It was the early 80's, and one of my cousins was a pilot in the Air Force. He was deployed and had left his car at home with his brother until he returned. I was a young boy, but I remember my other cousin picking me up in what I could only describe back then as a race car. It sat low to the ground and had an excellent sound as it idled there. I remember it being burgundy, and half of the roof was missing. Later, I learned that it was called a T-top. When I got in the passenger seat, I felt as if I was sitting in a cockpit, and the seat leaned back just enough to make me think I was preparing for takeoff. As we pulled onto the road, I could tell this was no ordinary car. Not long after hitting the open highway, my cousin decided that the speed limit was for station wagons and mashed that gas pedal. I remembered being pinned to the back of the seat, smiling as if I had just won a once-in-a-lifetime prize. From that day on, I was hooked on C3 Corvettes and longed for the day when I could find my own. As I grew up and lived life, I had a lot of time to decide what model of C3 I wanted to have. Right out of high school, I joined the Marine Corps and began to contemplate and research. I narrowed my search down to a chrome bumper model. When I left the Marine Corps in 1995, I knew it only made sense that the car would be a 1971 C3, as this was the year I was born. As I got older and started to search in earnest, I realized there were many different models of C3s and decided my dream car would be a 1971 LS5 in Mille Miglia red. Now, finding this car within my price range proved to be a challenge. Life happened again, and I married and had a child. My wife already had a child, so we began our new life with two children, and we did not have much money for anything else. As my budget for my dream car dwindled to zero, I had to put my wants on the back burner, but I never stopped looking. Years passed, and money stayed tight, so I began to compromise and thought just any red 1971 C3 would make me content. Well, that was partially true. I came close a few times with a couple of cars. My wife knew how much this car meant to me, and when I thought I had found a car that checked most of the boxes, she helped me get a plane ticket, and I flew the 1200-mile round trip to Buffalo, NY, to check it out. It was a quick 2-day trip, including the drive to an out-of-the-way car dealer/scrap yard to see the car. I landed, picked up my rental, and drove for an hour to where my possible dream car was waiting. I arrived to find the car up on a lift in the shop with an apparent gas leak. This gave me the unique opportunity to see this car was not as described and would be a basket case for someone else but not me. I called my wife and told her the bad news. I was so disappointed, of course, but I felt somewhat blessed that it was up on that lift at that moment, and I was able to make an informed decision based on what I could see. My wife tried to cheer me up by telling me I was close to Niagara Falls, so I took in the sights and flew home the following day. Several more years passed, and the search continued. I saved many cars from my computer searches, but none seemed to check all the boxes. It seemed like I would always have to compromise what I wanted in my dream car. It was either priced out of range or didn't have the correct interior, or the person just didn't seem honest enough about the car's condition. Then, one morning in early August 2023, I couldn't sleep and woke up at 3 am. I did what I would typically do and checked all the old haunts to see if there was anything new. I could not believe what I was seeing. It was a 1971 LS5 with all the right stuff for sale. It had everything I wanted in my dream car and was priced where I thought it should have been. I looked over the pictures numerous times, trying to find fault anywhere I could because I was conditioned at this point for disappointment but could genuinely find none. I must admit I was a little giddy as I looked over the car repeatedly. It seemed like forever for my wife to wake up so I could tell her what I had found. At some point, I started making loud noises to wake her. She finally woke up, and I told her what I had found. She knew how long I had searched and what the car meant to me. It wasn't just a car; it was a lifelong search for a car that would be, in part, my legacy and something that meant so much to that young, carefree, excited boy and me as a middle-aged man. I was still skeptical as I had not spoken with the owner, who happened to be a dealer in Miami, Florida. Having been disappointed by people in the past, I remained cautious. As soon as the dealership opened, I started making calls. I spoke with the owner and asked him all the questions I could think of. He sent additional pictures and answered all my questions. Looking back, it was probably a dealer trick, but he told me others were interested in the car. The dealer promised the car needed nothing and was ready to cruise. I told my wife what the dealer said, and I believed this was the car I had been looking for and was in better shape than expected. I got the go-ahead and, with excitement, bought my dream car. The sale was final, and my dream car was shipped. The transport driver arrived at a predesignated location. My wife, daughter, and grandson were waiting with me as the driver opened the back end of his