I've just joined a few days ago and I am a new Corvette owner since about April this year. I only recently joined as I have just gotten her running after being in storage for 30+ years.

I was asked by a friend to do some research on a car being sold by the estate of the owner. My knowledge of Corvettes was rather shallow and the learning curve quite steep.
Reading through papers and by various interviews of people knowing the deceased quite a story began to unfold.

Here is a small write-up of what I found and did in these past months:


The Little ol’lady NOT from Pasadena…. (Nor Cal's South Bay- Silicon Valley)

This is the story of an extraordinary woman and an equally extraordinary automobile, her 1969 Corvette Stingray convertible.
It was the summer of 1969 a young lady very active in competitive equestrian events just turning 21 decides to purchase an automobile. She began her search for something equally sporting and spirited as her own horses she raises and rides, something unique with exceptional performance, something powerful as it is elegant, something born and bred in America.
She meets an older gentleman, the original owner. He is selling his near new car with a “special dealer installed performance option”. Most likely paying no attention to the technical jargon, it was onward to the test drive. One test drive was all it took. She was convinced this was “the one”. Soon she becomes rather well known by the neighbors and local constabulary and soon afterward the engine fails, causes unknown. Communication between buyer, seller, lawyers and the Chevrolet dealer resulted in an agreement. A second new engine was installed by the Chevrolet dealer. However this time it was understood just how “special” this performance option was and how much attention is required. Thus began her participation in organized events.
Her Corvette had left the factory in Le Mans blue and blue trim (976 paint, 411 trim) with 427/ 435hp Tri-Power, 4speed manual transmission, power steering, AM/FM radio and factory hard top in black vinyl finish. Soon after being delivered the Chevrolet dealer installed a L88 engine and necessary hood. Born a 435HP Tri-Power it has spent the majority of its life as an L88.
Some of the customizations she commissioned on her Corvette were; bolt-in roll bar, Gabriel shock absorbers, long tube headers and side exhaust pipes, competition high capacity oil pan, Mallory dual point ignition distributor and spark coil, race approved bell housing, knock-off wire wheels and smaller diameter steering wheel. As evidenced by her many small plaques she participated in various SCCA and other clubs events around the SF bay area.
By the late 1980’s the now more mature woman her competition driving interests waned, her special Corvette is parked in the family garage, lifted up onto wooden blocks and covered-up in its custom car cover. The long sleep begins.
Finally, in the summer of 2019 her special Corvette sees the light of the sun again.
After 30+ years from a great slumber the Corvette awakes roaring back to life having spent only 45,500 miles. The steps taken to awaken the legendary vehicle and its beast of an engine:
Changing spark plugs and oiling the cylinders. Changing motor oil and installing period correct vintage AC oil filter. Changing fuel pump to original AC Delco updated non-logo version (keeping the original), Inspection of fuel tank and new fuel with racing additive, new OEM master brake cylinder. The original L88 Holley carburetor was rebuilt with original Holley gaskets and seals, new air filter and hood intake seal, new battery. It was decided to replace and conserve all four original brake calipers, delay their restoration and install new direct bolt-in Willwood alloy calipers and stainless flex hoses in the interest of safety.


That was after the fact writing in the short and sweet recount. However for those who share the same disease of automobile empathy, overwhelmed by the need to bring old cars back to their former glory and constantly struggling against the elements to do so. Those elements being Time, Money, Space, Wife, Girlfriend, Job, Social Life, Sleep and Food.

Countless hours of reading online, diving through books and catalogs, going over various papers made available as they were discovered only resulted in sleepless nights before the sale. revealed was an amazing story of an immigrant family arriving in the early/mid 1930s and living the American dream became quite successful. Their only child a daughter grew-up to be an adventurous and daring young lady equestrian. Not only competing but raising and caring for horses at her home.
And as she became of age her attention turned towards that Californian automotive cult, hot rodding, customizing and of course competition.

I understood how Howard Carter must have felt as I lowered the Corvette from the wooden blocks. King Tut had been laying undisturbed for 3000 years before Carter opened the doors. That was about 30 in Corvette years.

With "my side" of the garage space cleared and the lady of the house at work a careful and precise plan was executed synchronizing a flatbed and a cargo truck with a lift gate to take everything in one fell swoop to its new location. It was a back breaking endeavor. Many boxes of spares and removed parts, books, tools, collections of nuts and bolts and brackets. And just like Carters amazement.. under the tarps there was the original spare and cover!!! The original tri power hood and intake with carbs and air filter housing. Oh Joy! I tell you - it was better than Christmas.

Oh well... cramped fingers.. maybe another installment of Corvette adventure later...

I began to understand

 

Great story!!!

Congrats and welcome!!

 

Very cool write-up. Thanks for sharing and welcome!

 

Terrific story! Welcome to Corvette Forum!

 

Welcome to the CF!

 

My favorite era with the chrome bumpers front and rear. 👍

 

Welcome to the forum. Good story and one that would be of particular interest to the C3 community. So I’m moving this to C3 General.

 

Great story!
? Will you disclose the name and disposition of that extraordinary equestrian ?

 

Welcome to Corvette Forum

 

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on a such a find! Thanks for sharing an overview of her and your history with the car!

 

What a well written piece from a newbie...if there was an award, you'd get it. Great story, FANTASTIC catch.

I have a 69 Convt. L-46....So I'm in for help.

Welcome...what a great addition.

Begs the question, with 542,000 C-3s made, how many 'gems' are still out there!

WOW! UnkaHal

ps....that flex fan has got to go! before it ends up in the L-88 Hood! (flex-fans are a band-aid for an underlying cooling problem that can be fixed).

 

Cool car, cool story.

 

Congrats

 

very nice vette,good luck and welcome to the forum.69's had "Stingray" above the coves so someone took them off and filled in the mounting holes or you might have a 68 frt clip on it.

 

That’s an awesome tale. Welcome to the CF from a fellow NorCal C3 guy. Some old pics would be the real topper for this story

 

probably your last Corvette. I can't see much of an upgrade from there. most start with a 75 or 78. later get a 71 or so. then start trying to find something really interesting.

 

Beyond cool - the woman, the story, and that amazing car.

Welcome to CF from Concord, NC.

 

Blue427...If you look carefully at the pictures...you can see that there is blue paint on the inner fenderwells...so the car has been repainted by a less than sympathetic (or lazy) painter. Looking at the very small pictures, you can also see that a certain amount of 'freestyle' was going on.
I bought my 69 in and around the time it was 'just a used Corvette'....people didn't care so greatly about originality...EVEN with an L-88.

Our lucky poster has a fantastic opportunity to bring the car back to original....which, if it was mine, I'd be wringing my hands with GLEE.

cheers Unkahal

 

Nice! Jealous of the big block, but otherwise very similar to mine.

 

Welcome to the forum. Nice story and congrats!
I don't know if you caught this in your write up, but you better hope your wife doesn't or she will be diving your new found Corvette and you will be driving a used Honda civic!

"However for those who share the same disease of automobile empathy, overwhelmed by the need to bring old cars back to their former glory and constantly struggling against the elements to do so. Those elements being Time, Money, Space, Wife, Girlfriend, Job, Social Life, Sleep and Food".