ZR-1 Net Registry Forums - A True Car Guy

From Lawrence J. Giberson - August 09, 2012 10:00 AM
http://www.amosauto.com/Articles/Cor...a-true-car-guy
FULL STORY ON LINK ABOVE

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The factory fresh 1960 Corvette dressed in stunning Tasco Turquoise Metallic sat on the dealership floor in Alexandria, Virginia. It was the flagship of the small Chevrolet dealership and commanded center stage.

Standing outside the showroom, a 10-year-old, wide-eyed boy stared intently and took in every detail of the sleek vehicle. He studied and counted each tooth of the grille, the sloping line of the cove, the cool white color of the coves trimmed in gleaming chrome and the tailpipe exiting through the chrome rear bumper. The fiberglass beauty in the showroom had cast her magical web of fascination and caught another victim. This event was seared into the young boy’s memory.

The story moves to Aquia, Virginia, 50 years later. Walking out the front door of his ranch-style house, a smiling gentleman says, “Good morning, I’m Mike Shepherd and it’s a pleasure to meet you … give me a few seconds and I’ll open up the garage doors.”

The man quickly disappeared inside the house. With the doors fully open, Mike turned on the lights in his garagemahal to reveal the brilliant colors of a stunning collection of Corvettes. The small boy fascinated with a single Corvette back in 1960 had grown up to be a successful businessman who now had his own collection of 18 Corvettes.

Mike’s collection is a fascinating review of style, speed and beauty. There are award plaques on every wall, and an impressive gathering of solid-axle Corvettes, mid-year Sting Rays and chrome bumper models highlighting the creative design styles of the GM design department. Mike’s oldest Corvette treasure is a 1956 beauty, Cascade Green with beige cove. It is Mike’s little hot rod with a ZZ4 motor, disc brakes and A/C. He utilizes it in the late fall to deliver Christmas trees for his local Lions Club, when the northern Virginia roads are free of ice and snow.

Although very different from the rest, the last four Corvettes are as impressive as the first 14. With its long sloping hood, sinister grin and arched fender peaks, a 1969 Stingray convertible in Daytona Yellow paint is a sharp contrast to earlier designs. It’s equipped with a 427/435 big block that fires right up. The only C4 that Mike will have in his collection is a red-on-red 1994 ZR-1 with 24,000 original miles.

In 50 years, a little boy’s life has changed, but Mike had changed the lives of others for the better and, in the journey, created new memories he and others will never forget.

http://www.amosauto.com/Articles/Cor...a-true-car-guy
FULL STORY ON LINK ABOVE