Memory Lane

These days, we don’t see a lot of original owners when it comes to older Corvettes, for a number of reasons. For starters, early cars are getting pretty old, and in a world that’s increasingly fickle and constantly distracted by new, shiny toys, it’s always tempting to move on to something else. However, that doesn’t apply to Frank Pope and the 1972 Corvette that he ordered brand new back in 1971. Since then, the C3 has provided Pope with memories that he certainly wouldn’t have experienced otherwise, as he recently explained in an interview with Hagerty. 

Photos: Frank Pope

Famous Friends

At the time, Pope was a mere 26 years old, and he told his then-girlfriend (and now-wife) “I will never sell this car.” Turns out, he was right, and today, his C3 has a mere 42k miles on the clock and is in mostly stock condition. Pope later joined a Corvette club and has had the chance to meet some true icons involved with his dream car – a list that includes Zora Arkus-Duntov, Larry Shinoda, John Greenwood, and the founder of Bloomington Gold, Dave Burroughs, among others. 

Photos: Frank Pope

Signed and Delivered

As a matter of fact, when Pope first met Shinoda at Bloomington Gold in 1992, the legend even drove his car and signed the firewall – a mark that still exists today. Of course, that isn’t the only cool memory Pope has enjoyed in his Corvette, which he used to park in front of his hair shop. That sight certainly attracted its fair share of customers over the years, and many are still surprised to learn that he still owns the very same Corvette. 

Photos: Frank Pope

Starting Young

Like many of us, Pope’s love for the Corvette started at a young age, when he had a 1953 toy model and eventually fell for the Mako Shark concept. When the third-generation model debuted in 1968, he decided that he had to have one, and ultimately made that dream come true by not only cutting hair, but also, moonlighting as a cable installer. Eventually, he saved up enough money to buy his beloved car, which is one of 3,913 LS5-powered models made in 1972.

Photos: Frank Pope

Fully Loaded

“The sticker price was over $7,200,” Pope recalled. “I got it for $6,458 out the door, tax included. “It’s got every option from that year – air conditioning, leather seats, tilt wheel, power windows, power brakes and steering, AM/FM stereo, and a rear window defogger, which was a rare option.” However, he wasn’t terribly impressed with the car’s performance after GM shaved some power from the big block for the ’72 model year, so he decided to do something about it. 

Photos: Frank Pope

Engine Upgrades

With a background in drag racing, Pope had a need for speed, and filled that by swapping out his Corvette’s rear gear ratio from the stock 3.08 to 3.55, then proceeded to change out the pistons and increase its compression ratio from 8.25:1 to around 10.5:1. He also removed the stock emissions gear, installed an open-air filter element, and added both a CompCams Magnum cam and Holley carb. Since then, he has continued to upgrade the LS5, even punching it out to 460 cubic-inches some time ago, which has resulted in an output of around 500 horsepower. 

Photos: Frank Pope

Not Going Anywhere

To this day, Pope continues to drive his beloved Corvette around his hometown of Chicago, but only in the spring and summer, as one might imagine. He still meets up with fellow Corvette fans for coffee, takes his wife to church in it, and even lets his son and daughter drive it – not to mention his grandchild. However, when asked if he’d ever consider selling it, the answer is a very clear no. “Never! I knew I would never sell this car,” Pope said. “It’s a trophy to me. I did buy some other Vettes through the years, just for the novelty of having them, including a 1969 427/435 four-speed car. I’d clean them up and sell them.”

Photos: Frank Pope

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