Thursday, May 29, 2014

DeLongs Donate Second Corvette

Jack and Dor DeLong are more than friends to the National Corvette Museum, they are family. They come to Bowling Green often to visit their Museum family, and participate in many of Museum in Motion events as well.  They are Museum Lifetime Members who have made donations, bought bricks and “purchased” three acres in support the NCM Motorsports Park. A club ambassador and writer, Jack is always promoting the Corvette lifestyle and documenting his adventures with his wife and his Corvette family. With both of them, it is all about making and sharing special memories, so it was no surprise when they decided to take Museum delivery of their new C7 Corvette and donate their 1992 Corvette to the Museum at the same time. 

“This car is a special car to Dor and I,” Jack says with a smile on his face and glistening eyes. “It was a gift that we gave to ourselves when we reached a point in life where we could really enjoy it. It was the first car we ever took to the Museum, and the first car that we took back to its birthplace at the Assembly Plant. We put many thousands of miles on this car going to countless NASCAR races, club events, and road tours, making memories every mile along the way.”

As much as he loves his other Corvettes, when the C7 Corvette came out Jack was already thinking of the memories that could be made in it. To sell Dor on the idea, he parked their C6 next to one. Dor couldn’t resist walking around it.  “I looked at it and loved it. Especially the back end,” she said. “I told him right then to go get one.” Together they specked it out and decided to take the R8C delivery option at the Museum.

On May 27, 2014, with their Corvette family watching from all over the country on the Museum's web cams, Delivery Team Member Doug Johnson dropped the fob to the C7 in Dor’s open hands, while Jack dropped the keys of their 1992 into Museum Executive Director Wendell Strode’s hand. Surrounded by guests and staff who were smiling, clapping and cheering, another memory was made.

This is the second time the DeLongs have donated a Corvette to the Museum, the first being a few years ago when they delivered their 1988 Blue Metallic Vette.

Thank you Jack and Dor for donating another Corvette to the Museum and for taking delivery of your new one with us. We are so glad that you are a part of our family.

For information on how you can donate your car to the National Corvette Museum, go to: corvettemuseum.org/donations/autos.shtml

For information on taking delivery of your Corvette at the Museum go to: corvettemuseum.org/ncm_delivery/

To learn more about including the Museum in your estate planning email us at: giving@corvettemuseum.org

Thursday, May 8, 2014

The Story of the 1962: David Donoho's Donated Vette

David Donoho was a die-hard Corvette enthusiast, developing an infatuation from a young age and even saving up enough money to buy his first – a brand new 1962 – when he was in high school.  David was so obsessed, in fact, that he earned the nickname “The Weather Man” because his friends would tease him about how closely he would watch the weather, and quickly take his Corvette home when there was a chance of rain.

David loved the car and had a kindred spirit towards the car… so when it came time to make plans for his estate he knew he wanted it to go to a loving home where it would be respected and cared for.  “David didn’t want it sold; he wanted it to remain well maintained by those who would protect it,” said longtime friend and attorney Beth Sease.  Beth had suggested David consider donating his prized vehicle to the National Corvette Museum.  “Wendell [Strode, Executive Director] visited and developed a relationship with David.  Wendell assured David that the Museum would preserve it according to his wishes.”

“David was an unassuming and simple man,” said Beth.  She added that as a long time blue-collar worker, David saved his money and invested it wisely to have the funds to support his Corvette hobby.  David was the proud owner of four Corvettes in his lifetime – a 1987, 2001 and 2006 (in addition to the 1962) and all were garage kept.  He personally cared for the cars and only had people he trusted do work on them.

As David’s health prevented him from being able to get out and enjoy the car, Beth encouraged him to donate his 1962 before his passing to reap maximum donation and tax benefits.  The car is black with red interior and mostly in its original condition – with the exception of the convertible top being replaced with a hard top.  In 2011, David turned over the keys to his beloved car – a car he had owned all of its life… just over 50 years.  Beth says that turning the car over to the museum seemed to be the best thing to benefit David and preserve his memory.

After various health issues, David passed on June 6, 2013 at the age of 76.  In his will he left another gift to the museum… funds to care for his car.  “David’s cash gift will help us ensure that his car is maintained in a way that would please him,” said Wendell.  “To be gifted a Corvette that has had only one owner and been kept in such great condition all these years is rare.”

On February 12, 2014 Mother Nature struck the Corvette Museum, taking David’s prized car several feet down into a sinkhole.  Luckily, the Corvette was one of the last to fall in and suffered minor damage in comparison to the others.  GM’s Design Center in Warren, MI will be overseeing the restoration of the car.  “While it breaks our heart that this happened to David’s car, we know that it will be in good hands with GM overseeing the repairs.  Several experts from the National Corvette Restorers Society have also reached out to offer their expertise,” said Wendell.  “We look forward to getting the car repaired and back to its former glory.”