Don't give up so easily. The biggest thing working against you right now is the time of year. Prices going up as spring/summer approaches for the rest of the country. They fall back down in fall/winter. People wanting to sell their cars want to dump them before having to store them for another winter. Lower prices in fall/winter.

Never settle for instant gratification (a pony car). Take your time and be patient. The right vette will come a knockin', and it won't be dressed as a Z28... Your best bet may be finding a private seller and taking out a personal loan (if the bank lets ya). Check out trades such as Hemmings Motor News or Corvette Trader. You'll be kicking yourself later if you settle for a pony car.

I love my Contour to death, but my 'vette is still my #1 baby.
There's money to be made in racing. I should know. I put a lot of it there.
You can make a small fortune in racing. Start with a large one.
How fast do you want to go...how much money do you have?
You can fix a lot of things, but you can't fix stupid!