I think we younger people yearn for a time we were never afforded. A carefree teens/twenties where there was optimism, hope, and carefreeness. The 70s and 80s are a representation of that time even though we didn’t live then.

> Video called Gen Z loves the C3 > Look inside > “Were not gonna get generational with it”

I am 22 and the proud owner of a 74 corvette. Simply put, the C3 has styling the we did not grow up seeing, like the older generations would have. The C3 has gorgeous lines and a profile that would be illegal to manufacture today. When people my age enjoy a C3, it is not out of nostalgia, but curiosity and wonderment from an era we have only heard stories from. And yes the feeling when those secondaries whir open, whining and throwing you deep into the already deep seats, you feel like you're sitting behind the car. It's a sensation that can only be felt first hand, and is devoid in today's vehicles. I love the evolution of styling across the 14 years of C3 too. The classy chrome bumpers, the sleek smoother middle years, and the blocky 80s's latter years. Personally love the 74 styling found only that year, with the sleek bumpers but without the big black bumperettes seen later.

Im 22 and the c3’s styling combined with an almost 15 year production is a testament to a legend. C3 kept corvette alive through the gas crisis.

It’s the most awesome looking of all the corvettes. It’s as pure as sport car styling gets and boasts approximately zero bullshit. Couldn’t care less about its anemic performance, it’s the age of the restomod. A set of coilovers, a disc brake setup, and an eBay bolt on kit is all it takes to make a C3 a good drive.

I just like the way the C3 looks lol

I'm a millennial. The C3 was one of the cars that could be had for $1000 when I was in high school, so it has good nostalgia.

It just looks so cool, I think people are less concerned about how old something is and more appreciative of older styling. Might also explain why thrifting is so popular

I'm a millennial and have always thought the C3 stingray is the best looking of the bunch. I think that from a purely aesthetic standpoint, anyone of any age can appreciate the lines and general curb appeal regardless of the mechanical aspects.

I'm 29, C3 Corvettes were always my favorite. Obviously the earlier ones, but these later C3's I still hold very dear. They look so sleek, I love em!

It's just... a _statement._ One of glorious excess which cars newer than 1989 struggle with the concept of.

Just look at it! That’s why we like it.

I had a 79 I owned from 1991 to 1999. It was a great car. With very little work you can have yourself a fun fast sports car. It's pretty easy to work on and parts are easy to obtain. The trick to making HP with a carburetor car is the exhaust and the heads. I purchased a pair of trick flow aluminum heads higher lift cam hooker headers and single plane manifold which changed it from a 15 second slug to a mid 12.5 second muscle car.

I had a 1:32 scale model of this car in Silver and Charcoal and thought it was the coolest thing ever. 30+ years later this is still my favourite Corvette.

I have an 81 with a cam, intake manifold, headers into side pipes and all the smog garbage deleted. They wake up quite a bit with not that much work. People love that car when they see it. They're gonna become more sought after in the next few years I think. By the way, I'm 42.

Back in the 1990s I drove around a pristine 79 Trans Am for the same reason. Who cares if it wasn’t winning drag races, it was just 55 gallons of pure matchbox car come-to-life awesomeness.

It's because it's different and old feeling reminding of the rose colored vibes of 1979 without the jdm collector tax. Drove in a 78 mustang 2 king cobra the fact that it has 140hp doesn't matter when the t tops are down and it's a sunny day

As a millennial i like the C3 a lot too, specially the later models with revised looks from 1980. And if the stock C3 aren`t fast enough for you, you can put a newer more powerful Chevy crate engine with relative ease, the potential for more speed are definitely there.

I’ve had an obsession with the C3 ever since I was a little kid and I had a Hot Wheels of a 1975 in white…literally about 25 years later I bought the exact car, a gorgeous white 1975 with a 4 speed. It’s always been my favorite Corvette by far.

I’m gen-z and have daily driven a 78 corvette since I was 18 in 2019. Just such a unique car that is affordable and not too bad to maintain.

1981 is the year I graduated from High school. We all knew they weren't fast, but 40 years later, I could see owning one.

One of my best memories from middle school was seeing a white c3 vette parked in the boy scouts parking lot. One of the guys in highschool just bought it as his first car and we spun donuts in the gravel behind the legion hall lmao

I was born in 85. I graduated in 04.I have always loved the c3. I have never liked the c4. The early c3's were pretty good. A big block in like a 69 70 chrome front and rear lil bumpers and rally wheels. ah man dope.

They love it because thats the only corvette that they can afford

It may just be nostalgic for me, but I always loved the sound of a quadrajet moan.

My dad has a ‘69. It’s absolutely gorgeous, even tho it’s been on blocks for the past 5 years.

I’m 25 and drive a 1980 c3 corvette it’s an amazing car

I’m 28, and I’m oddly a C4 guy myself. But the C3 is my second favorite among “affordable” corvettes.

