My Corvette: Mark Freeman

After 33 years, 'dream' 1977 Corvette is all his

By Claudio D'Andrea

Some first loves you never forget, especially one as sexy as a Corvette. For Mark Freeman, that first flame was a 1979 C3 Vette and it was sitting on the lawn at the Belleville, Ontario farm where one of his best friends Dan Summers lived. The car belonged to Dan's mom, Camilla.

"I saw it and I couldn't believe it was his mom's," says Mark who was 16 years old at the time and still lives near that farm. Dan also still lives on property that backs onto his parents' old place.

Thirty three years later, Camilla asked Mark if he still wanted the car "and we immediately made a deal and now I am the proud owner of a Corvette which was my dream since 16," he says.

Mark said he put a down payment on the car two years ago before he turned 50 and paid off the $10,000 amount in August. He says it's appraised at $25,000.

The car was in pristine shape. Mark says Camilla drove the car "religiously and took care of it in every way." Her Vette never saw a winter road and was stored in a barn. Whenever there was something wrong with it, it was fixed right away. Mark says when he put the car on a hoist at a friend's shop, "he said it looks like it just came out of the shop."

The car had a brand new rebuilt 350 engine in it and only about 4,000 kilometres on the odometer. It's only needed new calipers and brakes since he bought it. Mark says he may put on some headers, a new valve cover and brake fluid cover, maybe an air breather too. "Just for looks -- chrome and stuff." At some point, he may paint the engine and side pipes too.

For now though, he just enjoys being in love with his C3 which he calls the "architectural epitome of sexy design." How sexy is it? "When you look down the hood when you're driving, it's like when your head is on a woman's stomach and you're looking down her thighs and I love the engineers for that."

Mark has owned several cars over the years, including a 1977 Firebird that he has since sold. "I just always, always wanted a Vette." He does plan to drive the car when it's nice out and keep it stored for the winter at his friend's barn. Mark calls his C3 his "little go-kart" which is so small and fast as it motors to 80. "It cruises beautifully."

He says he plans to leave it for kids at some point but right now he's smitten. "I love it. It's an absolute dream."

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