Vietnam War hero’s dream Corvette fetches $675K at auction

INDIANAPOLIS — A marina blue 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe bought by a Vietnam War hero and maintained by his son sold for $675,000 at an Indianapolis auction Saturday.

The unrestored sports car, with 8,553 miles on it, was bought by Carmel, Ind., resident Gary Runyon at Dana Mecum’s 30th Spring Classic at the State Fairgrounds.

“It was very exciting but also very, very difficult,” to part with the car, said its owner, Matt Litavsky. “It was all kind of a haze.”

Litavsky’s father, Keith Richard Litavsky, bought the car after returning from the Vietnam War with two Purple Hearts in the 1960s. He cared for it meticulously and seldom drove it before dying of cancer in 1993 from exposure to Agent Orange. Matt Litavsky kept up the same level of care, driving it a total of 15 miles over the past 15 years.

Litavsky said it was a difficult decision to sell the car, but it was time. “It’s been a very long year,” making the decision, he said.

Runyon, a dealer of rare cars, told Litavsky he would not be selling the blue ‘vette and that Litavsky could come visit it anytime.

“That’s good to know that it’s there if I need to see it,” Litavsky said.

Original article:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/05/22/vietnam-war-heros-dream-corvette-fetches-675-k-auction/335491001/

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