january 2013 ccccrruuiissiinn’’ · 2014. 12. 28. · christmas party 11 holiday lights 12-13...
TRANSCRIPT
CCCCCCRRRuuuiiisssiiinnn’’’
January 2013
Visit us online at http://www.corvetteclubofrichmond.com
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Holiday Lights at the Beach: pages 12-13
The Official Newsletter of the Corvette Club of Richmond
2 CCRuisin’ JANUARY 2013
CCR OFFICERS
PRESIDENT Paul Murman (804) 748-7695
VICE PRESIDENT Kirby Montgomery (804) 748-3173
TREASURER JR Walker (804) 779-3169
RECORDING SECRETARY Margaret Wilson (804) 588-5735
NEWSLETTER EDITOR Jeremy Welborn (804) 370-7354
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY Doris Brody (804) 744-3937
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Butch Bateman (804) 550-0769
HISTORIAN David Dolan (804) 346-5266
WEBMASTER Rob Bickert (804) 920-4092
EVENTS COORDINATOR Bob Brody (804) 405-1568
TABLE OF CONTENTS CCR Officers 2
Message from the President 3
November Meeting & Party 4
2013 Dues 4
Revs & Rumbles @ the NCM 5-6
That Steady Drip, Drip, Drip 7-8
COMING SOON Valentine's Day Brunch 9
EVENT RECAPS Trivial Challenge 10 Christmas Party 11 Holiday Lights 12-13 Christmas Parade 14 ZIP Open House 14
New Members 15
Parts for Sale 15
Celebrating Birthdays 16
Meetings & After-Party Hosts 16
2013 Calendar Highlights 17
Club T-shirts & Sweatshirts 17
Sponsors 18
Corvette Fans Pay to Be VIPs 19
3 CCRuisin’ JANUARY 2013
A Message from the President By Paul Murman, C.C.R. President
The holidays are now past and another year is upon us. The beginning of a new year is always filled with great expectations. There are resolutions we will make that we know will be broken. There are the bad times we know will come, and the good times we hope for. Finding good friends and having fun times
enhances our lifetime journey. I hope for each of you that CCR is where you can find good friends and fun times, and I wish for you that 2013 is a safe, healthy, prosperous and happy New Year.
We had an outstanding past year. The goals for 2012 were to focus on food, fun and fellowship. The 2012 Board worked hard to set an atmosphere in which the membership meetings were not just informational but were also fun. Members were encouraged to participate in the meetings and be an active part of CCR. Along with the traditional events that we look forward to every year, there were a number of new and different events that were offered and were very successful. Yes, 2012 was a good year for CCR. I want to thank the club members who OD'd an event, and I want to thank each 2012 Board member for their dedication, time given and hard work. Mission accomplished!
Another key to the success of 2012 was the major upgrade of the means of communication to the membership in both the web site and the newsletter.
Significant improvements and innovations were made to our website by Rob Bickert. Submitted pictures were quickly posted; email blasts to notify members of important information were quick, timely and relevant; new sections were created to facilitate the sale of CCR merchandise and other items; quick and accurate membership rosters were produced; there were easier access and navigation of our website; and many more improvements, too numerous to mention.
The newsletter, produced by Jeremy Welborn, was also enhanced significantly. The visual impact of the layout of the articles and pictures was outstanding. The newsletter was informative, educational and fun to read. Although Jeremy’s organizational and production skills were key to the upgrade, the timely submission of articles by members was also important to this success.
I am also very excited about the 2013 year. The membership has again elected a strong, dedicated Board with a good mix of new members and seasoned veterans. We had our first meeting in December and many outstanding ideas were suggested. Your Board has great expectations for the current year. Your participation will make it happen. Bring a friend to a meeting or event, share your thoughts and ideas, help with the projects or just help members when they are in need.
It is said that life is a journey. For me, I’d prefer to make the trip in a Corvette with my special gal by my side.
