Robb Report Collectibles: The General’s Genuine Article
August 1, 2005
Anyone who has made an effort to acquire the car of his or her dreams knows that the days of the serendipitous find are probably over, particularly if the quarry happens to be a Corvette. The chances of finding a dusty but complete ’53 in a barn, or buying that ’69 ZL-1 for a fraction of its true value because the current owner doesn’t think a car without a radio is worth anything, have dwindled dramatically; they can safely be stated as nil.
The cars still exist, of course. Even the rarest of the breed, the 1963
Grand Sport, had a production run of five, so it is likely that at least one
example of every Corvette model and/or option package survives. But, alas,
collectors know where they are, and what they are worth.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
The 1967 Corvette Convertible, is the only documented 427/435
convertible in existence with a black-on-red (900AA/408BG) color
combination. (Click image to enlarge)
There is another problem related to the ever-growing interest in Corvettes:
Rare and desirable models are relatively easy to re-create, and a determined
forger can turn out, for example, a ’57 “fuelie” with a 4-speed gearbox that would
appear authentic to all but the most exacting inspectors. (Click image to enlarge)
Enter the Corvette dealer and specialist. Several hard-core enthusiasts have transformed their fascination with America’s Sports Car into a lucrative business, including Terry Michaelis, proprietor of ProTeam Classic Corvette Collection and Sales. The company, which currently employs 18 people plus commissioned buyers and spotters located across the country, thrives because Michaelis and his crew know where the rare Corvettes are located and, perhaps more importantly, know the difference between real and fake.
Though ProTeam displays the 175 or so Corvettes it typically has on offer in a showroom in Napoleon, Ohio, its list of customers spans all 50 states and more than 40 countries around the world. Many are repeat buyers; the money-back guarantee ProTeam offers on all sales has seldom been exercised.
The current ProTeam facility, a five-building complex for car display, repair and restoration services, and parts sales, is the result of Michaelis’ 30-plus years of involvement with Corvettes. During that time, cars restored under his supervision have won some of the most prestigious honors in the Corvette world, including the Top Flight awards given by the National Corvette Restorers Society.
Not all Corvettes at ProTeam are 100-point potential concours d’elegance winners or rare cars too valuable to enjoy on the road. Some people may be drawn to a less-valuable but still fun-to-drive example, and ProTeam has those as well.
ProTeam Classic Corvette Collection and Sales
888.592.5086
www.proteamcorvette.com
advertisement
