Everyone has a story
Every member of the loyal legion of Corvette owners seems to have a Corvette story. People often remember the first time they saw a Corvette or took a ride in one, just as they recall where they were during a major historical event.
William Jefferson of Florence, Ala., was 12 when he got his first ride in a 1953 Corvette. "I was hitchhiking outside of Indianapolis when this guy picked me up. I had read about the Corvette and knew how rare they were in 1953. I thought it was the coolest thing."
Jefferson bought his first Corvette, a 1960 model, at age 17. Now 71, Jefferson went on to purchase 28 Corvettes. His current Corvette is a 2003 50th Anniversary Edition.
Gerry Smith of Bend, Ore., remembers the first time he saw a Corvette. "I was in high school in Ocean City, Md. I saw this Corvette go by with three or four people in the car just whooping it up and happy as can be. I thought that was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen."
In 1966, when Smith graduated from West Point, he bought a 1966 Corvette. It was a maroon convertible with a black interior. He remembers taking it to Germany when he was assigned to active duty there and causing quite a stir when he drove his Corvette to a Formula One race at the Nurburgring.
Most Germans had never seen a Corvette. "I had parked next to a Lamborghini Miura at the track, and when I returned there was this big crowd around my car. I thought it was for the Miura, but instead it was for my Corvette."
When Holt Davis of Artesia, N.M., first saw a 1963 split-window Sting Ray, he thought, "Wow." Davis is now on his 10th Corvette and still owns four of his original cars. "The Corvette shows that Chevrolet can build a world-class sports car that sells for less than similar sports cars," Davis says.