I received in the mail a free AOL disc and I first went “online” with it back in 1990. The AOL phase lasted about 5 years and in 1995 a friend said to me, “You don’t need AOL to surf the net.” I was honestly surprised back then; I was ignorant to the whole internet thing. A few days later I started to cruise the info superhighway and didn’t look back to AOL. Also, at that time PC’s had not been interesting to many people, however they did rush to stores with computers so they could get on the internet and receive their email.

Back then the Internet was really different. Web pages and sites were a lot simpler, since everyone was practically using dial-up internet service. The “information” was easier to find because the internet wasn’t over ran with commerce sites. Since the early ’80s, forums and chat rooms were prevalent but were clunky and hard to use. It was much easier to use due to AOL’s interface.

Blogging began around 1994; it didn’t really take off until ’99 with the beginning of “blogging tools.” When the political pundits embraced the blogs on ’02, the blogosphere really took off. There is a blog for everything now; this is good news and bad news. For researchers like me that conduct research, we have discovered that nearly half of the links are for product, services, auction listings, books and blog or forum comments. Initially, I was sort of annoyed with the Corvette forum links, because searches often linked you to things such as, “I like side-pipes too.” I was pleasingly surprised to find a comprehensive source of information when I took some time to go to the Corvette forum’s home page.

There is a Corvette forum called SmokinVette.com. The thrill and excitement of Corvettes is huge because it covers a 57 year lineage of cars in six unique generations. SmokinVette has Corvette forums for all of the six generations. Upon entering your Corvette’s generation forum, look around and check out all of the topics. All of the forums are distinctive, so take your time and glance around at the numerous links, controls and drop down boxes. It like entering and searching around a home improvement store. It can be a little overwhelming at first, but you will learn to find everything you are looking for.

Sometimes I’m just in the mood to look at pictures. SmokinVette has a HUGE collection of Corvette photos. And what would a high-testosterone topic like Corvettes be without a collection of Corvette Girls? BORING! You won’t find anything too over the top at SmokinVette, but you WILL find lots of SMOKIN babes. That’s a compliment, ladies.

Owning a pleasure boat is a lot more economically challenging than owning a Corvette, but you could possibly spend extra money on things such as personalizing and refurbishing your Corvette. You can find a “Vette Parts” section in SmokinVette, which can help you locate anything from a crate engine or supercharger to LED lights or used parts. You may have thought that there is a limited range of parts and you will be impressed to know that is not true. You will quickly discover there are a variety of parts being offered by very creative Corvette know-it-alls.

It’s hard to be just a voyeur. After you finish the free registration, you can give your input to any forum, start a new forum topic, and ask a Corvette question, or even post images and/or photos. Corvette people are very friendly and helpful. Once you own a Vette or are simply an enthusiast, you belong to a uniquely American club. The whole “Save the Wave” thing started as a way for Corvette owners to recognize one another on the road. Corvettes are not just your ordinary car, they are something more special. It’s indescribable the feeling you get when you drive one. It’s a genuinely sensual experience when you drive one. You do not just “ride” in a Corvette, you DRIVE a Corvette, because they are made and designed to be DRIVEN. I have lost count of how many times I have read or heard a new Corvette owner say, “I never really understood this car until I drove one.” That’s the “GOTCHA!” moment.

Make some time, get comfortable, and check out some Corvette forums, such as SmokinVette.com. It’s very fun, educational, engaging, and a good way to meet like-minded people the “get” the Corvette passion. Enough said! -KST

Tags: Automotive, Corvette Forum, Corvettes