5/28/2020
Indy has sold. Bittersweet for sure, but I'm so excited for her new owner! It looks like I'll have the privilege of personally delivering Indy to her new home in Florida! I'll miss seeing her in my garage and walking away from her only to look back one last time in admiration. Life is about change, but the experiences we have stay with us, even as we leave them behind.
1986 Corvette Roadster 18,000 miles safe in my brother's garage while his wife's car sits outside. (I owe her several bottles of wine)
11/19/2019
Here, we begin on an epic adventure.
It started with an invitation by my brother and his wife to me and my wife to stay with them at their home in Germantown, TN for Thanksgiving weekend. This kind of thing happens in my family, and when I lived in Texas it was a short 7 hour (400 miles), or moderately illegal 6 hour, trip for a fun weekend with both my brothers. This spring, I moved back to Minnesota after 18 years in the Lone Star state, so the trip is now roughly 13 hours. (844 miles) I decided immediately to fly one-way to Memphis and drive back. In a car I had yet to find.
With ticket confirmations in hand and 4 weeks to Thanksgiving, I began looking hard. In my mind I had formed the idea that a 4x4 was what I needed. Let me back up.....my plan was to find a well-maintained vehicle from the south to bring up to the northern rust belt to eventually sell. But mostly just to enjoy the adventure of it.
I have a philosophy that I inconsistently yet stridently follow to the letter sometimes, and it goes something like this. "If you don't want to keep it, don't buy it". So I set some rules.
1. Set a price cap.
2. It has to be interesting to me. (very subjective, but you know it when you know it)
3. Have fun.
I called my brother and told him the plan and he jumped right on board. I began to receive suggestions from him in the form of Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace classified ads to look through. We (as in he) drove to look at a Bronco right away and after that unsuccessful trip we (as in we) decided it would work best if he had cash in hand, especially if we had to move fast on a good deal. So I wired him the money. I had never actually wired money before, but it turned out not to be a big deal. Ultimately, it cost me $20 on my end, and $15 on my brother's end and it was done. Not cheap, but the cost of doing business and now he could deal with cash in hand.
So, 4x4 trucks. I've always wanted a full-sized Bronco. It's almost winter here in Minnesota, so it made sense to me to buy something good for snowy driving. We contacted the owners of a few Jeeps, too, but nothing really popped. I had owned a Jeep Wrangler at one point, which was the most fun vehicle I had ever driven. Super cool. Anyway, we started calling a few Bronco guys in the Memphis area, and looked at a couple. It was difficult to find clean, unmolested examples. That's my area of interest. Finding vehicles people have cared for and taking my turn as steward for future generations. I love all things cars, but a well-kept example of anything old really gets me going. However, the pickings were getting thinner as we went, and time was not on our side.
Then, 6 days before Thanksgiving, I found Indy. It was an ad complete with bad pictures and worse descriptions of a supposedly mint 1986 Corvette pace car replica with 18,000 original miles on the odometer. It was red with a white top. It's heart was a direct injected 350 cubic inch V8 with aluminum heads, mated to a 4+3 Doug Nash manual transmission. The owner had papers documenting recent work done to it and the original Indy 500 decals which had never been applied. I immediately messaged it to my brother and then dove into some online market research.
I found out that Chevrolet modified the coupe over at ASC to make a convertible with extra cross-bracing underneath to keep it from breaking in half, which made it structurally stiffer and $5,005 more expensive than the coupe to buy when new. Chevrolet supplied decals to every buyer with the option to leave them off - which many did. It weighs 3,166 pounds, makes 235 whopping horsepower, and pulls with 330 foot pounds of tire smoking torque. They made 7,315 convertibles and called all of them Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Replicas. So, not a really very special version of a not so very great version of the Corvette, but how to value it? That was a harder question. I found some mint examples with the Indy 500 decals installed going for as high as $20,000 with fewer miles, and some well-used high mile cars for $5,000. I decided to risk it. We decided on a top dollar. Period. And hoped it wasn't too much, depending on how it really looked.
