Bangers & Cash 1977 Saudi Corvette JNH 820T

[funchi]

Hi FIVE RED a very bad story, unfortunately we all know some car dealers are terrible thieves.

I see from your photo it had no Saudi stripes, do you know what happened to them, and did you know it was a Saudi car when you owned the car.

My first 2 cars were TR6's but I could not really afford to keep them very long.

About 2 years ago I decide to treat myself to a nice quite expensive TR6.

I found enough problems with this car but I won’t bore you with that, but buyer beware (me) and luckily I could afford to do the work necessary and did most myself.

I was lucky to get most of my money back from my credit card company using section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

I joined the TR Register and read a terrible story last year about a restoration company taking on lots of work, taking large sums of money not doing the work stripping cars of their parts and putting them on other people’s cars.
They liquidated the company and restarted under almost the same name, at least they were named in TR Action the TR Register magazine.

I know this is no help FIVE RED but even before Corona virus I would have said your health comes first it’s only money.

 

[funchi]

Hi kentvette your update was very interesting, as you can see I have far too much time on my hands, plus trying to get to grips with these new-fangled computers can’t see the plugs or points, where are the grandchildren when you need them.

I must have been one of the first CCCUK members to see the new-fangled ZR1 outside of the Lotus UK people in the flesh.

I went to the Bloomington Gold Show Illinois in 1989 and there was a pre-launch Red ZR1 on display.

At launch in 1990 the ZR1 option was $27016.00 very expensive, a base coupe $31979, base convertible $37264, and a Callaway Twin Turbo option £26895 (Corvette Black Book).

 

[FIVE RED]

Was the 're-seller' someone we should all know and is still trading? (no names please!)

Hi Ross,
Yes the businesses involved are still trading & I'm sure have many satisfied customers, but also some dissatisfied including one I know personally. But then that applies to many businesses, just very disappointing that I was a victim.
No I will not be naming those involved, but this is an interesting thread and hopefully throws up information on the car's current status. The Govt MOT search however states it expired July 2017.

 

[FIVE RED]

Hi Funchi,
When I bought the car it had the stripes but no graphics. Even though I had the history file & understood why the stripes were on the car I had them painted out as they weren't vinyl as I expect in original form, without the rest of the graphics they just looked odd. The car had been nicknamed 'The Flying Deckchair'.
Reading through the file I found the photos & a letter from someone who worked on the car. I researched further & added all the extra information to the file.
I believe I 'sold' the car in 2006 as I've had the C5 thirteen years now, actually buying it in February after viewing it in Scotland in October 2007. The very honest 1st owner agreed to hold the car on my now much depleted deposit.
I'm pretty sure the next owner of JNH820T had a pub & I think he was the person who had the graphics reproduced which I think looked great on the car. He would have Corvette meets at his pub, I think his name was Colin but I could be mistaken.
One thing that I couldn't understand is that a Corvette specialist replaced the original 'sports' mirrors with chrome 'ordinary' type. The build sheet I left with the car showed the sports mirrors were factory fitted, this is also confirmed by the photos of the cars in Saudi.

 

[Roscobbc]

Hi Ross,
Yes the businesses involved are still trading & I'm sure have many satisfied customers, but also some dissatisfied including one I know personally. But then that applies to many businesses, just very disappointing that I was a victim.
No I will not be naming those involved, but this is an interesting thread and hopefully throws up information on the car's current status. The Govt MOT search however states it expired July 2017.

No please don't reveal - it does go to show you that just like DNA profiling can help police with unsolved crimes from many years ago and assist perhaps with finding long lost or missing relatives the use of forums and other electronic means of communication can do the same thing with the history of our vehicles. I imagine there could be a few 'uncomfortable' individuals out there...........

 

[Chevrolet]

The Govt MOT search however states it expired July 2017.

You can watch the episode on demand on UKTV Play (Series 2/Episode 5):

Watch Bangers and Cash Series & Episodes on U

Behind the scenes of a Yorkshire-based, family-run historic car auction business.

uktvplay.uktv.co.uk

Seller was a Paul Hawkins in Notts/ Buyer Mark Gregory from Hull (his 2nd Vette). Series 2 came out in 2020, so maybe car still in Hull?

 

[kentvette]

Some rather dodgy shorts in that CCCUK video!

It makes you realise what a terrific job Charles March has done with Goodwood Circuit too.

 

[Chevrolet]

Exactly what I was thinking on both points! Keith lookin' extremely sexy in his "Wham!/Wake me up before you Go Go" "short shorts".

 

[kentvette]

Hi kentvette your update was very interesting, as you can see I have far too much time on my hands, plus trying to get to grips with these new-fangled computers can’t see the plugs or points, where are the grandchildren when you need them.

