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Don't just dream it
5/09/2008 9:42:00 AM
The Advocate
Chris Petterwood, of Somerset, with his dream - a 1981 Chevrolet Corvette.
Australia - NOT MANY people would remember 1970s Australian rock group Sherbet's 1977 hit High Rolling.
Fewer would remember the movie starring Greg Taylor, Joseph Bottoms, Judy Davis and Wendy Hughes, which included the song and other music by Sherbet.
It was called High Rolling in a Hot Corvette.
One person who remembers the movie vividly is Somerset's Chris Petterwood.
Chris fell in love with the green Chevrolet Corvette featured in the movie.
"I will have one of those before I die," he said to himself at the time.
About five years ago, Chris saw a young man driving a brand new Ford Falcon XR-6 and the Corvette dream rekindled within him.
"I thought life was too short and that young bloke was enjoying what was probably his dream car," Chris said.
"I thought now was the time to get that Corvette I had always wanted," he said.
Within 12 months, Chris had his dream car, although it wasn't green like the one in the movie.
"I had found several in a car magazine for sale in Melbourne so I went over one weekend to have a look at them," he said.
"The first one I saw was silver and I liked it so much I didn't look at the others and went back the next weekend to bring it home."
Chris's 1981 350 Corvette T-Top had been lovingly restored by its previous owner after spending much of its life on a farm.
It was also fairly rare in Corvette terms, as it was fitted with a four- speed manual transmission, compared to the automatics 80 per cent of the Corvettes were manufactured with.
"I haven't done much since I got it, just minor improvements to the steering, air-conditioning and radiator," Chris said.
Despite the fact he had never driven a Corvette until he acquired his own, Chris was totally impressed by the car's performance.
"It's got a 350 V8 engine and plenty of power, a great tyre and suspension package and it handles incredibly well," he said.
"I couldn't get over how well it stuck to the road."
Chris mainly drives his car in summer, clocking up less than 4000km a year and has driven it to several classic car rallies.
It also seems likely to keep its value and increase in the years ahead because it also has low mileage. "It's only done 50,000 miles (80,000km)," he said.
"I was doing some research on the Internet to see how it was holding up and most of the Corvettes from the same era have got between 70,000 and 90,000 miles on them (between 110,000 and 140,000km)."
To tell us about your special car, phone 64407409 or email martina@theadvocate.com.au
5/09/2008 9:42:00 AM
The Advocate
Chris Petterwood, of Somerset, with his dream - a 1981 Chevrolet Corvette.
Australia - NOT MANY people would remember 1970s Australian rock group Sherbet's 1977 hit High Rolling.
Fewer would remember the movie starring Greg Taylor, Joseph Bottoms, Judy Davis and Wendy Hughes, which included the song and other music by Sherbet.
It was called High Rolling in a Hot Corvette.
One person who remembers the movie vividly is Somerset's Chris Petterwood.
Chris fell in love with the green Chevrolet Corvette featured in the movie.
"I will have one of those before I die," he said to himself at the time.
About five years ago, Chris saw a young man driving a brand new Ford Falcon XR-6 and the Corvette dream rekindled within him.
"I thought life was too short and that young bloke was enjoying what was probably his dream car," Chris said.
"I thought now was the time to get that Corvette I had always wanted," he said.
Within 12 months, Chris had his dream car, although it wasn't green like the one in the movie.
"I had found several in a car magazine for sale in Melbourne so I went over one weekend to have a look at them," he said.
"The first one I saw was silver and I liked it so much I didn't look at the others and went back the next weekend to bring it home."
Chris's 1981 350 Corvette T-Top had been lovingly restored by its previous owner after spending much of its life on a farm.
It was also fairly rare in Corvette terms, as it was fitted with a four- speed manual transmission, compared to the automatics 80 per cent of the Corvettes were manufactured with.
"I haven't done much since I got it, just minor improvements to the steering, air-conditioning and radiator," Chris said.
Despite the fact he had never driven a Corvette until he acquired his own, Chris was totally impressed by the car's performance.
"It's got a 350 V8 engine and plenty of power, a great tyre and suspension package and it handles incredibly well," he said.
"I couldn't get over how well it stuck to the road."
Chris mainly drives his car in summer, clocking up less than 4000km a year and has driven it to several classic car rallies.
It also seems likely to keep its value and increase in the years ahead because it also has low mileage. "It's only done 50,000 miles (80,000km)," he said.
"I was doing some research on the Internet to see how it was holding up and most of the Corvettes from the same era have got between 70,000 and 90,000 miles on them (between 110,000 and 140,000km)."
To tell us about your special car, phone 64407409 or email martina@theadvocate.com.au