I waited by the phone for my brother to call as I watched old episodes of Top Gear. I had given him full authority for thumbs up or down and all things deal related. It was strange to buy a car, sight unseen and out of my hands, but kind of fun for both of us. I wasn't paying much attention to the show. I found out later that Anders was nervous, too.
Finally, after way too much time and a few cryptic texts, he called me with the news that I was now the owner of a Bright Red Corvette roadster! And that he just realized the heater wasn't working.
So that's where we are! I'm super excited. The car (Indy) is safe in my brother's garage and I'm a few days from seeing the old girl. Stay tuned as we figure out how to fix the heat problem and whatever else crops up as we (me and my very brave wife) drive her 844 cold miles up to Minnesota after eating a lot of turkey.....
Hopefully I can find her a new home!
My brother, Anders, and the owner going over Indy before purchase. Photo credit to his wife Meredith, who sat in the car waiting for him.
11/20/2019
You might notice in the above photo a smoker's tree next to the garage of the previous owner. Yeah. Turns out he is a smoker, and though we don't think he smoked in the car, Anders reports a bit of stale cigarette smoke when you sit in the interior. However, I have just the thing. I haven't tried it yet myself, but some say that Ozium works wonders in eliminating the unwelcome smell of old smoke. I don't think the stale odors will turn out to be a big deal, its just a little bummer.
In other news, the heater has started working! I dislike problems that come and go, but I'm sure we can find the issue.
11/21/2019
I have got probably two of the best brothers a guy could have. I messaged my brother Anders to see if he had time to take a few pictures for my insurance valuation, and I got back some amazing shots! Anders and Leif (Our family is Italian, obviously) went out and had some fun with Indy this afternoon and WOW! It's the best look I've gotten so far and I'm impressed. Its great to have some good pictures, and I have a sneaky hunch they enjoyed taking the car out for a drive....
I'm told the previous owner was so nervous every time he drove the car he couldn't enjoy it, which is why it was for sale! I'll try not to make that mistake. Rule number 3: Have fun. After seeing the pictures, I can understand why. It's a shame, because Corvettes were meant to run, and run hard. It's got all the ingredients to have fun with that long bright red hood, rowing gears on the Doug Nash, and feeling all that torque show up at only 3,200 rpm!
Speaking of burning rubber, another concern I've had is how old the tires are. I'm told they are date coded 2006, which is pretty old for a tire. They have been stored indoors and have very few miles on them, but it's still something to pay attention to. A lot of crashes in cars which spend most of their life in storage is due to old rubber. It just doesn't grip like new rubber as it hardens with age. Even if they look amazing, you can bet I'll be taking it easy on the way home with my speed. Some say the tragedy of Paul Walker's death could have been due to old rubber on the Porsche his friend was driving. It wouldn't surprise me a bit.
I get to see her late tomorrow night, but the next big adventure is the trip back to Minnesota! Stay tuned....
11/25/2019
We got into Memphis late the day before Thanksgiving, so by the time we arrived at Anders house, it was way past dark. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning as the garage door opener began lifting the door inch by inch to reveal a red Corvette roadster illuminated by a single light bulb. Not one to wear feelings on sleeves, I betrayed my glee with a smile that wouldn't go away. I walked around the car, drinking in every detail. Whatever I touched, saw, smelled, and experienced of the car painted a more complete picture of how special it was.
The paint was good close-up, though swirls and light scratches were visible. They will easily buff out. The engine bay was absent cracked hoses, oil leaks, or visible wear of any kind - save a light sheen of mechanical dust and oil. The interior lay under a thick veil of dust, but you could see the diamond in the dirt. No rips or tears in the leather, either, and the dash was free of cracking.
I opened the door and slid myself down behind the wheel. And down. And down. Crap this thing is low! Lifting my legs over the sill, I sat straight forward and examined the blank dash. Everything is digital (80's style) so there isn't much to see when the engine is off. I felt the small, fat steering wheel in my hands and dropped my right hand on the leather gearshift handle. Nice. The radio was just a radio, no cassette, and the headlight switch was a simple knob to the left of the steering wheel. I love it. Window switches, power seat toggle, and side mirror controls in the center console. Parking brake next to the door on my left. Neato. I can hear Eye of the Tiger already playing a soundtrack in my head....where did the eighties go?
