By Lori Comstock New Jersey Herald

HAMPTON — Much like the re-emergence of a long-lost loved one, the return of a stolen car years later can stun anyone when it comes back to its lawful owner.

Tony Peldunas, a Hampton resident, recently had that happen to him when his 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, which disappeared from in front of his house in 1981, was found and returned to him last month after nearly 36 years.

When Peldunas was in his late 20s and early 30s living in Kearny, he usually parked his Corvette safely in his garage.

He purchased the maroon vehicle in the late 1970s. It was in need of some work — Peldunas said it was “beat up and chopped up” — and he spent his free time tinkering with the car, bringing it back to [...]

We all love Corvettes, but there is one man that seems to have taken the collection of Corvette memorabilia to a new level. Charles Mallon, from Pennsylvania, has collected so much Corvette memorabilia that Guinness World Records was forced to create a new category for him.

Charles Mallon currently holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of Chevrolet memorabilia. He owns more than 2,000 miniature Corvettes as well as Corvette-themed posters, soda cans, salt and pepper shakers, nail clippers, stuffed animals and his favorite, a bobblehead of Betty Boop driving a Corvette. He also drives a 2005 blue Corvette coupe.
“My hats, jackets and shirts are all Corvette,” he said. “I proudly show the brand flags whenever I can.”

Mallon owns so many Corvette-themed items that he changed the way Guinness World Records classifies car collecting. Anyone can go on a giant shopping spree and buy a bunch of cars, Mallon said. [...]

Did you want to see how a Corvette is made? Well you have until June 16th to do it, or you will have to wait 18 months before you get another chance. According to the National Corvette Museum website, factory tours will be suspended for 18 months.

The explanation for stopping the tours is that the facility’s new paint shop, which has been under construction since 2015, and at a cost of $439 million, is about to be completed and integrated with existing manufacturing line. This will force a new tour route for future visitors. GM has also invested another $290 million for undisclosed retooling and upgrades. The plant itself will also go totally idle for three months beginning in August, coming back online in October.

Of course, the rumored reason for the shutdown is for retooling for the Mid-Engine C8 Corvette. The new rumored date for announcing the C8 is at the LA Auto [...]