By Jerry Perez - July 27, 2016
It’s been over 35 years since the second, and at the time, main home of the Chevy Corvette rolled its last vehicle off the line and closed its doors for good. But where is the last C3 Corvette from the St. Louis, Missouri plant?
The world-famous Chevy Corvette has had a total of three homes since its inception. The birth place of the ‘Vette was at the legendary Flint, Michigan plant back in the late 1940s. It saw the very first Corvette roll off the line in 1953. After a year full of uncertainty, the entire Corvette production was moved to St. Louis, Missouri and quickly became ground zero for producing America’s sports car.
The St. Louis plant thrived from 1954 until 1981, when GM decided to move the entire operation to the current home of the Corvette, Bowling Green, Kentucky. There, Chevy quickly assembled the C4. But, what happened to the last C3?
Some long-time Corvette Forum members have recently attempted to track down the infamous last C3. Even a few ex-employees and family members of such have surfaced on the thread trying to find out the whereabouts of this ‘Vette, which according to many, has non-matching engine-block and chassis numbers.
Forum member Critter1 claims to have worked on the last C3 himself and even remembers having signed the under carriage in magic marker, which is pretty darn cool. Since the car was released for general sale at a dealer in Detroit, Michigan, he and a few other GM employees purchased the historic Corvette for themselves. According to the story, after sitting in a temperature controlled storage unit until 1983 or 1984, the car was eventually sold to a team of father and son vehicle collectors from Illinois.
While these stories are amazing, the whereabouts of the car can’t as yet be confirmed.
So the allure and mystery of the last C3 that rolled out of the St. Louis Corvette assembly plant lives on.
Originally Posted by Critter1
Someone emailed a link to this old thread and asked if I could fill in some of the blanks in the story about the "Last St Louis Corvette".
I followed that car down the entire St Louis assembly line, taking pictures all through it's entire two day build, from a bare frame to a completed vehicle. Workers at just about every station on the line signed or marked the chassis or body in one way or another. My name is on the underbody side of two panels with a black magic marker. (1/4 panel and floor pan as I remember) Burroughs and I both signed/marked something on the frame but I don't remember where. I still have the original build sheet for the car. I also remember the VIN# after all these years, 31,611. (the last six digits)
The story of the Last St Louis Corvette" contains a few secrets. Maybe one day, I'll tell. (I also have the VIN # of the last Corvette to leave that building. It wasn't 31,611. Dark blue that went to Canada))
To my/our surprise, the car was not sent to a GM museum, or anyone in particular within GM. It was actually shipped to a dealer in Detroit, for sale to the general public. We learned that the car was for dealer inventory and was for sale to anyone that wanted it. A group of us (Burroughs, Dale Smith and I, and three others that I can't remember now, went together and purchased the car the next morning.
The car sat in climate controlled storage for years. Somewhere around 1983 or 84?, the car was shown at the Bowling Green event. Burroughs and I gently wiped it down but did no other cleaning. It still looked exactly the same as it did the day it was pulled from stock at the Michigan dealer. (I think it was Ed Rinke Chev?)
I don't know who owns the car today but I've heard it's still somewhere around Bloomington IL.
The last St. Louis Corvette time line provided by David Burroughs. One shift working. The shift ran from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 pm.:
Wednesday, July 29, 1981
10:07 Basement Bird cage assembled. Front and rear suspension and underbody would have been prepared during this time. Underbody mounted on assembly line dolly.
2:03 Underbody and cage transferred upstairs to assembly line
Thursday, July 30th
6:16 Front clip installed
6:32 Rear clip installed
7:23 Entered grinding booth
7:40 Doors installed
8:00 Entered sanding and repair booth
9:15 Entered prime booth
9:20 Entered bake oven #1
11:30 Entered wet deck for sanding
12:38 Re-entered prime/paint booth
12:50 Re-entered bake oven #1
1:38 Entered paint sanding booth
1:44 VIN and trim tags installed
1:55 Entered final paint booth
2:00 Entered bake oven #2
Friday, July 31, 1981
7:09 Entered paint booth for blackout
7:14 Entered paint re-flow oven
7:45 Entered assembly line (hard trim)
9:15 Engine transferred to Engine Dress Line
10:26 Frame transferred to chassis buck (frame upside down)
10:29 Front and rear suspension installed
10:45 Chassis installations (exhaust, brakes, fuel/brake lines, etc.)
12:08 Last body part installed (driver’s side roof panel)
12:17 Engine drop
12:55 Shim machine lowered on to chassis
12:56 Body hoisted from dolly for body drop
1:06 Body drop
1:10 Wheels installed
1:28 Basic interior installed for press purposes
2:11 Formal press ceremony began
2:15 Engine start and driven off the line for press purposes.
