In preparing for Corvette Funfest 2010, I always review old historic event photographs for inspiration for NEW features and ideas.  This year was no exception, but I did get one surprise.  What was that surprise?

Well, on September 16, 1970, I purchased my first Corvette.  A 1967 Marina Blue, white interior four speed convertible!  On a personal note, Corvette Funfest 2010 will have a very special meaning to me, as I will be Celebrating Forty Years of Corvette Ownership.  What that really means is that for forty years, I have had at least one Corvette in my possession for over 14,600 days. Now that is Brand Loyalty.



No comments on hair, shorts or other attributes please!  And speaking of history, I also found photographs of my first Corvette Club jacket.



The Corvette Club that I formed in 1971 was none other than: Mid America Corvettes!  Our sponsor at that time was Dan Hecht Chevrolet.  Mr. Hecht was one of my early business mentors and supporters.  That dealership is still in operation today and just last year celebrated their 50th Anniversary as a Chevrolet Dealer.

You could not be a member of a Corvette Club without a cool jacket with patches "celebrating" Corvette events - and I complied!

        

Jan Stroobant, Club President, informed me today that approximately twenty-two members of the New Paddock Corvette Club Belgium will once again be represented at Corvette Funfest 2010.  Seven years ago,  during Corvette Funfest 2003, approximately 50 members of the Club were guests. Many of those same members will once again visit our campus during Corvette Funfest 2010 .



The club members will be visting in the USA for a 14 day tour and that tour not only includes Corvette Funfest and the MYGarage Museum , but also Graceland, the Corvette Assembly Plant and the NCM in Bowling Green, KY; Lingenfelter Performance Engineering; GM Heritage Musuem; Harley- Davidson Museum and ProTeam Corvette.

Jan said they tried to rent the ZHZ Hertz Corvettes , but no luck!  Now THAT would be cool.  Can you imagine the looks on our guests faces when 10-12 ZHZ Corvettes would have driven onto our event?

I am sure, judging from the past photograph above, that you will be able to identify these special guests by their club shirts.  If not, stop by our International Hospitality Tent  and make sure to give them a USA / Corvette welcome.

        

If you live inthe Satate of Illinois, do you have a vintage vehicle that you would like to drive and use vintage Illinois license plates from that cars "birth" year?  You have two options.  If your vehicle is over twenty-five years old, you can apply for Illinois Antique Vehicle  license plates that are good for five years.

 

1. Get valid Antique Vehicle license plates for your car.
2. Another option would be to buy the Antique Vehicle license plates and display vintage plates from the year of your cars manufacture.

 

This is a relatively little known and cool feature that allows all of us with Vintage Vehicles to drive our toys with vintage year plates.

 

The following is the State Statue that allows this. 

(625 ILCS 5/3‑804) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑804)
Sec. 3‑804. Antique vehicles.
(b) Any person who is the registered owner of an antique vehicle may display a historical license plate from or representing the model year of the vehicle, furnished by such person, in lieu of the current and valid Illinois antique vehicle plates issued thereto, provided that valid and current Illinois antique vehicle plates and registration card issued to such antique vehicle are simultaneously carried within such vehicle and are available for inspection.
(Source: P.A. 91‑37, eff. 7‑1‑99.)

For those of you living outside of Illinois, I suggest you let me know if YOUR state allows something similar!

        

Some lucky preregistered Corvette Funfest guest WILL win an autographed Fender Stratocaster Guitar  signed by The Guess Who .  Not only will they win the guitar, but they will also be invited back stage after the concert to have that guitar signed in person and the winners photos taken  with The Guess Who.

If you have already registered, you are included in this opportunity, if you have not preregistered - what are you waiting for?

Winner must must have preregistered for Corvette Funfest by August 31 and be present during the concert to win.

        

On July 1, a gentleman stopped by our offices and asked if I would be interested in buying a 1957 Corvette.  Upon asking the usual question, his comment of knowing about our Corvette Club back in the 1970's peaked my interest in his Corvette.  He said it was in a barn and had been "nailed in there" for over 35 years was the convincer that I had to go and LOOK. 

My brother Ken grabbed a Corvette Black Book and we jumped into my 1994 Corvette Brickyard Convertible and followed our guest to his barn.  That forty minute drive from our office had Ken and I talking like little boys awaiting Santa's arrival.  Would it be a FI car, dual carbs, perhaps an airbox RPO 684 Corvette, or........

When we arrived at the "site", we could not see a barn, just a driveway with weeds over chest high and an old path.  As we started walking down this 200  foot path, we finally saw a house, barn and a shed.  The seller informed us he had to get a pry bar in order to open the door.  After attempting to open the door, we also had to saw a tree down in order for the barn door to slide open.  Upon finally getting the door open this is what we saw!

