I was waiting for some one else from U.K. to break the news here, but since it has not happened... Corvette Kingdom was started many years ago by Ray Groves who, after a short illness, succombed to cancer last week. In Corvette terms he was a giant of a man, who along with his son Scott built up a business which maintained a long term relationship with its customers, who invariably ended up as friends. Their business was devastated by fire some 5 years ago and Ray and Scotts efforts to rebuild it would have broken many lesser persons, but survive they did and more. Ray's passing leaves a void to be filled by Scott, which he has shown himself more than able to fill. They are rebuilding my car right now and my sig speaks for itself. The funeral is on Friday the 4th March, please keep Ray, his wife Di and Scott in your thoughts that day.

Graeme

 

It was Ray who found my Vette for me & also put me off buying cars being sold through him in favour of it. His enthusiasm for all things Vette was boundless & many is the time that he'd call me over the weekend, or late in the evening, to talk to me about C3's, both before & after I got mine. All of this time he spent was free as he wasn't going to make a penny out of it. I owe Ray a lot of gratitude for pointing me in the direction of a well looked after C3, even if it was white
He'd search long & hard for any parts I needed, no matter how insignificant or cheap, & would regularly ship me used parts FOC, whether they were interior screws to replace ones I'd lost (I put them in a place so safe that I never found them again), rear no. plate illumination lamps or vacuum headlight parts. This (expensive) hobby of ours is a lot poorer without him.
Ray was one of life's good guys (& there ain't many of them around) who always had time to talk & even more time for a laugh. My most vivid memory of him is when I went to the Nationals after I'd done a few modifications to the Vette (including what's effectively a straight through exhaust system). Knowing the lengths Ray went to in order to get the correct parts for NCRS standards, I was expecting to get some earache for modifying what was essentially a fairly stock C3. What I got was "Hi Buddy That sounds nice, want a beer?". The CCCUK website says it well: http://www.corvetteclub.org.uk/

 

I also have Ray to thank for my current C3. I called him originally for advice on a C4 I had seen and after a fairly lengthy conversation he told me about a C3 one of his customers had for sale. He explained the amount of work they had done and said I would find it difficult to find another in this shape for the money I was spending. I drove up from Kent that weekend and spent around 3-4 hours looking at the car, driving it and just talking with Ray and Scott. I placed a deposit and then arranged to pick the car up around 2 weeks later. I can honestly say that Ray really was one of the good guys and Scott is also a real honest and likeable guy.
Ray will be sadly missed and I must say that this news is truly upsetting. Thoughts and prayers to Scott and all his family