Saturday, August 01, 1981
6:10 Underbody inspection on hoist
6:15 Entered soft trim line for interior
8:30 Entered final inspection and repair (repaired coolant leak caused by loose temperature sending unit)
8:48 Entered water test booth (repaired leaks at windshield and heater box)
9:45 Entered paint repair line (repaired driver’s side rear)
11:27 Washed
11:30 Entered final buff and minor cosmetic touch-up
12:15 Driven off the line.
12:20 Driven to out gate.
12:30 Driven to auto transit lot and parked.
All,
The last corvette from St Louis is in Central Indiana. I wont give out the owners information or location, but rest assured it is in pristine condition.
Obviously he is a huge corvette fan, and when he had his current home built, he had it built around this car. The Corvette sits in the middle of his living room on display, and last i heard, it was last appraised at over $1M. He owns this, and several others but this one is his pride and joy. I always wondered how he was able to get his hands on it, but i never got that story out of him. Family friend but the car is a pretty awesome sight to see
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Last edited by 19Shark79; 12-07-2015 at 09:07 PM. |
https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1981-CHEVROLET-CORVETTE-COUPE-93627
| Auction | Las Vegas 2010 |
| Reserve | NO RESERVE |
| Status | Sold for Charity |
| Price | |
| Lot | 373 |
| Year | 1981 |
| Make | CHEVROLET |
| Model | CORVETTE |
| Style | COUPE |
| VIN | 1G1AY8764BS431611 |
| Exterior Color | BEIGE |
| Interior Color | CAMEL |
| Cylinders | V8 |
| Engine Size | 5.7 LITER |
| Transmission | 3-SPEED AUTOMATIC |
Description
Lot #373.1 - St. Louis was the home of the Corvette since almost day one. The factory and assembly procedures remained basically unchanged throughout the 27 years of production there. The 1954's, '57 through '65 Fuelies, '63 split windows, L88's, race cars and '78 pace cars all came down the same assembly line. Then on August 1st, 1981 the line stopped. The factory of legends built its last Corvette and closed its doors forever. This Corvette is the very last one built in St. Louis and it represents the "End of an Era". A hidden plaque was installed in the car's right front fender well that day to designate the significance of this last car down the line. David Burroughs, John Amgwert and Mike Hansen photo documented the entire production procedure of this car with over 1000 photographs, making this one of the most completely documented Corvette assembly in history. When the receiving Chevrolet dealer offered the car for sale a week later, Burroughs and Amgwert promptly arranged its purchase and began its preservation as an historical milestone. Bill and Kevin Adams purchased this totally untouched Corvette from the original owners in 1988. It was an important part of their Corvette collection, stored since purchase exactly as it rolled out of the factory, with all the frame and chassis markings put on by the plant employees as it made its way down the assembly line. The tires have never been cleaned, and the special plate noting it as "The Last St. Louis Corvette" remains inside the right front fender well. The Ralph Braun Foundation purchased this Corvette from Bill & Kevin Adams in 2010. Only 4 original miles. **ALL PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT THE RALPH BRAUN FOUNDATION** **SOLD AS PAIR WITH LOT 373**
| Auction | Las Vegas 2010 |
| Reserve | NO RESERVE |
| Status | Sold for Charity |
| Price | |
| Lot | 373 |
| Year | 1981 |
| Make | CHEVROLET |
| Model | CORVETTE |
| Style | COUPE |
| VIN | 1G1AY8761B5100001 |
| Exterior Color | BEIGE |
| Interior Color | CAMEL |
| Cylinders | V8 |
| Engine Size | 5.7 LITER |
| Transmission | 3-SPEED AUTOMATIC |
https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1981-CHEVROLET-CORVETTE-COUPE-97217DescriptionLot #373 - In 1953, the first 300 Corvettes were built by hand in Flint, MI, just after General Motors unveiled the Corvette as a "dream car" in the Motorama show in New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel. The following year, production moved to St. Louis where it remained for 28 years. In June of 1981, Corvette production transferred from St. Louis to Bowling Green, KY. However, for two months the cars were built simultaneously in both plants. The last Corvette rolled of the St. Louis assembly line on July 31, 1981. The first Kentucky built Corvette rolled off the Bowling Green line on June 1, 1981. Previously a Chrysler air conditioning factory, the Bowling Green facility was completely renovated into a modern automotive facility twice the size of the previous structure. It took approximately 14 months to convert it to the sophisticated technical operation it is today. This is the very car that Kentucky Governor John Y. Brown drove off the end of the assembly line to commemorate the first ever Corvette produced at Bowling Green. Earl Harper, plant manager for the new Bowling Green facility, handed the keys to the landmark car to local Chevrolet dealer Jimmy Greenway, who had sold Chevrolets in Bowling Green for a quarter of a century. A group of Bowling Green business people bought the car for a Christmas Eve raffle to benefit the Bowling Green Women's Club, Boy's Club, Girl's Club and the Capitol Arts Theater. Connie Ferrell, from Clarksville, TN won the raffle for this one-of-a-kind piece of Corvette history. Bill and Kevin Adams purchased this pristine Corvette from the original owner. It was an important part of their Corvette collection, stored since purchase exactly as it rolled out of the factory. The Ralph Braun Foundation purchased this Corvette from them in 2010. Only 14 original miles. **ALL PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT THE RALPH BRAUN FOUNDATION** **SOLD AS PAIR WITH LOT 373.1**
