Tag: mike waal

Mike & Linda Waal’s Grand Touring (GT) 1980 Corvette

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See the USA in a Chevrolet, CORVETTE!

Dateline: 4-5-22 (this story was first published in the April 2018 issue of Vette Vues Magazine) – The term “GT” is arguably one of the most misused automotive designations. The term dates back to the 1930s in Europe and is an abbreviation for the words “grand touring,” or as they say in Italian, “Grand Turismo.” In the classic sense, a GT car was a road-going, lightweight, semi-luxurious coupe, built on a high-performance chassis. In the 1960s, American carmakers started to apply the GT term to many of their new pony and intermediate-size cars. Continue reading “Mike & Linda Waal’s Grand Touring (GT) 1980 Corvette” →

WINNER of our January 2018 “Vette of the Month Photo Contest” – Mike Waal’s 1980 GT Corvette

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Mike Waal from Maryland builds a Super Sano 1980 Corvette so that he and his wife Linda can “See the USA in their Chevrolet, CORVETTE!”

Dateline: 2-4-18, Photos by Mike Waal – Mike Waal took a sensible approach to building a safe, dependable, reliable 1980 Corvette with the sole purpose of long distance travel. The car fits the “classic” definition of a GT “Grand Touring” car; a road going, lightweight, semi-luxurious coupe, built on a high performance chassis. By 1980 Corvettes had standard creature comforts never imagined in the early days of Grand Touring automobiles. Mike’s addition of the motorcycle trailer completes the package for a “grand tour”.

Mike and Linda have driven their GT Corvette to Portland, Oregon, Florida, New England, the deep south, and many times to one of their favorite places, Watkins Glen. Mike has even parked his GT Corvette in the very spot that Harley Earl parked his Le Sabre concept car and Continue reading “

WINNER of our January 2018 “Vette of the Month Photo Contest” – Mike Waal’s 1980 GT Corvette” →

Corvette Timeline Tales: Happy 65th Birthday to America’s Only True Sports Car, the Corvette! – VIDEOS

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On this date in 1953, GM officials never imagined their little fiberglass concept car would one day become a world-class sports car and GM’s technological flagship automobile!

Dateline: 1.17.18 – Story by Mike Waal, Images GM Archives – On this date in Corvette History, Harley Earl‘s prototype Corvette (EX-122) was introduced to the public at the GM Motorama at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in Manhattan, NYC, on January 17, 1953.

I was born and raised in Manhattan. My Dad was working for Cadillac at their show room dealership on 57th Street and Broadway, in Manhattan. Dad had access to all the car shows. While I didn’t attend this event with him, I was about to turn 6, some time between this date and 1955 I attended my first car show with my Dad. What a thrill!

My Mom got me dressed in a suit with a white shirt and tie, and put me on the subway train to meet my Dad, who was waiting for me. This is how I saw, in person, my first Corvette!

Here’s a fun Promotional film for the 1953 Corvette. Continue reading “

Corvette Timeline Tales: Happy 65th Birthday to America’s Only True Sports Car, the Corvette! – VIDEOS” →