In my youth after finishng graduate school and having a job for a while,
I splurged on a Z-option 1963 Corvette. This monster had all of the
competition options, and only about 100 or less were made. The last I
heard, it had been completely restored and is now worth a small fortune.
That is one thing I never should have traded in. It had a wild cam that
made it very rough at low rpm. You really had to wind it up for the
brutal power to kick in. The storage area behind the two front seats
was nearly completely filled with a 36 gallon gas tank. You could put a
small suitcase or two on top of the tank, but they obscured the rear
view. One wine case would fit in the right seat, and aother in the foot
space under it. The special suspension and the race Firestone tires,
reinforced with coat hanger sized wire, made the ride more brutal than
in a truck. You could have a sore bottom if you drove it on a long trip.
The brake linings were of sintered iron and, even with a power booster,
you really had to press the brakes hard to stop.The brakes all had air
scoops that could be attached, and they self adjusted on forward rather
than reverse. You could just about stand on the brake petal all day with
no fade. The top speed was supposed to be over 160 mph. The company
would not install an air conditioner on this model, so you boiled in
your own juices in this black car in the summer. It had a special exaust
system that made a very loud noise. So much for youthful folly. I was
barely 17 when I started college and received the PhD and had my first
job at 24. I think I made up for some lost time the first year or so I
had some extra money to spend.