Members Corvettes

Genuine export model that was purchased from a COWA member.

This car was purchased in bowling green Kentucky in 1986. The car had a full body of restoration and believed to be the first done in Australia. Finally completed in 1989.

Car was bought in Perth, we looked around for approximately 18 months before we found the one, we liked. We have owned the corvette for around 4 years now. Still original left-hand drive. Very happy with the old girl. 

The car was imported from Southern California in 1992 by a local businessman and converted to RHD by Corvette Engineering in late 1992. (Mirror conversion)

I am the third Australian owner and purchased it locally in 1998 shortly after joining the club. The car is tidy but not a show car, never was, never will be. During the twenty two years that I have owned the car it has been actively used locally and interstate.(Not so much lately)

The car is mostly as originally specified by GM with the main GM option being the Z51 Performance handling option which is great, handles like it is on rails.

I have enhanced a few things over the years as the original components failed or were just a bit lacking.

The stainless steel exhaust system was custom built locally to suit by Norm Butler and has Tri Y style headers, twin catalytic converters, and thru type mufflers. It is a true dual system and sounds great.(No crossovers or common pipes).

Brakes and wheels have been upgraded using a kit supplied by Hoppers Stoppers in Victoria to take larger Corvette rotors and callipers and to facilitate a better selection of tyres. Currently has 275/40 ZR17 tyres on three piece ROH split rims built to suit the 1986 offsets.

The engine has been rebuilt incorporating Street Torquer  heads and Edelbrock HI FLO intake manifolds.

The car has a modern MAP computer system which was installed and has been professionally maintained and Dyno Tuned by Bill Lee Automotives over the years. (Bill as you are aware is a long time club sponsor).

My proudest moment was rebuilding the electronic dash. Easy done, just a bit of You Tube time required.

My saddest occasion was having to rebuild the front end after a small mishap with a concrete wall many years ago. Enforced way of getting to know the intermit details of your Corvette. Anyone who has worked on their Corvette will know everything is possible just not necessarily straight forward or simple.

Many Club “Old Timers” out there will recall many an eventful occasion during which this car was involved. Hey all in the name of fun and great camaraderie.

Bottom line, I reckon the car owes me nothing. Having held it for so long any capital outlay is peanuts when I consider all the great people that I have met, great times and heaps of fun that I have had over the years.

Originally from West Hills, California this extremely tidy  C3 had a considerable amount of money spent on it by the previous owner including a $20k repaint, complete re-trim and all sorts of mechanical bits and pieces. I have a detailed record of the work done and money spent.

This is the 3^rd Corvette we’ve owned which included a 1978 Silver Anniversary C3 and a 1991 C4 ZR1, the Perth National Convention C4 Best Original Winner.

Our Current vehicle has been restored back to original in every regard and that’s how we intend to keep it. The very rare original exterior colour, Corvette Tan, is a talking point, as is the amazing overall condition of  the vehicle. Registered Historic – 77C3.

From statistics given to me by Ron F, it appears almost, if not all, available factory options were included in the original purchase.

After searching Australia for 18 months we found this Vette in of all places, Donnybrook WA. The previous owner, a true enthusiast,  has a number of classic cars and is very active in Donnybrook and surrounding club activities.

  Love the car but is still a work in progress, Spent a fair bit of money on it but I guess you cant take it with you.

LH Drive

Historic Plates

Restored 2016

I purchased the car in Los Angeles in 1976. The car is  a 454 auto and was converted using a chain box method which allowed me to revert to LHD with very few parts. The car is original paint and interior. It has been driven to 5 Eastern states Corvette meets and return.

The car has 117000 miles on it . It gets regular use now by my 3 sons (my twin sons Paul and Steven driving for the gallery).

I purchased the vehicle locally in 2016, but unfortunately, I was unable to source it’s history by the previous owner. Like any older vehicle, there has been plenty of work done to keep tidy and reliable.

This is a matching number 1964 C2 stingray powered L75 300hp V8. Originally from California she was brought over to Western Australia by a young fellow in the early 2000.

Optioned with positraction differential, 4 speed manual transmission, power windows, aluminium  knockoff wheels and hardtop.

This Vette still has original interior with new paint and engine rebuilt.

2008 zo6 427

Colour Black

6speed manual

Engine modifications

Performance heads and intake, long tube headers.

Body Mods

My own design bonnet, Ghosting paint work and rear lip spoiler.

Interior

Two tone leather with carbon fibre accents.

Very nice Black on Black 69 Vette

My car is a 1965  with L75 327/350 hp engine, Nassau Blue exterior with White/Blue combo interior convertible with white soft top and matching aux  Nassau Blue hardtop. It has 4 speed close ratio manual gearbox with positraction axle, 4-wheel disc brakes, side pipes and knock-off wheels, . The car was totally restored in July 1995 at 46,400 original miles. It is now about 48,000 miles – only 1400 miles in nearly 30 years! It is all matching numbers with a balanced/blueprinted engine and is a former class winner at the Corvette Nationals concourse d’elegance and won “Best 60’s and 70’s convertible’ at the invitation-only Celebration of the Motor Car. When on holidays in the USA, I bought the car in Napoleon,  Ohio and had it shipped to Perth in about August, 1996 (roll-on/roll-off, with a ship load of BMW’s). The car came with four lever arch files of receipts, including the original sales brochure, the original car build sheet (20/3/65), certificate of title of the first owner and my Ohio certificate of title. There are also numerous photos of the restoration and probably hundreds of receipts dating from when the car was new and, of course, the import papers.

