A TRUE Corvetter passes

[Hib Halverson]

I am sad to report that my friend, Jim Van Dorn, has died.

My God, what a shock and a loss.

Jim was known to many in the Corvette hobby as a friend, one of the earliest members of the original ZR-1 Registry, organizer of a number of ZR-1 events in the early years of that part of the hobby, a Corvette service shop owner with a big heart and a willing hand to help any Corvetter in need, the original “Pirate” of “Pirate Racing, outspoken commentator of all things Vette both on the Internet and in print, the guy who put on those great BBQ’s during NCM event weekends, an absolute authority on the C4 ZR-1, Father of three wonderful kids and generally, a damn fine individual.

I was honored to have been his friend for more than 20 years.

In one of life’s cruel ironies, at age 59, Jim died in his sleep, during night of 13-14 May, on the eve of the National Corvette Museum's "C4 Gathering" weekend. Twenty years ago, he organized the “Legend Lives” event at the NCM which began the tradition of a weekend event for C4 ZR-1 owners. Over two decades, what Jim started grew into a three-day event for all C4 enthusiasts, jointly sponsored by the ZR-1 Net and Grand Sport Registries.

My friend, Jim Van Dorn, will be greatly missed by his children, Jim Jr., Erin and Kristen and by all of us in the Corvette hobby who greatly valued his friendship.

Let’s all take a moment...







….then raise our glasses–raise ‘em real high, people–to “The old Pirate”, Jim Van Dorn.


Indeed, the Legend lives”, Van Dorn, and you had a part in keeping it alive!