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The World’s First Corvette Club Celebrating our 64th Anniversary Year June 2020 Photograph taken by Member Frank Ferrell at the 2010 Corvettes of Carlisle parade. On the left is the Cunningham #3 class winning Corvette from the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans fifty years later. Driving is Lance Miller. In the passenger seat is John Fitch who drove the car for the win in 1960. The fiftieth anniversary commemorative Le Mans C6 Z06 on the right was purchased by Rick Hendrick.

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Page 1: The World ’s First Corvette Club · Sport Chevrolet - 3101 Automobile Blvd., Silver Spring, MD 20904 Bring your Corvette in to Sport Chevrolet for a do-it-yourself shop night. Sport

The World’s First Corvette Club  Celebrating our 64th Anniversary Year

June 2020

Photograph taken by Member Frank Ferrell at the 2010 Corvettes of Carlisle parade. On the left is the Cunningham #3 class winning Corvette from the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans fifty years later. Driving is Lance Miller. In the passenger seat is John Fitch who drove the car for the win in 1960. The fiftieth anniversary commemorative Le Mans C6 Z06 on the right was purchased by Rick Hendrick.

Page 2: The World ’s First Corvette Club · Sport Chevrolet - 3101 Automobile Blvd., Silver Spring, MD 20904 Bring your Corvette in to Sport Chevrolet for a do-it-yourself shop night. Sport

The Corvette Courier June 2020 ToC

Table of Contents

President’s Perspective 1

Upcoming Events & Reminders 2 CCA COVID-19 Statement 3

Corvette Ramblings 4

Competition Report 10

High Performance Driving Events 11 Chin at VIR - June 2020 11 Chin at National Corvette Museum MSP - June 6-7, 2020 17 Tracking Schedule 21 Want to try your car out on the track? 21

Membership Update 22

National Corvette Museum Report 23

The CCA’s Other Member in the 1960 Le Mans 24 Hour Race 27

Status Update on Bette da Vette 33

Replace your worn leather seats in 10 days or MORE! 43

For Sale 46 1999 C5 Corvette 46 Free “For Sale” Items 48

About the Corvette Club of America 49 Board of Directors 49 Non-Board Positions 49 Newsletter Mailing Address 49 History (1956-2020) 50 Charities 50 Sponsors 51

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 1

President’s Perspective  

Jim Streight - President [email protected] - 240-839-1935

“The winner ain't the one with the best car; it's the one who refuses to lose.” Dale Earnhardt

WOW It seems like forever since I have participated in a Corvette /car event. Our CCA 2020 club calendar was packed with events every week. Racing, shows, socials, cruises, tech sessions. Something for everyone and then some. About now, our club members should have been in the final stages of preparing for our world famous annual CCA car show. Every year this event seems to get bigger and better and is a must attend in the MD, VA, DC Corvette community. Plus, we are able to support some very worthy charities. Hopefully, we will be able to still make it our annual show and remaining events happen sometime later this year.

A first happened last month. We had our first ever board meeting via online webinar. It was very successful and was great seeing everyone’s faces again. Starting in the near future, we will most likely be able to have members view the meeting live. The system can handle up to 100 people. If social distancing sticks around through the summer, we also discussed the possibility of just the board convening at our normal meeting place and allowing members to participate live online. Stay tuned….

If you have any ideas for future events you think we might pursue, please don’t hesitate to contact any of us on the Board. We welcome and appreciate your input.

The club is a wonderful place because of its members. It was once said “You come for the car, but you stay for the people.” It’s true and you’ll learn why once you attend our events and meet the people!

Hope to see you soon

Jim

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 2

Upcoming Events & Reminders  

Devin Streight - Events Coordination Director [email protected] - 240-468-8190

www.vette-club.org/events

July Business Meeting (Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM) This will be an online meeting and will be open to all club members. An e-mail with the link to join the meeting will be sent to members a week in advance. www.vette-club.org/events/356/

July Shop Night (Tuesday, July 28, 2020, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM) Sport Chevrolet - 3101 Automobile Blvd., Silver Spring, MD 20904 Bring your Corvette in to Sport Chevrolet for a do-it-yourself shop night. Sport Chevrolet allows us to use their vehicle lifts; however, you must bring your own tools, fluids, etc. Arrive by 7:30 PM. www.vette-club.org/events/368/

CCA at Corvettes at Carlisle (Thursday-Sunday, August 27-30, 2020) Carlisle Events - 1000 Bryn Mawr Rd., Carlisle, PA 17013 The CCA has reserved a tent on the Fun Field and needs at least 25 Corvettes to represent the club. You must buy tickets for the "2020 Corvettes at Carlisle Fun Field" and select "CORVETTE CLUB OF AMERICA" in the Corvette Club drop-down box when you register. Register before July 13 for a 10% discount and before July 27 at the latest. Each ticket includes weekend admission for two people and a chance to win a celebrity pick award. Buy Tickets: store.carlisleevents.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=2020%2D024 More information & RSVP: www.vette-club.org/events/347/

ChinTrackDays at Summit Point Cruise-In (Sat. & Sun., August 29-30, 2020, 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM) Summit Point Motorsports Park - 201 Motorsports Park Circle, Summit Point, WV 25446 Have you ever wondered what a High Performance Driver Education event is all about? Well here is your chance. Chin Track Days is coming to Summit Point Motorsports Park in WV and you are invited to come check it out. Several of our members will be participating at this event. Parade laps and hot laps (ride-alongs) will be offered to CCA members who RSVP. More information & RSVP: www.vette-club.org/events/380/ Register to drive through ChinTrackDays: chintrackdays.com/subevent.aspx?q=B8WaxHvr9Gc%3d

Event Planning If you have suggestions for other events or are interested in planning your own event, see: www.vette-club.org/event-planning

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 3

CCA COVID-19 Statement  

Last updated: June 18, 2020

The CCA is adhering to state and federal recommendations as well as following CDC guidelines for limiting exposure and preventing the spread of the coronavirus which causes COVID-19. Maryland, Virginia, and DC have all declared a state of emergency, most events are cancelled or postponed, and schools, universities, as well as places of business, dining, and entertainment are all closed. Accordingly, the CCA is following suit and has canceled or postponed all social gatherings until at least the end of June. Unfortunately, this means canceling, rescheduling, or modifying events that have already been planned, as well as postponing the planning of future events. Going forward, we aim to provide notice of a cancellation at least a week in advance, but due to the rapidly changing situation we may need to cancel events with shorter notice.

