My Dad and the New Corvette

"dr861" (dr861) 08/26/2014 at 16:25 • Filed to: None

15

29

Ever since I was a small child I have loved corvettes. Before I loved cars in general, the corvette was the pinnacle for me. Everything about them, the shape, the image, the sound... it was the car I always wanted. Not only that, I wanted to the bad one, the c4, because I was born in 1986, and that was the newest corvette. But to me where others saw flaws, I saw beauty.

By the time I had turned 14, I was deep into muscle car obsession. Anything from the era of 1965 to about 1972 was a car I wanted. The reasoning for this being that I had recently had a ride in a 1970 Chevelle SS 396 with straight pipes and a cue ball manual, running about 450 hp (modded). This was my first performance car ride ever. The friend of my parents who was driving, was a very cautious man, and rarely tapped into all 450 ponies, but one act did it for me. We had just pulled out of a car show and were accelerating away slowly. He shifted through first, second, third, and then, out of nowhere, dropped it into second and mashed the pedal. The cowl induction popped open, the front of the car seemed to rise 2 feet, the tires melted the pavement, and I was plastered to the back of my seat. Firmly. To say the least, that was it. I was hooked. For life. But here comes the sad part:

My family was the Camry family. The family that had both the camry station wagon and the sedan, and a 1974 corolla that my dad had never sold and was basically rotting in the driveway, just for good measure. (He sold it for a dollar to my babysitter, years before). So for my 14th birthday, I wanted my Dad to rent a fast car for the weekend, and drive me around in it. Luckily enough, my Dad liked the idea and we wound up in a rented C5, automatic, but it was a corvette, and I was ecstatic. I remember almost every moment of that trip. We drove all around Connecticut and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and unknown to me, my Dad had enjoyed himself maybe more than I did.

It's a year later and a few big things have happened. I started high school in September of 2001. In Manhattan. You know what happened. I know what happened. The difference was that I was on 81st st, my mom was at our nyc apt. on 120th st, but my Dad was at Pace University, his office sitting on Park Place, about a 1/4 mile from the WTC. He was Director of the Counseling Center at Pace, and was in with a student in his office, which always had a great view of the WTC. He had been there for the bombings a few years earlier, but he knew this was different, and was worried. He heard the explosion from the first plane hitting and instantly the next 24 hours for him were going to be a different day of work than he had ever seen.

I don't know what he had to deal with, or what he had to see, or what he had to do. But he was the leading mental health professional at the biggest college in the downtown area. I imagine it wasn't easy.

Something had happened to my Dad that day that I don't think I or anybody else can recognize who wasn't there. To put it plainly, he realized life was too short, and that for the remainder of the time on this planet, he was going to enjoy it.

I was coming home from sleep away camp and had been gone for about six weeks. We were pulling into our country house driveway, my first time home since I left, and I saw something in the driveway that didn't belong there. I saw those 4 oval tail lights that any corvette aficionado would know instantly. He had done it. He went out and bought the car we rented, but a manual one. Black on black on black. Convertible. This was his 9/11 car. He had never owned a performance car in his life, but now he did. And he loved it. I loved it. I learned how to drive stick on this car. I learned how to drive fast in this car. It was like destiny.

It's 14 years later and I've been lucky enough to join the Classic Car Club Manhattan. It's April of this year and the clubs brand spankin' new z51 stingray has just arrived. Of course, the only person I bring, the only person to experience this pinnacle of corvetteness with is, of course, my Dad.

To compare the c7 with the c5 is likened to comparing a new vw beetle with a new 991. The car is perfect. There are no if's and's or but's about it. It's tight, it roars, it shouts. It's my new favorite once again. But I'm not going to bore you with the details. At the end of the day, you've heard the reviews, you know how good it is, and it is that good. It's everything everyone says it is and more. Go drive one. But for my Dad, he said he still likes his C5 better.

Over the years, my Dad has contemplated selling the car many times, for one reason or another, but never could.

About a month ago, I almost lost my Dad. He's 69, and the men in my family have a habit of not being able to make 70. His heart went into a ventricular tachycardia, which is basically an abnormal rhythm that cannot sustain human life, and if he had not had a defibrillator in his chest from a prior scare, we would have lost him. He had a triple bypass performed and luckily now he doing much better, and his odds of having many more great years to come, has multiplied many times over. However, during the first few months of his recovery, he is not allowed to drive. So it has come to me to drive the vette to keep it's heart juices pumping while my Dad's heart recovers.

I've rarely driven his car alone, but have done so a couple times in the past month. It's odd to not have him there in the passengers seat beside me, giving me the eye when I push it too hard, or light up the rear tires, and I imagine one day, that the car will be mine, and mine alone. But for now, I'm more than happy to keep the car going while he's working on getting back up to speed.

