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| Rick and Deb Seymour with the 1988 35th Anniversary Corvette |
It was 1988. The Seymours were in their early 30s and
already owners of a 1985 Corvette. After seeing the new 35th
Anniversary Edition on the cover of Vette Vues magazine they started to think
about upgrading their Corvette to a newer model. “At first, our dealer didn’t
think he was going to be able to get one of the special limited editions,”
recalls Rick. But then the phone call came that they did indeed score one. “It
was May 28 and we decided to go to the dealership to see it,” says Rick. “We
walked into the showroom, and that was it.” The Seymours told the dealer they
wanted it, to rope it off and they would be back for the car. “Our car payment
was more than our house payment,” laughs Deb.
It doesn’t take long to understand why the Seymours get emotional
when talking about the car. It was driven just a little here and there (racking
up only 380 miles), and it was pampered, never being washed with a hose, except
for when the wheels and tires needed cleaning. It is all original except for
the battery, and gloves even kept body oil from making their way onto the
steering wheel. “You might consider it a little nutty,” Rick chuckles. We
reassured Rick that, while few in number, we do have a couple of cars with the
plastic still covering the interior. But overall, this car is unlike most. It
is a true Museum quality show piece in the same condition it was in when it
rolled off the line. A well preserved example of those 2,050 35th
Anniversary Corvettes made for 1988. The quality of the car’s condition would not
go unnoticed.
When Bloomington Gold moved to the Seymour’s hometown of
Champaign, IL they knew it was time to get the car certified. “We shipped the
car in an enclosed trailer, and turned the trip into a wonderful celebration,”
remembers Deb. “Lots of friends and family came to see the car get certified.”
The car earned Bloomington Gold,
Survivor and Benchmark Certifications before being returned home to Garden
City, ID.
It was a 2006 trip to Bowling Green that convinced Lifetime
Museum Members Rick and Deb that their baby should eventually return “home” to
Kentucky. The couple participated in a R8C Corvette Delivery, picking up their
new 2006 Z06 at the Museum and touring the GM plant, even getting to start up a
car fresh off the assembly line. “That trip convinced us that this is our car’s
home,” said Deb.
The couple had put the 1988 in their will for the Museum,
but after reading that the Museum was seeking a 35th Anniversary
Corvette for display, decided that now might be the time to go ahead and donate
it. “After it was certified, all it did
was sit on a rack, covered,” explains Deb. “We decided we might as well donate
it while we are still alive so we can come see it, and others can see it.”
The car was again loaded onto a transporter and shipped to
Bowling Green, arriving at the Museum at the end of July. “This is a big part
of our lives,” says Deb. “The opportunity to share it with so many people is
just the best thing that could happen to us.”
Thank you to Richard and Debra for entrusting your beautiful
piece of history to the Museum. The Corvette is now featured in the Skydome as
part of an Anniversary and Special Edition display and is sure to be enjoyed by
many visitors for years to come.