The following events have been cancelled, rescheduled, or modified: ● ( Rescheduled ) Saturday, March 21, 2020 - SuperSebring 2020 Race Watch Party

○ IMSA released a statement rescheduling the race for November 11-14, 2020 ○ This event may be rescheduled to November 14, 2020 pending restaurant availability

and IMSA’s final decision ● ( Rescheduled ) Sunday, April 5, 2020 - Double Autocross 1

○ Rescheduled to Sunday, October 4, 2020 ● ( Canceled ) Sunday, June 28, 2020 - Double Autocross 3

○ BWI has suspended our contracted use of the lot until further notice - this event will not be rescheduled

● ( Rescheduled ) Sunday, July 12, 2020 - 47th Annual Car Show ○ This event may be rescheduled to the fall, but no date has been set

● ( Modified ) Tuesday, July 14, 2020 - Business Meeting ○ Will be an online meeting open to all members. Link sent by e-mail a week in advance.

● ( Rescheduled ) Saturday & Sunday, August 8-9, 2020 - ChinTrackDays at Summit Point Main ○ Rescheduled to Saturday & Sunday, August 29-30, 2020

The general CDC recommendations are to limit close-quarter gatherings to ten or fewer people, avoid personal contact, wear a face mask, remain at least six feet apart, and practice good personal hygiene to include proper hand washing and/or use of hand sanitizer. Please stay home if you or anyone you have been in close contact with has the symptoms of COVID-19: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html See the CDC’s recommendations to prevent illness: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention.html See the CCA website for the latest update: www.vette-club.org/news/2020-03-c/

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 4

Corvette Ramblings  

Jon Thorn - Corvette Courier Editor [email protected] - 301-963-4864

This has been a year like no other - and we are only half way through it. It is June and, as Corvette Fans, we are supposed to have been focused on Le Mans. Without even getting into any of our personal stories it has been a difficult year for the Corvette community and in particular our club. We are not alone. Corvette Racing broke a 20 year history of participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It will not be in 2020. That’s an indication of what things have been like in this pandemic world.

Down here at the local level, autocrossing has been very successful for the CCA over the past several years. It provided most of our club income. It grew over time to the point where we had moved up to the lot at the Baltimore Washington International Airport. We were blessed with excellent volunteer support for the events. We had excellent community support since we made the events open to anyone, members or not. We offered classes and instruction and advice. We ran safe, profitable events. We tried to make it easy on the occasional participant by renting out helmets. It was certainly not like IMSA or Corvette Racing. However, we had our own growing fan base. But no events so far this year. The situation remains far from normal.

Trying to just keep the newsletter going is not easy with ever fewer things to talk about. Fortunately the newsletter has a long history and its own list of supporters. Like the rest of the club it is a team effort. Since June is here, I’ll still focus my Ramblings on the ultimate sports car endurance race.

I owe sincere thanks to member Frank Ferrell for his photo of the #3 car that won the much coveted spot on the cover page of the CCA Corvette Courier this month. That car was one of four Corvettes entered in 1960 to run at Le Mans for the first time. In the passenger seat is John Fitch the driver of the class winning #3 Corvette in 1960. The #2 car on the Briggs Cunningham team had the distinction of being driven by two members of the Corvette Club of America. Dr. Dick Thompson, of course, became the most well known as the Flying Dentist. But there is quite a story that goes along with the second driver, Fred Windridge. I’ve included a short article on him later in this issue to keep the 24 Hours of Le Mans thread going as much as possible this month. Frank stated that the photo he captured is one of his favorites. No argument from me. If you have a favorite photo, I am always looking for winners in the contest we announced at the beginning of the year long before we knew how this year would turn out. Send me a couple of candidates. Your picture could end up on our cover page, too.

Maybe just a touch of looking back would help us feel better this year. They say history repeats itself. Maybe it will happen again. Just three years ago this month, in 2017, we made a club trip to the NCM

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 5

to watch the Le Mans race that year in the Corvette Theater. Here are a few photos from the trip as a reminder.

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 6

My wife, Evelyn, with member Paul Vale pointing to the club name in the One Acre list of contributors to the Motorsports Park.

Dr. Dick Thompson’s banner (center, bottom) at the NCM Hall of Fame.

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 7

The NCM Corvette Theater in 2017 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

As we all know this year is different. Corvette Racing has withdrawn from the “real” 24 Hours race now scheduled for September. It ends a 20 year unbroken string of entries. The massive rescheduling of the IMSA season made the logistics of being in Le Mans this year impossible. Yet, the Le Mans 24 Hour was held, as always, on the normal weekend in June. Corvette Racing was represented with two cars. The race did run 24 hours. There were winners and losers. But “normal” ends here. The race was completely virtual. It was run inside a set of computer servers. Race headquarters was in Paris this time with teams and drivers at computers spread around the world rather than in Le Mans. It was truly different.

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 8

For Corvette Racing the #63 car driver team pros included Jordan Taylor, and Nicky Catsburg and the sim racers included Alex Voss and Laurin Heinrich both from Germany. The #64 driver team included pros Tommy Milner and Jan Magnussen and the sim racers were Dennis Lind and Alen Terzic. Car #64 finished the race in 4th place while #63 finished in 6th place in the 50 car field.

If you would like to have a short summary of the highlights of the race there is a good one on YouTube located here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRvhou9AikY This one condenses 24 hours into about 4 and a half minutes but it should give you a feeling for virtual racing if you did not have an opportunity to catch any of the race.

Back to reality -

I have no insider information or even a crystal ball but it looks to me like the pandemic recovery will be a gradual process. It is probably safe to assume that it might take longer than most of us expect and certainly much longer than any of us want. The CCA has an excellent Board of Directors and an active membership very willing to support the club. We will get some actual activities going the moment it is safe and responsible to do so. In the meanwhile we want to promote staying connected with each other in these difficult times. There are several ways you can participate.

