Corvette Lovers Lament GM's Rocky Ride
Photo Gallery: A Short Ride Through Corvette History
As it begins to restructure, General Motors says it has "100 percent confidence" in its Corvette line, and it will continue to make the iconic sports car that has seduced drivers for more than five decades.
But many so-called "Vette heads" are deeply pained that the maker of their beloved macho cars has been brought to its knees.
"It hurts," says Terri Partridge, president of Massachusetts' South Shore Corvette Club. "You hate to see it happen."
Partridge is one of dozens of club members joined by their passion and lust for their Vettes.
"I fell in love years ago, basically as a kid," says club member Steve Boyajian. "And when you get older, you finally say, 'You know, I think it's time. Before I die, I want to own a Corvette.' "
Boyajian is the kind of guy who helped propel GM into the giant it was for decades, selling cars — and dreams — to drivers of all ages.
(AP)
"It's the feeling you get when you are driving it," says Partridge, who just celebrated his 70th birthday. "You never get old driving this thing!" His corvette has massive blue flames painted onto the white background, and his license plate reads "HOT 1."
These are guys with way more invested in their cars than the sticker price.
John Zofchak souped up his first Corvette with everything from a custom paint job and vertical-lift doors, to transmission work, body work, brake work, shock work and suspension work. "I always do a little customizing to the car, so I am a little part of the car as well," he says.
(Tovia Smith/NPR)
Indeed, who wouldn't want to see themselves in the iconic American hot rod?
The Corvette was always the car that couldn't be beat — the epitome of pride and power.
"No question about it: It all comes from power," Boyajian says. "When you step on that thing, that thing can respond, and smoke the tires, and shoot out of that hole. Oh yeah, that's definitely something!"
"My car is so powerful," cracks Zofchak, pointing to his 638-horsepower ZR1, "it requires my girlfriend to wear a sports bra."
No wonder so many of these guys are having a hard time seeing the once-dominant GM, the creator of the ultimate American muscle car, now on its knees.
"We can't let General Motors go," Boyajian says. "That's letting America go, if you let General Motors go. I mean, it's a way of life."
"It's an American icon," adds Paul Lesogor. "It's, like, unbelievable to think that we'd lose them. It's crazy. It just doesn't seem right."
Most of these folks believe that GM will recover. But many worry that what saves the company might also spoil its appeal. Zofchak says he would be sad to see more cars that might sway drivers' minds but not their hearts.
"You're going to see a lot more smaller cars, more efficient cars being built," he says. "Is it what people want? No. But it's what they're going to be able to afford."
If people end up driving cars that are practical but that don't inspire passion, Zofchak laments, "a car is going to be nothing more than a piece of transportation.
"Maybe that's all it should be," he adds. "Who knows?"
It all leaves members of this Corvette club wondering what kind of car clubs their kids will join. As one put it, GM has become more like the Japanese carmakers. But 30 years from now, he says, "who's going to want to collect Toyota Scions?"
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As General Motors begins to restructure under bankruptcy, the company is expressing what it calls 100 percent confidence in its Corvette line.
GM says it will continue to make the iconic sports car, but as NPR's Tovia Smith reports, many Corvette drivers are deeply troubled by the state of the company that makes their beloved macho cars.
TOVIA SMITH: Ask a Corvette driver about the GM bankruptcy, and you might actually make a grown man shed a tear or two.
Mr. TERRI PARTRIDGE (President, South Shore Corvette Club): It hurts, you know? I hate to see it happen.
SMITH: Terri Partridge is president of Massachusetts' South Shore Corvette Club.
Unidentified Man: Ladies and gentlemen, once again, welcome to Cruise Night here at Monponsett Inn.
SMITH: A group of guys joined together by their passion and lust for their Vette.
Mr. STEVE BOYAJIAN(ph): I fell in love years ago, basically as a kid, and when you get older, you finally say, you know, before I die, I want to own a Corvette.
(Soundbite of laughter)
SMITH: Steve Boyajian is the kind of customer who made GM the giant it once was, selling sports cars and dreams to drivers 17 or 70, like Terri Partridge.
Mr. PARTRIDGE: It's the feeling you get when you're driving it. You just, you never get old driving this thing.
(Soundbite of laughter)
And that's mine, HOT 1.
SMITH: HOT 1.
Mr. PARTRIDGE: HOT 1.
SMITH: With the flames on it.
Mr. PARTRIDGE: With the flames on it.
SMITH: These are guys with way more invested in their cars than the sticker price.
John Zofchak(ph) says he suped up his Vette with a custom paint job, vertical-lift doors…
Mr. JOHN ZOFCHAK: You know, transmission work, body work, brake work, shock work, suspension work. And I always do a little customizing to the car, so I'm a part of the car as well.
SMITH: Who wouldn't want to see themselves in the iconic American hot rod? To guys like Boyajian, the Corvette was always the epitome of pride and power.
Mr. BOYAJIAN: No question about it, it all comes from power. That's right. When you step on that thing, that thing can respond, smoke the tires and shoot out of that hole. Oh, yeah, that's definitely something.
(Soundbite of revving engine)
SMITH: Across the lot, Zofchak shows off his sleek, yellow, 638-horsepower ZR1.
Mr. ZOFCHAK: And this car is so powerful it requires my girlfriend to wear a sports bra.
(Soundbite of laughter)
SMITH: No wonder so many of these guys are having a hard time seeing the once-dominant GM, the maker of their ultimate American muscle car, now on its knees.
Mr. BOYAJIAN: We can't let General Motors go. That's letting America go if you let General Motors go. I mean, it's a way of life.
SMITH: Again, Boyajian and Paul Lesogor(ph).
Mr. PAUL LESOGOR: It's an American icon, General Motors. It's, like, unbelievable to think that, you know, we'd lose them. Forget about it. It's crazy.
SMITH: Most folks here believe that GM will recover, but what saves the company might also spoil its appeal to folks like Zofchak.
Mr. ZOFCHAK: You know, I certainly think that, you know, you're going to see a lot more smaller cars, more efficient cars being built. Is it what people want? No, but it's what they're going to be able to afford. That's the bottom line, you know?
SMITH: But then, people aren't going to have the same relationship with their car.
Mr. ZOFCHAK: Absolutely not. It's going to be - a car is going to be nothing more than a piece of transportation, and maybe that's all it should be. Who knows?
SMITH: It all leaves members of this Corvette club wondering what kind of car clubs their kids will join. As one put it, GM might become more like the Japanese. But 30 years from now, he says, who's going to want to collect Toyota Scions?
Tovia Smith, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
