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Corvette Expo was the “brainchild” of Byron C Cooper, along with his brother Ronny, of Cooper’s Corvette Center of Knoxville TN. Byron opened Cooper’s in 1967 on Broadway in the North end of Knoxville in a rented 4-car garage. Byron remembers the rent was $45 per month and was sometimes hard to come by. The focus of Cooper’s was repairing damaged Corvettes for the individual and as well the insurance companies. Jobs included painting, customizing and mechanical repair. It was more work than Byron could handle. He asked Ronny to join the business and a partnership formed, which continues until today. In 1969, the brothers bought a larger building that not only allowed for more repairs and but the ability to also sell Corvettes. They still operate out of this location, 5611 N Broadway.
Early 1976, Byron came up with the idea to have a Corvette Show and open house at their business location. The idea was to invite several vendors they had met through the Corvette business. They approached several of the surrounding business to gain enough space to do a Show and Swap Meet. However, they soon found out there was not enough space to promote such an event. The idea was then shelved for a while, but it was never far from his mind. Several months later, Byron rented The Jacob Building in Knoxville’s Chilhowee Park. The date was set. Calls were made, yers mailed out, ads and posters went up, and CORVETTE EXPO was born.
On the rst weekend in March 1977, Corvette Expo opened it gates to a full house. A huge crowd of Corvette enthusiast paying, $2 general admission. As they say, the rest is history.
In 2012, Corvette Expo was inducted into the Bloomington Gold Corvette “Great Hall”.
Corvette Expo celebrated their 45 anniversary in 2022. This makes Corvette Expo the longest running Corvette event in the nation continuously operated by the same owners.
2023 will mark the passing of the torch for Corvette Expo. Under the guidance and direction from Byron and Ronny, H&J Promotions will take over the dayto-day operations of Corvette Expo. H&J Promotions owned and operated by Greg Harris and Steve Jenkins, two very familiar faces in the car show arena. They have worked with Byron and Ronny at Corvette Expo and MCS Promotions events for the last 30 years. There is nothing like learning the
business from best and you will see them continue being advisors around at the events. Greg and Steve will take these years of experience, their love of all things cars and motorsports and manage Corvette Expo with same passion and enthusiasm as their predecessors. We look forward to continuing the great Corvette Expo tradition.
Thank you,
Greg & Steve
River Cities Corvette Club was started on August 21, 1986. Fifteen couples from southwest Louisville met at a downtown bank to get things started. Members agreed the club’s name should be: “River Cities Corvette Club”. This name would best attract Members from cities on both sides of the Ohio River bridge. A two-state logo with a star representing Louisville would best represent our identity. The early days saw lots of Shopping Mall car shows, parades, and cruises. Many founding members still enjoy their club membership.
Today, over 150 families call River Cities Corvette Club their home club. The old saying, “Join for the car, but stay for the people” is an accurate portrayal of who we are. Our club has grown exponentially since the pandemic. A monthly club calendar featuring cruises, car shows, parades and events is published for members- six months in advance. This way members can make plans to participate in any club activity they choose.
We meet on the second Wednesday each month at the Kosair Shriners Building, 4120 Bardstown Rd at 7pm. Doors open at 5:30 and dinner is served at 6:00. Our club sponsor is Bachman Chevrolet of Louisville (see one of the pics). Our charity of choice is Hosparus Health of Louisville; to date we have raised more than $400,000. Many of our members participate in the annual St. Jude Corvette Drive fundraiser, bene tting St. Jude Children’s Cancer Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. We also support Downs Syndrome of Louisville, Crusade for Children, and many other wonderful charities.
New member candidates are encouraged to visit our website and/or Facebook page. Membership applications can be obtained by leaving a message for Robert Price, Membership and Cruise Director. We wish to thank Corvette Expo for their many years of service to the Corvette Community. We are happy to have been chosen as the 2023 Corvette Expo Featured Corvette Club. We look forward to meeting you at the show !!
Write to A.J. Baime at myride@wsj.com.
Keith Tholin, 73, a retired medical device executive living in San Clemente, Calif., on his 1955 Chevrolet Corvette, as told to A.J. Baime. Photos by Nathan Perkel for Wall Street Journal.
When I was growing up, my dad was a United Airlines mechanic. He would buy these old cars and he would teach my brother and I how to work on them. He taught us how to tune up the engines, how to paint a car. Over the years,
while my brother and I were in school, he probably had five or six C1 [first generation, from 1953 to 1962] Corvettes. When my brother and I went to college in Illinois, my father was in San Francisco and a number of times my brother and I drove these Corvettes back and forth.