To me an obvious one is this newsletter. Let us know what you are doing. Please feel free to contact me directly and my contact info is at the end of each newsletter. If a bunch of members send me a short paragraph or one liners on what you have been up to for the past six months I’ll be happy to dedicate a section of the newsletter to brief updates. If you want to write an article, from a couple of pages long up to a micro novel, pass it along to me and it will probably end up in a newsletter. I really depend on member submitted articles. Corvette travels are always interesting. Let us know about a trip you have taken or are planning to take when things return to the new normal - whatever that turns out to be.

If you are on Facebook we have three significant club supported areas that you can participate in or just lurk to stay current on what the rest of the club is doing. One area ( Corvette Club of America,

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 9

Inc. ) is a page open to the whole wide world and we have literally thousands of people participating. We also have a Facebook private group strictly for members ( Corvette Club of America, Inc. (members only) ) and this is a good location just for member posting. Finally we have a Facebook private group for members and special invited friends of the club ( Corvette Club of America ). We have a variety of special friends that participate or just lurk in the group and either is fine. Without being a name dropper I’ll just say that in addition to our own members this group includes NCM management, staff and board members, Corvette Racing drivers, team members and fans, General Motors corporate representatives, some of the best, most loyal Canadian volunteers supporting corrals at IMSA races, and last but not least supporters of Operation Motorsport ( operationmotorsport.org/ ).

Another excellent way to be involved is to attend a CCA Business Meeting. Circumstances have forced us into having virtual meetings for now but, if you are a member, watch your email for details on our monthly meetings and join in on a call with other club members. It is a great way to participate and we could really use your inputs and opinions during this time.

Last, but not at all least, periodically checking into the website is a good way to stay up to date with the club ( www.vette-club.org ).

Stay in touch, Stay safe, Save the Wave -

Jon Thorn

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 10

Competition Report  

Bill Sandusky - Competition Director [email protected]

www.vette-club.org/autocross

Well we are still in a state of no autocross. As I watch the news for a downward trend of the virus, it does give us some hope for the fall. Yes, I said the fall. As of this writing, we are cancelling the June 28th autocross. BWI still has not opened usage to our lot. If the state reaches stage 3 of the governor’s re-opening program, we should be able to pick up with our fall dates.

Be smart and stay safe and hope to see everyone soon.

2020 Autocross Dates (tentative):

Sunday, September 13 Sunday, October 4 Sunday, October 25

Text from e-mail sent on June 21:

Since Wednesday, March 18, 2020, all CCA autocross events have been deemed tentative until further notice. After initially rescheduling the April 5th event to October 4th, we received a letter from MDOT MAA stating, "MDOT MAA has identified urgent need for paved surfaces to store ground transportation equipment typically used to support air travel" and "authorization for all events specified under the Agreement is suspended effective immediately."

Although many state and county restrictions have been lifted which might otherwise allow us to hold autocross events, we still have not received permission from MDOT MAA to hold our June event and have decided to officially cancel the June 28 double autocross.

The lot is currently packed with rental cars and it is not known when we will have access to the lot once again; however, we hope we will be able to hold the September 13, October 4, and October 25 events. We will continue to post updates on our website and notify autocrossers by e-mail of any changes.

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 11

High Performance Driving Events  

Pat Roney - HPDE Instructor [email protected]

www.vette-club.org/hpde-track

Check out our CCA HPDE webpage for latest drivers videos.

CCA members Karl B. and Ray D. participated in the May Chin Track Days events at Pitt Race and also Mid Ohio towards the end of May. I haven’t received any pictures or stories of the events to add to the newsletter.

Chin at VIR - June 2020  

It was great to see so many old friends back at the track. We had a few new rules to follow and tech was no exception. Drivers stayed in their car with the windows up and the tech sheet was placed under their windshield wiper. Clint O.. Chin’s newest Chief Instructor, and myself were the perfect team to get this job done. We processed over half of the cars Sunday night and finished up the rest Monday morning before the 7:40am drivers meeting.

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 12

I was thrilled to have one of the new mid engine Corvette C8’s come through tech Sunday evening, and even happier to see fellow CCA member David C. behind the wheel. David was asked by the student to instruct him. More on the C8 later in this article.

I also got to meet Christa E., wife of Clayton E. which I assume makes her a CCA member also.

Here is a picture of Christa coming through tech Sunday evening.

Chin Event Manager Jack Beachem led the Monday morning drivers meeting. Coronavirus and HPDE can coexist if we follow the guidelines for safety. Check out the social distancing and masks. Everyone was so happy to finally get back to the track that we gladly followed the guidelines.

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 13

CCA had 6 members participating in this event. David C., shown here in his student’s mid-engine Corvette preparing to take me out on track. I was very impressed with how well the car handled on the track. I think Corvette has a winner here.

Thomas B. put in some good laps in the Advanced group in his modified C6 Z06.

Clayton E. had a great couple of days on track putting down some 1:48 laps in his Ligier LMP3 race car and also some 1:49 laps in his Radical. Clayton has become a very impressive driver.

Bob C. shown here performing some maintenance on his C5 Corvette race car, put in some good laps while breaking in his new motor.

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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Mark Hicks, Chin Track Days COO, led the Tuesday drivers meeting.

Quite an impressive drivers meeting when you have pro drivers Randy Pobst and Blake Fuller attending. Randy was there with his Volvo Flyin’ Moose, shown below, and Blake was driving his Tesla that he set a record in at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, also shown below..

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 15

CCA members managed to get some good laps on track over the 2 days.

Bob C. David C. instructing Greg P. in his new C8.

Clayton E. in his Liger LMP3. Christa E. in her 2018 Mustang.

Thomas B.

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 16

The Chin Track Days staff, minus the boss Mark Hicks who left early to get ready for the NCM event. Also missing is me who is taking the picture. On the left in the black shirt is our latest Chief Instructor Clint O. I caught Clint as he was leaving and had already changed from his spiffy CI shirt.

