Bill Burkholder
06-04-08, 07:14 PM
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My first Corvette came directly from the pages of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, Autos for Sale
section back in 1972. I had gotten a birthday present of $25 in a “Corvette” savings account at the
local bank. I thought that gave me permission to “look” for a Vette to call my own. I located my
jewel about 3 weeks later. It had some damage to the front end, new black shag rugs, new clutch,
pressure plate, and exhaust system plus a new Honduras Maroon paint job. It needed some fixing
up but the price was right, I thought at $595 plus title and tax. I drove it home and it stayed in my
garage for the next 28 years undone.
It served as a mini gas station during the gas shortages of the 70’s. I always took a moment, over
the intervening years, to think about what color it might have been and what it would look like all
fixed up. Fast forward to 1997 while recovering from major surgery, my wife Linda, convinced me
that the time had come to get the Vette out of the garage and on the road again.
It spent the next two years or so in various shops, based on my budget, getting restored. I found
the paint color was Regal Turquoise under all that Maroon paint. There was Turquoise paint under
the dash, in the doors behind the upholstery and under the windshield frame when it was replaced
with the correct one. I’d never seen the color and wondered what it would look like painted but, I
was set on putting it back the way it came from the factory so I took the leap of faith and went
ahead and had it painted.
When I first saw it after it came from the paint booth and was ready for the buffing out of the paint I
saw the color for the very first time, what a thrill and what a sight. It had come from the old Maroon
paint job, body work and prep (down to its fiberglass skin), and back to original. It was just
beautiful.
The rest of the car was put back with the parts I’d collected over the years at many of the
Cavalcade of Corvettes hosted at various locations. I got some of the parts from newspaper ads,
and most reverently from eBay. I’m really proud of my car and it was one that didn’t get away over
the years. This year our Club will celebrate its 50th anniversary and it’s also the birthday of my car
from the General Motors assembly plant located in Saint Louis and was built on June 9, 1958.
I continue to look and find more original parts and replace the old worn parts on the car to make
the best original car that I can and it will be proudly on display again this year for the Clubs 38th
Annual Cavalcade of Corvettes show.
Be a proud member and enjoy your Corvette, Bob Lowes
My first Corvette came directly from the pages of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, Autos for Sale
section back in 1972. I had gotten a birthday present of $25 in a “Corvette” savings account at the
local bank. I thought that gave me permission to “look” for a Vette to call my own. I located my
jewel about 3 weeks later. It had some damage to the front end, new black shag rugs, new clutch,
pressure plate, and exhaust system plus a new Honduras Maroon paint job. It needed some fixing
up but the price was right, I thought at $595 plus title and tax. I drove it home and it stayed in my
garage for the next 28 years undone.
It served as a mini gas station during the gas shortages of the 70’s. I always took a moment, over
the intervening years, to think about what color it might have been and what it would look like all
fixed up. Fast forward to 1997 while recovering from major surgery, my wife Linda, convinced me
that the time had come to get the Vette out of the garage and on the road again.
It spent the next two years or so in various shops, based on my budget, getting restored. I found
the paint color was Regal Turquoise under all that Maroon paint. There was Turquoise paint under
the dash, in the doors behind the upholstery and under the windshield frame when it was replaced
with the correct one. I’d never seen the color and wondered what it would look like painted but, I
was set on putting it back the way it came from the factory so I took the leap of faith and went
ahead and had it painted.
When I first saw it after it came from the paint booth and was ready for the buffing out of the paint I
saw the color for the very first time, what a thrill and what a sight. It had come from the old Maroon
paint job, body work and prep (down to its fiberglass skin), and back to original. It was just
beautiful.
The rest of the car was put back with the parts I’d collected over the years at many of the
Cavalcade of Corvettes hosted at various locations. I got some of the parts from newspaper ads,
and most reverently from eBay. I’m really proud of my car and it was one that didn’t get away over
the years. This year our Club will celebrate its 50th anniversary and it’s also the birthday of my car
from the General Motors assembly plant located in Saint Louis and was built on June 9, 1958.
I continue to look and find more original parts and replace the old worn parts on the car to make
the best original car that I can and it will be proudly on display again this year for the Clubs 38th
Annual Cavalcade of Corvettes show.
Be a proud member and enjoy your Corvette, Bob Lowes