Paul Murman, 2013 CCR President
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January 11 Membership Meeting & After Party
Meeting Directions: From VA-288, take the exit for Iron Bridge Rd/VA -10 East. Turn left at the first stoplight onto Courthouse Road. Proceed approximately 6/10 of a mile. Turn right onto Government Center Parkway. Proceed approximately 3/10 of a mile. Turn left onto Lucy Corr Circle. The Wagner Building is directly in front of you. Enter through the center doors off of the circle drive.
After Party: This month’s after party will take place at Brock's Bar-B-Que. The address is 11310 Iron Bridge Road, Chester, VA 23831, less than three miles from our meeting location, just down Iron Bridge Road. The cover charge will be $15 per couple. The restaurant will also have alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Don't miss the after party!
It’s That Time of the Year!
You should have received your dues renewal notice and in the mail. Annual dues are still $25 for an individual and $35 per couple (member and spouse/significant other/child). If you joined in the last quarter of 2012 (October, November or December), you are automatically paid through 2013. If you did not receive your dues renewal notice, please contact CCR Treasurer JR Walker at [email protected] or (804) 779-3169.
If you want to mail your payment in, please make your check payable to CCR and mail to: Corvette Club of Richmond, Inc., P.O. Box 11661, Richmond, VA 23230.
There are quite a few events already planned for 2013 and it’s important to keep your membership current as the list of events continues to grow! Keep your membership up to date in the greatest Corvette club in the world!
Our next General Membership Meeting will take place on Friday, January 11, at 7:30 p.m. Many members arrive as early as 7:00 p.m. to visit in the parking lot. Feel free to come early if you aren’t in the habit of doing so. This month’s meeting will be held at the Smith-Wagner Building in the Chesterfield County Complex, 9501 Lucy Corr Circle, Chesterfield, Virginia 23832. There is plenty of parking available.
9501 Lucy Corr Circle, Chesterfield, VA 23832
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Revs & Rumbles @ the National Corvette Museum By Barry Roper, NCM Ambassador/Lifetime Member Santa came through big time, although not with a present he could fit down the chimney. Our Christmas wish was not for a pony, but rather for 436 grownup ponies. While we thought we'd been too naughty for our wish fulfillment when nothing appeared on Christmas Eve, we journeyed to the National Corvette Museum between Christmas and the New Year to take delivery of a 2013 Grand Sport coupe, black with a titanium interior. Difficult to imagine a more exciting present for any hardcore gear heads such as those who populate our CCR family.
2013's will cease at the end of February leaving the assembly line idle until the 2014's roll off in September. The accelerated time line resulted in our baby being born on December 7th (Pearl Harbor Day!) which necessitated a need for delivery to occur before year's end.
Pat and I drove a rental car through rain, sleet, snow and dark of night on the day after Christmas some 660 miles to arrive in Bowling Green Wednesday evening with delivery scheduled for 10:00 the next morning. A high school buddy and his wife who live two hours away, Gordon and Barb Germain, facilitated our turning in the rental car and accompanied us during the delivery process. Small world note: their previous next door neighbor had been Wendell Strode who is
Executive Director of the NCM. When we entered the museum, as scheduled, we were greeted by NCM staffer Larry McCool who had also done our delivery in 2008. We proceeded to view the 60th Anniversary flagged Grand Sport, displayed on Corvette Boulevard for museum visitors to examine up close and the cyber world to see via the live webcams.
We then moved to the delivery offices to complete paper transfer of the vehicle followed by placement of the NCM delivery sticker on the driver's door pillar. A comprehensive introduction to
(continued on page 6)
While our thought had been to order the car in January or February, thus assuring that we wouldn't be taking delivery until April or May (as we had done with our 2008 convertible), an email from salesman John Armentrout at Heritage Chevrolet changed the game plan. Because the 2013 Corvette model run is being abbreviated to accommodate significant changes in the plant assembly line required for the 7th generation Vette, word was that if an order for a '13 vehicle had not been placed by October 31, the plant could not guarantee that the exact configuration desired would be available. Production of
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Revs & Rumbles @ the NCM (cont’d)
Larry brought the engine to life as I rode shotgun on the way out (insurance regulations stipulate that only NCM staff members can move vehicles within the confines of the museum). Loudspeakers
announced to all NCM visitors and staff that we had taken delivery of our new Corvette and we slowly exited to the applause and cheers of the various well wishers. Once on the pavement, we drove around the entryway circle, counterclockwise, to calibrate the navigation system and compass. Finally, we parked in front of the museum to have our official photograph taken and we were then ready to depart. Pat and I bid farewell to Gordon and Barb with many thanks as we rapidly began to add miles to the 3 on the odometer.
