A TRUE Corvetter passes

[Fully Vetted]

I only met Jim once. He definitely left a lasting impression. Two years ago at the Gathering he loaned his shop, tools and lift to Frank Shelton so he could make a quick exhaust hanger repair on his Callaway after our drive up from Texas. What a great atmosphere he had going in that shop.

Wish I'd known you better, Jim.

RIP

[tccrab]

Today I wore my Pirate Racing Tee-Shirt in JVD's honor.
It goes back into the poster frame with all the memorabilia that he sent me of Pirate Racing. I won't wear it again.
59 is too young, much too young for the long sleep.
JVD was a bit of a Gentleman Scoundrel, he never cared a whip for what anyone else thought of him, he did what he did and asked for no excuses or explanations or forgiveness.
If he didn't like you, he didn't like you.
If he liked you, he liked you from the very first second he met you.
I was lucky that way.
We had a bond from the first time we spoke.
He was the Pirate Captain, and I was one of his Crew.
I met the Captain though a chance eBay purchase, a ZR1 labeled door sill for "Girlfriend" when he was clearing out the storage when he moved from California to Kentucky.
I remember asking some stupid question and a certain kinship just seemed to open up right from the first email.
We never met face to face, but we spoke many times on the phone and via email.
He had some stories to tell, yessir.
And he always did.
Wish I had recorded some of them.
I remember calling him when he was selling "The WeekendEndr", asking if he'd take payments. (the answer was an emphatic "No" but I had to try).
"The Captain" and I just got along, every time "Girlfriend" would hiccup and something wasn't quite right I'd call him and he'd just tell me to take her out and flog her some and see if she'd do it again.
Usually it was just my imagination and he'd always blame it on me not driving her enough.
Always good advice.
I will miss that.
I'm jealous of the people that actually worked with him, they got to see/hear him every day.
I'll bet they have some pretty good stories to tell.
"The Captain" was that way.

Your "Crew" will always miss you Captain.
Be safe and Godspeed.
I suppose I'll see you soon enough.

'Crabs

[C4Ray]

I did not know Mr. Van Dorn but my sincere condolences to his family and friends.

[Bob Eyres]

I never met Jim, but the things he accomplished contributed tremendously to the Legend of my favorite car. He was a kindred spirit, and lost way too soon.

I don't believe in heaven, but I do believe that your spirit lives on in the people who remember you, the people who's lives you touched. In that sense Jim will leave a lasting legacy of good will. That's all that the rest of us can ever hope for ourselves.

I know how I'm going to salute his memory. The next time I turn the key in my ZR-1, I'm going to find an open stretch of two lane pavement on the edge of town and let her rip. I'm not fool enough to think that he'll hear it wailing, but it sure as hell will make me feel better.

Hammer down......

[Hib Halverson]

Originally Posted by tccrab

(snip)
JVD was a bit of a Gentleman Scoundrel, he never cared a whip for what anyone else thought of him, he did what he did and asked for no excuses or explanations or forgiveness.

"Gentleman Scoundrel"...
Boy, "tccrab" you just described my friend Jim to a "T".
Great words!

At the C4 Gathering Banquet last night (Sat 17 May) Jim's three children, Erin, Jim Jr and Kristen, surprised everyone by attending. The Registry had asked me to give a tribute to Jim because I was told that the three kids really didn’t want to say anything but I talked Jim Jr. in to getting up in front of that crowd to talk about his Dad and make a presentation to the Museum of the Corvette memorabilia that Jim had planned to donate had he been there. Originally, the Registry had asked me to make the presentation, but getting Jim Jr. to do it (which I’m sure his Dad would have appreciated) ended up working out very well. I think it helped Jim Jr. and it really made the audience feel good in this time of trying to make some sense of such a tragic and sudden loss.

I was proud of Jim Jr. (don’t call him Jimmie anymore). It was tough, but he gave a really nice insight to his Dad and his families’ feelings about Jim’s closeness to the Corvette hobby.

Wow. I hadn’t seen Erin or Kristen since before Jim moved out of CA back in 03. They’ve grown to be two very pretty, poised and just really nice women.

