1955 Corvette Owner: Roy Braatz
This '55 is an unwrecked car needing hardly any fiberglass repairs. It is painted original Corvette Copper with a dark beige leather interior. The engine, dates, and numbers are correct. Most of the parts are NOS or original; no reproduction parts are on this Corvette except for carpeting and weather-stripping. The convertible top is a German Canvas Top. This car has many GM or dealer options: Kelsey Hayes wire wheels, vacuum ash tray, radiator filter, Carter engine heater, oil eye indicator for the transmission oil level, hide away trailer hitch, tissue dispenser, and a Plasticon Hard Top reproduced by the Glassman. Roy also pulls a 1947 Tear Drop trailer made in Burbank, Ca. when he travels with the Vette.
I first met Roy in 1966. In 1970 he traded a '37 Ford pickup for a 1954 Corvette and thus began his career in the Corvette world. Throughout this time he has owned approximately 30 Corvettes. The one pictured above is his latest love. Because of his desire to meet people interested in early Corvettes, and to gain knowledge, Roy founded the Vintage Corvettes of Southern California club in 1971. This last fall Vintage Corvettes celebrated its 35th anniversary. Then later, in the mid 80's, he was the founder and editor of SACE (Solid Axle Corvette Enthusiast), a national Corvette club for the early Corvettes.
Roy and Noland Adams together discovered how to tell the original paint colors for the '58 - '62 Corvettes; by scraping the paint away with a coin in certain areas: behind the seat, in the trunk, etc. The paint color was written in crayon and when painted, this color code was painted over. Thank you Roy and Noland for this helpful discovery.
Roy helped put together the first judging manual for the NCRS on the 1957 Corvette. In the past, he has been an instructor at the Bloomington Work Shop.
Roy's other pride and joy is a 1967 Corvette Coupe with 327-350hp, 4 spd, factory leather interior, and Lyndale Blue paint. This Corvette is one of the 35 small block Corvettes with a big block hood installed at the factory. On that particular day G.M. ran out of small block hoods, so they put the big block hood on 35 small block Corvettes. Noland ran a check on the serial number, and found this Corvette to be one of these 35 Corvettes.
In 1977 I bought a 1969 Corvette Coupe big block, full option, with air condition from Roy, and now look at the mess it has gotten me into. Since then I have owned a '56, '61, and a '78 Anniversary Corvette. I have been doing the body and paint restoration on the early Corvettes since 1980 as a full time business. Thank you Roy Braatz for getting me involved in the Corvette life.