The thing that makes me most happy is that at the end of the ride, I get to hand the keys back to my Dad, and I can't wait to see him driving it again.

$kaycog > dr861 08/26/2014 at 15:30

2

What a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing here.

crowmolly > dr861 08/26/2014 at 15:36

1

Forget the car, I'm glad your dad is OK and improving in recovery.

AM3R > dr861 08/26/2014 at 15:37

1

This is an awesome story. Makes me want to pick up one of the cheap C5 z06's near me!

dr861 > crowmolly 08/26/2014 at 15:37

0

Thank you! He's doing much better now and should be back to normal soon!

dr861 > AM3R 08/26/2014 at 15:38

0

DO IT! Then let me drive it :)

ihm96 > dr861 08/26/2014 at 15:39

1

This is such an awesome and heartwarming post. You just made my day and I wish you and your dad the best of luck!

I Like Corollas > dr861 08/26/2014 at 15:40

1

Great story man, glad your father is doing well. Thanks for sharing.

dr861 > ihm96 08/26/2014 at 15:41

0

Thank you!

dr861 > I Like Corollas 08/26/2014 at 15:41

1

Thanks buddy! (Love your username)

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > dr861 08/26/2014 at 15:48

1

One of those times when you realize its more than just a car. Its part of your family. Great to hear he's getting better too.

MrPseudonym > dr861 08/26/2014 at 15:50

1

I don't even like corvettes, and this was a good story.

(sorry, I'm more of a Viper guy.)

dr861 > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback 08/26/2014 at 15:50

0

Absolutely! Although I'm almost positive that corvettes are certainly not Jewish.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > dr861 08/26/2014 at 15:53

1

Cars know no religion.

dr861 > MrPseudonym 08/26/2014 at 15:54

0

Thanks man! (For the record I think Viper guy is pretty close to Corvette guy. Same DNA)

dr861 > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback 08/26/2014 at 15:55

0

Fair enough.

I Like Corollas > dr861 08/26/2014 at 15:55

0

Haha thanks!

MrPseudonym > dr861 08/26/2014 at 16:01

1

VIPERS ARE BETTER BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE EXPENSIVE.

[/petty_rivalry]

But more seriously, glad to hear your dad is getting better. (Heart stuff is really scary!)

dr861 > MrPseudonym 08/26/2014 at 16:15

0

More power and half as expensive. 2015 CORVETTE Z06 WINS EVERYTHING EVER. (Thanks about my Dad!)

MrPseudonym > dr861 08/26/2014 at 16:22

0

I will admit though, the 2015 Z06 looks pretty good. But really, the ones before the 2015 versions? Those be some ugly things. The dodge Viper however, looks better.

(the choice to launch the new viper with the Coupe and not the Convertible was right, because the Convertible Gen. V Viper looks douchey enough to be driven by Guy Fieri.)

dr861 > MrPseudonym 08/26/2014 at 16:27

0

I think the new viper is excellent, and generally would be happy with either a viper or a corvette. That being said, the prior generation LS7 is basically the best v8 of all time, and wails like a banshee. The viper v10 has an awesome rumble at idol, but falls short of sounding as awesome as it could, in my opinion.

MrPseudonym > dr861 08/26/2014 at 16:38

1

But really, if you're looking in the price range of a Dodge Viper (with the extra sporty edition,) then the obvious best choice is this:

An Oshkosh HEMTT A3, starting at 135k. I mean, 12.1 Liter engine? How much more awesome sound could you get?!

dr861 > MrPseudonym 08/26/2014 at 16:42

0

You win.

MrPseudonym > dr861 08/26/2014 at 16:48

1

Hahaha! Another victory for team Oshkosh!

AM3R > dr861 08/26/2014 at 17:04

1

I need to go test drive one soon.

I NEED to!

BKRM3 > dr861 08/28/2014 at 08:52

1

Somehow missed this on Tuesday. What a great story. Thanks for sharing this!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > dr861 08/29/2014 at 11:48

1

This was great - thanks.

wunderwagen wants a longer roof > dr861 09/08/2014 at 12:27

0

I'm glad you get to have this time with your dad. I lost that chance a few years ago and it's always good to see someone else who is able.

dr861 > wunderwagen wants a longer roof 09/08/2014 at 16:35

0

Sorry to hear that buddy. I'm glad you enjoyed the article.

wunderwagen wants a longer roof > dr861 09/08/2014 at 22:14

1

Things were bad for a whilebut life goes on and I got to a better place. My step dad and I starting to build a good relationship which has helped things a lot.