Weather was with us as we headed to Knoxville to stay the evening and then drove home to Midlothian the following day with the GS performing flawlessly.
Happy New Year to all and let the 2013 CCR calendar of events begin!
details of the new car was next on the agenda and we poured over the vehicle discussing differences between the '08 we knew and the '13 we were coming to know. More photos ensued as we toured the museum exhibits enjoying adlib remarks and amazingly detailed commentary by the encyclopedic Larry. After some time spent in the Corvette Store, we came to the most exciting part: time to move the '13 from the display area to the world of asphalt while enjoying the rhythmic breathing of a newly minted LS3.
7 CCRuisin’ JANUARY 2013
That Steady Drip, Drip, Drip... By Butch Jones
Oil pan leaks for small block Chevrolet engines have been an issue for decades. If you ask eight people what the cause is, you will likely get eight different answers. These answers range from: they all leak, bad seals, warped oil pans, bad gaskets, cork gaskets leak, rubber gaskets leak, too much sealant and too little sealant. There have been many “fixes” for these leaks.
The standard oil pan gasket set has two rail or side gaskets, a front seal and a rear seal. A one-piece gasket is also available which is a bit easier to keep in place while
moving the pan into position to prevent leaks. While many of these answers have had some validation over the years there may be another reason for pan leaks.
across a question and answer which were new to me and maybe others in the Corvette community. It seems that when GM created the standard “service replacement” oil pan, it was designed for the 1975 and newer model engines. These “newer” engines have a thicker seal in the area on the front of the pan under the timing cover and water pump. This requires a pan front seal that is thicker in that area.
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If you have ever tried to replace an oil pan on a vintage small block Chevrolet engine, you may have found that the current crop of “service replacement” oil pans do not clear some of the oil pump pickups. This forces you to purchase a “correct” oil pan. The cost difference in the replacement and original is anywhere from $180.00 to $200.00 or more. But there’s more to the saga of oil escaping from the confines of the pan.
Some recent information came to my attention that shed some light on the subject from a different angle. In the quest to stop an elusive oil pan leak on Jeremy Welborn’s ’73, he came
Standard Gasket Set One-Piece Gasket
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That Steady Drip, Drip, Drip... (cont’d) Unfortunately there is no way to look at a “service replacement” stamped steel oil pan and determine if that is what it is. If you use a pan gasket for an early engine on the “service replacement” pan you WILL get a leak. The cause of the leak is a change in the oil pan front seal radius that Chevrolet made in 1975. When this occurred, all of the production oil pans were changed to this enlarged front seal radius. The result of this change is that it needed a thicker seal in that area. The front portion of the seal was 0.22” in pans up until 1975. All pans manufactured as original equipment and “service replacements” after that had a 0.41” seal.
When a new GM “service replacement” oil pan is purchased, it comes with the correct gasket. However, if you are not the original purchaser you may not know which gasket set to use. Fortunately there is a way to determine which oil pan you have. To determine which gasket set you need for an unknown-vintage oil pan, flip the pan upside-down on a flat surface (with no gasket) and measure from the flat surface up to the 12 o’clock position on the flat portion of the front seal surface. If it measures 2-1/4”, it takes the “thin” (0.22”) pre ’75 front seal. If it measures 2-3/8”, it takes the (0.41”) “thick” ’75-up front seal.
The thick seal oil pans are even manufactured as replacements for ’57-’62 trap door type oil pans. So check before you install the pan and prevent that dreaded steady drip, drip, drip.