It was too late to start it up and go for a drive, but tomorrow after family pictures and a trip to NAPA, I would take her out.
11/25/2019
Was the last owner of Indy too scared to wash, vacuum, or dust Indy? We may never know for sure, but it seemed that way to me as I prepped her for the journey back to Minnesota. Am I an odd person for cleaning my car before a trip? We may never know for sure, but it's normal for me. Vacuuming layers of dust and dirt, wiping down interior surfaces and cleaning glass is a good way to feel good about starting any long journey which could end in disaster.
Mechanically, the car seemed good. The oil was clean, an intermittent low coolant light was solved with more coolant, and the clutch felt adjusted. I did add Lucas fuel treatment, just to help lubricate and clean any gunk out of the fuel injection system. New wipers finished it off, and I felt pretty ready!
11/29/2019
We were quiet as I loaded our bags into the car. Quiet except for my grunting and muttering while bent over the passenger seat, pushing items back between the seats into the cargo area one-by-one as if I was feeding a slot machine that took luggage instead of coins. If it had been a nice day to run with the top down, we would have had things on our laps, since the top takes up the larger portion of the space while stowed. Thankfully, or not, the top was up, so I stuffed the area full in about 5 minutes.
My wife, Sarah, activated the garage door from inside the house while I slid behind the wheel, and then joined me in the car as I depressed the clutch and turned the key. The engine woke with a soft bark and settled into the low rumble of a steady idle. We looked at each other and smiled. Here we go!
I put the transmission in first gear and rolled out of the garage into the darkness of morning....
11/29/2019
We wound our way out of Memphis, past the great pyramid of Bass Pro, and across the Mississippi into West Memphis before heading north on I55 toward St. Louis, MO. It was immediately apparent in the 30 degree temperatures that Indy's heat was definitely NOT working. Having our coats and hats, we weren't really concerned, as the day was going to hit a high of 40 that day with sun, but it was mildly uncomfortable - enough so that we stopped an hour or so later to check it out. I looked at the heater valve under the hood while Sarah worked the controls, and everything was operating properly there. Nothing. Frustrated, after killing 30 minutes of our day, we drove on - adventures being what they are.
As the morning crept past 8:00, we decided to stop for Starbuck's and a bathroom, as well as a driver change. Sarah hadn't driven a stick since her first car, a mid-80's Honda Prelude, but was excited to get behind the wheel in spite of that. As we settled into the car with our coffee, I explained a few things I knew would help, and she started the car. And the heat blew hot. WHAT?!! We just looked at each other and shook our heads.
For the rest of the trip, we had more heat than we knew what to do with, which we were thankful for as we crossed into the frozen tundra later that evening....
11/29/2019
As Sarah and I drove north, she mused that we could have named the car Barb, due to its resemblance to the Barbie Corvette. I smoothly changed the subject by suggesting we stop in St. Louis on the way through to visit the address shown on the paperwork of the selling dealership. I thought some pictures might be fun. Distracted by my brilliance, she enthusiastically agreed, and the subject was forgotten. Anyway, I think it was Ken who had the red Corvette.
May 30, 1986 was the day Indy left the Chris Auffenberg Chevrolet dealership in the hands of her first owner. Located in Kirkwood, a suburb of St. Louis, MO, the old building still bears the name of the dealership, though it is no longer used in that capacity. It sits on a wide boulevard lined with a mixture of old homes and commercial buildings old and new. It has the feel of age to it, as did the abandoned Chevrolet dealership. Someone is using the building, but probably just as a annex.
Low on gas, we pulled into a parking lot full of parked Jeeps. It appears the old Chevrolet lot is used for overflow by a Jeep dealership. We positioned the car for a picture, and took a few shots while a cold wind blew down our necks. Then, with a disappointing lack of fanfare and nobody running out with a wad of cash to exclaim how they remembered the day this car was sold and would love to buy it, we drove off to find gas.....
