When Dana Morton's friend told him about this Corvette, he had no idea what he was getting Dana into. But over the course of 10 years, Dana has transformed what began as a basket case into the Rally (really) Red ride you see here. The recent NCRS Top Flight Award it took in Orlando is a tribute to Dana's painstaking detail work.
While the awards this car has won show its current state of correctness, they give nary a hint of what Dana started with when he began restoring this convertible. Up until 1970, this car had been held captive on a small island called Puerto Rico, and had spent some time as a drag racer. Dana had owned other drag-race Corvettes, and he wanted to return this one to factory original. That meant the car had to be stripped of all the previous years' damage and wear. Dana's friend told him he'd "never seen a car disassembled as much as this one." Luckily, Dana was able to bring each part back to the extent that the NCRS judges were satisfied enough to award it Top Flight.
The 327/375hp fuel-injected engine was restored, placed in front of the Muncie four-speed, and breathes through the optional off-road exhaust, option code N11. It sports tinted windows, an auxiliary hardtop, a teakwood steering wheel, and the Z01 Comfort and Convenience Group option.
Needless to say, Dana's red Corvette no longer sees any drag-racing events. This fireman from Anderson, South Carolina, is content to put his Corvette on restrictive duty to attend only shows and specific events. Just like the fire trucks that he rides, this red jewel draws a lot of attention when it does come out, and has undoubtedly been the inspiration for at least one little boy along the route to a love affair with Corvettes.