truck and raised the ramp to the top. He entered the back of the transport truck as the sky opened and rain started pouring down. Just then, I heard it. That 454 came to life, and I could feel that little kid inside of me smiling as he was pinned to the back of his seat, and I couldn't wait to feel that again, only this time it would be my daughter and grandson in that passenger seat. As the driver backed that red Corvette onto the ramp, I swear it was as beautiful as I had dreamed. Truth be known, I had that lump in my throat and was happy it was raining. The car was lowered to the ground and pulled over to where we were standing. The driver handed me the keys and told me congratulations. He added, "The brakes don't work, so be careful." I thanked him, and he left. I got into the driver's seat and felt that wooden steering wheel for the first time. I looked over the gauges and interior and felt this relief that the car seemed to be as described, minus the brake issue, of course. I started the car for the first time and felt that big block power. That gas pedal was calling my name, but I had to settle for a couple rev ups until I could fix the brakes. We limped her home and put her in the garage. As I began to look her over, I made a list of things I could see that needed to be fixed. As the list grew, I knew that the dealer's claim of "the car is ready to cruise" slowly went by the wayside. The list grew and grew until I knew I would have to find someone to help me fix this car so I could be safe and enjoy it. I had no clue where to begin to find such a shop. Luckily, I live only an hour from Effingham, IL., so I did what anyone with a Corvette would do that needed help; I went to Mid America Motorworks and asked them if they knew of any shops that could help me. I was pointed to a local shop in Effingham, who took on the task. The car spent the next nine months at this shop while they fixed many issues. It seemed like the work would never end, as little issues kept popping up repeatedly. Finally, in April of 2024, I got the call that she was ready for pickup. My wife and I drove down to pick her up. The test drive went fine mostly, but I noticed an issue with the temperature gauge, which the shop owner fixed while my wife and I had an early lunch. After eating, we returned to the shop and loaded the car on the trailer to head home. Not even the sticker shock of the extravagant 9-month repair bill could dampen my smile or spirit. I thanked the shop owner and told him I would see him at Mid America Motorworks Funfest, and finally, my dream car was on her way home. The next day, we decided to take the car out for dinner. Everything went fine until we headed home. I decided to let my wife drive, and as she shifted, it seemed like the back end of the car kicked out to the right. I asked her what she was doing, and she claimed she was not doing anything. Not convinced she wasn't somehow doing something wrong, I got behind the wheel. The car acted the same way. After apologizing to my wife, we parked the car in the garage, realizing it was unsafe to drive. I called a local shop specializing in older cars, and they eventually got me in. As they did their assessment, it became painfully evident that whoever completed the subframe and suspension work, which I initially felt fortunate was already completed, honestly had no business under this car. I felt that, at this point, I may never get to drive this car and enjoy a Corvette summer. Not only were the trailing arm bushings gone, axles and hubs shot, U-joints trashed, the sway bar was the wrong one, and so many other things that I lost track of. I asked the shop owner to just please make it safe for my family and myself. I constantly felt like I would never be able to enjoy this car. I had several car shows I really wanted to attend this summer. As the weeks came and went, I patiently waited. I continued to stop by the garage every couple of weeks to check on the progress and to catch a glimpse of my car. As the summer draws to an end, I realize that most of the shows for the year are over, and the driving days are numbered. I again stopped by the shop last week, hoping they were close to completing the work. As the owner explained their progress to me, I just felt saddened by the passing days and the limited time my wife and I would have to enjoy this beautiful car before winter closes in and she is put to bed for the year. I asked the owner again when he thought it would be ready. As he struggled to find an answer, I told him there was only one show left that I really wanted to attend. The show is on September 21st in Effingham, IL, and I would love to have my car and to be able to drive into the lot at Mid America Motorworks. The owner nodded and said he would try to make that happen. So, in closing, was this car all it was advertised to be? No. But I can tell you this: the car is mine, and I wouldn't trade that for the world. This car will be in our family for the rest of my life and, hopefully, for my daughter and grandsons. I feel so lucky that I found the car I waited a lifetime to have, and I am optimistic my wife and I will be able to enjoy it for many years to come. I sincerely hope I get it back in time to make it to Funfest 2024, but we will have to wait and see. Fingers crossed, I will hopefully see you all in my legacy and family heirloom, my red 1971 LS5. Jason