Rare 1961 Corvette Has Had Same Owner Since 1969
Rare 1961 Corvette Has Had Same Owner Since 1969
One man has spent half a century with the Corvette he bought – and daily drove – in college.
A newspaper in Syracuse, New York has profiled a local Corvette owner, and it’s a fascinating story. The owner, Norm Hoy, has owned his car since 1969, when he was still in college.
The white 1961 Corvette seen here was originally purchased by Hoy’s college roommate, who bought and sold Corvettes to generate income. According to Hoy, his roommate would buy Corvettes that needed some work, restore them to top condition, and sell them on at a profit.
Eventually, being around Corvettes so much, Hoy had to get one for himself. His roommate sold him this 1961 Corvette that had a fresh repaint and a new engine – a 327 V8 from a 1963 Corvette. That’s a healthy replacement for the original 283, and, needless to say, a bit of an upgrade, too.
Since this car was purchased by Hoy when he was a freshman at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, it became his daily driver all throughout college and beyond. Rain, snow, , hail, sleet – this Corvette saw it all. That is, until a fateful day in December, 1972, when it slid into a ditch with Hoy’s wife, Barb, behind the wheel.
The Hoys purchased another car and kept the Corvette stashed in the garage for fair-weather cruising. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t been used or enjoyed, though. Hoy’s Corvette has almost 95,000 miles on the odometer.
It’s a good thing that Hoy has preserved the car so well, as it’s one of just 1,331 1961 Corvettes with blue interior. 1961 was the only year that interior color was offered.
Of course, with such high mileage, you might expect a few dings and scratches here and there. While Hoy has occasionally touched up his Corvette, even going so far as to replace the interior at one point, he has no plans to restore it. Each scuff, scratch, and chip has a story.
This Corvette wears every one of its 94,591 miles proudly. Hoy has shared his life with this car for decades; it’s practically a part of the family. Both the Hoys and their beloved Corvette have plenty of good years – and good miles – left in them.
Photos: Kenn Peters/syracuse.com
