It all started many years ago, as I drooled over a friend's 1969 Corvette. He owned several muscle cars, each better than the next. The 'Vette was his pride and joy, and when I last saw it in 1976 or so,
it had less than 500 miles on it, and was original down to the last nut and bolt. He often said he bought it to later finance his son's college education. But Tommy had a serious accident at work and moved to Florida with his perfect 1969 Corvette, his perfect 1967 Pontiac GTO and his perfect 1969 Olds 442.

I never saw him again, but I never forgot the 'Vette.

Corvettes stuck with me. The father of a college roomie owned a big Chevy dealer in Jersey and Toad always had new 'Vettes. He was a generous guy (we're still in contact) and often let me borrow whatever Corvette he currently owned. He bought a '66 small block coupe from another student shortly before we graduated (I went with him to pick it up) and he still drives it, but he's got his hands full keeping his oldest son away from it!

Last June, I was stateside being best man to a life-long friend and visiting my mother. She told me that her neighbor had a 1965 Corvette of which he was very proud. He took me for a ride, let me drive home and, after telling me to go get my wife, tossed me the keys with the comment,
"See ya in an hour or so."

Thanks, Gene. The virus - latent so many years - suddenly grew claws.

If you think that good Corvettes are hard to find stateside, you should try to find one here in Europe. There aren't many American cars here in Switzerland (although more than you'd think), let alone Corvettes. And amongst the Corvettes, there aren't many mid-years. And amongst the few mid-years, most are candidates for parting out.

But thanks to the NCRS, their vast library of neat publications, the Discussion Board, a lot of helpful people, and putting feelers out all over the country, I got lucky and found this:

Imported to Switzerland from Florida by the previous owner. It's been restored but it seems to be well done. The big block motor is not original, but since there are no shows and (unfortunately) no NCRS judging, matching numbers are of limited importance here.  I decided my primary interest was a driver.
 

Saddle interior, power windows, tele wheel (good option, too, when you're 6'4"), all gauges function, the radio plays and even the clock works!

The engine runs well (actually, it goes like a scalded dog) and burns no oil. There are a few oddities, some of which I saw before I bought it and, inevitably, a few that I didn't. The cylinder case is from 1968. The previous owner says it has been converted to a 454, but I haven't been able to confirm this. I haven't been able to find any counterweight on the harmonic balancer, but frankly, I'm not sure what the counterweight should look like. Through the oil fill hole on the valve covers, roller rockers are visible. The aluminum  intake manifold was not appropriate for the 390 hp motor (at least from '67). The
carburetor is an aftermarket Holley 4150 (#4779) with mechanical secondaries and a manual choke sans cable. Despite the lack of a choke, the car starts well from cold, but you've got to keep the idle up a bit or it stalls. I don't particularly like manual chokes and the overwhelming advice was to install an electric choke, so I've ordered one.
Spring is getting closer and you can be sure that, come the nicer weather, further pictures will be forthcoming!!!!