film and Video Production in '94. I couldn't find gainful employment in PA, even though I looked in Philly and Pittsburgh.

While I was in school, my wife worked her way through Wal-Mart from a Toys associate to an assistant manager. She was working 60-70 hours a week, driving a two hour commute, and sometimes getting four hours of sleep a night. It really sucked, and I don't remember much about our lives during those years. I must have blocked it out of my memory.

A friend of my wife's had relative in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and after a visit, told us that if we ever got the chance to see Colorado, we totally should. On a whim, I told my wife she should ask if Wal-Mart needed any managers in Colorado.

Two months later (September of '96)we were living in Pueblo, all moving expenses paid. I found a job with TCI Cable, making TV commercials after about a month of looking for work.

TCI was purchased by AT&T, AT&T was purchased by Comcast. I continued to do my same job, but under different company names for twelve years, when I was laid off just a few months ago in December of '08.

I figure it was God's way of saying it was time to start my own business, so I did. It's a little scary, but going alright.

I am strong in my faith in God, but I wasn't always that way. Far from it, actually.

I don't like to preach about it, so I don't get into the religious threads much. For most of my life, I wasn't ready to listen to what anyone had to say on the subject, so I figure I shouldn't waste my time on anyone that doesn't want to hear. I am a spiritual infant anyway, so me trying to teach anything would be silly.

I've got three kids, three dogs, enjoy playing bass guitar, guitar, drums and keyboards. I play bass pretty well. The other stuff is not so good.

I love motorcycles, but I don't have one right now. I used to love target shooting, but I haven't done it in years.

I like to write, obviously. I don't really like to be around people, unless I know them pretty well, and it generally takes me awhile to warm up to folks. Any more than five people in a room, and I get a little anxious, and start looking for the door. I am kind of an arrogant asshole most of the time, and have few friends. The ones I have are good ones, though. I value quality over quantity.

I could probably go on for days, but you're already sick of this, so I'll end it there, except to say that this is a great site, and I sure do appreciate all the folks who are here to help each other. Very cool!

Very Cool Indeed!

Well OK what the hell...

I'm 33, born and raised in Burlington, VT. I now live just outside B-town in Colchester, VT with my wife (married 4 years now) and two cats in our condo. No kids, no plans to ever have them. My wife is a car nut too. She owns an Audi Coupe we spent 3 years locating and importing all the parts to convert to a 100% authentic S2 clone. I also have a couple of BMW's, a 3 series convertible and an X5 and of course my '93 corvette. I've owned 5 or 6 C4s over the past 13 years.

I've worked for factory sponsored Rally racing teams my whole life. I currently work for Subaru's factory team in the US (www.rally.subaru.com) our drivers are Travis Pastrana, Ken Block and Dave Mirra. I was a technician for years but now enjoy vintage car restoration more than race car preparation. This year I moved into the parts dept and oversee all purchasing and receiving for the team. I've been in every dept at one time or another from Technician, transport driver, painter, to marketing, logistics and now parts/purchasing and finance. We started with 5 people and now have 25 not including consultants, management and engineers from all over the world. Last year we became the first American team in history to compete in the World Rally Championship. This is the first year I will not have to travel to events, and get to spend some time at home. Sooner than later I would like to move to a warmer climate and perhaps restore vintage cars, who knows. I'll burn out of racing before too long.

Hobbies are primarily boxing (haven't sparred in years but still work out daily) and securities analysis (business evaluation and stock market). Also enjoy working around the house and of course working on my cars.

Brian, I want to be you when I grow up.

LOL Like most people here (I hope!) I'm fortunate to have a great family. That's the most important thing to me by far.

Other than that, the job is a job and like any other job it's got it's moments but it's also very stressful and can make for some very, very long days. They say everyone wants to work in racing until they actually work in racing. People think it's all hanging out with the drivers all day. Sad to say, that's definitely not the case. It's a great place to work but like any job it's the people that make it so. That, plus there is little job security in any form of racing. Much less than most any other industry. That can make it difficult to make long term plans.

I envy you guys who don't have to deal with the freezing cold every winter. As I get older that is getting old real quick...

