1966 Corvette

Some 9,500 miles separate Davenport, Iowa, and Victoria, Australia, but this great distance is no obstacle for a group of people who all share a common bond, a love for Corvettes. I received an email from Joe Calleja, managing director of Apex Steel in Victoria. Joe owns a 1966 Corvette racer and wanted to know the provenance of his car. Joe doesn’t just own the car, he has raced it extensively all over the world. It is his favorite car and he loves to talk about it. His enthusiasm is contagious. Joe wanted the entire history of his Corvette. With a lot of work, some luck and a surprising source, this is what we have uncovered.

Joe’s Corvette (VIN:194376S110222) is one of 9,958 Corvette coupes produced in 1966. Decoding the trim tag indicates this car was painted Rally Red when new and left the factory with a black leather interior. The body was built by the A.O. Smith Company. A.O. Smith of Ionia, Michigan, was one of two fiberglass body builders for Corvette. Our subject Corvette was assembled in St. Louis, Missouri.