Offshore aftermarket timing covers can also cause a front seal leak. The seal channel on these covers (chrome covers as well) are usually spot-welded to the cover. They are not continuously welded and leaks between the spot welds can occur. The originals were roller-welded which made them more leak-proof.
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Valentine’s Day Brunch
ODs – Gayle Murman and Peggy Maloy and Janie Hughes
Sunday, February 10, 2013 at 12:00 pm
Meadowbrook Country Club
3700 Cogbill Road
Richmond, Virginia
Cost is $25 per person
Valentine’s Day is coming soon! Plan to spend this special day with the one you love and the ones
who love Corvettes as much as you. The meal will include an omelet station, Belgian waffles,
carved ham, bacon, sausage, potatoes, various salads, fruit, muffins, pastries, and an entire table
of desserts, juices, coffee, tea, plus bottomless champagne.
Attire: Sunday dress, please
Please contact Gayle at 748-7695 for more information.
Please make your checks payable to Gayle Murman.
Please mail your check to: 3501 Wood Dale Rd., Chester, VA 23831.
Payment is due no later than February 8, 2013.
10 CCRuisin’ JANUARY 2013
Trivial Challenge: Reaching into the Gray Matter
By Val Miser
Where was the western White House? What year did Mexico City host the Olympic Games? What basketball player was credited with 23,924 rebounds? Who is smarter than the average bear? This is a sampling of the questions fielded by a small, but intrepid group of CCR members who attended the first ever CCR Trivial Challenge.
The group gathered at the lovely home of Steve and Karen Dubosky, and since everyone knows that proper intellectual functioning is dependent upon
proper nourishment, we shared drinks and a chili dinner with all the fixings before the main event. Four teams were created from a pool of talent that included Bubba and Donna Carr, Doris and Bob Brody, Karen and Steve Dubosky, Mel and Mary Belcher, Bruce and Joann Griggs, Gayle Murman, and me. Janie Hughes did a fine job of keeping this unruly group under control in her position as referee. Don Miser kept the game rolling as the official timekeeper, and Paul Murman was in his element, serving as master of ceremonies, the man with all the answers to the circa 1970 trivia questions.
I freely admit to experiencing some sense of panic when the first question was thrown out to an opposing team. What was the name of Beaver’s teacher on the television program Leave It to Beaver? I could tell you that Beaver’s parents were named June and Ward, that his brother was named Wally, and that Wally’s friends were named Eddie and Lumpy. I could even visualize Beaver’s class greeting their teacher with, “Good morning, Miss...Miss...Miss...” What in the world was that woman’s name? During my ruminations, I heard Bubba Carr call out “Miss Landers”, and I knew that I was in trouble.
Luckily for me, my team came with skills. When our team was asked, “What is a California Prayer Book?” Mary Belcher used her remarkable powers of reasoning to determine that it was a name for a deck of playing cards. Bruce, in addition to having a great range of general information, knew the answer to every sports question that came our way. Since I watched way too much T.V. as a child, I assumed that entertainment questions would be my forte. Then came the moment when we were asked “What television program had a robot that warned of approaching aliens?” I could tell you that Guy Williams played the role of the father, and June Lockhart, the mother. Billy Mumy played the son, Will Robinson, and Angela Cartwright played his sister. I could recall the theme music and remembered that the robot would call out “Danger, Will Robinson!” But what on earth was the name of the show? Finally, with a full two seconds of time left, I managed to reach down into the murky depths of my gray matter where inconsequential information from the 1970’s is stored, and pull out Lost in Space.
At the end of the evening, our team won the coveted Official Smart Ass Award, and winning team members were presented with a gift bag from Starbucks, donated by Cheryl Maddern, so that we could remain sharp in the future. By the way, if you’re wondering about the answers to any of the questions in the opening paragraph, just ask Paul. Like I said, he’s the man with all the answers.
