1969 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
Personal story and photograph submitted by owners Kirk & Carol Dale- courtesy of the National Corvette Museum website - for participation in the National Corvette Museum 2008 Historic Motorama II.
The opportunity to participate in the Second Motorama is certainly a highlight in the book of memories for these two Corvette Enthusiasts! Having the journey end in our home state of Michigan makes it even more meaningful. I worked for General Motors for 38 years and can remember celebrating GM's 75th Anniversary. Now, to be a part of the 100th Anniversary celebration is truly an exciting event for this retiree and his wife.
In 1968, I ordered my first Corvette to be a daily driver. It was a 1969 LeMans Blue Coupe. Ten years later, after moving to the country and having to drive it on dirt roads, I decided to sell the Corvette. A local young man purchased it and still owns it today.
In 1997, both my wife and I were affected by cancer. Following successful surgeries, we decided life was too short, and we purchased a C5 1998 Blue Coupe from Jack Cauley's Chevrolet. Upon delivery, we drove to Kentucky to the Assembly Plant and the National Corvette Museum (NCM). There, we proudly took a picture of our Blue Corvette beneath another Blue C5 high up on display at the front of the assembly plant.
In 1998, we attended Corvettes at Carlisle and joined the C5 Registry and then the NCM and have been supportive members of both ever since.
In 2001, we purchased a new Torch Red Convertible with a white top. As if having two Corvettes was not enough, we also purchased the 1969 Daytona Yellow Convertible from our son, Kirk, Jr. Kirk and his daughter, Stephanie, enjoyed participating in parades and events in Indiana. Kirk and his wife, Cindy, traveled with his Indiana car club to the 5th Anniversary of the NCM in 1999. This 1969 Beauty is shown above and will be driven in this Motorama.
We are a Corvette Family. Our son, Kirk, Jr. has owned a new C5 2003 Corvette. We sold our 1998 Blue C5 coupe to our son Michael, who now enjoys driving it year-round in South Carolina . The 2003 50th Anniversary of the Corvette at the Museum and in Nashville was truly a family event for us as our daughter, Elizabeth, and granddaughter, Heather, drove our 2001 C5, our sons drove their C5's, and my wife and I drove the 1969 Corvette.
In 2005, we shipped our C5 to Europe with the C5/C6 Registry. There, we drove the Nürburgring, Autobahn, and the LeMans Track before the race began. We have traveled Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles in the C5, driving the entire trip with the top down.
Now, what a privilege it is to drive in this Motorama with a car that has brought us so much enjoyment and recognition for several years now. The '69 has won 1st and 2nd place awards at Michigan car shows. It has been shown in Vette Magazine. Our grandson, Adam, was the center of attention when he drove it to his senior high school prom. This 1969 Corvette has been to Funfest in Effingham, Corvettes at Carlisle, and to the NCM for the 1999 5th Anniversary of the NCM, as mentioned above, and the 2003 Celebration at the NCM (local Michigan leaders with America's Corvette Club). It will travel to the NCM yet again for the 15th Anniversary in 2009. Our '69 Corvette is part of the Michigan Woodward Dream Cruise each year.
We love this car and the enjoyment it brings. Participating in America's Corvette Club and our car show at the GM Tech Center each August is a big part of our Corvette life. Our club's Christmas Party was held at GM's Heritage Museum and we believe that the Motorama Group will really enjoy visiting here at the conclusion of the trip.
Thank you,
Kirk and Carol Dale
Membership 4700
When GM celebrates the beginning of its next 100 years on September 16, 2008, 55 Corvettes will be on display outside its World Headquarters at Detroit’s Renaissance Center. The Corvettes are in fact the Historic Motorama II, a caravan from the National Corvette Museum (NCM) which is comprised of one example from each of the 55 years of Corvette production. The caravan will depart from the National Corvette Museum on September 10th with stops along the way. People attending the GMnext Day activities on September 16th will be able to view the Corvettes before and after the official program.
Look at the next Historic Motorama II Corvette participant, representing a cross-section of Corvette enthusiasts from across the country.
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