   

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 17

Chin at National Corvette Museum MSP - June 6-7, 2020  

It was a pleasure working with my son Patrick at the NCM MSP, my favorite track.

CCA was represented by Ray D. and myself at this event. Here is Ray with his Corvette C6 Grand Sport. Ray helped us instruct the new students.

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The Corvette Courier June 2020 Page 18

My son Patrick leading the way through the tricky turn 1A - 1B combo.

I just missed Austin and Mark calling the start of the Sunday morning drivers meeting with their horns. Looks like Mark outlasted Austin, or maybe Austin was just letting the boss win.

The Chin at NCM event in April was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic so we celebrated Austin’s 1 year anniversary of his first time as Event Manager at this event. That event was also my 1 year anniversary as a Chief Instructor.

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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Chin Track Days always has an impressive group of cars at their events and this was no exception as witnessed by the impressive work of ABI Photography, Purveyors of Fine Motorsports Art, and shown below:

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And the Chin team gets some track time. Event Manager Austin Self taking out the Chin Miata and Chin COO and Director Mark Hicks, with the Chin IT genius, Michael, taking the Chin Ariel Atom out for some laps.

Mark Hicks coming back in after a few laps in the Chin Acura NSX. Myself showing the proper amount of curb to use in turn 1A.

The last of the Chin staff posing after packing up for the trip home.

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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Tracking Schedule   

There won’t be much going on until this Coronavirus is under control. Hang in there and I look forward to seeing you at the track soon. Keep an eye on this schedule as it will be updated regularly: www.vette-club.org/hpde-track/schedule/

July 1-2, 2020 Chin at Watkins Glen Bob C., Pat R., Karl B., Tom A., Nita A., Ray D., Southey M., Gobel N.

July 4, 2020 TrackDaze at Summit Point Karl B.

July 17, 2020 Summit Point Seat Time Marko B., Steve W.

July 18-19, 2020 SCCA at SP Shenandoah Pat R.

Aug. 29-30, 2020 Chin at Summit Point Ckt Pat R., Bob C., Karl B., Bill S., Steve W.

I look forward to seeing you at the track soon. Please note that the Chin at Summit Point HPDE has been moved from August 8 & 9th to August 29 & 30th. Right now is the time to start planning for our CCA event with Chin Track Days at Summit Point August 29 th - 30th and our Daytona International Speedway October 30 through November 1 with Chin Track Days.

Public link to the “CCA HPDE Schedule” Google Calendar: calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=sunkp1fmge1pejnpmpcvgbn0rc%40group.calendar.google .com&ctz=America%2FNew_York

April has come up with a much better way to keep our HPDE schedule updated which will allow me to be able to make small changes to the schedule with very little effort. I am working on the info. that I have been sent by members so far and ready for any of you that have any dates set.

Want to try your car out on the track?  

Please remember to keep it to the speed limit and stay alert on the street as, in my opinion, and experience, it is much more dangerous at the speed limit on the street than on the track at speed. If you would like to hear more about the tracking experience, please feel free to ask myself, or any one of our tracking group about how easy it is to give it a shot.

Keep it to the speed limit on the street! The track is a much smarter place to see what your car can do.

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Membership Update  

Paul Donohue - Membership Director [email protected] - 240-720-7816

www.vette-club.org/membership

Membership Numbers

● 167 current memberships (104 local, 60 long-distance, 3 honorary) ● 6 renewals since May 18, 2020 ● 3 new membership since May 18, 2020

New Memberships Name Location Corvette Referrer Join Date

Ed & Anita C. Upper Marlboro, MD 2014 Green Z51 CCA Website 06/06/2020

Marshall A. Plymouth Meeting, PA 2009 White Coupe CCA Website 06/14/2020

Adam B. La Plata, MD 2019 Black GS CCA Website 06/19/2020

Thank you to Ed, Anita, and Marshall for the additional donations!

Membership & Renewal Information

The annual membership fee is $50 which covers the applicant and an optional second person. Memberships expire on January 1 for those who joined before October 1, 2018 or on the anniversary of the join date for those who joined on or after October 1, 2018. Automated renewal reminders are sent to the e-mail address* of the first applicant listed on the membership application beginning 4 weeks before the membership expiration date. Payment by PayPal, credit/debit card, cash, or check is accepted, but the renewal must be submitted online and payment must be received before the expiration date. Automated renewal reminders will continue to be sent until payment is received or your membership expires, at which point you will receive an automated expiration notice.

If you were or are in your renewal period and unsure whether to renew at this time given the circumstances, that’s not a problem. Just hang on to your final e-mail notice and you can return at any time by clicking on the renewal link and your dues will still be $50 a year starting on the date you rejoin.

* To have your username or e-mail address changed, e-mail [email protected]

More information about becoming a CCA member can be found at www.vette-club.org/membership/

If you have suggestions for me or the club, please send them to [email protected]

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National Corvette Museum Report  

Terry Popkin - NCM Ambassador [email protected]

Update: The NCM reopening date was June 8th. Updated information continues to be available here: ww.corvettemuseum.org/museum-statement-on-covid-19/

The 2020 Michelin Virtual NCM Bash : Videos of all the major presentations are now available for those who registered. Click HERE to log into the NCM website with your username and password. After logging into your account click on 2020 Michelin Bash under “Videos available from recent Event Registrations.” MUSEUM OFFERINGS

Episodes of Vettecademy and Fully Vetted We have all the episodes available for viewing online! FULLY VETTED - www.corvettemuseum.org/learn/about-corvette/fully-vetted/ VETTECADEMY - www.corvettemuseum.org/explore/educational-programs/vettecademy/ MUSEUM AWARDS

Vote the NCM for Best Attraction for Car Lovers The National Corvette Museum has been nominated in USA Today’s 2020 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards! Their expert panel selected NCM as a contender for Best Attraction for Car Lovers. The contest gives voters four weeks to vote for the candidate of their choice. A person can vote once a day on each browser and device for the run of the contest. Voting ends Monday, July 6th and the winners will be announced on 10Best on Friday, July 17th.

