Monday, October 21, 2002

As you can tell from the previous stories, this has been a rather long process.  We first saw the car in Monterey and have been working up to the delivery ever since.  I guess this is not too much different from life, except the car did not get any strange cravings.  Having seen it yesterday and knowing that it would be another day until we could actually drive it, made for a rather long drive from Georgia to Florida, what with looking at each orange trailer and hoping to catch a glimpse of her.  We made it through the night and eagerly awaited the phone call.  It came and we heard soon after the deep throaty sound of the big rig coming our way.  We looked down the street and here came Tom from Reliable Carriers Bringing our baby home:

We peeked inside and it still looked as cool as it had in Georgia.  We knew that soon there would be another delivery, right in our own front yard.  After Tom undid the straps, it was time for her to see the first glimpse of Florida sun.

He slowly backed it onto the waiting ramp and reached out for the control to lower her to the ground.

She took her first breath and gave a throaty roar.  Thank heaven for CORSA!  Then Tom slowly backed her off the ramp and onto the tarmac.

Just looking inside the interior glistened in the sun, and the adrenaline started to pump even stronger through our veins.

I had to at least stand by the side and feel the excitement.

Tom then had the pleasure of handing me the keys to this beautiful machine and telling me that a lot of people have already asked him how to get one and where it was conceived.

It was off to the house for more inspection and, what the hell, on the way: "Want to Drag?"

It sure looks at home in front of the abode and it was all I could do to keep from driving away.

From there it was onto the side and into the garage for a real inspection, putting the stickers on the plates, and a few last minute details.

I could not leave without affixing the new vanity plate on the shiny chrome license plate bracket.

It was then off to tool around in the beautiful new toy.  I have to tell you that driving this around is an experience that one does not soon forget.  People just let their mouths drop open and even followed us to stoplights to ask what it is.  We even had a news van from a local TV station follow us into a parking lot, just to find out what kind of car this was and whether it is available at your local Chevy dealers.  We talked for awhile and gave them my card and told them that they could come by and film the whole story for their newscast.  All too soon, it was time to put her away for the evening and just sit back and savor the feeling of gliding around sunny Florida in our new toy.  Thinking of the next time we would motor in style.

Oh, and by the way, here's Don Theune's terrific 1:24 model of our very own 53CE:

(On the passenger seat is the cover of Corvette Fever where our 2001 Z06 was featured!)