Museum Gifted 35th Anniversary Corvette

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 35^th 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 35^th 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 35^th 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.

National Corvette Museum joins the Bloomington Gold Great Hall

Museum chosen to be one of 10 inducted into the Great Hall for 2014

Bloomington Gold has announced their list of 2014 “Great Hall” inductees with the National Corvette Museum being one of ten to earn the recognition this year. The Great Hall was established in 2010 by Bloomington Gold as a five-year project to honor the 50 most influential people, cars and organizations that have had a pioneering influence on the Corvette world.

The National Corvette Museum has pioneered several events that have had a significant impact on the Corvette world-- one being the Corvette Caravan. The Corvette Caravan has been called the biggest moving event in the world. Every five years, thousands of Corvettes stream to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to gather at the National Corvette Museum, giving all of the cities that they pass through a chance to see Corvettes from all generations as well as a glimpse at the Corvette lifestyle in action.

Other programs and events of note include the Delivery Program, where buyers can pick up their new Corvette at the Museum after getting tours of the GM Corvette Assembly Plant and the National Corvette Museum. Their family and friends can watch them as they depart “Corvette Boulevard,” making the trip down “Victory Lane” and across the finish line made from bricks salvaged from the Flint, Michigan Plant, where the first Corvettes were built.

Since the Corvette Museum opened in 1994, out of the love and devotion of Corvette owners, it has expanded in size from 47,000 square feet to 115,000 square feet in order to make room for even more displays and bigger events.

The Museum’s current project is the Motorsports Park where they will provide Corvette owners with a place to enjoy a myriad of driving activities. High Performance Driving Events (HPDE) will give enthusiasts a safe place to more fully experience the capability of their car and learn the skills that will help them on the track and the street.

The Motorsports Park will also be a place for teen driver safety classes and potentially for law enforcement training as well. The Corvette Racing team is already calling it their “home track” and plan to do testing there, allowing the general public and Corvette community to watch them do their work.

“This is a big honor for the Museum, and we pledge to do our best to live up to the standards of this prestigious recognition from Bloomington Gold,” said Museum Executive Director Wendell Strode.  The official induction ceremony will take place as part of the Bloomington Gold event, June 27-29, 2014 on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, IL.  The National Corvette Museum will be on-site offering Corvette Store merchandise and NCM Insurance quotes and information.  Learn more about their event online at www.bloomingtongold.com.