In 1971, my dad bought this 1955 Corvette that became our favorite of all the cars he owned. Chevrolet first came out with the Corvette in 1953, and it famously had a fiberglass body. The year 1955 saw the first production Corvette with a V-8 engine. According to my records, this car my father bought was the 137th Corvette built with a V-8.
A previous owner autocrossed the car [autocross is a form of racing], and he had modified it. He put in a larger 283-cubic-inch V-8 engine and a BorgWarner four-speed transmission. He put in a fuel-injection unit. So the car was pretty unique.
My father used to take this ’55 to Corvette events, and he got to know a man named Zora Arkus-Duntov [a General
Motors engineer who has been called the “Father of the Corvette”]. At one, in 1980, camera crews came out and they asked Duntov to get in a Corvette for photos. He chose my father’s car, and I have photos of Duntov driving in a parking lot with my father in the passenger seat.
When my father died, he had a 1978 Corvette and this 1955 that was our favorite. My brother and I flipped a coin, and he won. So he got the 1955, but several years later, I bought it from him and I have owned it ever since. It sat in my garage for 25 years, but when I retired six years ago, I started a restoration.
I personally took the car apart, every nut and bolt, and put it back together. I painted it. While I was doing this work, all these memories of my father and brother—the three of us— working on Corvettes came back to me. I still have some of my father’s tools and I used them during the restoration.
My father had a receipt that had the name of the guy who owned the car before him. His name was Lou Matli. I googled him and was able to track him down. About five years ago, my wife and I went to see him; he lived outside Sacramento. He remembered everything about the car. He had trophies from his autocross competition, and he gave them to me.
These days I take the ’55 to car shows and Cars & Coffee events. I think my father would be proud of the work I did, because I used all the skills that he had taught me to do the job on this Corvette he had bought over 50 years ago.
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- 4/15
The Pigeon Forge Spring Rod Run is an event no car enthusiast wants to miss. The Pigeon Forge Spring Rod Run is a spectacular 3-day event for any car enthusiast! This annual car show features a $10,000 cash giveaway, Top 25 Awards, Ultimate 5 Awards and King of the Hill. In addition to a huge swap meet with hundreds of showcars and car corral.
- 5/20
The Grand National F-100 Show is the largest classic Ford pick-up truck event in the world. The event is open to classic Ford trucks, 1996 and older. Truckers will exhibit their trucks both inside and outside the beautiful LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge.
6/2 - 6/4
Come see some of the most gorgeous Pontiacs around at the annual Pontiacs in Pigeon Forge car show. The show features a Swap Meet and classic GTO’s, Firebirds, Fieros, Best in Show, Best in Stock and the Saturday Night Cruise.
TEXAS ROADHOUSE CRUISE IN 4332 ERICA GREENE CIRCLE, MORRISTOWN, TN
APRIL 17TH, 2023 | 5 PM - 8 PM
Open to all vehicles, Makes, Models and Vintages. Since April 17th is the day that Mustangs were announced this will be a special Birthday Party. Come help us celebrate ! ! Friendly people and Great Cars!
HARPER AUTO SQUARE’S CARS
WEST TOWN MALL 7600 KINGSTON PK KNOXVILLE, TN
APRIL 23RD, 2023 | 8 AM - 11 AM
We ask that all guests enter o of Montvue road. We invite car lovers of ALL makes and models to Tennessee’s largest Cars and Co ee event! www.harpercarsandco ee.com Purchase our NEW line of Cars & Co ee apparel at the Harper Airstream! Can’t go? Follow us on Instagram & SnapChat @ harpercars and hash tag your photos using #harpercars or #harpercc! Bring your ride and chat with hundreds of car enthusiasts sharing the same passion - A love for cars! ALL CARS WELCOME! *Our custom Airstream car hauler will be on site, as well as inventory from our Porsche, Audi, Jaguar, In niti, Acura, Volkswagen, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, FIAT, Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, and Dodge stores! *Dash plaques will be given at event entrance (while supplies last)! *We urge you to invite your friends and family! *Remember, this is a family oriented event. Please act respectively to other enthusiasts! *KPD will be on site!
K&K HOTRODS PRESENTS SMOKEY MTN STREET DREAMS
TOWNSEND VISITOR CENTER
7906 E LAMAR ALEXANDER PKWY, TOWNSEND, TN
APRIL 27TH - 29TH, 2023 | 8 PM - 5 PM
FREE PARKING. Open to all Makes, Models & Years. $15 spectator fee, children 12-up Free. OVERALL 1st place- $5000, 2nd Place- $2500!!! Then $1000 1st place People’s Choice, $500 2nd place People’s Choice & more. Vendor space Avail. Rodney 423-290-2166, Randy 423-991-0238
CRUISE-IN FOR A CAUSE
ROANE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
APRIL 22ND, 2023 | 10 AM - 3 PM
Hosted by Taylor Motor Company. Follow us on Facebook for updates!
