Corvette Stingray

Corvette Stingray is a fantastic historical record of one of my favorite automobiles. Perfect for car lovers or as a coffee table book, Corvette Stingray has wonderful content and beautiful pictures. I actually came for the pictures but stayed for the history, engineering, and vehicle specs.

You see, once upon a time in my previous life, I worked for Paragon Corvette Reproductions, a manufacturer and distributor of 1953-82 Corvette parts, located in Swartz Creek/Rankin, Michigan. I began as a parts picker/shipper, moved into receiving, and became an assistant warehouse manager for a bit, before finally landing as a purchasing agent. I purchased parts manufactured by other Corvette parts suppliers/manufacturers. I did get to manufacture a couple of the parts I used to source directly from GM after they changed the specs and the new parts were no longer original in appearance. Vintage Corvette owners are very specific in the parts they replace, and the parts have to look like the originals.

I made a lot of connections in the GM and Corvette industries throughout my 10 years at Paragon. I met Joe Spielman several times when he'd come to Paragon to visit. You can read about him on the National Corvette Museum website: https://www.corvettemuseum.org/joe-spielman/. I made wonderful friends with owners and employees of other manufacturers and distributors of Corvette parts including Keen Parts, Allen's Stainless, Zip Products, Trim Parts, Eckler's, Vette Products of MI, CSC Reproduction Corvette Parts, and various GM dealerships across Michigan. Some of these companies are no longer around, have been sold to a conglomerate, or bought by the competition (Paragon was absorbed by Corvette Central recently after both companies were purchased by Legendary Companies). I left the industry at the end of 2006 but my acquired love for the Corvette has not diminished.

Acquired, you ask? I was 19 when I started working at Paragon and didn't really like the Corvette (gasp!). What I actually discovered I didn't like, wasn't the Corvette in its entirety, but the C3 and C4 Corvettes. When I was introduced to the owner's C1 (53-62) and C2 (63-67) Corvettes, I was hooked, and in love. I eventually learned to love the C3s and actually owned a blue 1980 for several years. Don't even get me started on the C4s. They are my least favorite gen and you won't ever change my mind. Lol.

Anyway, back to Corvette Stingray: The Mid-Engine Evolution. Richard Prince compiled an excellent amount of history in this book. The sheer volume of historical data and photos kept me engaged and interested in learning about how the mid-engine Corvette finally came to fruition. I'm sad that Zora Arkus-Duntov wasn't here to see his vision become a reality. He worked hard to get the Corvette where it is today, and I appreciate his dedication and tenacity. GM will forever be my preferred car manufacturer, and the Corvette my absolutely favorite sports car.

Filled with fab photos, history and intriguing facts, this fine coffee table book will make a terrific gift for Corvette lovers like my husband. Vrooooooooom!

Corvette Stingray is a great coffee table book for the car enthusiasts. This has great photographs following the evolution of the Chevy Corvette Stingray.

Being a car enthusiast, nothing is better than seeing a car restored with OEM parts. Spending the day checking out car shows, or watching them parade down the street is a beauty to behold. This book was loaded with interesting information, beautiful photos, and a story that just grabs the attention of car lovers. The song Riding With Private Malone by David Ball kept playing in my head as I read this book. While I found the Blackjack very interesting, I absolutely loved the Dolorian style.

I definitely recommend this book as either a coffee table book, or as an addition to your car enthusiast library.