As a Gen Z'er wile the C3 is nice, but my favorites are the C1 and C2.

The C3 has one thing the C4-C6 don't have, and that's sex appeal. It's not modern or fast, but dammit - it's sexy AF. It has curves all in the right places, and the Gen Z'ers appreciate that...and this Gen-Xer too!

I was about 5 years old when a neighbor purchased a brand new 78' C3 Vette. It was LITERALLY the first car that made me realize that I could be mesmerized by a car. This body style of Corvette was the car that truly ignited my love affair with cars... period!

as a zoomer, the C3 and C4 are my favorite Corvettes

Nothing can compare to the C3. The lines are just insane. Just a really cool car all around. Whether it be the high horsepower early bumper cars, or the low horsepower disco cruisers from the 70’s and 80’s.

I’m gen z (unfortunately), 25, and the C3 is one sexy gen of Vette. Mostly the ones put out during the late 60’s.

I'm a late millennial, but even I can say it's because C3 is just the best looking Corvette by far, those lines and that shape easily rival the best italian sport car classics. Nobody cares if it's slow and drives bad, just LS swap it.

although i was born in 1994 i had an attachment with Corvettes since the age of 5 while playing Gran Turismo on the PS1. My dream came true in 2015 when i got a beat up 70 Vette where i spent 3 years restoring it with friends and family. Always puts a smile on face when i drive it.

It's simple. C3 is the best looking Corvette.

Corvettes have always been forgiving to learn how to row your own gears with. So much torque and really easy to feel clutches.

When I was a kid, my grandpa bought me a Corvette die cast set with a C1, C2, C3, and C4. The bright yellow C3 was always my fav even though the C2 was that pale blue split window. I was born in 86 so I think that makes me a millenial. My dream car would be from 1986. Also...my babysitter when I was young had one...and we got to ride in it as it was her daily. Her nickname around town was Barbie and her husband is one of the better (young) Elvis impersonators in the world. So it seemed kinda glam to me as a kid lol

The C3's lines and looking like a fighter jet on the ground, has drawn me since being a kid. I didn't care that the engine was anemic. They simply don't make cars that flow like that anymore. It's iconic, even if historically it was long overdue for an update by 1982. Who wouldn't want to drive the batmobile? The car design is such a departure from anything else that you are used to seeing. The moment I got to see one up close and sit in one I was enthralled. Will never not be cool looking.

It dosnt have to be a race car, its a car with identity. It stands out. You can tell what car it is from 300m out unlike the crossover plague

They’re all T-Tops. They all used to be body color, and then transparent ones came out on the aftermarket. Sometimes called “Saratoga Tops” Chevy eventually offered their own beginning in the late 70s or so

Gen X loves them too. We grew up with those when they were new. Those later ones were short on horsepower, but still fun to drive a slow car fast.

I’m an early Gen Z I guess, and I sat in one of these as a kid. It was my dad’s friends C3 I thought that shit was sexy as hell.

It's a beautiful car for sure. It may never handle well, but the engine issue is easily remedied with the aftermarket.

Well, yeah, a lot of older cars are beautiful. Who wouldn't like them? Me personally I love cars generally from the 80's to 00's. Sometimes stuff from the 40's to 60's too depending on my mood. Either way, being able to afford any of those gems would be a dream.

I'm too young to buy beer but old enough to remember the C3 and C4 were still _the hot Corvettes._ I was never a big Corvette guy, but the C3 and C4 are the two I loved the most.

The early C3’s had a lot more power but I’ve always preferred the look of the later ones.

I'm 28 soon to be 29 and I bought a 78 a couple years ago. Still trying to get it road worthy. People of all ages thinks it's kinda cool when I mention it. I entered this one because I really want a prestine model for a restromod LS Swap project. And that mug 🥵

the c3 just looks fuckin cool man.

Hey Mr Regular, I am a canadian citizen from gatineau, (just north of ottawa) I entered the contest for this corvette, however given the format, I could not choose a province, so I went with the State of CA. I read all the terms however they made no mention of country exclusion. I also bought a mug, which might create a shipping error. Love RCR, its been my monday morning ritual since 2015!

I remember your review of a BROWN C3, years and years ago. The biggest thing I remember was that yeah, it's not as fast as a Ferrari or Porsche from t he same year, but it functions much better as a...car. It starts when you want it to, the AC works, the heat works.

These kind of cars are some of my favorites. They don't have any stability or traction control and there's none of that drive by wire crap, and sometimes not even power steering. You're connected to that machine on a level that you'll never be on newer ones.

