When the weather is nice, Barry Crites, of Elida, has two Corvette convertibles in which he can choose to drive: a blue 1964 model and a silver 1957 Corvette.
Jim Krumel | For The Lima News
ELIDA – The telephone call was a surprise, but welcome news.
Years ago Barry Crites, of Elida, had worked with a man in Indiana who owned a 1957 Corvette. “It was one nice car. I offered to buy it from him, but he wouldn’t bite,” said Crites.
He gave up trying to buy that Corvette. Then several years later he received a phone call out of the blue.
“It was the guy from Indiana. He told me his wife had gotten sick and wanted to know if I was still interested in buying his Corvette,” Crites said.
The Indiana man didn’t have to ask twice.
The car needed some work, but Crites knew what he was getting into. He already owned another Corvette, that one being a 1964 model he bought when he got out of the Army. He had a restoration done on the 1964 car, so he felt comfortable doing another Corvette.
He wasn’t about to let the 1957 convertible get away.
“It’s been completely restored now. Not a bolt has gone untouched,” Crites said.
He had it painted all silver. Prior to that, it was silver and blue.
The 70-year-old Crites has owned the 1957 Corvette for eight years.
“I’ll never forget letting my son Kirk drive it for the first time. Talk about seeing someone’s face light up. It made his day and mine, too.”
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