CLASSIC TALE: 1963 Corvette Sting Ray was a High School Graduation Present

[Rob]

CLASSIC TALE: 1963 Corvette Sting Ray was a High School Graduation Present

By: Vern Parker
Motor Matters
PhillyBurbs.com

In the fall of 1962 the new 1963 Corvettes were beginning to appear in Chevrolet dealer showrooms. The 1963 models were the first Sting Ray offerings by Chevrolet. Richard Rago, a high school senior in Albany, Calif., was infatuated with the new Corvette.

His parents, Paul and Rose Rago, had promised him a new car upon his graduation, so in the autumn of 1962, right after the new Sting Rays had appeared, Rago and his father went to the Chevrolet dealership and ordered one equipped exactly like he wanted.

"I waited about eight months or longer for it to be delivered." Rago recalls.

Papers that came with the car show that it was manufactured at a General Motors facility in St. Louis, Mo. As the springtime weather warmed Rago stopped by the Chevrolet dealership on a daily basis to check on the whereabouts of his Corvette. Once it arrived in late April he was informed that it would be ready for delivery the next day. The price Rago's father paid for the graduation present was $4,598.76.

Full Story: PhillyBurbs.com:  CLASSIC TALE: 1963 Corvette Sting Ray was a High School Graduation Present

 

[Mike Terry]

How cool. I can't see myself having a car that long. The longest I ever had a car was my 54 Vette and that was 9 yrs. The shortest was about 5 days. Cool story

 

[XLR8]

Lucky graduate. I had to wait until I was years past 39 and holding to buy my first.

Cool story!
Jane Ann

 

[Mike Terry]

If mommy and daddy have big $$$$ and deep pockets you get that kind of stuff. Lucky kid.

 

[BigJimZ16]

Good story

Would never happen in my neighborhood though.

 

[bwing]

I wonder how many high school graduates will get a new Corvette next year? :L My first Corvette was a '63 that I purchased myself during my senior year in high school (1967). I paid $2100 for it.

 

[67vet]

$4598.76 was a lot of money in 1962. He must have been a very good boy and his parents were well off. Hope he made use of his good fortune later in life.

 

[XLR8]

He must have been doing something right in life 'cause he's still got the girl and the '63.