Chevrolet Corvette 1970 Overview
And that's something 1970 Corvette owner Glen Jackson knows very well. Whether it's the sparkling eyes of admiration and envy, the heartbreaking growl of an engine, the feeling of being special on the road, or the embarrassment of a breakdown at rush hour on one of Sydney's busiest highways.
For Jackson, taking the bad with the good has left him stranded and almost regrets his purchase. “When I first got it, when I first picked it up, it broke in the M5 tunnel,” he says. “It was an overheating problem. I got stuck in the M5 traffic jam, it caused havoc."
“I was in a panic, there was nowhere to go in that tunnel, and the thing overheated. I just drove through the other side, away from traffic. It didn't make me happy at all."
A new radiator and other work totaling $6000 made the Corvette reliable enough to drive that Jackson could enjoy his $34,000 purchase.
“I've been playing with cars since I graduated from high school,” he says. “In this car you drive and people watch. It's about showcasing your work of art. I drive in traffic and I meet people, usually children, who take pictures.”
But Jackson's artwork isn't quite finished yet. He plans to spend another $6000 to $10,000 on repairs and body improvements, which he expects could take another 12 months.
Jackson says the 1968 to 1973 Corvette models are the most sought after because they have a more powerful 350 hp engine.
Subsequent models have lower power output due to pollution regulations.
And although its engine is not original, it is a 350 Chev engine that produces the same 350 hp.
When Jackson bought his very first old car just over a year ago, he had already been in Australia for at least 14 years.
“He was in the garage,” he says. "When I picked it up, it was neglected and I had to start it up again."
While Jackson was and remains an avid Holden fan, sharing a passion with his family, he branched out, developing an interest in American muscle about three years ago.
The search for this man took several years.
“I just love the style, the look and the shape,” he says. “About 17,000 cars were built in America, so they were all imported here.”
Jackson says his Corvette has a T-top and the rear window opens.
“It's not exactly a convertible, but it has that feeling,” he says.
Jackson's car started life as a left hand drive, but was converted to right hand drive for Australia. He says that despite his age, he still drives and handles "quite well" when he rides it once or twice a month.
The corvette was named after a type of ship in the British Navy known for its incredible speed.
They were first introduced to the US in 1953, and by 1970 they featured a longer, more pointed nose, gill vents on the side front fenders, and chrome bumpers.
The Jackson model also has some modern touches, including power steering and a CD player, which were added to the car.
A few months ago, he considered selling his Corvette for $50,000, but with his beauty gleaming in the driveway, he quickly changed his mind.
“I advertised it but changed my mind after a couple of weeks. I decided that I liked it too much. So I won't sell it now,” says the 27-year-old. While it didn't get his mother's approval when she saw the photos, Jackson says she liked it when she saw the real thing.
On the road, a red Corvette sits very low to the ground. Jackson says it's a bit cramped inside, probably not the most practical car for a XNUMXm tall man.
But that doesn't stop him from managing it. And with only two seats, he finds the added disadvantage of not being able to carry friends around.
His friends will just have to take a walk or find rides for themselves, since Jackson is still strongly attached to the red-haired beauty.
However, it won't be red for long, as Jackson plans to give it a little more life and bring it back to the days it left the factory 37 years ago.
He says he likes red "because reds go faster," but back in the day, the Corvette was originally blue. And, by returning it to its original form, Jackson is confident that he will increase its value.
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1970 Chevy Corvette
New condition price: from $5469
Cost now: AU$34,000 for the mid model, about AU$60,000 for the top model.
Verdict: A 1970s sports car might leave you stranded, but at least it does it in style. The Corvette has all the old-school "coolness" that makes it a true work of art.
