"I have been a Corvette enthusiast from the time I came home in 1968," says Dennis Mansour of Clark, New Jersey. "I recall when I was in Vietnam, I promised myself I would purchase a Corvette if I made it home alive."
Dennis has done more than keep a promise he made to himself: He's become a Corvette lifer. He has owned six Corvettes and is the proud caretaker of the '81 coupe pictured here.
"I've enjoyed every one I've owned," he says. But at some point, "due to circumstances," each toy had to go.
"My first Corvette was a '68 Mulsanne Blue coupe. I wanted to sleep in the car that first night [I brought it home]. My parents thought I was crazy. My Corvettes have always been weekend cars and, of course, have been driven to shows. I've won many trophies with some of the Corvettes I've owned, including the '68, '70, '72, '75, '86, and now the '81."
Dennis has always kept his cars in great condition, and this red-on-red coupe is no different. It's an automatic with power steering, windows, and door locks, a tilt/tele steering wheel, AM/FM stereo with eight-track, CB, and glass tops. There are around 40,000 miles on the odometer.
Dennis adds, "My wonderful wife, Patricia, has always supported my buying the Corvette of my choice. She says the '81 is a fabulous car and she enjoys taking rides in it on weekends. The ride is so comfortable and there's lots of room inside."
Now, Dennis finds himself in the scariest situation he's seen since his soldiering days.
"I have three sons of driving age and they all want the car," he says. "It goes to show they, too, have excellent taste in cars."