Mike & Joan S

Can you spell beautiful? Well if you can’t spell it I can define it. How about Frost blue paint and Frost Blue interior? Better yet, a 1958 Corvette roadster with a 283/250hp, 4speed, with a drop dead beautiful paint job that is frost blue with a beautiful frost blue interior that belongs to Mike and Joan S? This is a true definition of the word beautiful with a wonderful story to back up this beauty. Or shall we say beauty and the beast!

“In 1986 after looking for a year for a blue 1962 roadster I went by a “Corvette” shop on North Glenstone” says Mike. “They had a 1958 roadster that was sitting behind their shop. It was in a thousand pieces with a busted front end, no interior and a very bad top. The engine and transmission had been totally removed. We had heard tales that the previous owner had delivered pizzas in the car and that he had owned some pizza franchises”.

“We purchased the car “as is” for $9500 and began the process of bringing it back to life. The engine had a cracked block and the left head was cracked. It had an incorrect Muncie transmission at the time and we found the correct casting number T10 Borg Warner transmission in Monett. With the help of my brother in law It took us about 5 months to get it in running condition”.

“Not long after that we joined Vintage Vettes. Due to the shape and condition we were very ashamed to drive our ’58 and that kept us from many of the clubs functions”.

“One weekend we were driving back from the Lake of the Ozarks and the oil pressure went to zero. I knew then it was time to pull the engine and have it done right. So we took it to a ford engine specialist and had it rebuilt top to bottom I have had 60 lbs of pressure showing ever since”!

“In 1999 we rebuilt the entire car, new brakes, fuel system, engine, transmission and cooling system” says Mike. “The dash was rebuilt including all of the gages and we replaced the interior and repainted the car in its original color”.

"Over the years we have acquired four corvettes but we will always have a very special fondness for the “58”. There is a special nostalgia associated with old cars, especially Vettes. Joan and I feel that sentiment. I had always wanted an older Vette as long as I can remember and Joan has even gotten the “Corvette fever over time and enjoys tooling around town”.

“Our thoughts to share with the club “Our club is full of diverse individuals but the one thing we share is our love for our plastic toys. It’s a great group of people that are fun to work with as well as play with”.

AWARDS AND HONORS:

Best restored car in 2001 at Eureka Springs. AR

awarded by the National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, KY.

Mike and Joan S

I am Mike S. My wife Joan and I are the proud owners of 5 Corvettes, a'58'64'77'90 and 99. I have been crazy over Chevy's plastic wonder from the day in my early teen's when I spotted a rotting ‘54 in a junk yard in Wichita Ks. It was a total wreck but I thought it was fabulous. The years sped by with a stint in the US Navy Sea Bee's and a trip to the So East Asia war games, then home, college, wife, kids etc. Life moved on but I never out grew that Corvette desire. About 20 years ago Joan and I finally moved our business to the point we no longer had beans for dinner every night. The Vette fever by now was raging. She said let's see if we can find one we can afford. I wanted a ‘61 or '62 just like Todd and Buzz drove on Route 66, same color and all, however what I found was a basket case ‘58.

The color was right but every thing else was a mess. Over the years we have fully restored “Baby” and now she has a place of honor in our little collection. A few good years and a little more money brought a brand new ‘99 home then the ‘90 and ‘77. After a trip to Bowling Green it was decided we needed a C2 to round out the collection. I found the ‘64 of all places on EBAY. The car and the guy checked out ok so as they say the rest is history. One of the neat things about the car was that it was the same 64 that took part in the first Motorama so this is a return trip for it. The car has been repainted to the original factory color and all freshened up.

Joan and I have been members of Vintage Vettes of the Ozarks for about 19 years. I served a year as president and am now the Ambassador for our club to the NCM.

We enjoy all types of Corvette event's with our friends and attend as many as time permits. We both are looking forward to this latest adventure with eager anticipation.