Couple Scores C8 Corvette That’s a Perfect Match for Their ’53
With 1953 Corvette #285 sitting in their garage, Larry and Debi Smith work overtime to secure a matching-VIN C8.
The Corvette is one of those rare machines that evokes a serious passion in folks. And once it’s ignited, well, that passion simply doesn’t go away. This much is evident when you see people like Rick Hendrick, for example, amassing a collection of Corvette models for their own personal enjoyment. But perhaps no story does a better job of demonstrating how special the Corvette is than the one of Larry and Debi Smith.
The Smiths already own a 1953 Corvette, which is number 285 of the 300 produced in the model’s inaugural year. They are the third owners of the car, which they purchased from a family friend back in the ’80s. But when they first heard rumors that the ‘Vette was going mid-engine for the 2020 model year, it gave them the itch to add another car to the garage. One that could bookend their beloved C1. And they were more than happy to share their journey to do so in the C8 Corvette Owners (And Friends) Facebook group.
Larry and Debi decided that they wanted to purchase a C8, obviously. But they also wanted it to match their ’53 in more ways than one. For starters, it had to be white. But the couple also wanted to match their VIN numbers. Luckily, GM agreed to let them have 2020 Corvette #XXXX0000285. The request did add $5,000 to the cost of the car. But you can’t really put a value on the cool factor of having the original and a matching example of the latest Corvette.
Since this all went down, the Smiths have updated the progress of their C8 build on the C8 Owners Facebook page. By all appearances, the car looks pretty much finished and ready for delivery at this point. And we can only imagine how excited this Corvette loving couple is to complete their bookend collection. Because, as we already know, the passion that folks have for GM’s legendary sports car runs a little deeper than most.
Photos: C8 Corvette Owners (And Friends) Facebook group
Join the LS1Tech forums now!