11 CCRuisin’ JANUARY 2013
CCR Christmas Party a Festive Celebration
By Paul Murman
festive spirit. The ladies, as always, looked lovely and the men cleaned up pretty well. After some fellowship, refreshments, and snacking on the hors d’oeuvres, we were treated to another wonderful meal prepared and served by the fine staff at Meadowbrook.
The time seemed to pass quickly and soon it was time to put on our “boogie shoes” and dance to the music of The Pizzaz Band. It did not take long for the dance floor to fill. The band played all genres of music, from oldies to country and a few “line dance” numbers. Dancing skills were not a requirement as many members gave their best effort to “shake their booty.” For some reason, the socks that the lead singer wore became a big topic of conversation with one of our club members, and that is all I will say about that.
We had a very successful, fun filled year and the Christmas Party was the perfect venue to celebrate CCR for 2012. Meadowbrook Country Club once again provided an excellent atmosphere for the celebration. The members provided the fellowship, and a great time was had by all.
So tell me, where will you be the evening of December 7, 2013?
Where were you the evening of December 1, 2012? If you are a member of CCR, the odds were good that you were with your fellow club members at Meadowbrook Country Club enjoying the beginning of the Christmas Season. It was CCR’s annual Christmas party, and party we did!
Meadowbrook Country Club was beautifully decorated for the holidays, and it quickly put us in a
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"Holiday Lights at the Beach" Shines Bright
By Lori Dolan
Oh what a good time! If you weren’t there, you missed out! Our day started out with 20 Vettes meeting at the Dairy Queen staging area.
When it was time to hit the road, Joanie Raynor pulled her Vette out and blocked the right lane so that we could all get out onto Route 5 together. Oops. That move is called “impeding traffic,” as Joanie found out when a Henrico cop rode up. We found a long driveway and the caravan pulled over and waited 20 minutes while the cop wrote her up.
The rest of the ride was great. The day was clear and our route was curvy and scenic… just perfect for a Corvette caravan. We had about 75 more miles to go to get to our next stop at Susan
and Bill’s home in Suffolk. Robert and Judy Anderson, Richard Hawkins and Becky McFall from the Virginia Corvette Club (Lynchburg) would meet us in Suffolk. Once again, Susan and Bill laid out a fabulous spread for us, and it was such a mild day, we hung out around their pool and beach area. After our break, Susan and Bill led the caravan the rest of the way to the beach.
About a half hour later, we checked into the hotel. All of the rooms were ocean front with balconies with
great views of the waves, seagulls and boardwalk traffic. After we were all checked in and settled, we gathered for our caravan to Rudee's on the Inlet for dinner. This was a new restaurant for our event and the food and service couldn’t have been better. Danny and Norma did a great job finding this place for us! Again this year, Bobbi and Bill and other members from the Beachcombers Corvette Club met us for dinner and some came back to party with us at the hotel.
After dinner, many got in the long line to drive the boardwalk to view the 32 blocks of Holiday Lights at the Beach. The rest of us headed back to the hotel to get ready for our party. Dave got the music going, Linda Walker and Terry Corbin put up lights and decorations, and we set out MORE FOOD (like we needed more food!). Soon, we were dancing, playing Texas Hold’em, passing dollar bills around at the LCR table, and
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"Holiday Lights at the Beach" Shines Bright (cont’d)
knocking folks on their butts during our crazy musical chairs. I swear! Musical Chairs wasn’t THIS funny when we were kids! What a hoot!
It was getting late and the Polar Bears were ready to take their dip in the ocean, but Dean and Cheryl Maddern weren’t back from the lights tour. Dean scuba dives and wanted to join our Polar Bear Club, so we waited for him. When they finally showed up, we rushed Dean to hurry and get ready so we could hit the beach...he could party later! HA! The Polar Bears took the plunge and afterwards warmed up in the hotel’s indoor pool. Then the party continued!
The hotel offers a good complimentary breakfast, but Dave and I left without eating in order to get home in time to watch the Redskins' game (‘Skins beat the Ravens...missing breakfast was worth it!).