In a world where grandmas walker can make 1000whp with a downpipe and a tune, it gets old. We like the C3 because its a gorgeous cruiser

I’ve owned several Vettes over the years (I’m 52 now). My favorite was a green’69 convertible with 427 big block and 4-speed stick. While the clutch was just a bit heavy, the sounds! Oh, the sounds…. I recommend everyone drives one of these at least one hour in their lifetime. If you’re not a car person, then you might not get much out of it. If you are, though….. If you can, try to drive a big block model (stick or auto, either one is truly amazing, and possibly transformative!!!

I like the lines of the c3. I also like the gen 2 camaro to 73' with the round tail lights. What the boomers don't like is the lower power due to the emissions restrictions, but today it's easy get that power.

Same reason i loved the sixties. Seemed so simple.

I graduated in 2012 and I remember the consensus with my friends at the time the C3 was 67-73? Cool. 74-82 Grandpa Slow. We also thought of C4s are slow to so just took that for the reason why they only costed around like 4 grand for a clean one back then. Now these things are worth way more its kinda crazy.

From what I've read, the 81 C3 is happy on 87. Which seems weird for a sports car.

Geriatric Millenial here. I have many memories of the "quadrajunk" which was actually a great carb vehemently defended by my buddies' dads. I rebuilt one in high school auto shop and remember my instructor standing up for them like they were his 4th string kid. We all had to replace them anyways with 750 Holly's that overfed the anemic 305s and 307s in all of our affordable but loud Cutlasses and Camaros. Ahhh, the good old days....

as a gen z i really like the c3 because of Vigilante 8 for the ps1, great childhood!

Gen Z here. First classic car design I remember loving was a pretty beaten up C3 Corvette, parked at a used car lot down the street. I was 13 or 14 at the time. For me it was just the design that I liked. There really isn't anything else like it. The later Corvettes tried, but when they get wider it just isn't the same. It's this one I like, with the long, slender, flowing body. The huge front, giving the appearance of a small cockpit controlling this massive engine. The pointed end, making it look like a speedboat, or even a jet. It's a design that instinctively makes you think "Damn, that thing must be packing serious power under the hood!". It just exudes POWER, far more than it deserves given the state of American engines in the 70s.

I think the love for the C3 is easily explained. It's by a good margin the prettiest one of them all.

im 18 and the 78-81 Chevy cars are my favorite cars ever. My dream corvettes are the 78 pace car and the 82 collectors edition.

Cuz it looks like a friggen hot wheels car

As a gen z car enthusiast, i dig the c3 while knowing its also kinda slow

The C3 Corvette aesthetically earns its name better than any other generation. It's a car that looks like a speedboat, with that special sports car sauce that makes it look fast even at a standstill. Whether it actually *is* that fast is fairly irrelevant - IMO the primary appeal is that it's a design which simply cannot exist anymore. Modern engineering knowledge is a blessing and a curse, because it means we have a much better understanding of what designs offer better performance, but it also drives convergent evolution towards those optimal shapes that tends to make aesthetic styling less unique and interesting. Modern cars fill their bodywork with sweeping lines and sharp angles and creased ridges in a desperate attempt to imply body lines that can't be allowed to truly exist for aerodynamic or safety reasons. The C3 is instead from an era much more friendly towards "this looks cool and will sell cars, and it's also functional I guess", for better or for worse.

I'm Gen Z and I got a 72. I absolutely love the car and the vibe. Nothing is better than cruising with a 4 speed and the TTops off

I think you hit the nail on the head. Born in 03 and my friends from 99-04 regardless of our place in life tend to adopt some hobbies or intrests in 70s through 2000s things (90s to 2000s for me) because it captures a more carefree optimistic time in our eyes. And generally we do think we have it worse experience/satisfaction wise compared to other generations.

Gen Z likes the C3 for the same reason they probably like any car. They, along with Gen Alpha, grew up with parents who drove boring black and white trucks and SUVs. The fact that it’s a car, and a different color, makes it cool. Something from the 20th century gives it something extra, because, holy crap, tech that’s not designed to be thrown away in 3 years? They’d think your old 2004 mustang was cool.

Gen Z yearns for a time when technology was actually designed to be a part of the room it was meant for aesthetically, a single student could live off a part time job at a factory, music took genuine talent and effort to produce and fashion was about personal taste and not yearly trends.

what is cool about the c3 is that it was originally the pontiac banshee, so this is basically a pontiac car. plus the c3 is the best one imo. it is just so sleek and beautiful

As an Echo Boomer, I loved these growing up. Then I had the opportunity to drive one and never do I ever want to get in one ever again. I'll appreciate them for what they are from a distance.

I always liked the c3, I’m a millennial. I drove one when I worked at a shop and it’s unlike anything else. Seeing that crazy bulbous 15 foot head in front of you while you’re sitting on the rear tires, total trip. I remember seeing one on the road and pointed it out to my girlfriend at the time: “isn’t that thing cool?” She replied with “NO! It looks like a bony old woman hunched over with her shoulder blades sticking out in the front.” 😂 I’ll never forget that insane description.

