Back in 1971 I was a freshman in high school. I would draw pictures (mostly during my classes) of my DREAM CAR. It was a 1971 Corvette , 4 speed, black on black with hooker headers ( I didn't know that black was not an option back then ). This was a car I thought I would never own, but that is what dreams are made of. So I had to settle for a car I could afford. My brother's hand-me-down 1968 Cutlass. I loved that car , but it was not a Vette !

Time passes , you get married, have kids, buy a home and your dreams get put on hold. Then one day 26 years later I decided to look for my MID-LIFE-CRISIS CAR. I was told it could take years to find a vette that was in good shape and was worth buying. So I saw called up two potential cars a white 71 and a black 71.

First the white one it looked a little worn but worth a look , I thought. The closer I got to it the worse it looked. A test drive showed the car needed a lot of work. Especially when the owner said "if you put about $9,000 into it you'll have a great car". I didn't walk away from that car , I ran . Now thinking the black 71 could be the same way I was ready to go home and try another day.

My wife talked me into going to look at the black 71 since it was on the way home. When I turned the corner and saw MY DREAM  CAR  in this guys driveway, my jaw hit the floor. This car was my high school picture to a tee. It needed some work , but so what. The test drive proved it, it would be mine. My wife saw the gleam in my eyes and knew there would be a new addition in the family. The deal was made. As I walked back to my wife and kids in the mini van ( don't laugh, all families have one), my kids said " Daddy it looks like the Batmobile".

Ever since that day friends and family called me Batman. So of course on Holloween the Batvette, with me in a Batman mask and t-tops off , I cruise the streets in search of potential trick-n-treaters. The faces of the kids is the best part. The parents play the part too yelling, "look it's Batman". Even the State Troopers have to shake their heads and laugh.

I have the car since 1997 and still enjoy working on it almost as much as driving it. Lets face it the car was ment to be driven. The numerous trophies are great but the driving is what it's all about.

The GREAT AMERICAN SPORTS CAR should not be placed on a trailer or left in the garage no matter how much restoration was done. It's like putting a tiger in a cage. If you don't drive it , take a picture of you and your car and hang it on a wall for people to see, then sell it. Let a true fan of the Corvette find his or her dream car and enjoy it.