This is always a great show, but this year's Harvest of Vettes
will always be special in my mind because it was at this event that
WE SOLD THE FENDER** !!
On the road to Kimball Farm in Westford, MA.
Our setup. People are always incredulous that all that stuff - 12' of table, 2 chairs,
all the display materials AND the 10'x10' canopy tent - came out of the Vette!
Oh, and THE FENDER** too!
Although I never got away from the table, the view of the rest of the show was good.
While the trophies were being awarded, I made everything go back into the car.
As the awards were concluded, Spindle City President Bob Brooks called me up to the front. He reminded me that earlier in the day I had a conversation with someone who basically asked how big a check would it take for me to give up THE FENDER on the spot. He then asked me to get THE FENDER back out of the car.
Then Linda and Bob Crooks came forward and presented me with a check to the American Cancer Society for $3000.00!
I actually got to add my autograph to the 38+ that I had collected.
Linda and Bob are long time members of the Spindle City Corvette who were back
for a visit from their new home in Phoenix, AZ. Bob is also a cancer survivor!
Thank you, Linda and Bob for your tremendous generosity!
Now, go find the rest of that Z06!
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** The Fender
This is the left front fender off the very first 2006 Z06 Corvette to go down the production line. The Z06 is the new for 2006 super-Corvette: 505 horsepower, aluminum chassis, many other unique performance enhancing parts, and unique body panels. This was the practice car, assembled as the plant figured out how to incorporate the new model, with all its differences, into the production flow. Designated "experimental", the car could not be sold to the public, and was partially dismantled afterward to be used for training. John Spencer at the Assembly Plant sent both front fenders to Hank Vezina for the Gate City Corvette Club Fundraiser held August 13 in Nashua, NH. Made of carbon fiber, the fenders weigh only 3 pounds each! The Pilot car was also unique in that it was painted Daytona Sunset Orange, which was not an available color for the 2006 Corvette!
The right fender was auctioned at that event for $800. The other I kept, and transported to the next 3 events, collecting autographs on it from everybody involved with Corvette design, engineering and manufacturing. These include:
Dave Hill - Corvette Chief Engineer
Dave McLellan - Retired Corvette Chief Engineer
Wil Cooksey - Corvette Plant Manager
John Spencer - Corvette Plant Project Manager who sent us the fenders
Tom Peters - Corvette C6 Designer
John Cafaro - Corvette C5 Designer
Jerry Palmer - Corvette C4 Designer
Randy Whittine - Corvette Designer since the 1960s
Karen Rafferty - Corvette Marketing Manager
Lance Miller, Judy Miller & Bill Miller - Corvettes @ Carlisle
Bill Nichols - Corvette Powertrain
and now... Me!