HOW I BECAME A CORVETTE FANATIC

As a young boy I grew up around a filling station and observed many a car.  I started around the time I was 7-8 years old until I was around 30 years old.

Joe -n- Lisa, of His -n- Her Corvettes

There were always car buff’s hanging around there.  I remember a ’47 Ford coup w/406, 4-speed; a ’49 Mercury with 389 tri-power. 4-speed; a ’55 Chevy hard-top; and numerous high performance Dodges and Plymouths.  What really got my attention was a yellow, ’67 Corvette convertible, black interior, and 4-speed; when one day a customer of my Dad’s filling station called and said he was in jail.  He was a construction worker and was from out of town.  His bond was $3,000.00 and he asked my Dad if he could loan him the money and he could hold the title of his corvette for collateral.  His corvette was a ’65 Nassau, blue with white interior, convertible, and a 4-speed.  So sure enough they made the deal and I got to drive it and keep it clean hoping the he wouldn’t come back after it.  On the last day he returned and paid back the money, took his car and left me with the “vette” fever forever.

Then came a ’68, convertible, 327, 4-speed; a ’71, 454 T-top; a ’69, T-top coupe 350, ’75 red/black coupe; and then I decided to take the plunge to order a new one.  In October 1978 I went to the local Chevy dealer to order a ’78 SA Edition but was told it would have to be a ’79 as the model change was already in effect.  So I ordered a ’79 red/oyster interior, 350, L82, automatic, with both sets of T-tops, and loaded.  I was told it would be about eight weeks for delivery.  So I sold my ’75 in the mist of the winter and waited and waited.  Three months passed and still no “vette”.  Five months passed and still no “vette”.  I went to the dealer and  they had a red/black, ’79, loaded.  I asked if that was my new “vette”.  The dealer said no, that a doctor had ordered it and it was going to Germany.  I asked about mine and they said it was not been made yet.  It was April-May and car shows were starting and no “vette”.  I happened to be in Evansville one day and knew a salesman at a Chevy dealer so I went and asked him how I could check on the status of my “vette” order.  He gave me the number to the St. Louis plant so I called them.  I was told that they did not have an order number in their system for my “vette” so I asked them how I could find out where my “vette” went.  They said for me to call the local, area representative and he could help.  I called him and was surprised to find out that my order had been cancelled.  I said what!!!!  I’ve been waiting since November of ’78 for this car!  Boy was I upset!  Here I had all this paperwork tied to a car that I wasn’t going to get.  I continued to talk to the rep he said “If I can still get the car made, do you still want it”?  Of course I said yes.  He told me to call him back in one week and he would tell me if he could get it.  One week later I called and was told my car would be delivered on June 21, 1979 but there had been a price increase since I placed my order in November.  Since I had my price quote sheet and an order confirmation number I didn’t have to pay the price increase.  Sure enough when June 21st came it arrived.  Boy was I happy.  I kept the car 20 years and only put 19,979 miles on it.  I then got the fever for another one and purchased a red/black, ’92 convertible, two years old, 18,000 miles, and what a car.  I decided to inquire to see if anyone would be interested in the ’79 and ran an ad in the classifieds with a price higher than I thought anyone would pay.  To my surprise I got an offer and couldn’t back out.  I learned a valuable lesson; never price anything you don’t want to sell.
I am now looking for another one but not sure what I really want.

Good things came from owning the corvettes as I’ve met numerous good “vette” people and one I cherish a lot is Gordon Killebrew.  He inspired me to get into the corvette parts and repair.  He showed me hot to repair power antennas, 84-96 headlight motors, and has been a great friend.  When I’m lost on a “vette” problem I can’t solve, I call Gordon for help.

So this is the story of how I got to be a Corvette fanatic…..

Joe Adkins
His-N-Her-Covettes