Come on that can't be all the stories! Keep this thread alive!

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I think that's true of every job. My wife asked me a while back: "Why don't you go back to school and become a corvette mechanic since you like it so much?"

My answer was: "Because then I wouldn't like it anymore."

Hobbies are just that - hobbies. That's why I always laugh when I see car ads that say "mechanic owned" because I know that the last car they work on is their own - same with builders, landscapers, painters....blah blah blah.

Keep up the interesting stories, guys!

Matthew

I am 33 years old. My wife and I just had a beautiful little girl named Gwen.

What else.....My wife is hot, and I love my job!

In regards to Corvette's. I love the C4 body style hence why I am putting a TON of money into my clean 88. I also like the C6's, and will be buying one in the future.

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Aw, it's just 12 hour days in the shop and 15 hour days at the track plus the 6 hour tow home on Sunday nite.

It's still better than any other job.

Isn't Travis that maniac that did the first double back flip at the X games? Saw an hour show on him on tv.
Impressive driver.

My name is Matthew. I am 30, I live in Columbia Missouri, and I am a Vette nut.

I too played football but it ended with High School. I was a middle and outside linebacker because of my size and speed and because I have asthma I couldn't handle the long routes of being a wide receiver...which is what I originally started as. Turned out very well so I used to eat guys like Curt for breakfast. LOL.

I have been a Vette owner since I was 19. I loved cars but never really worked on anything other than my daily driver '91 Taurus and '87 Jeep Cherokee. The first Vette I bought was a red '77 for $4K. It ran and drove but I still did everything from brakes to suspension and a GM crate engine.

Next was a blue '77 when I was 20. Same situation. Brakes, suspension, GM crate engine. Following that was a black '77...the one I still have now. It had a red crushed velor interior...EVERYTHING was covered in that crap, right out of the '70's. I sold the red and blue Vettes about 7 years ago, and rebuilt the engine in my black '77 the summer after I bought it. I've had greasy hands ever since.

I'm set to turn 31 AND marry Sarah, my Fiancee, on June 6th this year. we will stay here in Columbia though her family is all from Louisville...where I met Bruthish and a few other fantastic KY and IN Vette owners.

Curt, above, is a great friend of mine...basically a brother whom I am not actually related to. I like questions and communication so if any of you have questions just let me know.

I know I left out a lot but my life has been long and full even to this point and I would be typing for days.

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That's him - he is crazy but, he's also the most polite, professional and intelligent driver I've ever met. He is truly amazing, and very humble.

I worked for John Buffum for 8 years. You may know him (or of him) if you've spent time at Pikes Peak.

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A co-worker of mine worked with the Flying Lizards for a few seasons. He's now with Acura's Speed World Challenge team Realtime Racing. You may have run into him at one point!

Man, this week it's proved to be a small world around here!

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Wait a minute wait a minute wait a minute.... what?

How does this happen??

Story please!

I remember when this thread started, but guess I never jumped in!

As you all probably know, I'm married to bogus, and I help run things behind the scenes here.

I'm 33, and I'm of Chinese and Indian descent. I've studied a lot of foreign languages, and can pass for many ethnicities (which does come in handy now and then). I have always loved to travel, and I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco.

I have been working for the last 7 or 8 years in disaster-related public health and healthcare. My big start was with all of the big bioterrorism funding after the anthrax attacks in 2001. I now have my own consulting company, which allows me more time to help out around here.

I love to cook, play tennis (which I don't do very often), play video games (which we don't own any cuz all I'd do is play), and watch sports. During the fall, Saturdays, Sundays and Monday nights are meant for football. I follow NASCAR, but prefer racing that offers more turns and altitudes. I love WRC (and bummed we don't get it on TV), and also follow Formula 1 and of course, ALMS.

Before getting my 87a, I drove a Tercel. What a difference!

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Stuffim' Buffim'? Yea, saw him drive that insane, 4 rooster tail Audi in the Carson City Ralley in '84 or '85. Damn shame that's not going on anymore. That's back when I was still running the 2 wheel off road stuff.

TTT for the newest members!