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Corvette and Capitalism
TooBig
Member Posts: 28,559 ✭✭✭
My Corvette & Capitalism - well said
A guy looked at my Corvette the other day and said:
"I wonder how many people
could have been fed for the money that sports car cost."
I replied I am not sure, it fed a lot of families in Bowling Green,
Kentucky who built it, it fed the people who make the tires, it fed the
people who made the components that went into it, it fed the people in the
copper mine who mined the copper for the wires, it fed people in Decatur IL.
at Caterpillar who make the trucks that haul the copper ore. It fed the
trucking people who hauled it from the plant to the dealer and fed the
people working at the dealership and their families. BUT,... I have to
admit, I guess I really don't know how many people it fed.
That is the difference between capitalism and welfare mentality. When you
buy something, you put money in people's pockets, and give them dignity for
their skills.
When you give someone something for nothing, you rob them of their dignity
and self worth.
Capitalism is freely giving your money in exchange for something of value.
Socialism is taking your money against your will and shoving something down
your throat that you never asked for.
I've decided I can't be politically correct anymore. (I never was,
actually)
A guy looked at my Corvette the other day and said:
"I wonder how many people
could have been fed for the money that sports car cost."
I replied I am not sure, it fed a lot of families in Bowling Green,
Kentucky who built it, it fed the people who make the tires, it fed the
people who made the components that went into it, it fed the people in the
copper mine who mined the copper for the wires, it fed people in Decatur IL.
at Caterpillar who make the trucks that haul the copper ore. It fed the
trucking people who hauled it from the plant to the dealer and fed the
people working at the dealership and their families. BUT,... I have to
admit, I guess I really don't know how many people it fed.
That is the difference between capitalism and welfare mentality. When you
buy something, you put money in people's pockets, and give them dignity for
their skills.
When you give someone something for nothing, you rob them of their dignity
and self worth.
Capitalism is freely giving your money in exchange for something of value.
Socialism is taking your money against your will and shoving something down
your throat that you never asked for.
I've decided I can't be politically correct anymore. (I never was,
actually)
Comments
My Corvette & Capitalism - well said
A guy looked at my Corvette the other day and said:
"I wonder how many people
could have been fed for the money that sports car cost."
I replied I am not sure, it fed a lot of families in Bowling Green,
Kentucky who built it, it fed the people who make the tires, it fed the
people who made the components that went into it, it fed the people in the
copper mine who mined the copper for the wires, it fed people in Decatur IL.
at Caterpillar who make the trucks that haul the copper ore. It fed the
trucking people who hauled it from the plant to the dealer and fed the
people working at the dealership and their families. BUT,... I have to
admit, I guess I really don't know how many people it fed.
That is the difference between capitalism and welfare mentality. When you
buy something, you put money in people's pockets, and give them dignity for
their skills.
When you give someone something for nothing, you rob them of their dignity and self worth.
(If they had any to start with)
Capitalism is freely giving your money in exchange for something of value.
Socialism is taking your money against your will and shoving something down your throat that you never asked for.
I've decided I can't be politically correct anymore. (I never was,
actually)
Fixed it. Otherwise it makes excellent points.
You know what it accomplished? It put a BUNCH of the people that built those boats out of business. So Joe Sixpack, who had been working laying up fiberglass in a mold for the hull, suddenly found himself down at the unemployment office. Morty Lunchbox, who had been the best crane operator you have ever seen for 30 years was right next to him, along with Sally from the front office, Bill from the toolroom, and Charlie from the loading dock.
The politicians looked at who BOUGHT the boats- it never occurred to them to look at who MADE the boats. Go visit the "industrial areas" in your city. See how many empty parking lots and "building for sale" signs you can count.
I did some flooring work in an 8500 sq. ft. 'hunting cabin' that was being built by a very well-to-do gentleman and his family. I was telling some friends about it one evening at dinner and the 'lib' in the bunch piped up and told us all that it was just disgusting that any one person should have so much money. I told her she was free to puke back up the ribeye steak and sockeye salmon I had prepared and served for dinner seeing as how the proceeds to purchase the food had come from my work on that house. They just don't seem to understand that when a man (or woman) accumulates that much, they also get used to spending a bunch of it, and that's good for guys like me!
If you want a Corvette go work for one.
I'm waiting on the perfectly priced NOT COLLECTOR PRICED 1976 350-4speed vette. The collectors haven't totally run the price up on them but the ones I'' finding for sale the sellers have them priced hoping a sucker comes along. I'll be damned to eternal damnation before I pay $15K for a less than $5K car because someone thinks they have a 4 wheeled lottery in thier garage. These collectors have destroyed the market for those of us wanting drivers [:(]
quote:Originally posted by select-fire
If you want a Corvette go work for one.
I'm waiting on the perfectly priced NOT COLLECTOR PRICED 1976 350-4speed vette. The collectors haven't totally run the price up on them but the ones I'' finding for sale the sellers have them priced hoping a sucker comes along. I'll be damned to eternal damnation before I pay $15K for a less than $5K car because someone thinks they have a 4 wheeled lottery in thier garage. These collectors have destroyed the market for those of us wanting drivers [:(]
New Corvette prices have driven up the old Corvette prices. A 5k Corvette may exist but finding one in perfect shape is highly unlikely. If it needs a paint job add a lot of change. 76's were not high horsepower cars.
quote:Originally posted by Big Sky Redneck
quote:Originally posted by select-fire
If you want a Corvette go work for one.
