Marcus Slater Corvette Forums Though the C3 Corvette was flawed when it made it’s original debut, there was never any discussion about it being ugly. Good or not, the evolution of the original Sting Ray into the 4th generation Corvette yielded an iconic car. Considering how many of them were made– and how many of […] More »
By: IBxAnders | June 6, 2012
Story Kevin Harper / Images Bill Erdman
You can never get tired of the stories behind connecting an owner with a car. Though there may be similiarities, there is often a twist or turn along the way that makes each story that much more unique.
If you’ve been through it, you can often relate and make that connection. If you haven’t, you marvel at the effort and secretly begin to question whether you have that type of commitment.
Nick Petruzzulli is a committed Corvette guy. His story doesn’t center on finding his first, but finding the one that would be a suitable companion to the ’66 big block that he already owned. The Hoboken, New Jersey, resident thought a ’69 big block convertible would be the perfect complement and that became the objective.
“Some things are just meant to be,” he said. “Corvettes have been my passion since childhood. I went to the Bloomington Gold weekend in St. Charles, Illinois, to start my search. Early Friday morning, as I hit the field, I came to the dealer lots. There in front of a tent is this beautiful Rally Red 427, 390 horsepower convertible. It was stunning and looked gorgeous from all angles. It was totally restored, frame off. It was all there – body fit, paint, undercarriage, engine, interior.
“The price was $44,000, which I thought wasn’t bad. Could this be that quick and easy? Here I thought it would take the whole weekend to find the right car. I decided to take a walk around and see what else I would come across. After looking through the car corral and the auction tents, nothing struck me quite like that first car, so I decided that I wanted that car.”
Nick knows enough to understand that a dealer’s price is a number that isn’t always set in stone. “I went back and we started negotiating. After going back and forth, we were $2,000 apart. I’m at 40, they’re at 42. I leave my offer on the table feeling pretty confident they will meet it and told him to call me when they wanted to make a deal. That night, I became even more confident when I found out the dealer had purchased the car that morning in the car corral and paid $35,000. I thought a $5,000 profit isn’t bad for 24 hours.
“Next day, the salesman calls and says, ‘Nick, if you still want the car, it’s yours for $40,000.’ Bingo! I told him I’d be there in 20 minutes or so.”
Here’s one of those twists that can wear out the less committed. “When I got to the lot, check in hand, the salesman approaches me with a grim look on his face and says, ‘Sorry, Nick. The car just sold.’ I couldn’t believe it. I asked him what he meant by sold when he called me 15 minutes ago and said we had a deal. Turns out another salesman sold the car to a collector who would pay $42,000. I couldn’t believe it, but in hindsight, I guess I should have met the dealer’s price the day before.”
The rest of the weekend went by and Nick was set to return home to New Jersey no closer to his goal than when he left. “I spent the next few months regretting my mistake every time I told someone the story. Every ’69 I looked at as a potential purchase didn’t even come close to that car at Bloomington Gold.”
A year passed and the process started again. Nick found himself at Bloomington Gold, but things had changed. “To my disappointment, I found that prices had gone up. Worse, there wasn’t a car that could come close to my lost ’69. On the last day of the show, Sunday, before leaving that afternoon, I took a walk through the field of cars getting judged for Bloomington Gold certifications. It’s something every Corvette enthusiast should do at least once. You see the most beautiful and extraordinary displays of Corvettes in the world.”
Nick wanted to be one of those with a car being certified, but that wasn’t this day. He was on the verge of a second trip home without a car, but the twists in the quest aren’t always cruel.
“As I approached the group of 1969 cars, my eyes see this gorgeous Rally Red 427 convertible. It was beautiful. Lightning had struck twice in the same place. I felt the tingle in my stomach. I thought, ‘Maybe if I get lucky, the owner might be interested in selling.’ I patiently waited for the judges to finish up the car and I approached the owner.
“He said he might consider the selling the car. His name was Keith Busse and he was a collector from the Kansas City area who owned a Corvette museum. All of his cars are Bloomington Gold and NCRS Top Flights. Since the ’69 only came up with a silver, he would have to do some work and try for the gold next year.”
In conversation about the car and its history, Nick got jolted by more. It seems Busse had bought the car at the show … last year at the dealer’s lot. “It was the exact same car, my car,” Nick said, “except he removed the rally wheels and Goodyear tires and replaced them with authentic Firestone redlines and original finned hubcaps that were optional that year. After telling Keith my story, he almost felt obligated to sell me the car. He said for $44,000, less the Firestones and wheel covers, the car was mine. I felt like I had just made the deal of a lifetime.”
Since having the car in his possession, Nick has placed his own Firestones on the car. A good friend, Paul Tsacos, had a set of the original finned wheel covers for sale to complete the package.
“I have enjoyed driving and showing my car since I owned it,” Nick said. “It’s a special feeling. There are many red ’69 convertibles that are just as sweet or even sweeter than mine, but to me, mine is the sweetest of them all.
“Some things are just meant to be.”
By: IBxAnders | May 24, 2012
Many people consider the L88 Stingray, manufactured between 1967 and 1969, to be the baddest and biggest Corvette ever built. This vehicle sported a comprehensive racing package, including big block V8 with solid-lifters and special Can-Am-spec cylinder heads. It was one of the first vehicles in the Corvette line to be manufactured specifically with racing […] More »
By: IBxAnders | July 11, 2011
Content courtesy of Keith Cornett at CorvetteBlogger.com Chevy put out this brief preview of the Autobots that are featured in the next installment of the Transformers movie franchise. Sideswipe, the autobot that reverts to the Stingray Corvette concept is featured prominently in the preview. Transformers: Dark of the Moon opens nationwide on Wednesday, June 29, […] More »
By: IBxAnders | June 28, 2011
The 1972 Corvette Stingray was a part of the C3 design group of Chevrolet Corvettes. The terminology “C3” refers to the fact that the 1972 design was a part of the third major overhaul of the appearance and functionality of the Chevrolet Corvette. The C3 designation remained in place from 1968 up through 1982; as […] More »
By: IBxAnders | July 14, 2010
The 1971 Corvette Stingray is part of the C3 design group of Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The C3 terminology is used to identify that the 1971 model of the Corvette was part of the third major redesign of the vehicle after its initial production. The C3 design scheme was in use from 1968 through 1982; as […] More »
By: IBxAnders | July 13, 2010
The 1970 Corvette, from Chevrolet, was a legend before its time. With classic styling, big flared fenders, vent gills and the fiberglass body, the ?Vette was unmistakable. Start it up and drive down the street and the throbbing hum from its big block engine couldn’t escape notice. Below you will find information on some of […] More »
By: IBxAnders | July 12, 2010