This "1957 Corvette Barn Find" will be on display at Mid America Motorworks Corvette Funfest.com

        

Several week ago, my long time friend and fellowNCCC member Penn Pritchett, stopped by for a visit and discussion on NCCC.  Many of you know that I feel that the roots of Mid America Motorworks started with my affiliation and involvement with that organization.

One of Penn's suggestions related to our Performance Choice Division.   In essence, their tag line is "Automotive Interior Solutions" so Penn asked what appeared to be a far reaching question.  "Can you manufacture a sunvisor  for C3 and C4 Corvettes with a garage door opener in it, like on my C5 Corvette?".  My immediate answer was dah!

Well Penn, just ten days later, we have the answer; YES!  Soon, we will be offering sunvisor sets with HomeLink for C3 and C4 Corvettes.  These Sunvisor Sets will include appropriate wiring and installation instructions.

Thanks Penn.   Just know when you see and here about your Corvette friends installing these on their Corvettes, that you are The Man.


    Pictured at the left; our first prototypes.

        

This very personal message just has to be shared with my friends.  I am rewarded each and every day by our customers and friends in the automotive aftermarket.  I tell all that I am the most fortunate person in the world.  Too often, people mistake "fortunate" for another word for dollars!  My good fortune comes in friendship and life experiences.

Sadly, I received this very personal note from my friend Darby (Dr. Darby) Milnor early Sunday morning.

"I wanted to let you know that my Father passed away early Friday morning and what your Funfest meant to him.

As you know, VWs were Pop's passion and he told everyone from his friends to the Doctors at the hospital recently of the fun we've had and the wonderful presentation you honored him with this past year at Funfest.

He fought to the very end asked for two things. To be able to go home to his loving wife of 64 years and to be able to go to Effingham for VW Funfest with me one more time.

He was my hero as you know and I am blessed to be able to say that he was my best friend and we were able to spend his Golden Years on the road in our VWs and "Diggin' Life"

Warm Regards,

Darby Milnor

Not only has the Milnor family lost a great patriarch, but the VW community has lost a strong supporter and lifelong enthusiast.

        

The following is from Pro Team Corvette  newsletter and supported and endorsed by me personally.  Terry michaelis and I we very early members, with my membership number being NCRS Member # 222.

That was in 1974, and in 2009, both of our sons, Michael and Blake, joined NCRS. 

I cannot think of another organization that does more for the historical aspect and restoration "correctness" of our favorite car than NCRS.

Join NCRS... as it will be the smartest $35.00 bucks you'll ever spend on your Corvette. The National Corvette Restorers Society is a non-profit hobby group that has been gathering and publishing restoration, historical, maintenance, and technical information for 35 years. ProTeam Corvette owner Terry Michaelis (NCRS Member #136!) knew the importance of preserving and joined at the very beginning. More than 50,000(!) families have joined the NCRS after Terry did back in 1974. What are YOU waiting for? NCRS members receive 4 issues of the award-winning 52 page Corvette Restorer magazine-full color and NO ads, ever. Members also receive 6 issues of the NCRS Driveline newsletter-144 pages of free member ads, hobby news, and Corvette stuff for sale. Members also have complete access to the NCRS website at www.NCRS.org, as well as 18 Technical Advisors. Visit NCRS.org to join now!!!

        

Follow this link to the"fifty worst"  cars of all times.  Dave McLellan,  Corvette Chief Engineer (Retired) sent this to my attention, and we both have "certain" feelings about some of the cars on this list.  You might not recognize some, others you will.

Enjoy!

        

You are hearing it here first!  Mid America Motorworks and its Performance Choice division are proud to announce and offer a new Corvette colored carpeting interior enhancement program.

Over the C5 and C6 Corvette production build, we have heard and have had many requests for update carpeting for the passenger area of YOUR Corvettes.  We are extremely proud to now offer bulkhead forward replacement carpeting in COLORS matching exterior colors or your existing interior color in OE grade molded carpet front sets.

What does all of this mean to you?  Well for starters, as of this release, we have available molded carpet sets to match 14 of the current 17 C6 Corvette exterior colors.  The missing three exterior colors, white and the two yellows will not be offered!

As to existing interior color, we have molded carpet sets to match six of the seven interior colors, and will not be offering a Linen color matched carpet set!

As for the C5 Corvettes, you will soon see a reals on the same color matched carpeting for your 1997-2004 Corvette. 

Stay tuned for what may be the most innovative and comprehensive Corvette interior program this market has seen in years.