We have a very personal connection to our 1953 Commemorative Edition Corvette...Throughout my life, my father and I shared a love for cars and have attended countless car shows and cruise nights together. In 2017, he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He spent his entire life putting others first. Now was the time for my father to finally treat himself.
Soon after his terminal prognosis, I asked my dad which car he had always dreamed of owning. He answered quickly as if this wasn’t the first time he’d thought about it, a 1953 Corvette. There were only 300 of these built. Obviously, they are extremely rare and expensive so I tried to help him find an alternate option. I wanted all of his dreams to come true while he still had time.
After a few days of searching online, I located a 1953 Corvette Replica for sale in Massachusetts. This car would allow him to fulfill his dream without emptying his wallet.
Even though he was only able to enjoy it for a few short months before he passed, he absolutely loved it! He enjoyed taking it for cruises, even if it was just around the block. He was also excited to share it with anyone and everyone who entered the house. A neighbor. A cousin. A handyman. In fact, after coming inside, my dad would walk you right back outside into the garage to introduce you to his new toy. And always with a big smile on his face.
As his cancer progressed, he could no longer drive his ‘53 but he could certainly still admire it. He would visit it in the garage just to say hi and to make sure it was still there, realizing the inevitable; that one day soon he would no longer be able to enjoy it, or any of life’s gifts.
Even though this car meant a lot to him and to me, he knew it would be impractical for us to keep it in New Jersey. It was far from a comfortable drive, didn’t have power steering, power disc brakes or any modern safety features. He felt very strongly that this car did not make sense for us to hold onto, and as sentimental as it was to own, it would be more of a burden to our family. Keeping it would’ve felt like we were holding onto a piece of him but his reasoning made sense. Sadly.
After battling for nearly two years, a year longer than his doctors had given him, Dad took a turn for the worse and remained at home in Hospice. His time was coming to an end and my brother, Steven, and I flew to Florida and to be with him and our mom for his final days.
We would sit by his bedside. Sometimes the three of us together. Other times, each of us alone; waiting for the inevitable, waiting for a sign. Something. Anything.
My brother and I walked around the neighborhood, taking a break from the house. An escape. I spotted something I’d never seen before in Florida. A cardinal. Maybe it’s not such a rare sighting, but I’d never taken real notice of one until now. This moment. I felt a sense of calm. A feeling that it was time. Some say, “When cardinals appear, angels are near.”
Little did I know that this cardinal, any cardinal, would play a vital role in various situations and future decisions to be made. Cardinals became a comfort. A sense that Dad was still a part of our world. A part of me. Anytime I needed guidance or just to know Dad was present, I’d consistently see a cardinal. If I had needed to tell him something. Or for him to tell me something. I could count on spotting one. Just like I could always count on my Dad.
After he passed, as hard as it was, we fulfilled his wish and sold his beloved Corvette. This was not easy and it was heartbreaking to watch it leave the garage and head onto a trailer. It had become a part of us. And now it was gone. Just like our dad.
My wife Michelle and I really loved the look of the ‘53 Corvette’s front grill, the mesh headlights and most of all the memories of how it made my father feel.
We wanted, NEEDED, a tribute to our dad and his love for his ’53. The 1953 Commemorative Edition Corvette was the answer. It sports the classic look, yet boasts modern day comforts and conveniences.
Finding the perfect CE for us wasn’t an easy task. There were only 210 built by Advanced Automotive Technologies. Many not automatic. Some not convertibles. Many not in the color scheme we desired. I’ve only seen a handful for sale that could possibly work for us. Until #158 came under our radar. I liked many things about car #158 but still wasn’t sure if it was the one. THE ONE.
It was a big decision and a large investment, and I didn’t have my dad as a sounding board to help me think it through. Throughout my life, he’d provide insight without judgement. He’d listen without advising, always allowing me to make the choice. After wavering back and forth on whether or not to make an offer on this car, I decided to look to the sky for a sign, as I’ve done numerous times before.
I was driving on the highway in an attempt to gain some clarity. Is this the car for us? The time to go all in? Shortly after asking for a sign, I saw it. A cardinal. I now knew this was the one and I needed to do whatever it took to make it ours.
After the customary back and forth, we agreed on a price and #158 was heading from Missouri to a new home in New Jersey. A week or so later, the enclosed trailer pulled up and unloaded our new car, Sadie. A fitting name which my dad would affectionally call my mom at times, always when he was in the happiest of moods.
We are extremely excited to own our CE, and looking forward to enjoying it for many years to come. Sadie will be a part of many car shows, cruise nights and we’ll continue to hold onto our memories of our father while creating new ones!
Some history on 53CE #158:
The donor C5 was a 2004 with automatic transmission. Here it is at AAT ready to begin the conversion:
