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'72 Corvette was love at first sight
By Julie Folk, Regina Leader-PostMarch 30, 2009
Rick Claffey's '72 Corvette.
Photograph by: Handout, Regina Leader-Post, Handout, Regina Leader-Post
When Rick Claffey saw a black Corvette at a Swift Current car show, he fell in love with it. When he had the chance to buy it a couple of years later, he just couldn't say no.
Claffey and his wife Laura lived in Regina for years, until business took them to St. Albert, Alta., near Edmonton.
They were living in Saskatchewan when they first saw the 1972 Corvette, owned by a Swift Current area farmer, at the car show.
"When he sold the car, my buddy from Swift Current bought it," explained Claffey.
"He then phoned me, after he bought it, because he knew I was intrigued and interested in it. He said, 'I've got your car!' I said, 'what do you mean?' Then he told me it was the black '72 Corvette he bought from his buddy. He said he was doing a few things to it, and if I wanted it, here was the price."
That was four years ago, after Claffey had relocated to St. Albert. He and Laura travelled to Swift Current and drove home their car.
The Corvette is fully restored to original, with all of its equipment from 1972. It has a small block 350 four-speed, all factory original.
The car was built with dark green paint, but has since been painted black.
"There wasn't a lot of work to be done to it because it was looked after over the years," said Claffey.
As with most classic cars, there's always a bit of work to be done, but the car, originally from Ontario, only has 50,000 miles on it.
The Corvette is in good enough condition that it could be a show piece, but the Claffeys love to drive the car much more than they would ever like to show it.
Rick has already pulled the car out onto the driveway just to start it up. They drive it throughout the summer into the mountains, going through the mountains to Jasper and Canmore.
The car will be making another trip this year -- a trip home to Regina when the Claffeys move back.
"It's fun to take the T-top off and then we strap our suitcases on the back," said Claffey.
"I've always loved Corvettes. This is a 1972, the same year I got my driver's licence ... Every time we drive down the street with that, people are turning. It is a bit of a head turner.
"Every time we drive it, someone is pointing, giving me the thumbs up. I've had young guys almost crashing their cars trying to get beside it. The little kids see and say, 'Look, it's the Batmobile!' It's black and it kind of has that look to it."
Before this, Claffey had never had a Corvette, but his wife Laura did.
In 1976 her dad bought a Corvette and let her pick the features and colours -- which sparked Rick's interest in the vehicle.
Now that he has one, he doesn't know if he could ever be without. He's thought about possibly selling his car in the future, but he said he'll probably end up keeping it, as now that he's had his toy, it's in his blood and he'd just be looking for something else.
"When we saw it at the car show, that was the first time I'd ever seen the car," said Claffey.
"I had my sights set on it, and thought if I could ever get a classic car, that'd be the one I wanted to get, but I never thought that was the one we'd end up with. When I received the phone call from a buddy in Swift Current that he had my car, I couldn't resist."
By Julie Folk, Regina Leader-PostMarch 30, 2009
Rick Claffey's '72 Corvette.
Photograph by: Handout, Regina Leader-Post, Handout, Regina Leader-Post
When Rick Claffey saw a black Corvette at a Swift Current car show, he fell in love with it. When he had the chance to buy it a couple of years later, he just couldn't say no.
Claffey and his wife Laura lived in Regina for years, until business took them to St. Albert, Alta., near Edmonton.
They were living in Saskatchewan when they first saw the 1972 Corvette, owned by a Swift Current area farmer, at the car show.
"When he sold the car, my buddy from Swift Current bought it," explained Claffey.
"He then phoned me, after he bought it, because he knew I was intrigued and interested in it. He said, 'I've got your car!' I said, 'what do you mean?' Then he told me it was the black '72 Corvette he bought from his buddy. He said he was doing a few things to it, and if I wanted it, here was the price."
That was four years ago, after Claffey had relocated to St. Albert. He and Laura travelled to Swift Current and drove home their car.
The Corvette is fully restored to original, with all of its equipment from 1972. It has a small block 350 four-speed, all factory original.
The car was built with dark green paint, but has since been painted black.
"There wasn't a lot of work to be done to it because it was looked after over the years," said Claffey.
As with most classic cars, there's always a bit of work to be done, but the car, originally from Ontario, only has 50,000 miles on it.
The Corvette is in good enough condition that it could be a show piece, but the Claffeys love to drive the car much more than they would ever like to show it.
Rick has already pulled the car out onto the driveway just to start it up. They drive it throughout the summer into the mountains, going through the mountains to Jasper and Canmore.
The car will be making another trip this year -- a trip home to Regina when the Claffeys move back.
"It's fun to take the T-top off and then we strap our suitcases on the back," said Claffey.
"I've always loved Corvettes. This is a 1972, the same year I got my driver's licence ... Every time we drive down the street with that, people are turning. It is a bit of a head turner.
"Every time we drive it, someone is pointing, giving me the thumbs up. I've had young guys almost crashing their cars trying to get beside it. The little kids see and say, 'Look, it's the Batmobile!' It's black and it kind of has that look to it."
Before this, Claffey had never had a Corvette, but his wife Laura did.
In 1976 her dad bought a Corvette and let her pick the features and colours -- which sparked Rick's interest in the vehicle.
Now that he has one, he doesn't know if he could ever be without. He's thought about possibly selling his car in the future, but he said he'll probably end up keeping it, as now that he's had his toy, it's in his blood and he'd just be looking for something else.
"When we saw it at the car show, that was the first time I'd ever seen the car," said Claffey.
"I had my sights set on it, and thought if I could ever get a classic car, that'd be the one I wanted to get, but I never thought that was the one we'd end up with. When I received the phone call from a buddy in Swift Current that he had my car, I couldn't resist."