Right Hand Drive

The car REG “72VET” has been in Perth since the early 80’s. Originally owned by ex COWA President Brad Pritcher.   It was then bought in 1992 and completely rebuilt by Gary Cowans (club member) who owned it from 1992 to 2012. It was then sold out of the club to Darryl Thatcher (now deceased ) who lovingly looked after it. His estate wished the car to be offered to someone in the club. Andy and Ron assisted for which I am very grateful and I was able to purchase my first steel bumper Corvette and have now owned it since mid-October 2020. Circumstances didn’t allow me to keep two Corvettes so I have parted with my beloved 1979 C3. Thankfully it remains in Perth and hopefully the new owner will join the Club and keep it as part of the COWA community.

Some quick stats about the 1972

Repainted in 1989 in acrylic paint by Brad Pritcher

Bought in Parts by Gary Cowans and reassembled to original spec. The car is an all options C3. It even has a working option of the OEM security alarm system that is activated by a separate key lock on the rear panel above the corvette badge.

The car is a right hand drive conversion by Tony Kat from Corvette Engineering with a Garry Cowans designed hydraulic clutch set up that utilizes a Landrover  master cylinder, an XA Falcon slave cylinder and VW fluid reservoir.

The engine is a 1989 350ci 350 hp alloy head unit with a Holley four barrel and electronic ignition. ( The original block and intake manifold came with the car also).

The suspension is upgraded with a “Herb Adams US” suspension package that includes uprated Bilstein shocks,  heavier gauge front and rear sway bars and fiberglass rear leaf spring with adjustable track rods.

Aftermarket aircon that actually cools very well has been fitted by Darryl during his ownership. This has made my wife very happy !!

Everything works and it is a joy to drive. The car is a real credit to Gary and the detailed effort that he put into the rebuild all those years ago.

My goal is to simply continue with the ongoing small maintenance items and aged related replacements that are synonymous with Corvette ownership and to keep it in as original condition as possible.

I look forward to many happy years of driving it whilst I am the custodian until I have to part with it. What a sad day will would be whenever it comes !!

There are some photo’s from when Gary Cowans owned and rebuilt the car back in the early 90’s, lots of nostalgia in these photo’s for some members I’d say. The other photos are current day ones since I have bought her back to life after it sat in a shed for a year and a half.

Purchased 2014 from local owner who had imported car a couple of years earlier. Was originally White or Red with a red interior, repainted black/silver about 20yrs ago.

350 SBC and 4 speed from a 73 corvette, upgraded suspension and wheels to keep it riding smooth whilst it awaits a body-off restoration in the future.

Factory hardtop and convertible top option.

Daily driver, good fun for the school drop off run!

The car was imported from Blue Ridge Texas in 2010 and is in original condition with numbers matching. I’ve had the car since 2016 and among other things have resprayed it to the original colour.

The cross fire injection has been replaced with a tune port injection and this car is a work in progress.

I purchased this vehicle as the third owner from Melbourne in April 2020. It had been in the same family for 30 years. Always garaged and never driven in the rain. All matching number engine and transmission with the correct trim still in the vehicle. From factory it had been purchased with the 3:88 Positrak Diff more commonly found with the big blocks.

I have removed the stock 327 and replaced it with a new Dart SBC with 414 Cubic Inches. It has been paired to a set of AFR Aluminium Heads, AFR Composite Hi Rise Intake and a  Holley Sniper EFI System.

The original T400 Transmission has been fully re build to accommodate the new 600HP engine. I am trying to leave the exterior and trim as stock as possible with a modern high powered engine. All original parts that have been replaced have been carefully removed and labelled and packaged for future restoration requirements.

Dougs Headers and Side Pipes will complete the tough new look.

I imported it from the US in 2004 and started a chassis off rebuild. Frame was blasted and powder coated. VP&P front and rear suspension. Steeroids rack and pinion steering. Wilwood brakes with hydraboost. Full aluminum 427 small block with Fast xfi sequential injection and Fast xim coil near plug conversion. Legend five speed gearbox with 34% overdrive. 3.90 rear gears.

Doug’s headers and sidepipes. Body is basically stock except with the addition of Custom Image Corvettes 2” flared rear quarter panels. American Racing 483 vintage forged series wheels.

Car was engineered and first licensed in WA in 2012.

2010 Grand Sports 3 Ltd 6.2 litre

In dash reversing camera

Pioneer stereo / sat navigation

Genuine export model. Owned for around 16 years. Resprayed in Glasurit paint (original colour). Fitted with KMC ‘XD’ series 18” wheels, twin stainless steel magnaflow exhaust system and SLP intake runners.