Once again, this was a great CCR event. If you missed it...your loss...but there’s always next year! Thank you, Susan and Bill, for your gracious hospitality. And thank you, Danny and Norma, for putting this all together for us again!
14 CCRuisin’ JANUARY 2013
Corvettes Glisten in New Kent Christmas Parade
By Barrie Deis
Although cloudy but rain free, eight members of CCR participated in the New Kent County Christmas Parade on Sunday, December 9. The members included: Bruce and Joanne Griggs, Barrie and Dianne Deis, Mel and Mary Belcher, and Steve and Karen Dubosky. In total there were 420 participants in this annual event which was attended by over one thousand spectators.
The participants included tractors, marching bands, antique cars, beautiful corvettes, a variety of local businesses, fire trucks and tractor trailer size floats. The
parade took place in Providence Forge, Virginia along a mile long stretch of Route 60.
Zip Products Open House Photo Journal
Thursday, December 13, 2013
Thank you, Zip Products, for your support!
15 CCRuisin’ JANUARY 2013
Stacy Harper Wins 50/50
Stacy Harper won the 50/50 jackpot at the November General Membership Meeting. While this month’s prize was an even 50/50 split, you never know when the next 75/25 will be announced! So be sure you buy a bunch of 50/50 tickets at every meeting. Who knows, you might be the next big winner! And, as always, the Club benefits with every ticket sold.
Parts for Sale
Dave Dolan has a 2005 Millennium Yellow Corvette for sale.
Linda Walker has a brand new, 10x20, closed storage tent for sale that has never been out of the box. She paid $275 but is asking $250 if anyone is interested.
Wayne Tilley has C5 parts for sale, including some chrome accessories and a “like new” smoke Plexiglas top.
Karin Gregor has a C5 muffler system for sale.
welcome
New MembErs
Jesse Jr. and Maridel Lee 2004 Spiral Gray Coupe
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JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
01 - Barry Waller 02 - Dot Corbin 02 - Buddy Harris 03 - Jim Chesser 03 - Stacy Harper 04 - Diane Deis 05 - SueAnn Bickert 07 - Martha Baird 07 - Jack Marshall 08 - Dewey Blake 08 - Bill Gladysz 11 - Jim Cheek 11 - Jerry Daniels 15 - Alease Foster 17 - Ernest Cross 22 - Bruce Griggs 23 - Annie Alexander 24 - Cynthia Beeson 24 - Carl Wood 28 - Margaret Wilson 30 - Donna Carr 31 - Robert Stansberry
2013 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
January 11th Southside February 8th Southside March 8th West End April 12th West End May 10th Southside June 14th Southside July 12th West End August 9th West End September 13th Southside October 11th Southside November 8th West end
2013 AFTER-PARTIES
January 11th – Brock's Bar-B-Que February 8th – OPEN
March 8th – OPEN April 12th – OPEN May 10th – OPEN June 14th – OPEN
July 12th – Kirby & Marcie Montgomery August 9th – OPEN
September 13th – OPEN October 11th – OPEN
November 8th – OPEN
January 25th is the deadline for
submissions to the February newsletter. Email your articles, announcements,
memorable moments, and classified ads to Jeremy Welborn at
17 CCRuisin’ JANUARY 2013
It’s Time to Bundle Up with CCR Winter Apparel
If you want a long sleeved CCR t-shirt, see Lori Dolan at a regular monthly meeting. She has red, white and black shirts for $20 in sizes small to extra large and sweatshirts for $25. If you need a shirt and can’t wait for a meeting, call her at 346-5266. She can meet you somewhere or she can mail a shirt to you.
As you can see, these tees have our logo on the back and our club name on the left breast.
For official club polo shirts, jackets and other apparel, contact Linda Walker.
