Peter Max Corvette Collection to be Restored

[Rob]

A Set of ’Vettes, Off to Rehab

By Daniel McDermon
OCT. 22, 2014
The New York Times

HICKSVILLE, N.Y. — Chris Mazzilli was at the Old Westbury Gardens car show one Sunday in June, displaying his 1971 Corvette, when a stranger approached with questions about restoration work involving dozens of cars.

Mr. Mazzilli, 49, founder and co-owner of the Gotham Comedy Club in Manhattan — and a serious student of Chevrolet’s sports car who has judged dozens of events — was happy to offer guidance. But the questions kept coming: What about a ’53 Corvette? What about a ’55? What about a ’57?

“Are you talking about the Peter Max Corvettes?” Mr. Mazzilli asked, playing a hunch.

His questioner, Peter Heller, fell silent. After a moment, he answered: “Yes. How did you know?”

Mr. Heller had not yet realized that the cars — a set of 36 Corvettes, one from each year starting with the model’s 1953 debut and continuing through 1989 — were famous among Corvette followers. Not only because they were owned by Mr. Max, the Pop Art star who gained fame in the ’60s for his preternatural ability to capture (and market) the zeitgeist, but also because Mr. Max stored the cars for years in publicly accessible parking garages without much thought for their upkeep.

Members of Corvette forums seethed every time a new photo emerged showing the dust-caked cars in a dim garage. Some wanted Mr. Max to sell the cars or donate the set to a museum. Others didn’t much care who owned the cars: They only wanted to see them — the 1953 example, in particular, one of 300 built that year — restored to their former beauty.

Those people are getting their wish.

Full Story: A Set of ’Vettes, Off to Rehab

Related Video: Peter Max Corvette Collection to be Restored

 

[catbert]

Wouldn't it be great if the National Corvette Museum rescued, restored and permanently displayed those cars instead of getting in the racetrack business? Seems that would be a "museumy" thing to do.

 

[Mac]

The various articles claim the new owners are hoping to sell the collection complete. Not that many buyers around who can afford that kind of coin. Even the museum might struggle.

Mac

 

[catbert]

The various articles claim the new owners are hoping to sell the collection complete. Not that many buyers around who can afford that kind of coin. Even the museum might struggle.

Mac

The Museum has always said they don't have enough money to buy cars, but they raised many millions to develop the track in record time. I wouldn't have any issue at all with the track, if the main mission (IN MY VIEW) of preserving and making available historic, rare and other Vettes deserving of having their story told has been accomplished.

I love racetracks, I've spent most of my life around them, but think the Corvette story funded by Corvette lovers should be told in steel and fiberglass, at the Corvette Museum.

The Corvette story shouldn't live at places like the Rick Hendrick collection, not that I have any issue with his unbelievable Vette collection. I just wish it was in a museum - somewhere. Rick may be hoarding great Vettes, but he is taking great care of them, and keeping them together, and that's really what a museum is for. Maybe some day they will be available for more people to appreciate. The last time I was on his campus in Concord, his collection was not open to the public. I don't know if it's open now or going to be open anytime in the future.