The reason I was at the Gathering was to moderate the panel-discussion about the Record Run of 1990 the Museum scheduled for Saturday morning. On Friday, I rewrote the first five minutes of my introduction into a tribute to Jim. That worked out very well. The people attending the session appreciated it as did the panelists who all knew Jim well.

At the Gathering, the ZR-1 Net and Grand Sport Registries had already scheduled a tribute to members who had died in the last 12-months to be held Saturday just before lunch. They came to me that morning and asked if I’d make a short tribute speech during that session. That was tough because I don’t like to work “ad lib” in a situation like that obviously I wasn’t saying no. It ended up working out quite well and I actually enjoyed being able to say a few words all of Jim's Corvette friends in that environment.

There will be no services for the Corvette community other than last night at the Museum which ended-up a celebration of Jim’s connection with Corvettes and Corvette people. As Erin Van Dorn told me it may have been impromptu but since “everyone” was in town for the Gathering, it was as good a time as any to have ZR-1 and Grand Sport people reflect on the loss we all suffered, the great friend Jim was and the wonderful association he had with our hobby.

They are going to do a second event of some sort in the next week or so for Jim’s non-Corvette friends in Bowling Green and this summer, in California, they’ll do a third memorial event for Jim’s family and friends in CA.

I think Erin is monitoring Jim’s email and Jim Jr. has Jim’s mobile phone so, if you have JVD's contact info, those are a couple of ways you can contact those kids if you want.

[FU]

Saturday morning was a great tribute Hib.
I left shortly after the memorial but would have without a doubt stayed for the banquet if I knew Jims kids were on the way.

[WydGlydJim]

So this is my story...before leaving for BG I had a questionable rotor, had some small cracks that had been stable for a long time..well, I think a crack worsened, and I could feel it in the brakes, so I limped it into BG, and Jerry, myself, and everyone else just sort of said oh well, we will talk to JVD, and I know we all thought in our minds that he would take care of me.........so I mentioned it to the first person I saw, (Jeff) and he told me the news........needless to say I was shocked, but I just tell this story to just try to put even a small bit of his importance to our community in light. This is just a very very small portion, but the way we all thought he would take care of us, just says so much about him. I had only met JVD once, and I am saddened for all of you who knew him well. Hib you guys did your best to honor him, and I think you did a good job.
RIPJVD

[A26B]

Genuine, Gregarious & Generous just happen to be the first words that come to mind when I think about my friendship with Jim.

Many things come to mind when I think about what Jim was known for, events that he organized, Thunder at Stillwater and The Legend Lives, his support of our military, the cookouts that he hosted, the sheer number of people with car issues that he helped, his Pirate racing program.... and on and on. None of that filled Jim's pockets..... in fact it was just the opposite. He did it out of sincere generosity and an uncontrollable desire to contribute.

For all of Jim's gregarious mannerisms that announced his presence, he was also sensitive if his willingness to contribute was stifled. One never had to wonder if Jim had a private agenda. He was what I like to call a WYSIWYG guy, an old computer term that was short for "What You See, Is What You Get!" I liked that in Jim.

At the 25th Gathering, I was struck by the number of us that had talked to Jim in the 3 or 4 days prior to the Gathering. Jim's health was troublesome and if you knew him, you knew he was in a life altering state of pain. Those recent conversations were a blessing to us all.

Jim's legacy will live on. Even though Jim is gone,I seriously doubt that there will ever be another Gathering that he will not be present in the hearts & minds of many of us.

Here's to Jim, a friend I proudly acknowledge.

[Rex Ruby]

Only met him once, RIP Jim.

[zrmynatt]

I had the pleasure of meeting Jim several times over the years, first at the Legend Lives in Stillwater, at the 1996 Carlisle when we tried to get 500 ZR1's together, I had a oil pressure sender fail, Larry Merow was too busy to be bothered, but Jim came to the rescue, we had no tools so off to the swap meet he and I went, he found a correct plug
and a wrench that would remove the sender, this allowed me to drive back to Texas, where I got the sender replaced under warrenty. Jim would not take money, so I gave
him the wrench I bought at the swap meet. That's the type of guy Jim was, always willing
to help his fellow Corvetters. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.