KENTUCKY'S CORVETTE MUSEUM

There are three major stories about the Corvette.  In 1953 Chevrolet designed a sports car modeled after European sports cars. Veterans returning from Europe talked about racy European sports cars and those young vets were the intended market. The Corvette design was nifty but it had no speed or power. It was about to flop.


A bold engineer by the name of Zora Arkus Duntov had the temerity to write to Chevrolet and tell them what was wrong with their car and made several suggestions of how they could improve it. They listened and invited him to meet with them. He was hired and became their head designer from then on. It was Duntov who made the Corvette the successful First American Sports Car that it became.


The second major component of this museum is the Corvette Owners, the clubs, their support and loyalty to their dream car. The Museum is a non-profit, by the way. Corvette Clubs from all over the U.S. come here, they donate their cars, their patches, parts, etc. They are active in their clubs. Ralleys, parades, mystery cruises, all the fun stuff, but they also participate in charities, making money for great causes. NCM Master Ambassador Club fly Vietnam Veterans, who cannot make it on their own, to Washington D.C. to visit the Vietnam Memorial.  The Museum,  gives a discount to vets and does other things for vets. They have programs for children and great displays associated with the Corvette.


They have a huge number of commemorative benches and sidewalk plaques and bricks around this huge building. Quite a place.


The third major story is Corvette’s entrance into the racing field. Above is the front end of the 1969 Orange Blossom Express, one of the most successful racers they produced.


The Orange Blossom raced from 1972 until 2001. It garnered a tremendous record of wins along the way.


This is my favorite Corvette, the rounded back, the convertible top, the sleek, longer front. When I was young, this is what a Corvette was supposed to look like.


And this little beauty, a close second.


There are many different Corvettes here and car buffs will absolutely love this place.


This sexy model with its lift up door simply looks like a smiling gargoyle to me. But, it was a great design as I remember for women to enter with short skirts without having to cram themselves in through a tiny door.


Sleek and speedy. Resembles a bomb. The word zoom just crawls out of your head.

This one resembles a mass of bubbles.


Eventually, they got wire wheels.


A square back. Naaah, not for me. But, it might be your favorite.


The only Corvette we saw in the place with a bra and a rack. It was considered a camping sports car.  I see a face and smile, besides.


A sleek bomb.


This was Duntov’s autographed car with his license, Zora 1.

And, the original 1953 model was pretty and snazzy for all of its faults. Look at those whitewalls and that cherry red upholstery. Yazoo!

Corvette decided to lend its sleek design to a guitar, but they didn’t stick with it.


The license plate collection.


The patches.


A wonderful mural made of tiny pictures of Corvettes.


And this amazing story. This 1965 Corvette was stolen in 1970. It was in show condition and its pedigree showed it had been in many car shows. The last buyer checked, found out it had been stolen and by some miracle the original report existed and the original owner got his Corvette back in 2009 worth a lot more than he paid for it. It is now in the museum. Isn’t that a terrific story? Well, folks, do come to visit, this is a terrific museum.