The Old Town complex is located...
The Old Town complex is located near Disney World and Universal Studios. It hosts cruise nights throughout the year and offers ample parking for attendees of the NCRS Winter Regional.
The National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) is a nonprofit group dedicated to the restoration and preservation of Corvettes that are at least 15 years old. The society utilizes strict guidelines and uses highly trained judges to determine if a Corvette is authentic. If it meets the society's criteria, it's awarded a "Top Flight" certificate. This certification enhances the car's value and is sought after by many vintage owners.
Each year the NCRS holds meets around the country, and for the past 32 years the NCRS Florida Chapter has held the society's first show of the year. Good weather and a beautiful location have helped to make this one of the group's most popular events. Called the "Winter Regional Meet," the show has had many homes since 1978, including Cypress Gardens, Disney World, and the Hyatt hotel in Orlando. Early in the last decade it was moved to the Old Town complex in Kissimmee. Old Town is a small entertainment center filled with '50s architecture and quaint streets that lend themselves to cruise nights. With ample parking and plenty of nearby hotels and entertainment, it's a perfect home for the NCRS. A large vacant field adjacent to site provides ample room for vendors to sell parts.
Owners brought well over 140 Corvettes to this year's show, a record for the event. It was hard to pick a favorite, but a few caught our attention this year. The first was a one-owner '58 Vette with more than 400,000 miles on its clock. This car, owned by Chet Tibbils, wouldn't win an NCRS award for authenticity, but it does represent an amazing story about how one person has owned and loved his Corvette for 52 years.
Chet Tibbils is the original...
Chet Tibbils is the original owner of this '58 Corvette, which cost him $4,805 52 years ago. He has put more than 400,000 miles on the clock and still uses it as a daily driver. He even performs all of the maintenance himself.
The interior was modified...
The interior was modified by Tibbils to suit his personal tastes.
NCRS judges pore over a '62...
NCRS judges pore over a '62 fuelie during the Top Flight judging process. Every part of the car is inspected and rated to determine whether the car is worthy of award status.
Susan Rupe's husband, Doug,...
Susan Rupe's husband, Doug, bought this '53 Corvette (VIN E53F001029) from its original owner in 1964. Doug passed away in 2002, but Susan has decided to have the car restored.
This rare 265/225, three-speed,...
This rare 265/225, three-speed, radio-delete '56 has 85,144 miles showing on its clock. Owner Ed Schultz Jr. brought the car down from his home in Providence, Rhode Island.
Schultz's '56 has a beautiful...
Schultz's '56 has a beautiful original red interior. If you look closely, you can see the radio-delete cover on the dashboard.
A rare '53 Corvette-the 29th built-was unveiled at the show. It had been in storage in Brooksville, Florida, for many years. The second owner, who passed away in 2002, purchased the car from its original owner in1964. His widow is currently having this important part of Corvette history restored. As you can see in the accompanying photos, this will be a major undertaking.
Ed Schultz Jr., meanwhile, showed off his immaculate black '56 Corvette, fitted with a 225hp, 265ci engine and a three-speed transmission. This radio-delete Corvette was in perfect shape and was a real attention getter.
This State Farm agent found...
This State Farm agent found a perfect place to offer vintage-Corvette owners classic-car insurance.
The vendor's field was packed with Corvettes for sale and booths laden with hard-to-find parts. You could even buy classic-car insurance for your Corvette at a booth on the midway. One car that caught our attention on the For Sale lot was a pristine red '03 Z06 with 29,000 miles on its clock. The owner was asking $23,900, which is quite a drop from its original sticker.
The Bowling Green Assembly Plant was well represented by plant engineers Tom Hill and Damian Zink. Both held seminars and made themselves available throughout the event to field questions from owners. They arrived in a red '10 Grand Sport convertible, which proved to be a crowd pleaser. Other noteworthy entries included a multi-colored blown '80 Corvette coupe and a Vette-powered '63 Ferrari sitting in the parking lot. Both drew large crowds with their impressive craftsmanship of arresting looks.
Come along now as we revisit some of the more notable sights from the 2010 NCRS Winter Regional Meet. And if you're in Florida next January, we highly recommend experiencing this "Old Town Delight" in person.
Everything is on display at...
Everything is on display at the Winter Regional Meet, from old to new. Representing the new end of the spectrum, Callaway Cars displayed its first '10 supercharged Grand Sport. This demonstrator already has more than 17,000 miles on it.
The show features a huge vendor...
The show features a huge vendor area that is packed with everything you might need for your Corvette. Here, a wide variety of C5 and C6 parts can be seen for sale.
The show is also a good place...
The show is also a good place to sell or buy a Corvette. For example, this beautiful '03 Z06 with 29,000 miles was being offered for only $23,900.
Corvette Plant Engineers Tom...
Corvette Plant Engineers Tom Hill and Damian Zink drove this red Grand Sport convertible to the show. The pair made themselves available throughout the weekend to answer customer questions.
One of the wildest Corvettes...
One of the wildest Corvettes we saw in the parking lot was this blown '80 coupe, owned by Robby Hooper from Maitland, Florida. Can you imagine taking this to Burger King for a shake?
The prize for most outrageous...
The prize for most outrageous has to go to this Chevy-powered '63 Ferrari 2+2 GTE. Who needs a weenie V-12 when you have a 565ci, 750hp BBC stuffed under the hood? (Photo by Bill Palicka)