Vote HERE (and vote often)! Update: Katie Ellison reports that you can ALSO vote through social media apps. See below for how it is done. This is in addition to browser voting.

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Facebook - On your phone find the link to voting from the Museum’s Facebook page. Click to vote.

Instagram - Navigate to the Museum’s Instagram account profile and locate the VOTE highlight. Click on that and swipe up to open the voting.

LinkedIn - Within the app search for National Corvette Museum to find our company page. We have the link saved there to vote.

Twitter - Find our profile and we have the link pinned for you to click and vote on your mobile device.

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MOTORSPORTS PARK OFFERINGS

NEW Driving Club

Get exclusive use of the NCM Motorsports Park a guaranteed minimum of 30 'Driving Club' days each calendar year, along with invitations to social gatherings and additional benefits. No RSVP is required for Driving Club days, simply present your member ID card upon arrival. Full information HERE .

Museum Certified as Sensory Inclusive

The National Corvette Museum was recently certified as a Sensory Inclusive venue through KultureCity. The new initiative promotes an accommodating and positive experience for all guests with a sensory issue that visit the Museum or NCM Motorsports Park.

Over 80% of the Museum’s staff participated in the online training led by a KultureCity certified trainer on how to recognize guests with

sensory needs and how to handle a sensory overload situation. Sensory bags, equipped with noise canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and weighted lap pads are available to guests who may feel overwhelmed by the environment and can be obtained at the admissions counter.

Read More

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● Not an NCM Member? Become one: https://www.corvettemuseum.org/support/membership/

● The 2020 NCM Spring Giving Campaign is on! https://www.corvettemuseum.org/support/give-now/

● NCM Events Calendar and Registration: https://www.corvettemuseum.org/explore/events/

● NCM Motorsports Park: https://www.corvettemuseum.org/visit/motorsports-park/

● Check out the NCM Corvette Store: https://corvettestore.com/

● Shop Amazon Smile & Support the NCM: Amazon will donate 0.5% of the cost of eligible purchases to the NCM. Click this link and sign into your Amazon account to get started: smile.amazon.com/ch/74-2519972/

The CCA is pleased to announce that two of our members have reached membership milestones in the National Corvette Museum as reported in the America’s Sports Car magazine.

Bob Couse is celebrating his 10 Year anniversary.

Art Bell is celebrating his 20 Year anniversary.

Congratulations to both! We encourage all CCA members to join the NCM. If you are not currently a member and would like to join, you will find a link at the top of the box above.

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The CCA’s Other Member in the 1960 Le Mans 24 Hour Race  

Jon Thorn, CCA Board Member

As I am writing this, history is being made with the very first “Virtual” running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans because of a tiny little virus that decided to start a major pandemic. It is Saturday morning, June 13 th , and instead of watching the race as I have for the past several years from the Corvette Theater of the National Corvette Museum I am sitting at home watching a computer simulation on ESPN2. It is interesting seeing the early hours of a 24 hour virtual race but I can already tell I would much rather be in the Corvette Theater with 150 kindred fans watching real cars and real teams. Still, I hope you had a chance to see some of the race just because it is a history making event.

This is the 60 th anniversary year of Corvette’s first running at Le Mans. Of course books have been written on that race and the CCA has its own well known connection to it through member Dr. Dick Thompson. About a month ago I thought it would be fitting to gather together some information on another CCA member of the team that Briggs Cunningham brought to France in 1960. Dick Thompson’s co-driver in that race was Fred Windridge (2/28/1931 – 1/28/2000). He may not be as familiar for our membership as Dick Thompson. He has not been inducted into any Halls of Fame. I imagine he has been the focus of Corvette Courier articles in the past before I was in the club but I have not located any at this point. I decided that the Courier should still have a Le Mans related article for the June edition this strange year and one on Fred is well overdue.

The first CCA reference to Fred Windridge that I have been able to find appears in the minutes of the club’s very first organizational meeting. There was a call by President John Ralph for volunteers to fill club officer positions until elections could be held. Fred Windridge accepted the position of leading the Events Committee. Item number 10 from the minutes of that meeting includes the note that John Ralph “reported that Bark Henry, Dick Thompson, and Fred Windridge will be glad to help owners interested in competition driving.” Bark Henry was another CCA member with a very well established race record and he will be my next research subject when I can find the time.

Fred’s racing career spanned the years from 1955 to 1960. Racing Sports Cars (RSC) lists 70+ races for him during this period. Remember that this was not a time for professional racing so this activity was mostly self funded by the drivers. He had a DNF in the September 1955 SCCA National race at Watkins Glen in a MG TF. He finished in 7 th place in the 1955 SCCA National in Hagerstown in a Jaguar XK140. And he went to Nassau Speed Week in 1955 placing 3 rd in the Jaguar class with his XK 140 and 51 st in the Governor’s Trophy and 57 th in the Nassau Trophy.

In 1956 he placed first in his Jaguar at the 6-Hours at Marlboro in June. The first record of him with Corvette was a 2 nd place at the SCCA National at Road America also in June. Just as a reminder, it

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was in July of 1956 that the CCA was established. He returned to Nassau in September 1956 finishing 15 th in the Nassau Trophy at the International Bahamas Speed Week in a Corvette.

In 1957 he finished 3 rd at New Smyrna Beach in a Corvette. He followed that up with a 25 th place at Sebring in March in a Mercedes 300 SL. In June he placed 9 th at the SCCA National at Lime Rock in an Austin Healey. The rest of the year was strictly Corvette for him. He finished 3 rd in the SCCA National in Virginia. His first SCCA National win (that I could find) was at Watkins Glen. He followed that up with a 1 st place finish at the SCCA National at Bridgehampton later in the month. He also went “international” with a 12 th place finish in November at the GP of Venezuela co-driving with Thompson & Doane.

1958 was a big year for him. In March he finished 33 rd at the Sebring 12 Hour co-driving with Thompson and John Kilborn. The Team entrant was listed as “Thompson” so I am certain Dick’s Georgetown dentistry practice was doing well then! A Wikipedia article stated “A massive total of 73 racing cars were entered for this event, of which 70 arrived for practice.” A total of 65 qualified and started the race. The group of drivers in this race was nothing short of amazing. Here is a partial list: Phil Hill, Colin Chapman, Stirling Moss, John Fitch, Carroll Shelby, Briggs Cunningham, Walt Hansgen and Wolfgang von Trips. The race was won by Phil Hill in a red (of course) Ferrari TR58.