BUG-A-PALÜZA 2023
CAMP JORDAN PARK
323 CAMP JORDAN PKWY EAST RIDGE, TN
APRIL 15TH, 2023 | 8 AM - 5 PM
APRIL 16TH, 2023 | 8 AM - 3 PM
Bug-a-Palüza is returning to Camp Jordan on April 15-16, 2023! Visit https://www.bugapaluza.com/ for all show details and to register. This two day festival features a VW car show with classes for air-cooled and water-cooled, a huge swap meet with vendors selling new and used parts, and a campout Friday and Saturday nights. Plus plenty of food, contests, prizes, and more. Custom hand-crafted trophies will be awarded at 3PM on Sunday. All proceeds bene t the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga. Spectator entrance is just $5 per person for the entire weekend. Children 12 and under admitted free. Show car registration - $30 per vehicle. All vehicles must be pre-registered, there will be no extra space the day of the show. Swap meet spaces: $30 per 10’x20’ space (one parking lot length). Multiple consecutive spaces can be purchased to accommodate larger vendors. Each swap meet registration includes entry to the show for two people. All vendors must be pre-registered, there will be no extra space the day of the show. Camping - $10 per person for the RV camping lot. Fees are collected on arrival and spaces are rst come, rst serve. No preregistration for camping. No reservations. Camping begins at noon on Friday. Bug-a-Palüza 2023 is a rain or shine event. Pets are allowed on a leash per the park rules/city ordinances. You are responsible for picking up after your pet.
CORBIN ROD RUN
THE CORBIN ARENA AT 500 ARENA DR. CORBIN, KY APRIL 21ST - 22ND, 2023 | 8 PM - 5 PM
This event o ers an inside and outside venue that is open to all cars & trucks, all years, makes and models. Inside display vehicles are approved by photo submission. Outside we have over 1,000 spaces for vehicles, vendors, swap meet and much more. The Moonshiners will be our guest celebrities for this event. For more info call 423-608-4519.
1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. $13,500 | Clean car, Runs good no issues, New AC compressor & AGM battery, Corsa Cat Back exhaust, Aftermarket headlights, 6spd manual, Newer corvette wheels, Cash sale only. No Trades. Call/text 256-899-4040
1994 CORVETTE. $3,800 | 127,000 miles, needs clear coat & rubber moldings on top, Runs & Drives, Call 865-984-1859 and leave a message if no answer.
2004 CORVETTE STINGRAY. $11,000 | Fully loaded w/heads up display, rare target top, gets over 25MPG, Some ole dude owned this ne lady and treated her very well... located in Daytona Beach, Open to trades as well. 678-887-7789
1997 CORVETTE SEATS. $350 | power seats with controller call 1-606-269-1173
2014 CHEVY CORVETTE STINGRAY. $39,990 | 7spd manual 6.2L V8 455hp, removable hard top, 2LT pkg, magnetic selective ride control, red calipers, exhaust performance, Nav, head up display, heated/ventilated front seats, 71k miles call or text 865-740-3153
1987 CORVETTE. $1,200 | No motor, no transmission or interior, All body parts and suspension are there including the hood not in picture. I have a clear title. No trades. 865-803-3207
2017 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2LT. $58,995 | 18,612 miles, 6.2L V8 auto 8spd, backup camera, Bluetooth, laether, remote start, LOADED, Stock #: M17467 Located at Auto Solutions 865-978-0866
1975 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. $24,995 | only 55k miles, t-tops, 15” Rally whls, red interior, new carpet, 350 V8 400 Turbo, Chevrolet Orange Valve covers and the chrome air cleaner, 865-988-8088 see more at smokymountaintraders.com
2000 CORVETTE $25,500 | Garage kept, no dings or scratches, mint condition, leather seats, LS1 motor, I have 2 tops that also go with the car. Call 865-2589222 or 865-254-1327 and I’ll answer any questions you may have. Serious inquiries only please.
1966 CORVETTE. $69,995 | only 27,643mi, convertible w/soft & hard tops, 327 V8 3spd manual, Holley carb, four barrel intake, dual pipes, factory colors & black interior, ceramic coated, 865-988-8088 see more at smokymountaintraders.com
1990 C4 CORVETTE. $12,000 | 65K miles, will trade for an 18’ to 22’ inboard/outboard boat , with low hrs and clean, I don’t want to have to work on anything. 440-417-3128
1973 CORVETTE STINGRAY. $29,995 | T-tops, 15x8 Rally wheels, saddle interior, new carpet, matching numbers 350 V8, matching numbers 400 transmission, Quadrajet carb 865-988-8088 see more at smokymountaintraders.com
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