My Corvette journey started in 1973 when I decided it was time to upgrade my 1970 Camaro to a 1973 Z28. My friend David Hepburn the Advertising manager for GM Canada agreed to order the Z28 for me at cost but before he did tried to convince me all the advantages of a Corvette instead. The fibreglass body and lack of depreciation was really what sold me so I went ahead and ordered a 1973 Yellow Corvette Coupe with a stick. I paid dealer cost which was $6,100 out the door which was only $600 more than the Z28.
Over the next few months I convinced a few friends to do the same and soon decided if they were not depreciating I should do it again. My friend Dave once again put the order in and true to his word I was able to sell my 1973 for exactly what I paid for it and as the new one was $6,374 drove away with a new Corvette for $274.00.
That led to a string of nine C3’s ending with a 1982 Collector Edition. Almost every single one was profitable and often by a few thousand dollars. When the 1984 C4 was announced I bought one on the first day off the showroom floor and of course sold my 1982 for the same price I had paid for it.
And so my Corvette journey continued with other generations usually having two of each with a 1958 thrown in as a restoration project.
In 1976 while buying parts at Ontario Motor Sales in Oshawa I got wind of a Corvette Club so was at the initial meeting and became member #1 of the Pine Ridge Corvette Club. Tours, trips, events, conventions and board positions kept me very involved until moving to the Niagara area and joining the Niagara Corvette Club in 1997.
The Niagara Corvette Club has been not just a car club but a place to meet lifelong friends. Many trips across North America and Europe have resulted, and even some vacations involving fellow NCC members.
And to think this all started over 50 years ago!
