FRAC

Back in February on a pretty day, I drove my 66 Trophy Blue Power Nothing coupe to Subway for lunch. As I was parking, a couple of utility workers were making over my car. This always pleases the owner. At any rate, one of them said nice car, I know where there is one just like it except that it has a big block. Didn't take me long to get to the bottom line, as he knew the name and town ( about 50 miles from here).

When I got home, I went to the super pages, found the number and called the owner. I called him Joe, and not Mr., but was shagrinned to find out that he was 80. After a few minutes talking about the car, I asked if I could come look at it. He said sure, so on the following Satuday, my younest son and I went to see it.

It turns out that he is the original owner, and he and his wife went into the Chevy dealer in ST Louis in 1967 to by an Impala, actually had the deal done, when they say a vette on the show room floor. They liked it, but it was a 3 spd without P/T. Since it was within a few hundred dollars of the Impala, they ordered a 1967 427/390, 4 spd, a/c cpe, power nothing in Elkhart Blue. They drove it for a little over 10 years and put 80,000+ miles on it, and then one day as he was late driving home from out of town, he got 5 tickets and decided to park the car. That is how it has been ever since in a garage, not a barn.

I did all of the research that I knew how to do and tried to arrive at a value that was fair to us both, and went back over with my wife and took a check. We talked for a while and I told him that since he hadn't said the car wasn't for sale that I would like to buy it, and gave him the check. We talked for about 45 minutes with him holding the check and then said that since he and the wife had so many memories in the car that they wanted to talk about it. He said he guessed that I would like the check back, and I acknowleged that it would be nice. Time rocked on and I called back and he said that they were leaning in my direction, but really didn't know what they would replace the car with, and that was his main hang up. He just didn't want to take the money and invest it, he wanted to do something fun with it. More time rocked on, and his wife had some serious surgery. We took a CD of 50th anniversary pictures in July and just visited.

About three weeks ago I went to visit and he brought up the subject and said that he thought that he wanted to get another vette and order it with museum delivery. I delicately told him that he might want to drive one and sit in one before he made up his mind. We had a nice visit and I left. We were through there last week and he said that he had made up his mind, but he still wanted to order. I told him that I would talk to our local dealer and see what could do to help him. I called him back yesterday morning(I know that your are searching for the end of this), and told him what the dealer would do and did he want me to get a price firmed up for him. He said no, that he would give them a call. I went to the dealership to see if he could trade his 67 and me buy it from them so that he could save on the taxes for that amount. No problem. While I am there they say he is on the phone and what did I think about the white automatic they had on the foor. I said if that is what he wanted, and was very relieved. They also had two Z06's on the floor. He said fine and he would be over in the PM to get it.

With that, I swallowed hard.

He came and picked up his new vette, and now I am the proud owner of a very authenticated survivor that won't even roll. We picked it up this AM on a roll back and had to drag it onto the truck. They are in the process of gettng it freed up as we speak, and then the process will begin.

It is my plan to have the car thoroughly looked at by a very knowledge person, so that I don't screw up the originality in trying to get it running. One thing that I learned at the clinic in Nashville this summer is that I should be patient and do it right. My plan is to keep it as a survivor, and not make a restoration project out of it.

If I was able, I would post some picutres of it sitting on the truck for the ride home.

Thank you for putting up with this epistle, but I have been busting a gut to write it since I first saw the car. These are really neat people, and they are still honeymooning at 80. I got a picture of them standing in front of the car as it was sitting on the truck ready to leave. You would wonder how such a little lady could drive a no power big block, but I'm told that she did it well.

Frac :) :party: :) :) :) GB

Hitch

TOO COOL MAN!! And who says they aren't still out there. The coolest thing is the friendship you created along with getting him and her into another vette. I have to say you've done the right thing and given them some joy of a new vette. Congrats man... :cheers: Dave..

ajtorsiello

One of the best stories I have ever heard. Good luck with the car.

Paul L

What a story! Thank you.

Dave McDufford

Great Story. Have fun with it.

:cheers:

Milehigh66

That is a great story, they sound like really great people. :cool:
Congratulations!

Grey Ghost

Cool. If you have digital pics, email them to me and I might can post them - rc648@yahoo.com

Dennis R. Who goes by the forum name of: midyear. Is a fulltime Corvette restoration expert. He can quote you what color wire goes where, along with any other specs. He has done frame off resto's on numerous midyears. He is located just sw of Atl. and is THE BEST in our geographical area.

Send him an email or check out his website: http://www.allmusclecars.com

Denney

It is a great story, my only advice is that you should do with the car what YOU want in order to enjoy it (if that means restoring it, so be it). :cheers:

67's

Good reading sounds like a good project, try to save it, you might want to get it judgeg to see if it will still pass.


Congrats on the new ride.

Tom

GregP

Very cool story. Can't wait to see some pics of your driving it :cheers:

-Greg

JohnZ

Here's the pic of the "Honeymooners" and the "survivor" on moving day:


:steering:

FRAC

Thank you John.

Charles :) GB

richscorvettes

Charles,

Great story and a super find. I think your plan of keeping it a survivor is right on the mark. We found a similar 66 coupe and restored/rebuilt only what was necessary. It's only 'original" once in it's life and it's nice to see cars like this preserved in that state. Enjoy! :thumbs:

Rich Lagasse

Solid327

I love a story like this. I hope Joe and his wife have a ton of fun in their new Vette and you with your survivor.

Paul Borowski

Half the fun is then taking it to Bloomington for Survivor, then NCRS Bowtie if it's super original. I did this with my '74, '80 and this past summer my '68. Keeping them original is more of a challenge-anybody can restore a Corvette-but how many 30-50 year old Corvettes are still ORIGINAL??? :confused:

Great story-kinda suprised the "dealer" did'nt try to buy it out from under you :lol:

dropTopTx

Great story. Hope Im still in a Vette at 80 :thumbs:

oprahrider

Boy she is a tiny little thing............Looks kind of sad too! Oh well, May they create as many happy memories in the new C5 as they did in the old C2. :steering:

Mikey1

Nice story !