Last Corvette Built in St. Louis Plant
#21
Melting Slicks
Birthplace of Legends by Peter LiCastro. Buy a copy and read about the last one.
At Bloomington a few years back, David Burroughs conducted the workshop on production at St. Louis which I attended and discussed this car. As a handout, he provided what is essentially an hour by hour account of how the car was assembled, including the CBS News crew TV coverage, the fact that the car was not complete when the crew did their filiming, and that the car went back on the line to be finished after the TV folks and GM big wigs had left the building.
Look carefully in wnmechs pic and you can see there are no seats in the car.
At Bloomington a few years back, David Burroughs conducted the workshop on production at St. Louis which I attended and discussed this car. As a handout, he provided what is essentially an hour by hour account of how the car was assembled, including the CBS News crew TV coverage, the fact that the car was not complete when the crew did their filiming, and that the car went back on the line to be finished after the TV folks and GM big wigs had left the building.
Look carefully in wnmechs pic and you can see there are no seats in the car.
Thanks for the tip on this book... didn't know anything like this existed.. just purchased a copy... can't wait for it to get here.
#22
I'm trying to find a copy of the picture and article from this day. Any idea where I can find it? Tried the paper...no luck. My dad was in the picture and wanted to surprise him with a copy of it.
#23
#25
Instructor
The last corvette from St Louis is in Central Indiana. I wont give out the owners information or location, but rest assure it is in pristine condition.
Obviously he is a huge corvette fan, and when he had his current home built, he had it built around this car. The vette sits in the middle of his living room on display, and last i heard, it was last appraised at over $1M. He owns this, and several others but this one is his pride and joy. I always wondered how he was able to get his hands on it, but i never got that story out of him. Family friend but the car is a pretty awesome sight to see
Last edited by 19Shark79; 12-07-2015 at 08:07 PM.
#26
Melting Slicks
Awesome thread! I just added that book to my Christmas list!
#27
Man, I ran across this and had to join and say it must have been awesome yet heartbreaking to be a part of that. I work in the auto industry for a different manufacturer, but I love Vettes. My mom used to work in the factory that made the wiring harnesses and she went to Bowling Green a few times. I'm actually looking at buying a Vette myself.
#28
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Man, I ran across this and had to join and say it must have been awesome yet heartbreaking to be a part of that. I work in the auto industry for a different manufacturer, but I love Vettes. My mom used to work in the factory that made the wiring harnesses and she went to Bowling Green a few times. I'm actually looking at buying a Vette myself.
#30
I would love to know and I'd really love to find it .... my grandpa dropped the body on the last vette in St. Louis...
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marshal135 (07-21-2016)
#31
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marshal135 (07-21-2016)
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marshal135 (07-21-2016)
#37
Drifting
Someone emailed a link to this old thread and asked if I could fill in some of the blanks in the story about the "Last St Louis Corvette".
I followed that car down the entire St Louis assembly line, taking pictures all through it's entire two day build, from a bare frame to a completed vehicle. Workers at just about every station on the line signed or marked the chassis or body in one way or another. My name is on the underbody side of two panels with a black magic marker. (1/4 panel and floor pan as I remember) Burroughs and I both signed/marked something on the frame but I don't remember where. I still have the original build sheet for the car. I also remember the VIN# after all these years, 31,611. (the last six digits)
The story of the Last St Louis Corvette" contains a few secrets. Maybe one day, I'll tell. (I also have the VIN # of the last Corvette to leave that building. It wasn't 31,611. Dark blue that went to Canada))
To my/our surprise, the car was not sent to a GM museum, or anyone in particular within GM. It was actually shipped to a dealer in Detroit, for sale to the general public. We learned that the car was for dealer inventory and was for sale to anyone that wanted it. A group of us (Burroughs, Dale Smith and I, and three others that I can't remember now, went together and purchased the car the next morning.
The car sat in climate controlled storage for years. Somewhere around 1983 or 84?, the car was shown at the Bowling Green event. Burroughs and I gently wiped it down but did no other cleaning. It still looked exactly the same as it did the day it was pulled from stock at the Michigan dealer. (I think it was Ed Rinke Chev?)
I don't know who owns the car today but I've heard it's still somewhere around Bloomington IL.
I followed that car down the entire St Louis assembly line, taking pictures all through it's entire two day build, from a bare frame to a completed vehicle. Workers at just about every station on the line signed or marked the chassis or body in one way or another. My name is on the underbody side of two panels with a black magic marker. (1/4 panel and floor pan as I remember) Burroughs and I both signed/marked something on the frame but I don't remember where. I still have the original build sheet for the car. I also remember the VIN# after all these years, 31,611. (the last six digits)
The story of the Last St Louis Corvette" contains a few secrets. Maybe one day, I'll tell. (I also have the VIN # of the last Corvette to leave that building. It wasn't 31,611. Dark blue that went to Canada))
To my/our surprise, the car was not sent to a GM museum, or anyone in particular within GM. It was actually shipped to a dealer in Detroit, for sale to the general public. We learned that the car was for dealer inventory and was for sale to anyone that wanted it. A group of us (Burroughs, Dale Smith and I, and three others that I can't remember now, went together and purchased the car the next morning.
The car sat in climate controlled storage for years. Somewhere around 1983 or 84?, the car was shown at the Bowling Green event. Burroughs and I gently wiped it down but did no other cleaning. It still looked exactly the same as it did the day it was pulled from stock at the Michigan dealer. (I think it was Ed Rinke Chev?)
I don't know who owns the car today but I've heard it's still somewhere around Bloomington IL.
Sunny Kilgo worked at the plant then he is making me a CD of that corvette he made that day .If you would like a copy let me know
Wes
#38
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I remember at BJ, in 2010, the last SL and first BG Corvettes were sold as a pair for charity for $150K. Here are the links:
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Event...TE-COUPE-93627
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Event...TE-COUPE-93625
Seems like the pair was for sale again not long after this, and went for less.
Yes, it sold in 2011 for $50K, lots less.
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Event...TE-COUPE-97217
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Event...TE-COUPE-93627
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Event...TE-COUPE-93625
Seems like the pair was for sale again not long after this, and went for less.
Yes, it sold in 2011 for $50K, lots less.
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Event...TE-COUPE-97217
Last edited by mikelj; 07-27-2016 at 06:12 PM.