| Auction | Scottsdale 2011 |
| Reserve | NO RESERVE |
| Status | Sold for Charity |
| Price | |
| Lot | 441.1 |
| Year | 1981 |
| Make | CHEVROLET |
| Model | CORVETTE |
| Style | COUPE |
| VIN | 1G1AY8764BS431611 |
| Exterior Color | |
| Interior Color | |
| Cylinders | V8 |
| Engine Size | 5.7 LITER |
| Transmission | 3-SPEED AUTOMATIC |
DescriptionLot #441.1 - St. Louis was the home of the Corvette since almost day one. The factory and assembly procedures remained basically unchanged throughout the 27 years of production there. The 1954's, '57 through '65 Fuelies, '63 split windows, L88's, race cars and '78 pace cars all came down the same assembly line. Then on August 1st, 1981 the line stopped. The factory of legends built its last Corvette and closed its doors forever. This Corvette is the very last one built in St. Louis and it represents the "End of an Era". A hidden plaque was installed in the car's right front fender well that day to designate the significance of this last car down the line. David Burroughs, John Amgwert and Mike Hansen photo documented the entire production procedure of this car with over 1,000 photographs, making this one of the most completely documented Corvette assemblies in history. When the receiving Chevrolet dealer offered the car for sale a week later, Burroughs and Amgwert promptly arranged its purchase and began its preservation as an historical milestone. Bill and Kevin Adams purchased this totally untouched Corvette from the original owners in 1988. It was an important part of their Corvette collection, stored since purchased exactly as it rolled out of the factory, with all the frame and chassis markings put on by the plant employees as it made its way down the assembly line. The tires have never been cleaned, and the special plate noting it as "The Last St. Louis Corvette" remains inside the right front fender well. The Ralph Braun Foundation purchased this Corvette from Bill & Kevin Adams in 2010. Only 4 original miles. **ALL PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT THE RALPH BRAUN FOUNDATION** **SOLD AS PAIR WITH LOT 441**
| Auction | Scottsdale 2011 |
| Reserve | NO RESERVE |
| Status | Sold for Charity |
| Price | |
| Lot | 441 |
| Year | 1981 |
| Make | CHEVROLET |
| Model | CORVETTE |
| Style | COUPE |
| VIN | 1G1AY8761B5100001 |
| Exterior Color | |
| Interior Color | |
| Cylinders | V8 |
| Engine Size | 5.7 LITER |
| Transmission | 3-SPEED AUTOMATIC |
DescriptionLot #441 - In 1953, the first 300 Corvettes were built by hand in Flint, MI, just after General Motors unveiled the Corvette as a "dream car" in the Motorama show in New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel. The following year, production moved to St. Louis where it remained for 28 years. In June of 1981, Corvette production transferred from St. Louis to Bowling Green, KY. However, for two months the cars were built simultaneously in both plants. The last Corvette rolled of the St. Louis assembly line on July 31, 1981. The first Kentucky built Corvette rolled off the Bowling Green line on June 1, 1981. Previously a Chrysler air conditioning factory, the Bowling Green facility was completely renovated into a modern automotive facility twice the size of the previous structure. It took approximately 14 months to convert it to the sophisticated technical operation it is today. This is the very car that Kentucky Governor John Y. Brown drove off the end of the assembly line to commemorate the first ever Corvette produced at Bowling Green. Earl Harper, plant manager for the new Bowling Green facility, handed the keys to the landmark car to local Chevrolet dealer Jimmy Greenway, who had sold Chevrolets in Bowling Green for a quarter of a century. A group of Bowling Green business people bought the car for a Christmas Eve raffle to benefit the Bowling Green Women's Club, Boy's Club, Girl's Club and the Capitol Arts Theater. Connie Ferrell, from Clarksville, TN won the raffle for this one-of-a-kind piece of Corvette history. Bill and Kevin Adams purchased this pristine Corvette from the original owner. It was an important part of their Corvette collection, stored since purchased exactly as it rolled out of the factory. The Ralph Braun Foundation purchased this Corvette from them in 2010. Only 14 original miles. **ALL PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT THE RALPH BRAUN FOUNDATION** **SOLD AS PAIR WITH LOT 441.1**
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