Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

[Matthew L.]

Recently found Betty Skelton "First Lady of Firsts"(former aerobatic airplane pilot, Chevrolet Corvette test driver and Gm Employee) her 1965 Red L79 Corvette with Protecto Plate issued to her and Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office in Detroit as original delivery. The car is a 1965 Rally Red L79 4speed 3:70 rear convertible. The car is a true Survivor. Anyone know anything about this car or its history or have any vintage pictures of the car??? Thanks

[Leif A.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

How about posting up some current pictures?

[Matthew L.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

Here are the only pictures I have so far. This is exactly as found very original car down to the original 4Q64 spark plug wires. Rally Red, Power Brakes, Power Steering, Tele-column, Power Windows L79 327-350hp, 3:70 rear.

[Hugh P.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

Matthew,

00-500 was most likely a remote support site controlled by Chevrolet Central Office located at 3044 West Grand Blvd. Detroit. This support operation was a 100,000 square foot remote building for Chevrolet Central operations. This building was used for many years after your car was built for this purpose and located at 1500 East Ferry Detroit, Michigan. It was sold and used at a later date to Michigan Department of Transportation. I do not know if still in operation by Michigan Department of Transportation. My guess would be after shipment from St. Louis, there was something "special" either requested by Betty that required a hands on change at the East Ferry location or something that some executive at Chevrolet directed something changed after delivery. Can't help with history or photos. Possibly Joe Pike had something to do with the request and delivery deviation. Those days, the executives could just make a phone call and make anything happen. Good luck, there is definitely a reason why the car was shipped to GM Detroit headquarters and not to the Tech Center or Milford or directly to the GM dealer nearest Betty. I would start with those that knew Betty during the 60's that may remember the car. From your photo the car looks unmolested so it does not look to have been raced. Not likely, but Chevrolet could have gifted the car to Betty like the astronauts and certain celebrities.

[Matthew L.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

Hugh,

Thanks for the information. Being that this car was not one that she had raced and probably just a car that Chevrolet had gave her to promote the brand I have found nothing about the car. The gentleman who had owned the car his uncle was from Detroit that is where he purchased the car. Dont know exactly what avenues I can take to find history of Betty’s time with the car. Like you had mentioned for some reason the Central Office was listed as the Delivery Dealer on the protecto plate and not a local Detroit dealer near her home.

[Matthew L.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office


Betty was envolved with advertising in 65 could this be the same car used in the ad???

[Matthew L.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

[Hugh P.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

Matthew,
I think you pretty much nailed it with your recent personal photo and the one attached from the 1965 Corvette advertisement that was placed in magazines. I do believe that Joe Pike had something to do with this working with Campbell-Ewald in establishing a charge number through zone 00 dealer 500 Central Office for Campbell-Ewald to rebill Chevrolet with any photo advertising with this car, ad print or any image of it. Also using the same rebilling purpose charges associated with the car, upkeep, transportation,...etc. Betty was a long standing traveling ambassador for Corvette for whatever Chevrolet wanted to promote maybe the new disc brakes for 65 in this case. From this, its hard to say for sure that she had it in her possession personally, or not. Just keep digging.

[Matthew L.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

I have to figure out when this ad was released. Since 1965 was first year for 4 wheel discs One could assume this ad came out late 1964 for 1965 ad campaign. This car was a early built car built in December 1964. My concern with this is in this ad you cannot make out the interior color. In other 65 corvette ads I noticed they used a red small block convertible but it had red interior. So was this the red interior car as well and we just cant notice the interior? Who knows. What else is interesting which also may confirm that Chevrolet used the car for advertising for a few months is this. On the protecto plate the Delivery date is December 21, 1964 yet the Warranty tag with Betty Skelton name was not issued until May 12, 1965. So I take this as Chevrolet used the car from Dec 64 till May of 65 then gave the car to Betty as her personal car.

[Matthew L.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

Could this be the car? I have contact various former Ad executives from Cambell Ewald to see if more is known about the time period that ad was done and the corvettes used in the 1965 ad campaign.

[Jack M.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

Matthew- Have you considered/attempted contacting the GM Heritage Center?

[Matthew L.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

Jack,

Yes, I contacted the GM Heritage Center without much cooperation. I also contacted Cambell Ewald the advertising firm that also referred me to the GM Heritage Center. I have been looking for former Ad executives that worked on Chevrolet Campaigns in the 1960s a lot of them I am finding are deceased. So the search continues.

[Darryl D.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

Was this an early V.I.N. car?

[Mike E.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

Was this an early V.I.N. car?

Post #9: early December car.

[Darryl D.]

Re: Found: Betty Skelton 1965 Corvette Dealer 500 Zone 0 Chevrolet Central Office

Post #9: early December car.

So would they have use this car that late in the year to advertise the new just brakes?