1966 Corvette Roadster - Richard's first new car
Rallye Red/black vinyl interior
Removable hardtop
327/300 h.p.
4-speed
AM-FM
hubcaps with white wall tires
This was Richard's first Corvette and his first new car. It was a gift from his father when Richard quit smoking (too young to be smoking). He had originally ordered one in Nassau blue with blue interior, 2 top convertible, 4-speed, power steering, and power brakes in the 327/300 h.p. configuration. After waiting almost a year for delivery he was getting impatient so he opted to take this red car. Someone else had ordered it at the dealership and not taken delivery. Most of us would have died and gone to heaven to get a car like this and especially while still in high school.
Richard had the car about three weeks when his brother Johnny asked to use the car. Richard gave him the keys. Johnny took a friend and they went out drinking and got pretty drunk. The car had a full tank of gasoline. He turned a corner and there was apparently water in the street and he got on it hard. When he did he lost control, the car spun around and the left rear tire hit a telephone pole dead center and it burst the fuel tank. The car caught on fire. The telephone pole was on the corner in front of the Woodruff, Moore, Motley Insurance Company and Mr. Motley was the uncle of the girl Richard was dating at the time. Unfortunately the fire burned the insurance company down.
Johnny was severely burned and spent 3 weeks in the hospital. The passenger in the car was also drunk but he was not hurt. Richard's dad decided Corvettes were dangerous (not the drivers) and wouldn't let him get another one. When Richard was later on his own after finishing school he bought a new 1972 Corvette roadster.
While Johnny was in the hospital Richard drove his brother's truck - a 1966 Chevrolet short-wide pickup, 327, automatic, factory air, white with a red stripe. After that Richard got another car - a new 1966 Buick Riviera Gran Sport he bought from Poole Buick which was right across the street from the high school he attended.
The above picture is the only "before" picture Richard had of the car.