Imagine a Daytona Blue 1963 Corvette Coupe with all matching numbers. The interior is immaculate, dark blue, and only the carpet has ever been replaced. The melodic tone of the loping 327 engine can literally bring a smile to your face. Now just imagine yourself being the proud owner of this American classic. You would want to show it off, right?

Well, that is precisely what I have been doing ever since I bought my beautiful Corvette in 1986 immediately after finalizing my first divorce. And then, I took my baby to some backwoods car show in Florida that a friend of a friend told me about one night after kicking back a couple of beers.

The event was an annual but rather unofficial gathering of classic car buffs and I was thrilled to bring my car down. Unfortunately, the part of Florida that the event was being held was extremely dry due to drought. About three or four hours after arriving, a man who owned a red GTO (I could not tell you the year because frankly I did not care afterward) decided to start up his ride for the spectators. It was just one backfire but it was enough to start the dry grass ablaze--and guess where my Corvette was parked?

Nearly thirty—thirty—classic cars were consumed by the blaze started by that backfiring GTO and my Corvette was one of them. Of course I had the car properly insured but they just aren't making 1963 Corvettes any longer and the only one I could find that was similar cost $10,000 more than my policy’s payoff. I guess if there is a moral to my sad tale, it is to avoid backwoods car shows at all costs because they are unregulated, disorganized, and very dangerous to classic cars like my beloved 1963 Corvette Coupe.

Jacob Morgan
Bakersfield, CA