In 1994, one morning, as I browsed through the local Las Vegas paper, I stumbled upon a brief advertisement: "1961 Corvette red & white $20,000." Intrigued, I contacted an eager man who informed me that due to his ongoing divorce, he needed to sell off some personal items—including this vehicle. That same afternoon, I went to take a closer look. While the Corvette showed signs of wear with gaps near the front cowl and non-original parts under the hood, along with various quirks like rattling noises and minor electrical issues, something about driving it made me fall instantly in love. The following day, after heading to the bank right outside my workplace to secure a $20,000 cashier’s check, I reached out to arrange pickup—my new treasure waiting just around the corner.
During my 31-year relationship with my Vette, I have made some improvements. I had the front end of the body repaired so that the cowl and the hood matched perfectly, and the front half of the car was completely repainted. I replaced the awful bias-ply tires and drum brakes that made the car scary to drive with disc brakes, alloy wheels, and radial tires. An electronic fuel injection unit replaced the cantankerous twin four-barrel carburetors, and the old unreliable generator was swapped for an alternator. I also eventually chased away all the rattles and electrical gremlins.
Once the car was set up, I started using it frequently. I took it on multiple transcontinental trips, such as one to Decatur, Illinois, for a Solid Axle Corvette Club gathering and another to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The vehicle has participated in numerous parades and car exhibitions, and we continue to bring it out at local cruise events. Throughout the years, various automobiles have occupied my garage, yet there’s consistently been room reserved for my Corvette.
This tale initially surfaced in the March/April 2025 edition of Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Join the club To get our acclaimed magazine and gain exclusive entry to car-related events, along with benefits like discounts and emergency road service, among others.
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