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My father-in-law owns a 1978 Corvette, Anniversary Edition. Nothing special about it other than the paint, which really is not very special. It was made when the auto manufacturers were unable to meet the new emissions requirements, without sucking all of the life out of the engines. He has put over $20,000 into this car, and I imagine it is worth about $10,000 if he tried to sell it. Odometer says 35,000, surely it has 135,000 miles on it. This car has become his identity, and I rarely see him without a Corvette shirt, coffee mug, and magazine within several feet of him. He's a bit obsessed with this poor excuse for a muscle car.

He and his wife are not very good people, in my opinion. They are jealous that I and his daughter are doing better than them financially, and they rag on us for living in a nice suburb where our higher taxes buy us safety and good schools. I have many other issues with them. My wife feels the same way. I'm lucky the rest of my wife's family (aunts, uncles, etc.) feel the same way too, as I have someone to talk to. Just some background for ya, I won't get into the details right now. We've learned not to let them bother us, but I do like to get my digs in whenever I can. For several years now, I have been busting his chops for many things, including his obsession with his car. Here are the links I sent him recently, in several emails, with blind carbon copies to the rest of the family:

Audi R6S

Eats corvettes for lunch. Sit five in comfort.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/audi-rs6.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tnpu8RPbV7g

These things just don't turn very well, do they? Too bad they don't have All Wheel Drive like my Audi. Check out the video.

These are funny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu9H7KMlYNQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSjmL8rTc4c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nVqVv3gDmg&NR=1

garylspolar

I agree with you regarding the early model Vettes, specially those of the 75-78 vintage, however, the latest iteration is world class......of course that is a matter of personal oppnion. In regards to your FIL and assuming he is everything you say he is, I wonder what does that make you since you are being equally fastidious about your latest aqusition, the Audi,.....you did gt one if I remeber correctly.

Just my 2 cents......since you brought it up........

I do like my Audi, but it's an every day driver, and the initial thrill of getting it is gone. I bring up the Audi superiority only to my FIL, just to bust his chops. I guess this is not really that funny to most of you here.... you really have to know the guy to appreciate me knocking him down a peg now and then. I'm sure you all have certain family members that are jerks, and have your own special way of handling them. My post here was more about that, than whether or not the Corvette is a good car.

Gary - it sounds like you have in-laws from hell. Too bad. It sounds like they need to lose the chip on their shoulder and be happy for their daughter's family, and that they're doing so good.

You have to admit, the EPA killed the American muscle-car all through the 70's. Even into the 80's until the 5.0 Mustangs started getting attention. Too bad. Years ago I had an offer to buy a '72 Vette for an ok price - all original car, but with the castrated V8. I passed on it, but someday I'd like to say I've owned an older Vette.

I did at one time, buy a GMC Syclone and had a lot of fun with it. I wished I still had it, and think about picking up a GMC Typhoon but they are all ragged, or want too much $$$. My wife just rolls her eyes and says grow up.

It is not about anything other than a memory.
My dad could have had a '69 Mustang Convertible in red, but went with a '71 coupe in white for the same price.
There was some memory about 1971 and coupes that had already made the decision for him.

Now, since your relatives are the way they are.. completely enjoy your ribbing of them.
Though I am sure they just take it in as more elitist BS coming from the relative they are already jealous of.

Mind if a Hi-Jack the thread a little with my own little family drama of a similar slant.
My aunt became a nurse and my mother remained a stay at home mom.
My aunt always put down my mother. She also put myself and my siblings down as well in various ways.

In the end however, my siblings and I all put ourselves through College/University/Trade School.
We all have careers, have mortgages we can afford, and are raising well adjusted kids.
My aunts children can not say anywhere near the same thing.

Ironically, at one point in the near past I had fiscal control over my Aunts positions funding.
My mom would casually mention how lucky my Aunt was that I was able to slide some funds there way out of my budget to help maintain their programs finances, otherwise incidentally my Aunt would be out of her Nursing job. In reality the position would have been modified and continued to exist. My Mom took great joy in the fact that her son, that her sister had chided, ended up by extension controlling his Aunts livelihood.

I used to feel bitter a bit about it all, now I just feel pity.
My mom passed away at 55yo and they never got past their siblings rivalry. sad.

I am thankful holidays with my family (both sides) tend to be more boring affairs!

Of course, I usually only see the in-laws once a year! That probably helps. That and the fact most of their kids have needed financial assistance and we have never asked for a cent. I guess I earned some respect from them.

Memories . . . I hitched a ride back from college in 1972 with a guy in a 'Vette. Found out he was coming from divorce court and discovered the back seat has a couple of six-pack's worth of empties! And on a straight flat road (the only kind in eastern NC! ) the telephone poles were awfully close together! Seems we were doing about 110! I got out as soon as I could!

My last customer today asked if I would charge extra to shove his mother-in-law up the chimney.

I replied, "Nope, that's free. Because, I understand."

If you are planning to have kids or have little ones now, you better patch it up with old Paw-In-Law before he starts in on your kids about how "bad" you are. A grandfather has a LOT of street cred with the little guys. I'm speaking from experience.
Good luck.

I personally think all cars made in the 70s should be only a bad memory.

I was hitching a ride home from high school when a guy in a vette convertible pulled up and asked me if I needed a lift. As I said, "Yeah. Thanks" he hit the gas and yelled, "Stick a jack up your ass!" It was funny and I laughed walking home.
I just figured guys who drive vettes are dickheads. From your story, sounds about right.

A '78 Corvette is the lamest of the lame of the 'vettes.

My uncle and dad still have a 1970, fairly original, with the LS5 454 and 4-speed.

It goes.

A '78, aside from being ugly as hell, has a piss poor excuse of a 350 in it.