To mark the start of the 2025 Corvette National Convention in Parkes we've delved into our archives to bring you a past Central West Car Club story of a Corvette that used to cruise through our region, which was published in the Parkes Champion Post in November 2018.
While Andy Hardy no longer owns this Corvette or lives in Forbes, Corvettes are the hot topic in town this week and Corvette lovers from around the country will be here to celebrate this beloved American icon.
With just over 100 Corvettes rolling through Parkes and Forbes, there will be multiple opportunities to catch a glimpse of these beauties around from Friday through to Sunday.
They will parade down Clarinda Street and around Cooke Park on Saturday morning, passing the Homegrown Parkes event taking place there, before heading to the Parkes Showground for a show 'n shine from 8.30am to 3.30pm that's open to the public.
On Sunday one group of Corvettes will visit The Dish and another will stop in at McFeeters Motor Museum in Forbes before all congregating at Lions Park in Forbes for lunch.
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Published November 2018
By Jeff McClurg
For Andy Hardy from Forbes, it was a childhood dream to one day own a Corvette.
He'd always liked the stylings of the Chevrolet produced sports car and particularly the C3 body shape which ran from 1968 through to 1982.
Although there were only very subtle changes over the C3 range, Andy ended up with exactly what he was after when he bought this 1978 model earlier this year.
Ironically, it was the Disney Pixar movie Cars that revived Andy's desire for a Corvette after seeing the animated cartoon versions. Things got serious when he saw a Corvette at this year's Parkes Elvis Festival and with the passion re-ignited it wasn't long before he'd tracked one down for sale.
"It really didn't take long to find this one," Andy said.
"The car came from an importer in Brisbane and eventually after some issues with repairs and transport I finally picked it up from Sydney in October."
After years of dreaming and waiting for the opportunity Andy wasted no time in getting the Corvette on the road.
The 1978 Corvette is the 25th Anniversary model and gained popularity after appearing as the pace car at the famous Indianapolis 500 of the same year.
With an all fibreglass body it's a light weight car which allows it to take full advantage of the 350 cubic inches of V8 under that long nose.
Andy's Corvette has a 3 speed automatic transmission and runs the original 15 inch mag wheels on big 235/75 profile tyres.
"It's got a removable targa-top roof and the pop up headlights that I always loved as a kid," Andy said.
"Being pretty tall it was a bit of a squeeze getting into the passenger seat.
"So I was a bit worried about driving the Corvette but thankfully there's actually more room behind the steering wheel and I'm getting used to driving it from the left now.
"It sits low too, so I get that race car feel every time I drive it."
While based in Parkes the Central West Car Club has members in Forbes as well as surrounding towns in the Central West.
The club meets on the first Wednesday of each month at the Parkes Leagues Club at 7.30pm and welcomes new members.
You can find out more at www.centralwestcarclub.com