Then came a string of firsts! Fred finished 1 st at the April SCCA National at Marlboro, the SCCA National at Cumberland, the SCCA National at Lime Rock (June), and the SCCA National at Lime

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Rock (July). He became associated with Kelso Auto Dynamics at this point and ran several races in a Lister. It started slowly in 1958 with several DNF’s but he had 1 st place finishes at a SCCA Regional at Lime Rock, Vineland, a prelim race at Marlboro and a SCCA Regional at Marlboro all in the Lister.

In 1959 Kelso entered him with the Lister in a 1000km race at Daytona and Fred finished in 17 th place. He finished 3 rd at the May SCCA National in Virginia and 4 th at the SCCA National in Cumberland. The Cumberland race was the very first I could find that he drove for Briggs Cunningham and it was still in a Lister. Also in May, Kelso entered him in the SCCA National at Bridgehampton where he finished 3 rd . In June he switched to a Maserati, also for Kelso, and scored first place finishes in three SCCA Regionals at Vineland, and the SCCA National at Road America. In November he placed 5 th at the SCCA National at Daytona driving a Lister again for Briggs Cunningham.

In 1960 Dick Thompson and Fred Windridge drove a Corvette in the 12 Hours of Sebring ending up with a DNF. The very last race listed in Fred’s racing history was the 1960 24-Hours of Le Mans which he co-drove with Dick Thompson as part of the Briggs Cunningham team. This of course was the first time that Corvette ran at Le Mans. I won’t go into detail on the race here because books have been written and the race has been covered in the Courier previously. What is certain is that Fred participated in a great moment in history for Corvette and, of course, the Corvette Club of America.

Here is more background on Fred from his obituary in the South Florida SunSentinel on January 30, 2000. As with most drivers of his day, racing was just an expensive hobby and never a business. There is a lot more to his life but I will have to limit it here because of space requirements. The following is a condensed version of the SunSentinel article.

Whether driving a car at 200 mph or fishing from a barely moving boat off the Atlantic coast, Fred Windridge loved what he did. His love of speed helped him become a world champion race driver.

His love of fishing helped him create one of the largest fleets of luxury charter yachts on the East Coast.

Mr. Windridge, 68, of Fort Lauderdale, died on Friday after enjoying the day with his 6-year-old grandson, according to his widow, Kathlene Windridge.

Born in Arlington, Va., the civil engineering graduate of George Washington University entered the world of grand prix racing in 1955. He raced early Corvettes. He competed at LeMans, Nassau and Daytona Beach. He set a land speed record, about 200 mph, that went unbroken for almost a dozen years.

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Mr. Windridge moved to Fort Lauderdale 41 years ago, shortly before retiring from racing. He soon turned his love of fishing, which was a hobby, into a business. He operated one charter boat, then a fleet.

In 1976, Mr. Windridge and his wife started Windridge Yacht Charters. Their fleet eventually consisted of five vessels: the Lady Windridge, Kathlene W., Isis II, Windridge K and Squirt, a fishing boat he named to honor his grandchildren.

Lady Windridge was the pride of the fleet.

"We wanted the biggest yacht that the Intracoastal Waterway could hold and still have glamour and sex appeal," Mrs. Windridge has said.

The 176-foot luxury yacht was the largest aluminum boat in the world and the largest yacht to be permanently based in Fort Lauderdale.

Mr. Windridge, a veteran of the U.S. Army, was chairman of the Florida Sheriffs Advisory Council, a Broward organization that provides scholarships for children of police officers killed in action.

Windridge Yacht Charters’ 176- foot Lady Windridge (above) has three levels and a sky-top deck and it can accommodate up to 500 people.

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Kathleen Windridge continued to operate the company in Fort Lauderdale following Fred’s death until 2014 when it was sold to Entertainment Cruises, a Chicago based sightseeing company.

The Registry of Corvette Race Cars ( registryofcorvetteracecars.com ) lists a 1957 C1 (VIN: 4759) that was briefly owned by Fred. He purchased it in June of 1957 and sold it to New York racer Dean McCarthy in 1958. Rosenthal Chevrolet was listed as a sponsor on the car and Robert M. Rosenthal, of course, was the founding benefactor and first sponsor of the CCA. The registry states that the car raced all over the southeast in 1957 along with the team car driven by Bark Henry. The registry ID number is 183.

Fred Windridge in car 99 leading team mate Bark Henry, likely at Marlboro in 1957.

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I am going to close out this article with the only color photo that I have found of him so far. It is from the BARCBOYS website ( www.barcboys.com ) a group dedicated to “preserving photos, results, and stories from sports car racing in the 50’s and 60’s.” BARC (Binghamton Automobile Racing Club) was formed in 1958 and they have this photo of Fred.

The caption said:

“FRED WINDRIDGE: Windridge loved his V8 power. Super successful in Corvettes, Fred drove for Briggs Cunningham at both Sebring and Le Mans. We loved him for his spirited driving of the flat black Kelso Chev Lister. After retiring from racing Windridge went to Florida and established one of the largest luxury yacht fleets on the east coast.”

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Status Update on Bette da Vette  

Kim and Donna Lewis, CCA Members in Queensland, Australia

A huge Aussie g’day to my fellow CCA members! From a land halfway round the world to yours and from a land in the middle of winter I am sending an update on the ‘Bette da Vette’ rebirth. I have attached the “Then” and now photos V19 and V20 to show where we are after three and half years of a bolt and nut off restoration.

“Then”

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Photo V19

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Photo V20

Some of the issues in restoring these classics to showroom level is obviously the cash flow or more to the point the lack of. Another is our ability here in Australia to get code correct bits and pieces for a car now over 60 years old. Some of our orders have taken up to three months between initial contact and delivery to the workshop, this is no reflection on the point of sale but the required part is nowhere to be seen. When this situation arises one has to start the find and seek process with contacting as many outlets as possible hoping that the next call will be the one. Absolute last option, if no result is forthcoming, is to get the part made. Now that solution is one no one wants to end up at. Another point to be made here is when your shops are open we are supposed to be in bed, so many late nights on the phone can be had.

