Route 66 Star Dies, and Sellable E-Rays Are Being Produced
George Maharis Dead at 94
George Maharis, a stage-trained actor became an icon to American youth in the 1960s as he cruised the country in a Corvette convertible in the hit television series “Route 66,” has died at age 94.
On “Route 66,” Maharis played Buz Murdock, a hardened survivor of New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen. His co-star Martin Milner, who died in 2015, was Tod Stiles, a young man raised in wealth who upon his father’s death was left with nothing but a shiny new Corvette.
The pair decided to travel the highway author John Steinbeck had dubbed “The Mother Road.” Each week brought a new adventure in a new city, and audiences tuned in in droves.
150 E-Rays Built Last Week
It is being reported that the Corvette assembly plant built nearly 150 E-Rays last week with saleable VINs. These E-Rays will be used by engineers and others to evaluate and test, and then they will be offered back to Chevy dealers as pre-owned vehicles. These are not customer vehicles being built, and they will have a slightly different VIN structure that alludes to the pre-production status of these cars.
This information comes from Roger Kiel who charts the production of the Stingray and Z06. Roger said about 50 E-Rays per day were built on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday last week. He posted the following update on the C8 Owners and Friends group on Sunday.
The Chip Miller Amyloidosis Foundation is giving you the opportunity to win a 2023 Corvette Z06! The Grand Prize Z06 is a Coupe offered in Red Mist and it features the Z07 Performance Package with Carbon Flash Metallic ground effects and high wing spoiler, as well as carbon fiber wheels painted in Carbon Flash. Inside is a 3LZ trim package outfitted with a Jet Black interior and GT2 seats. Your donation of $25 or more helps to raise awareness for Amyloidosis, the disease which claimed the life of Corvette enthusiast Chip Miller in 2004. The drawing for this American Super Car will happen on September 30th.
This Week’s Owners’ Corner
Tony C’s 1966 Racer
This 1966 Corvette became a slalom and drag racer in 1973. It was raced in western USA and Canada and featured as “My Vette II” in the May 1979 “Keepin’ Track of Corvettes” magazine.
In 1981 it was exported to Canada and converted to an endurance road racer. It was raced at Edmonton Speedway in Alberta and at the Knox Mountain Hill Climb in Kelowna, BC. It also raced at Race City, Calgary AB, Seattle WA, Portland OR, Westwood BC, and Palm Springs CA, and appeared in the April 1990VETTE magazine.
It was returned to the USA and prepared for the 1990 AvD-Oldtimer-GP in Nürburgring, Germany, described in the Fall 1990 Corvette Quarterly magazine. It qualified (#430) but had an engine failure. Later it survived a warehouse fire and was then stored in Florida for ten years.
In 2002 it was rescued and restored for Vintage Racing by Roy Sjoberg (Zora Duntov’s Development Manager in the early 1970’s and “Father” of the Dodge Viper). In 2017 I purchased it, updated it and returned it to the track.
Tony C.
1970 L46 Convertible
Beautifully and extensively restored!
Daytona Yellow w/Black interior, L46 350/350hp, 4-speed manual
This absolutely beautiful Stingray rag top has been completely restored and features a #’s matching L46 small block V8, mated to a 4-spd. manual transmission. Options include power steering, power brakes, power windows, tilt/tele steering column and am/fm radio. The car runs and drives like a champ, and everything works! Even the clock and fiber optic light monitoring system!
It’s documented with the Protect-O-Plate, an N.C.R.S. Shipping Data Report, service receipts and a ’70 brochure.
2019 Grand Sport COUPE
Only 4k Miles!
Admiral Blue w/Red interior, 376/460hp, 7-speed manual
The Grand Sport edition was brought back for both the 6th and 7th generation Corvette. Which brings us to the awesome G.S. presented here. Not only is it the last of the front engine Grand Sports, it’s also resplendent in the rarest (and best) color combination of Admiral Blue w/Red interior! This one is optioned with the 2LT Equipment Group, and 7-spd. manual transaxle, the G.S. Heritage Pkg. and only 4k miles on the odometer!
CF1 Roadster
Kindigit Designs & Corvette Mike Collaboration
Render your dream car right here!!! ✍️
Kindigit Designs of Bitchin Rides and Corvette Mike have collaborated to bring you the Koolest of Bitchin Rides — a series dedicated to the ultimate resto-mods. The last of a true breed of combustion engines purpose-built by Lingenfelter, developing enough horsepower to rip the steel cords right off these Michelins.
This combination of a very limited, select edition of carbon fiber bodies mated to Roadster Shop chassis culminated into something very special. The first, from scratch, retro look 1953 Corvette Roadster with all the trick goodies of modern-day Sportage transportation with a flare to dare you not to stare.
This CF1 is already SOLD, though you can custom build
and reserve yours today! Talk to us, baby!!
Call 714-630-0700 or email: Troy@CorvetteMike.Com
Wanted!
2019 Convertible ZR1’s
The lower the miles, the better.
A Pirates ransom is waiting!
We have Cash!
Email me to talk about any cars you want to sell: Troy@CorvetteMike.Com
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Comic of the Week
