began a title search for J59S106542 through the Michigan DMV. Over the next few years, Jerry traced his restoration project to a series of past owners, who happily told stories about the car and got teary-eyed to learn of its whereabouts today.
     Most interesting was Dick Kreps, who bought the car brand-new to go racing on weekends. Buying a new Corvette in 1959 was like buying a sports car virtually ready to race, provided just a few certain options were checked on the order form.
     Kreps, who retired as a Maintenance Supervisor in the Fisher #1 plant in Grand Rapids in 1970, was such a buyer. In his 50s in 1959, he gave up boat racing to race cars on the weekends. He ordered his Corvette with a race car disposition, which