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Photos V21 to V24 are parts received recently.

Photo V21

Photo V22

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Photo V23

Photo V24

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Photo V25 is the new seat trims which are part of the total retrim package for the interior.

Photo V25

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Photo V26 shows the new main loom running to the rear of the car, this along with the remainder of the wiring harness, fuse boxes etc has been relocated to the right hand side of the car. All of this would normally be on the left hand side of a left hand drive corvette.

Photo V26

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Now the area for painstaking time and monumental heart ache, that is the dashboard, photo V27. All of the original dash has to be mirrored to suit the right hand drive setup, this involves the complete steering mechanism, pedals, instrumentation, dash trim etc. Once all is stripped out, new mouldings need to be produced to ensure millimetre perfect fit prior to the new trim being applied. One has to take into account the car frame is not symmetrical itself and like all of us after 60 years the droops are a happening thing. Not sure if you would be aware of the effort required to complete this task to a level where you would have thought this is how it was on the showroom floor. From start to finish, and this if all goes fairly well to plan, you could safely say you can kiss goodbye to between 120 and 150 manhours of labour.

Photo V27

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Photo V28 shows stripped and painted engine bay with right hand steering column in place and now waiting for the reconditioned engine, brake booster, master cylinder, wiring harness plus much, much more.

Photo V28

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Last but not least, photo V29, this ‘59 was the vette resto finished, with ours then being pushed in to take its place in the workshop, absolutely magnificent. This photo is the car taking Top Car at a show amongst top competition.

Photo V29

Cheers, Kim and Donna

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Replace your worn leather seats in 10 days or MORE!  

Paul Vale, CCA Board Member

Corvettes are great cars, but in my experience, they have an Achilles heel: Fast deteriorating leather seats. My ownership of these fine cars spans more than 30 years, and while I don’t claim to be an authority, several companies have made a lot of money by selling replacement leather seats to Corvette owners who wanted to keep their Vettes comfy and looking their best. When I bought my ’94 convertible, the seats were literally in tatters, with large pieces of leather sloughing off like the skin of a molting snake. My solution was to discard the seats and replace them with a pair of seats from a newer (better cared for) coupe. Craigslist really came through for me on that one! Fast Forward a few years. The C4 has recently been replaced by a 2003 Anniversary Edition Corvette. Now that I have a C5, I turned my attention to making a list of the high priority projects that would increase my enjoyment of the ‘Corvette Experience.’ The general level of wear on the seats combined with a tear where the leather meets the vinyl helped me put seat replacement high on the list of priorities. Being a DIYer, I did some extensive research on the Corvette forums. I quickly settled on Ridies.com as my top pick for a supplier of 100% leather seat covers (roughly $500 for both seats). They don’t promise to match GM colors, but they will send you several different color swatches to choose from, so you can get real close. The Anniversary Edition Corvette comes with an unusual interior color scheme, so I selected swatches that I thought would closely match my existing seats. Sure enough, one of them looked close enough that I pulled the trigger and called the company to order the seats. (I could have done it online, but I had some questions and talking on the phone got my questions answered quickly.) About 3 weeks later, my seats arrived at my door. In the meantime, I watched a video produced by Lyle Aulwurm at C&S Corvettes, wherein Lyle demonstrates how to remove the old leather and correctly install the new covers. I must have watched that video 5 times over the course of recovering the two seats (it was an hour-long video!).

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I tackled the passenger seat first. Taking the old leather off was easy. You need some high-leverage nippers to cut the old hog rings from the seat bottoms, and you have to de-install the electric seat controls carefully so as not to break anything. With the seats denuded of their covers is a good time to reflect on what to do next. My passenger seat had nonfunctioning lumbar supports, caused by an air pump that had seized due to disuse. The aforementioned Lyle has a video for that! Turns out you just have to disassemble the pump and regrease it with some new lithium grease. I took out the tiny plastic vanes, cleaned them and regreased and reassembled the pump, and it was ready to supply air to the side bolsters and lumbar air-bladders for the next 15 years! I installed the seat covers (substituting zip ties where the factory used hog rings) and was ready to put the passenger seat back where it belonged. (Did I mention I shampooed and vacuumed the passenger side carpet to get 15 years worth

of spilled coffee and mountain dew out of the carpet? Yuck!) One more thing- the seat backs are held in place on the seat frame with six ‘Christmas Tree’ fasteners. Theoretically you can reuse the old ones that came with the seats, but in reality you should buy new push fasteners to replace them. It takes a lot of thumb pressure to push them through the seat covers into the seat frame, and the old ones get ‘tired.’ This half of the project (passenger’s side seat) took place over a period of several days. Since I could still drive the car, I took my time. I wanted to work a little faster on the driver’s side since the car would be undriveable while the seat was sitting in my basement workshop. Before I took the seat out, I determined that the side bolsters were leaking air. I could inflate them with the switches on the side of the seat, but they quickly deflated. The lumbar supports (lower back) were working fine. A little ‘forum research’ revealed that blood pressure cuffs (infant size!) were a good replacement for the GM original parts, and the NCRS would never be the wiser. I ordered a pair from Amazon

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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and had them installed shortly after the package arrived. One thing I hadn’t planned on was the broken ‘wing’ on the outside of the driver’s seat. The seat frame is made of fiberglass, and mine must have broken when a previous owner pushed against it on ingress or egress. (OK, maybe I did it, but I never heard it crack.) I broke quarantine to head to Advance Auto Parts for a fiberglass repair kit, and put several layers of fiberglass and resin over the crack. From that point on the install was fairly easy. I had read about a ‘sagging seat repair kit’ being sold by West Coast Corvettes, and had it on hand for this part of the install. It consists of a set of foam blocks and jute pads that restore the driver’s seat to its original shape. I recommend it! Now I have seats that look and feel as nice as they did when this AE convertible was delivered to the dealer back in 2003. Nobody who sits in my Corvette needs to know that their comfort is enhanced by repurposed blood pressure cuffs! And the seats are no longer a combination of leather and vinyl (in my experience they always tear where the leather is sewn to the vinyl), but all leather in the original (very nearly official) Corvette colors. If you’ve ever been to Carlisle, you’ll see the vendors and their skilled technicians installing new leather on Corvette seats all day long. They can do a pair of seats in a couple of hours. But if you have the time and want to save a bundle, you can do what I did, and learn a new skill along the way!

