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1971 LT-1 CORVETTE STINGRAY ALBUM STUART & SUSAN CORK MARKHAM, ONTARIO GRAPHIC ARTIST & WEB DESIGNER 1971 CHEVROLET CORVETTE, 1993 EAGLE TALON, 1995 JEEP CHEROKEE |
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Stingray Snapshots Reviewed July 5, 1999 ot that old-car itch? Hankering to buy the ride of your dreams but don't know where to start? Before jumping into the deep end of the pool, dip a toe into the water at Stuart & Susan's 1971 LT-1 Corvette Stingray Album, a detailed account of a Canadian couple's transformation of a well-traveled 118,000 miles on the odometer sports car into an award-winning show car. Stuart and Susan Cork, who run a home-based graphic arts and Web design shop in Markham, Ontario, a Toronto suburb, were Corvette neophytes when they bought their LT-1 Stingray coupe in 1993. (The LT-1 designation is the option code for the car's high-performance 350-cubic-inch V-8 engine.) Stuart, 38, went to several classic-car auctions before deciding a 1968 to 1972 Corvette would be the right choice. "I prefer the Corvette to a conventional muscle car because [it's] more purpose-built as a performance car," he says. "A Corvette has a certain cachet to it."
Labor of Love When the Corks purchased the Corvette, its engine had already been rebuilt and therefore did not require "major surgery." Stuart decided that the major mechanical and body repairs that were required were best left to professionals. "I'm just a hobbyist, and I know my limitations," notes Stuart, who has no automotive repair training. "I won't touch brakes or heavy-duty drivetrain components. I leave that to the experts. I did the bolt-on type repairs and smaller, simpler cosmetics." In fact, Stuart did most of the interior restoration, including stripping and repainting trim plates, hand-dying the carpet to its original "saddle" hue and restuffing the bucket seats. Although he found the work difficult and time-consuming, he didn't lose sight of the small details: "I was becoming a perfectionist, and I didn't want even one wrinkle in the upholstery." The result is a mechanically sound, visually appealing 1971 'Vette that regularly wins awards at club shows and turns heads on the road.
Word to the Wise The Corks are deeply involved in Corvette club activities with Stuart organizing shows for members to display their restored cars in judged competition. Their car is an integral part of their social life, taking them on cruises and tours across Canada with other Corvette enthusiasts. Stuart's strongest advice to those planning to restore an old car is to join a "marque club" such as the Corvette Club of Ontario, which serves as a valuable resource tool and ongoing social group. Members typically have deep knowledge of the particular car and freely offer advice on which cars to buy, where to find parts and problem solving. He also urges those who restore cars to enjoy them on the road instead of making them museum pieces. "There's simply no point in saving it so someone else can drive it," he says. "If you're never going to drive a car because that makes it more valuable, you could just as well keep something on a mantlepiece instead." Reported by Rick Popely for cars.com |
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MORE DETAIL
Follow the Corks' illustrated history of the restoration of their dream car.
DETAILS & SPECIFICATIONS Visit this site dedicated to another LT-1 Corvette.
HISTORY OF THE CORVETTE
A&W's 'VETTE
Read this cars.com special on roadsters and convertibles view photos and video of the 1999 Corvette. |