11/30/2019
After 844 miles, 3 tanks of gas, one bag of beef jerky, two cups of coffee, one 5 hour energy, and 14 hours since starting out, we finally rolled up our driveway and into the garage! Indy ran flawlessly, her 350 V8 never giving a hint of trouble. As the hours dragged on into the afternoon and evening, we were tired but the car would have gone another 14 hours without a sweat. An amazing thing, considering her age and how much of her life has been spent sitting. Definitely a testament to all the care her previous owners have shown her. She has been well loved, and, as we all know, that makes all the difference. The last hour of our journey was in the wet conditions brought on by light precipitation, so she has a slight coating of road spray still on her. I have found a good detailer who was recommended by some coworkers - themselves having old cars they both love and drive regularly in the summer. I can't wait to see her cleaned up! Beast, my daily, is a little disgruntled to be spending nights outside. He will have to deal with it.
In 1986 the Ford Mustang 5.0 had 200 horsepower and 285 ft lbs of torque; the Pontiac Firebird had 150 hp and 235 ft lb of torque; I have 235 horsepower and 330 ft lb of torque! Not Ferrari numbers to be sure, but I was made to carve up the roads and leave other cars in my rearview mirror. I was designed to cut through the air like a knife and turn heads doing it. I was built to burn rubber and fuel in prodigious quantities. I was born to run!
So what happened?!!! So far, most all of my life has been a lot of sitting around indoors, only occasionally taken out for a leisurely drive in the sun. I have rarely even seen rain, except from the inside of a garage. I'm not complaining, well, I am complaining a bit. I have been treated like a queen, as I deserve, but my heart wants to run wild out on the open road, not putzing around a parade ground. But, here I am again, stuck in a garage freezing my taillights off! I can't wait for warmer weather and someone who loves the road like I do! Maybe we can take a drive with my top down and go hang out with some other old cars like me and talk a bit.
At least I still have a good home and someone who cares about me. *Sigh*
*So I completed and enrolled Indy to c4vetteregistry.com! I'm not actually sure what registry to use, but I feel like Indy deserves to be registered and documented as existing somewhere. I did a short online search and found a large community of Corvette aficionados along with many links to good resources available to the owners of these cars. It's been extremely helpful and informative......
I finally got a day warm enough to get that road grime off the car from our trip up from Memphis to Minnesota! We drove around the block after pulling Indy out of hibernation, just to circulate all the fluids and put some heat in things on a bright, sunshiny winter day. It felt good to get out and enjoy the sun. Afterwards, I grabbed a bucket of warm, soapy water and a soft wash mit. As I brushed the first warm suds over the hood, I realized this was the first time since I bought Indy that I washed her! That must be some kind of sad record for me. It's usually the first day, or at least week of ownership that the soapy water comes out. I use that time to go over every inch of the car by hand to examine the paint and body, looking for tar, chips, or dents. Indy looks pretty good, with only some chips here and there in the paint. There is some road tar as well, but that will come off when she gets professionally detailed. After the wash, I put her cover on for the first time! It's a custom cloth cover with a soft underneath that came with the car. I'm pretty excited.
03/27/2020
It's March, and the weather has finally cooperated for Indy to be driven with the top down the way this car was meant to be enjoyed! A quick run for takeout and the warmth of the sun on a spring day. Heaven. Shifting through the gears, you hear a whine from the rear diff and have the satisfying chunky feel of moving the gear lever into the next position. Combine that with the open air and acre of red stretching out past the windshield, and you have to smile.
She and Red Rocket are my daily drivers for a week or two, now that Beast has sold. I'm not complaining. Stay tuned for the announcement of a new family member!
5/01/2020
It's kind of funny, but this car has been so well preserved that pictures do not do it justice. From the above pictures to the ones that follow, the difference is a detail that includes a three-stage paint buffing and polishing. Hard to tell, isn't it? In person it is amazing the difference, but equally amazing how much the same it seems after you adjust to it! Indy is a good car, and I'll be sad to see her go.
On a side note, I finally ordered a new heater control valve and had it installed. I had noticed a bit of coolant pooling on top of the intake manifold, so my mechanic replaced the intake manifold gasket and thermostat while we had the coolant drained. After an oil and filter change, she is so happy! I love it when things are properly done.