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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For Sale  

1999 C5 Corvette  

Balanced and blueprinted 383 stroker built with Lunati components. 92mm FAST intake with LS2 90mm Throttle Body Long tube headers, and aftermarket exhaust. Engine built by Specter Werkes. Dyno’ed at 406 rwhp, 417 lbs torque. M6 with MGW short throw shifter. Drilled and slotted rotors with ceramic pads. K&N Air Filter Factory magnesium wheels All other factory options except Mag. Ride. 51k miles. Always garaged. Pewter metallic with a black top and black interior. Docs dating back to the window sticker.

DRIVEN BY TWO SENIOR CITIZENS

$19,900.00 OBO 972-904-9101 or [email protected] Dallas, TX

(I know this price may sound high for a ‘99, but it's in great shape and there's almost $18k invested in the engine. Please read the specs. The way it's built I know it will outrun a stock C5 Z06, A C6 and maybe stay close to an LT1. It would be great for an entry level guy to get that kind of performance at 1/3 the price. That being said, I am open to offers as it MUST be sold.)

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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Free “For Sale” Items  

NEW condition: all leather seat back for ’92 and ’93 Corvettes (and possibly earlier). It’s part of a set that I bought for my ’92 coupe, but I sold the coupe after installing the seat bottom (but before installing the backrest/side bolster part). It is black and fits both driver and passenger sides. It is FREE to a good home if you will arrange to pick it up. I also have a seat track available for parts or repair. Same price as the seat cover. It is currently non-functional, but it has many parts that could contribute to making your C4 power seats more powerful. Contact Paul Vale ( [email protected] or [email protected] )

 

 

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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About the Corvette Club of America  

Board of Directors  

President Jim Streight [email protected] 240-839-1935

Vice President Neal Atwell [email protected] 301-605-4110

Secretary Paul Vale [email protected] 301-570-9348

Treasurer Nita Armstrong [email protected] 443-852-1922

Membership Director Paul Donohue [email protected] 240-720-7816

Events Coordination Director Devin Streight [email protected] 240-468-8190

NCM Ambassador Terry Popkin [email protected] 301-949-2464

Competition Director Bill Sandusky [email protected] 301-801-7519

Parliamentarian Jon Thorn [email protected] 301-963-4864

Vendor & Club Relations Director Van Vander Haar [email protected] 410-489-5002

Webmaster April Hussey [email protected] 240-720-7816

Past President W. Kelly Ryan [email protected] 240-601-6045

Non-Board Positions  

Courier Editor Jon Thorn [email protected] 301-963-4864

Sale Ad Editor Jon Thorn [email protected] 301-963-4864

HPDE Instructor Pat Roney [email protected]

Maryland License Plates

Wayne Hatcher [email protected] 240-382-4476

Newsletter Mailing Address  

Corvette Club of America, Inc. 19920 Mastenbrook Place Gaithersburg, MD 20886-1352

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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History (1956-2020)  

The Corvette Club of America was founded by John Ralph and Charles Eyre who organized the first club meeting on July 17, 1956 at a Chevrolet dealership in Arlington, Virginia. By the end of 1957 the club changed its name from the Capital Corvette Club to the Corvette Club of America, since it was the intent of the members to make the club a national organization. Before the end of the following year, the club had over one hundred members.

In 1959, the Corvette Club of America held an organizational meeting of Corvette clubs at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. The result was the formation of the National Council of Corvette Clubs which today has about 19,000 members and is the largest non-profit association of Corvette Clubs in the United States. For a variety of reasons, the CCA did not join the NCCC until July of 1966 and was awarded club #1 for its efforts in establishing the organization.

In July 2016, the CCA notified the NCCC that it would terminate its 50 year membership at the end of the year. There were a number of factors but the CCA felt that focusing our limited resources on the National Corvette Museum would provide more benefit for the Corvette Community as a whole.

The Corvette Club of America is a very active club today with a strong mix of competitive, social, and charitable activities.

Through the years the CCA has seen many fine members come and go; however, one thing remains unchanged. The membership is composed of individuals both male and female, young and old, that share a common interest, America’s Sports Car - the Corvette!

Read more about CCA’s history on the website: www.vette-club.org/history

Charities  

The CCA has a long history of philanthropic and charitable support. From the earliest days of the club, there has always been a strong desire to give back to the community. The present day CCA continues that heritage through a combination of direct donations to worthy charities and volunteering of members’ time and effort. Currently our principle efforts are focused toward these nine organizations and activities. While the CCA occasionally provides support for other organizations, many of these nine have been on our principal list for a decade or more. You can find more detailed information on the CCA website: www.vette-club.org/charities

   

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018

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Sponsors  

The Corvette Club of America is indebted to our sponsors. Without their help and support the club simply would not exist. We maintain an area on our website to recognize the help they provide to us and we encourage you to review this information. If your needs for products or services align with their offerings, please be sure to check them out and let them know that you heard about them from the CCA. Each one has our unconditional recommendation. Click on a logo for more information or visit the sponsors page on the website: www.vette-club.org/sponsors

The Corvette Club of America is proud to be exclusively associated with

Sport Chevrolet.

... Be a Sport fan too!

3101 Automobile Blvd. Silver Spring, MD 20904 www.sportchevrolet.com

Contact Kyle Bacon, General Sales Manager for a new or used car - 240-560-5540

The Corvette Courier is published monthly by the Corvette Club of America, Inc. - ⓒ 2020 Corvette Club of America, Inc. Second Place Winner of the National Corvette Museum Newsletter Contest: 2015, 2018