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I have never done any official racing of my ‘baby’, I’ve had my fair share of fun. Let me just share with you how she came to live in my garage….
My first recollection of any Corvette occurred when I was only 4 or 5 years old. My babysitter took me for a walk around the neighborhood and as we passed what I now know was a ’68 or ’69 Stingray. I stopped dead in my tracks while the babysitter kept walking. She must’ve been nearly half a block down the street before she realized that I wasn’t still by her side. She came running back and with a frightened look on her face asked just what the heck was I doing? I remember that I simply replied, “What kinda car is this?!” Because I wasn’t old enough to read yet she squatted down and, running her finger under the chrome lettering, said, “S-T-I-N-G-R-A-Y.” From that moment on I just knew that some day I would own one.
Now, some 34 years later, when faced with the decision of what to replace my diesel-hog, 1 ton, 4- door dually with, my wife reminded me that I had always wanted a Corvette. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing but wasn’t about to argue! LOL The truck sold in just under a week and I found myself looking for a car in earnest. I shopped all the local lots and drove several privately owned ‘vettes and just couldn’t believe how people had mistreated my dream machine!
Finally, I turned to the internet where I found my baby. She was living in Chicago and after about a month of email and phone correspondence, decided that I just had to fly up and she her for myself. The previous owners said that I wouldn’t be disappointed and they were right. Actually, they liked me so much that they lowered the price, knowing that the car was going to a good home. I drove the 600 miles home that night through a never ending thunderstorm and that’s when we fell in love. Sure, she got a little squirrelly when we hit a puddle at 60mph but she corrected herself quickly and never missed a beat (can’t say the same for my heart).
The next morning I got up early and set out detailing her, relieving her of all the highway we had accumulated the previous night. Once she was back to “showroom” clean we went for our first top-out drive under a clear blue sky. Man was she gorgeous!! Sure, nothing can replace the feelings that you get the first time you climb behind the wheel of an American legend, but I have gotta say….After 2 years, I still get that same thrill every time we go for a cruise (occasionally blowing the doors of some stupid little Japanese “Hot-Wheels” wannabe), and she still turns plenty of heads as I grin ear to ear!
Close up of red pinstriping
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