Steve VandenBerg's

1966 Corvette Coupe

08 January 2007

Here is another one for the Alternative Gallery. It is a 1966 Corvette Coupe that I found in a barn after it had been sitting for 28 years.

My girlfriend and I went dancing one night and decided to join an older couple that we knew. They were sitting away from the rest of the crowd, but they were always fun to talk with. Somehow, the conversation turned to cars and my friend “Buzz” asked if I needed any parts for my Corvette. He said he had a wrecked ’74 that was for sale. I told him that I didn’t really need anything of that year but I would still like to take a look at it.

I then asked him “What else do you have?” Buzz replied “Well, there is another Corvette in the barn that has been sitting for over 20 years or so. I don’t remember what year it is and I haven’t looked at it or even talked about it for over 10 years.”

I arranged to take a look at both cars and what I found was a 1966 Corvette Coupe, with a 350hp 327, 4 speed, posi, telescopic steering, power windows, leather interior and A/C. Only around 3500 Corvettes in 1966 had A/C. The car had been sitting in the barn since 1978. It had some body damage and had been at the body shop when someone stole the wheels and carburetor. The insurance company totaled the car and that led to its disappearance until July 2006.

The animals had a pretty expansive home and did no favors as far as respecting this true American icon. However, I got her cleaned up and am getting ready for a rebuild. I was able to find out who the owner was at the time of the accident and tracked him down. He lived about 20 miles away and he was quite excited and surprised when I called. He had always wondered what happened to that car.

He told me that he had just painted the car and had done a lot of work to it. He was just driving it home from the shop on a Friday night, and a young kid who was late picking up his girlfriend ran into the Corvette. Twenty eight years later, the Corvette gets a long awaited wash.

This story was featured in the November edition of Motor Trend Classic magazine. In February 2008, Builder reported that "this story was also in the March 2008 issue of Corvette Fever magazine. Note that this is “Part 2.” Part one was the January 2008 issue of Corvette Fever. No word if the 1969 Corvette saga I wrote about for Stovebolt will be Part 3 or not."

Steve VandenBerg
"Builder"
Bolter #6449
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Steve's got a number of trucks in the Gallery and Alternative Gallery: a 1965 Chevrolet Pickup Truck; a 1958 Chevrolet Corvette 290HP Fuelie; a 1957 Chevrolet “Windowed” Delivery (1 of 92 made); a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe; a 1959 Chevrolet 3200 Apache Fleetside; a 1971 GMC 2500 LWB; a 1948 3600 LWB 3 Window; a 1951 Chevrolet 3100 LWB 5 Window; a 1952 Chevrolet 3100 SWB 5 Window Utility; a 1957 Chevrolet Suburban; a 1958 GMC 100 LWB Stepside Big Window; a 1958 Chevrolet 3200 Apache Fleetside a 1951 Chevrolet 1.5 T. Flatbed; a second 1959 Chevy Apache Fleetside 3200; a 1960 Chevy Apache Shortbox; and a 1947 Chevy LWB Stepside ~~ Editor