"It was put back the same as it was off the assembly line," Reed comments. "It's never been off the frame. It may look better that way, but it would hurt the car's value. It's an original car that's been very well detailed." Given that this 32-year-old piece of history is almost entirely original-right down to the paint, upholstery, and those previously mentioned refurbished original parts, we'd tend to agree. In any case, all that work paid off, as the car won the prestigious NCRS Top Flight award in its first try at the NCRS Mardi Gras Regional meet in Baton Rouge. This was followed by a second Top Flight at the 2001 NCRS National Meet, where, as Reed tells us, the judging is even tougher.
The car's original owner is equally impressed. "It's really fixed up as good as it can be," Alan Bean declares, having seen the car at the Johnson Space Center's "Need for Speed" exhibit. "It looks better than when I had it. It's a beautiful car." As for the value of the car beyond it's looks and Top Flight condition, that's a subjective issue. Though others may not agree, Danny Reed's position is clear: "To me, it's a piece of history, and it's priceless." Looking back on the incredible events of which this Corvette was a part, we think that's just about right.