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Well, this past Saturday I had the great pleasure of attending the 40th reunion of my high school graduating class. I was part of the reunion organizing committee, so I had a special interest and involvement in the event. One of the highlights of the evening for me was being reunited with Rod Powell, a classmate that I had not seen in over 40 years. It so happens that Rod figures VERY prominently in my Corvette fascination.
You see, one day in 1964 Rod took me for a ride in his mother's then-brand new 1964 Corvette. They had purchased the car to replace her 1963 Corvette which had been stolen from the parking lot at our high school when Rod had brought it to school one day. The 1964 was a white coupe with black interior. It had an L-75 with wide ratio 4 speed (the 63 had an L-76 with close ratio 4 speed). Rod took me for a ride from his house on Medinah Street in Hayward, CA, south on Mission Bl, through Niles Canyon Road to Sunol, and back again. Rod did the driving (I couldn't have driven even if he had been in a position to let me drive his mother's car; I did not know how to drive a manual transmission car at the time).
Well, that was the day that "it all began". That's the day that I was "set on a course" of fascination and, some might say, an obsession with Corvettes that continues to this day.
On Sunday morning after the reunion (which was held at the Hilton in Pleasanton, CA and not far from Niles Canyon), Sara and I took Rod and his wife Julie out for breakfast. Then, I took Rod for another "ride through the canyon" in my 92 Corvette, pretty much like we had done 41 years earlier. I really wished that I had the 69 ready for this trip, but you all know that story. However, the 92 did just fine. Rod has never owned a Corvette and, apparently, has not really driven one since the time when his family owned the white 64. I drove one way through the canyon and Rod drove the other. It was an ABSOLUTE, TOTAL pleasure for me. It was the only time outside of Bowling Green that ANYONE besides me has ever driven my 1992.
Well, now I've just got to get the 69 finished. When I do, one of the first things that I'm going to do is to drive up to Washington State (where Rod has lived for the last 35 years, or so) and take him for a ride in the "ZL-1". I'm going to let him drive it, too. Only 2 other people have ever driven the 69 in the 36 years that I've owned it, but Rod will be the third.
Over the years, there have been quite a few folks on this board that I've tried to help out, for better or for worse. However, keep in mind that the real thanks for that, if it's worthy of thanks, should go to Rod and NOT me. If it hadn't been for Rod, there's a good chance I would not have been into Corvettes for the past 40 years. Who knows, I might have taken up with Mustangs? Or, maybe, I would not have gotten into cars, at all, and I'd be into stamp collecting, baseball card trading, or basket weaving?
You see, one day in 1964 Rod took me for a ride in his mother's then-brand new 1964 Corvette. They had purchased the car to replace her 1963 Corvette which had been stolen from the parking lot at our high school when Rod had brought it to school one day. The 1964 was a white coupe with black interior. It had an L-75 with wide ratio 4 speed (the 63 had an L-76 with close ratio 4 speed). Rod took me for a ride from his house on Medinah Street in Hayward, CA, south on Mission Bl, through Niles Canyon Road to Sunol, and back again. Rod did the driving (I couldn't have driven even if he had been in a position to let me drive his mother's car; I did not know how to drive a manual transmission car at the time).
Well, that was the day that "it all began". That's the day that I was "set on a course" of fascination and, some might say, an obsession with Corvettes that continues to this day.
On Sunday morning after the reunion (which was held at the Hilton in Pleasanton, CA and not far from Niles Canyon), Sara and I took Rod and his wife Julie out for breakfast. Then, I took Rod for another "ride through the canyon" in my 92 Corvette, pretty much like we had done 41 years earlier. I really wished that I had the 69 ready for this trip, but you all know that story. However, the 92 did just fine. Rod has never owned a Corvette and, apparently, has not really driven one since the time when his family owned the white 64. I drove one way through the canyon and Rod drove the other. It was an ABSOLUTE, TOTAL pleasure for me. It was the only time outside of Bowling Green that ANYONE besides me has ever driven my 1992.
Well, now I've just got to get the 69 finished. When I do, one of the first things that I'm going to do is to drive up to Washington State (where Rod has lived for the last 35 years, or so) and take him for a ride in the "ZL-1". I'm going to let him drive it, too. Only 2 other people have ever driven the 69 in the 36 years that I've owned it, but Rod will be the third.
Over the years, there have been quite a few folks on this board that I've tried to help out, for better or for worse. However, keep in mind that the real thanks for that, if it's worthy of thanks, should go to Rod and NOT me. If it hadn't been for Rod, there's a good chance I would not have been into Corvettes for the past 40 years. Who knows, I might have taken up with Mustangs? Or, maybe, I would not have gotten into cars, at all, and I'd be into stamp collecting, baseball card trading, or basket weaving?
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