Im born right on the line of Millennial & Zoomer. C3 & C7 are my favorite gens. Title is accurate

There is a cream and bronze two tone C3 that I see periodically in the summer. Unique paint job, definitely dated but super cool.

I have a model of the C3. It even surprised me but I Iove the design.

The '90-'95 ZR-1 is still my favorite Corvette of all time. Nothing beats the sound that the LT-5 makes at full throttle. The '96 Grand Sport is a close second though.

If I had money, I'd make one into a auto cross racer. I'd build a high revving small block chevy, swap the rear-end to independent and DRIVE THE WHEELS OFF OF IT! (but I don't so I can't)

Gen-X here…and the C3 Corvette is still the standard by which I judge the aesthetic of all Corvettes, same as the 308GT is for Ferraris. The performance aspect is another matter, of course. But the C3 is still the one I’d have if I was serious about owning a Corvette at all.

I’m the same age as the narrator and the regional differences are interesting. In Tampa, FL in 2000, my friends (except me, of course lol) saw ALL V8-powered rear-wheel-driven cars as “grandpas’ cars”, even the WS6 which none of them could beat on track night at Bradenton Motorsports Park back then. They only liked Hondas, BMWs and THAT ONE Toyota. I had a 1984 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 H.O. in 2000 and they called it a “tater wagon” since their cars were jokingly refered to as “rice rockets”. Anything American with a V8 was an old man’s car to them. All those cars are cool really but much respect to the kids for loving the C3. I didn’t like the C3 Corvette as a kid but I appreciate them now and it’s cool to hear about kids being a little smarter than I was back then. Cheers everyone!

It's 'cos their parents lived in the 80s, and saw the right movies, and now want to pass on the ideal '80s experience to their kids (which is impossible).

Mr Regular I love corvettes regardless of generation

Ah, yes. The best-looking car ever made by GM, was designed by a Japanese man. Great work Larry Shinoda! The Mako I and Mako II are probably more beautiful than the c3, and I can't believe any of them are very good to drive... But this is achingly pretty, and sometimes that's all that matters. Like the Jaguar XJ, you want to be seen in this car, regardless of what it's like to drive or ride in. Incredible piece of design work. Hats off.

I'm 47 now and still love the C3. Btw I'm a cool dad, I wear the Nike equivalent of New Balance, Air Monarchs.

C3 is a great looking car and still affordable. Also a SBC is still a SBC it can be built to make horsepower for not a lot of money.

I don't know why, but there is something about the later versions of the C3 that I've always really liked. I've known how objectively bad they were since the C4 was new, but it's never mattered. I'm not even Gen Z, late genX-er here...

All I see around my small midwest city is broccoli haired 20 year olds in C4 and C5 corvettes. The have become the new weeb car.

Growing up in Norristown Pa we lived next to a couple who BOTH had 1970 C3s and I loved the way they looked. TO ME it's the best looking Corvette ever made. You can only go the speed limit anyway. Might as well look good doing it. Besides I HATED the C4s. Ugly, boxy, and I don't care if it was faster than the C3s. THESE were chick magnets and they looked FANTASTIC. Always wanted one, I'm unfortunately priced out. In my eyes this was the best looking car on the road in the 1970's, and I almost bust when I see one on the road. Just look at it, it's gorgeous.

Everything '80s is cool to hipsters now. Granted, the '68-72 C3s were actually fast and most assuredly not 80s, but 20-year-olds don't know that. Also, the C2 and C7 Corvettes are and have always been the 'cool Corvettes' since they came into existence. And really late C4s, honestly. And a well-tuned Quadrajet is, in my opinion, the finest street/fun car carburetor ever developed.

Younger folks are looking at the C3 it does not look like any other car let's face it they are just cool. Nothing else looks feels or drives like a C3

The C3 is very cool as an '01 baby, but I don't think I'd like to own one. I'd rather admire for free.

I lover Gen Z's infatuation with the 80's, the decade of my childhood, because their idea of what it was like is so far off from what it was really like. They picture a bedroom packed full of 80's nostalgia like Atari/Nintendo video games, all the best 80's toys, posters, neon and synth-wave when really what it was like was wood paneling on every wall and cigarette smoke.

I graduated in 1990 in Australia. The body style transcends decades.

They were always my favorite

I'm older than you and always liked the looks of the c3. It's curvy.

Hey, I'm a Gen-X'er and I love the C3. Why? HIPS! That car is like the Salma Hayek of Corvettes.

I've always wanted a c3 because it looks fucking dope. looks kinda like a lamborghini miura but it costs a tiny fraction as much

When you grow up in the era of "jellybean" shaped cars, this thing is a revelation. Do younger people associate the C3 with Boogie Nights vibes? Do they care about sub-200hp?

Anytime I listen to synthwave at night I pretend I’m driving a C3