My first Corvette was a triple white 1963 convertible….. I was a 7 year old kid in Detroit (1963).  I gained proficiency at building AMT models and a few years later was experienced in paint and putty work.

I graduated to 1:1 scale around 1978 when I acquired a 1970 two top convertible and joined NCRS…part of college training in my book!   It had been winter driven and was quite “scalely” under the surface.  The windshield header leaked in rain and the hole under the glass was quite shocking when I replaced the windshield. I rebuilt the motor shortly before college graduation with stops in Tennessee, Indianapolis and to MN. 

The ’70 was sent down the road as the restoration costs were not in line with its value.   A few years passed and I again was tired of reading about Corvettes, I wanted my hands on one!  Traveling 7 states for work allowed me to visited a lot of dealers….Remember, this was before the internet and you relied on Auto Shoppers and Hemmings for leads.  Howard in Sioux Falls was on the same wave length as me as to what a “cherry” car looked like.  A month or so later he called (January 1991) with a 18,000 mile, two tone, 4 spd, 1981.   A trip to Sioux Falls was in order and it was “cherry”.   Many sleepless nights later It was mine and I won my class at Plastic Fantastic for the next three years with it.  It’s been amazingly trouble free for 28 years now.  I still visit with Howard, who has been in Phoenix for years.

As I was winding down my career, I thought a “once in a lifetime” museum delivery of the new C7 was in order.  During a 2013 Christmas visit with a long time Corvette/high school friend in Michigan. I mentioned we needed to order a pair of the new C7’s and take museum delivery together.  He smiled and said his arrived yesterday!   I took delivery in July of 2014.  After trips with the C3 Registry "Gatherings" to the Tonawanda factory in NY and the Lemay Museum in WA the year... the C7 now lives in AZ where it gets exercised on Route 66 and many mountain passes. It recently turned 42,000 smiles during the RT66 Fun Run in western AZ the first weekend every May.  It sees many car events as the desert fills up with Corvette “snowbirds” from the Midwest.

Thanks for sharing your story!

-Adam Wartell
NCM Lifetime Member #1222
Founder: C3 Vette Registry 
C4 Vette Registry, C6 Vette Registry

My first Vette, now owned by JB79:

I think you're a candidate for "Corvettes Anonymous"...!!!  😎

Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!