“I love old cars,” said Jim Headley, President and CEO of Crane Institute of America, “and missing an opportunity in 1974 to swap my worn-out Volkswagen plus $2,000 for an immaculate 1963 Corvette, has always haunted me. From that day on, it was on my bucket list to own a 1963 Corvette,” he said. Several years later he was able to check it off his list when he purchased a red ’63 Stingray.
“Although I love old cars, I love helping people more,” said Headley. In the spirit of giving and spreading joy in the New Year, Crane Institute is donating Headley’s beloved 1963 Chevy Corvette for auction, with proceeds to be distributed to five worthy charities. Assisting in this endeavor is Roger’s Corvette Center – a world renowned Corvette dealer in Central Florida – and Mecum Auctions, the largest classic car auctioneer in the United States.
Roger Judski, owner of Roger’s Corvette Center has been dealing in pre-owned Corvettes since 1965. His sales floor is like heaven-on-Earth for any Corvette enthusiast! Crane Institute displayed the 1963 Corvette at Roger’s for a short time before deciding to auction it, at Judski’s recommendation. Crane Institute’s Corvette will be auctioned at the world’s largest collector car auction held annually in Kissimmee, Fla., January 16-25, 2015.
The Charities
Five charities have been selected by Crane Institute of America, Roger’s Corvette Center, and Mecum Auctions.
- The Russell Home for Atypical Children, chosen by Roger’s Corvette Center, has been helping children with handicaps that interfere with their independence for over 60 years.
- Mecum Auctions selected Curing Kids Cancer, which has funded research to find a cure for childhood cancer since 2004.
Selected to benefit from the auction proceeds by Crane Institute are Samaritan’s Purse, Caring People Recovery Center, and Wounded Warrior Project.
- Samaritan’s Purse travels the world to help the needy in war, poverty or disease-stricken communities.
- Caring People Recovery Center helps adults recovering from alcohol and drug addictions.
- Wounded Warrior Project focuses on helping the brave service men and women who returned home injured.
The ‘Vette
The 1963 Corvette, sometimes referred to as the “Corvette Stingray,” is estimated to sell for $50,000 to $60,000. The body style used on this model was introduced in late 1962 and styled after a GM-built race car. The year the car was manufactured was the first time both convertible and coupe car bodies were offered by Chevrolet.
“Our Corvette is Riverside Red and has red vinyl interior, a white convertible top and matching red removable hard top. The paint matches color codes indicating it is original as delivered from the St. Louis, Mo., factory. The engine is the original 327/300 HP and 4-speed manual transmission,” said Headley.
For anyone interested in adding to their collection (or starting one) this is the perfect car for you. You can watch the auction on NBCSN, which is presently scheduled for Saturday, January 24. Look for lot S130.
“For 30 years, nearly 100,000 crane operators and riggers from across the country have chosen Crane Institute of America for their training and certification needs, making job sites across the nation safer and more productive. In honor of these men and women and in the spirit of giving, we hope this Corvette brings as much happiness to the buyer as to the well deserving charities,” said Headley.
About Crane Institute
For almost 30 years Crane Institute of America, Sanford, Fla., has offered training for operators, inspectors, safety managers, lift directors, and riggers and signalpersons working with mobile cranes, overhead cranes, tower cranes, aerial lift and forklifts. It is an authorized CIC written and practical exam testing site. For information, visit dev-crane-institute.pantheonsite.io.
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