I'm waiting on the perfectly priced NOT COLLECTOR PRICED 1976 350-4speed vette. The collectors haven't totally run the price up on them but the ones I'' finding for sale the sellers have them priced hoping a sucker comes along. I'll be damned to eternal damnation before I pay $15K for a less than $5K car because someone thinks they have a 4 wheeled lottery in thier garage. These collectors have destroyed the market for those of us wanting drivers [:(]
New Corvette prices have driven up the old Corvette prices. A 5k Corvette may exist but finding one in perfect shape is highly unlikely. If it needs a paint job add a lot of change. 76's were not high horsepower cars.
quote:Originally posted by Big Sky Redneck
quote:Originally posted by select-fire
If you want a Corvette go work for one.
I'm waiting on the perfectly priced NOT COLLECTOR PRICED 1976 350-4speed vette. The collectors haven't totally run the price up on them but the ones I'' finding for sale the sellers have them priced hoping a sucker comes along. I'll be damned to eternal damnation before I pay $15K for a less than $5K car because someone thinks they have a 4 wheeled lottery in thier garage. These collectors have destroyed the market for those of us wanting drivers [:(]
I just want a driver, not a restored car or garage kept perfect car. I want one that if I want to change hoods, add ground effects, change engines or anything else nobody is going to scream like gun collectors would do if I had a rare Colt and decided to shoot it.
This is why I bought a 1968 Malibu, it is a Chevelle Malibu but does not carry the SS badges or anything else that makes guys want to hump the exhaust pipes. I could care less about collectability, fancy badges mean absolutely nothing to me, all i care about is it is a 2 door Chevelle and thats what I got for $2500. I'm looking for a Vette the same way, if it is a collector car, a restored car, a garage queen or anything else that may make a guy want to hump the exhaust I'm not interested.
New Corvette prices have driven up the old Corvette prices. A 5k Corvette may exist but finding one in perfect shape is highly unlikely. If it needs a paint job add a lot of change. 76's were not high horsepower cars.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-Chevrolet-Corvette-/192013098918?forcerrptr=true&hash=item2cb4df5fa6:g:56sAAOSwnbZYFMf-&item=192013098918
Here you go. Cheap. Need floor work , paint, interior, no doubt engine work.. add some brakes, electrical issues and somewhere in the restoration you will have around 12-15K in it. Well over what the car is worth if it were very nice with low miles in original condition.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-Chevrolet-Corvette-/192013098918?forcerrptr=true&hash=item2cb4df5fa6:g:56sAAOSwnbZYFMf-&item=192013098918
Haha that thang is in worse shape than my Chevelle!
I missed a 1980 Vette a few months ago, I was inbetween paychecks and couldn't get the $$ quick enough. Car was a daily driver but in real good shape for $3500, I'm still pissed.
And I never begrudge all those folks who have bigger houses, more expensive cars, more luxurious clothes or jewelry, or even that guy (I am sure there must be at least one) who has a prettier wife than I do.
And I imagine TooBig is right. A lot of folks have jobs because corvettes or (insert name here) are being sold.
I am a firm believer in Capitalism. GO USA.
I worked hard for my corvettes. That was my "litmus test" for if I had made it.
And I never begrudge all those folks who have bigger houses, more expensive cars, more luxurious clothes or jewelry, or even that guy (I am sure there must be at least one) who has a prettier wife than I do.
And I imagine TooBig is right. A lot of folks have jobs because corvettes or (insert name here) are being sold.
I am a firm believer in Capitalism. GO USA.
Same here, I've had two Vettes and like an idiot I sold them. Same with my Trans Ams Camaros and Mustangs. Like an idiot, I didn't forsee that someday those cars would be hard to get unless I hit the lottery.
I support capitalism as well, however I don't support what some call the free market where as any excuse can be used to price rape people. Just like with the ammo situation, I shop around and wait. I refuse to pay a higher price because someone thinks the price needs to be cranked up. I haven't bought much ammo, guns or hotrods because what little money I have I worked hard for it and I'm not going to support gouger/price rapist with my money. It took me 3 years to buy my Chevelle, I can wait on the Vette as well, collectors have thier own world and I have mine, I don't buy things as an investment.
Investment Corvettes are in the realm of Mid Year and unique ones afterwards. A mass produced 76 will not be anything collectable. Possibly the L-82 Cars will someday bring the big money. That would be an all original Bloomington Gold or Silver Certificate car. Folks make a misconception that a Late model Corvette is worth tons of money. Only when they are purchased new. They depreciate like any other car even though some are kept low mileage. Those cars have a possibility of returning the owners money but not until they are at least 20 yr old or older. Years ago if a person took an un original car to Bloomington, Ill . they would get ran off and laughed at. Today at auctions , pro street and modified mid years will do just as well or better than an original car. Mostly because there are very few.. very few all original cars left. The market drives the prices. Supply and demand makes all original ones valuable. One can enjoy them and keep them original and still make a killing when they sell.
I just can't get into the collector mindset, like I all that original/numbers matching/unmolested and rare stuff doesn't interest me at all. Go to a car show, walk right by a numbers matching SS 1970 Camaro and go check out the Pro Street Berlinetta Camaro. I'm a hotrodder, I love to tinker, work on, replace parts ect ect, not be scared to death to toss a rod on a numbers matching 454. I'll find the right Vette, only thing I want is a 4sp car, I'll take care of the rest.
I also want another 1977-79 Trans Am and a 1970-72 Camaro, the Trans Am will have to be a factory TA, building a clone will cost more than just buyin a real one. The Camaro, a factory 6 banger car will be just fine for what I want to do. On e I get those cars then I will have my "collection" that I want.
When you compare Vettes to the overpriced Euro performance models. The Vettes are certainly more bang for the buck...
But a 750iL is a ton more comfy, can haul the family and cruise at 150MPH [:D][:D]
In a 12 mile test drive I found that I have not progressed far enough into puberty to own one [:D], this was seconded by my Bride.
Guess I will stick with fast horses, slow mules and my Arapaho racer 99 F-350.
Mule