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FOR ALL YOUR CCR APPAREL NEEDS CONTACT
Lori Dolan at (804) 346-5266 Linda Walker at (804) 779-3169
Order online from the CCR E-Store at www.corvetteclubofrichmond.com
2013 CCR Calendar Highlights
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10 – Valentine's Day Brunch, Meadowbrook Country Club
SUNDAY, MARCH 10 – Corvettes and the Jersey Boys, Norfolk
SATURDAY, MARCH 16 – Bunny Collection, Padow's Hams & Deli
SATURDAY, MARCH 23 – Bunny Run
SATURDAY, APRIL 6 – Beachcombers "Vettes on the Plaza" Car Show, Norfolk
SATURDAY, APRIL 20 – Captain Billy's Crab Cruise, Newburg, MD
SATURDAY, JUNE 1 - CCR 17th Annual Roundup
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 - Christmas Dinner Dance
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CCR is grateful to the following corporate sponsors!
Capital Liaison: Mike Todd (804) 379-6835
Zip Liaison: Ray Wells
(804) 814-0905
Luck Liaison: Tim Richmond (804) 752-6765
Heritage Liaison: Brent Tyree
(804) 796-1827
19 CCRuisin’ JANUARY 2013
Corvette Fans Pay to Be Detroit Auto Show VIPs
By Dale Jewett, AUTOWEEK
How deep does some people's passion for the Chevrolet Corvette run? Deep enough that 150 of them paid as much as $995 each, plus travel expenses to Detroit in early January, to be among the first to see the redesigned 2014 Corvette.
Those 150 fans will be in the room, along with hundreds of invited journalists from around the world, on January 13 when Chevy pulls the cover off the new C7 Corvette on the eve of the Detroit auto show. They also get a ringside seat on January 14 for the new Vette's press conference on the show floor in Cobo Center.
It's another sign of the intense anticipation for the new Corvette, the seventh full redesign in the car's 60-year history. Enthusiast magazines and websites have tracked the car's development for years, publishing spy photos of prototypes, artist renderings and speculation. Chevy has teased the new car in photos and videos at www.one13thirteen.com, a reference to the car's reveal date.
Chevy gave the passes to the reveal events to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which sits across the street from the Corvette assembly plant, to sell as a fundraiser.
When the passes went up for sale on the museum's website, www.corvettemuseum.org, they sold out within seven minutes, events manager Roc Linkov says. That's faster than sales for the museum's high-performance driving events, which typically sell out in 10 minutes. A waiting list formed, just in case any of the original buyers drop out.
After expenses, the museum will net about $40,000 from the C7 Corvette reveal program, Linkov says. The package includes bus transportation around Detroit, two nights in a luxury hotel and a private dinner with the Corvette program team.
The museum charged $995 per pass to the reveal. A pass buyer could add a guest for $205. But the total number of people for the event was limited to 150.
Participants also have to make their own travel arrangements to get to Detroit. Linkov says passes were sold to Corvette fans from across the United States and Canada.
In light of the demand, the museum asked Chevrolet for more passes but was turned down due to space limitations at the reveal venue. Chevrolet is keeping the location under wraps to avoid attracting a large crowd outside the event.
SAVE THE WAVE SAVE THE WAVE SAVE THE WAVE SAVE THE WAVE
Corvette Club of Richmond, Inc. P.O. Box 11661 Richmond, VA 23230
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Becoming a Member of the CCR
In 1960, a small group of Corvette enthusiasts began to gather together on a regular basis for fun and fellowship. The first official Club meeting took place in July of 1961. CCR is the oldest Corvette club in Virginia with membership approaching 400. To be eligible for regular membership, you must be a person of good character and own a Corvette. You must attend at least one meeting or event. If you don’t own a Corvette, an “associate membership” is available. Associates can participate in all events and functions but have no voting rights. You’ll make good friends, have fun and learn more about Corvettes. Club meetings are at 7:30 p.m. on the second Friday of each month. After the meetings, there is usually a party where you can enjoy socializing with other club members.
Annual dues are $25 for pilots or $35 for both the pilot and co-pilot (includes spouse or significant other). A membership application can be found on the CCR website: www.corvetteclubofrichmond.com.
Your membership application must be approved by both the board and the club’s membership. Acceptance may take a couple of months. After your application is received, we’ll be in touch to fill you in on the process and answer any questions you may have.