I must have been one of the first CCCUK members to see the new-fangled ZR1 outside of the Lotus UK people in the flesh.

I went to the Bloomington Gold Show Illinois in 1989 and there was a pre-launch Red ZR1 on display.

At launch in 1990 the ZR1 option was $27016.00 very expensive, a base coupe $31979, base convertible $37264, and a Callaway Twin Turbo option £26895 (Corvette Black Book).View attachment 4611View attachment 4612View attachment 4614View attachment 4613

Great photos! Strange, but great to see all those Mid-Years and Sharks (as we called them back then!) lined up at Bloomington Gold! The same photo now would be all C6s and C7s!, with the Mid-Years in particular all stashed away in a vault or enclosed trailer somewhere!

 

[funchi]

Thank you FIVE RED a very interesting reply.

Did you buy it almost straight after John passed away, or would that have been a previous owner?

John did not spend much money on the car, but back then it was not a very old car so no real need, and if I am correct it was John’s daily driver, so generally less goes wrong with cars that are regularly driven.

I only knew it was a Saudi 1977 Corvette and was very interested when Bangers & Cash explained the history.

I think the car looks very good with the full graphics pack, and although very hard to tell on the television it looked to be a very nice example of a 1977 Corvette.

I was thinking the same about the Jean shorts, rather camp I thought, but would not have complained on a young lady, I think I am old enough to still say that.

And I agree Kentvette loads of mid years on the Bloomington Gold show ground back then.

At Blooming Gold they had an inside collection by invitation of some of the rarest Corvettes ever, even way back the restorations were fantastic, hence the Bloomington Gold Certificates judging standards.

 

[Forrest Gump]

A fascinating post with some great photos and that video.

 

[funchi]

Hi Forrest Gump thank you for your comments, I think we nearly all like a little history especially about are hobbies.

I am very surprised how well this post has gone. John would be over the moon to think that his Corvette could generate so much interest.

I can see you are the Essex rep no such person back then, I was not sure if I should expand this post but here goes.

This is also a sad story like John’s about an Essex club member who passed away far too young Terry.

The reason to add this is because it relates to John’s wicked sense of humour which would have made Terry laugh at his funeral, plus Terry’s car was a little unusual.

Terry like most of us was young and a real old school type member, doing most of the maintenance on his Corvette, as we know cars were quite simple back then so a lot of us could.

Sadly Terry passed away very suddenly with a serve asthma attack, the funeral was in Upminster Essex and the club attended in our Corvettes.

I had my car there plus John Keith and others, unfortunately I have no photos of the funeral so cannot recall who else, if any one does it would be very good to see them.

Now for John, the people who knew John well would remember he had a very deep short laugh, at the funeral when the club members were together John said with a wicked laugh, at the club meeting I lent Terry my mole grips to clamp of a brake hose to stop a leaking caliper do you think I should ask for them back now, that would have tickled Terry.

The photos posted are of Terry’s car, taken on the same day as one of John’s at Santa Pod.

Any updates about this car would be fantastic, unfortunately the MOT checker has no details of this registration.

 

[Forrest Gump]

Thanks for sharing that, it’s good to remember the members who are no longer with us. Love the bold decals on Terry’s car.
This was long before I joined the club “just” ten years ago. The photos of C3’s lined up in a car park look just the same as at today’s Club meetings, but it’s the other cars around indicate the date.

 

[JonnyC4]

Found these two pictures from the 2010 Nationals.

 

[Chevrolet]

Yes Jonny/great photos, and on the CorvetteBlogger website too:

[PICS] Custom Corvettes Shine at the Classic Corvette Club UK Nationals - Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle

The Classic Corvette Club UK held their 30th Anniversary Nationals show recently and corvette owners turned out to display a variety of the classic American sports car from all generations. Like most shows, participants entered Corvettes ranging from stock through modified, race cars and...

www.corvetteblogger.com

 

[Daytona Vette]

Hi Daytona Vette yes I do, I purchased my 1980 Corvette registration FGC 299X and very soon purchased a private plate USA 580 for £650 which is now on my 2004 red on red Corvette purchased new, I owned the 1980 Corvette for about 18 years, and the DVLA gave me back the registration
FGC 299X before I sold it.

I am not really into computers or social media but because of Covid 19 (time on my hands), I thought I would start this post, especially as John was a lovely man, not sure Sandra would always agree with that.

Although I thought I recognised the registration straight away, I have hundreds of Corvette photos from the 80’s so just had to look through my photo albums.

Where you a club member back then, if so what car and registration I could well have a photo of it.

Hi Funchi
Yes I was a member back then I had a Black 80 with the Oyster Interior FCG 121W

 

[kentvette]

I watched the Bangers & Cash prog last night on TV. The car looked a little better back in 2010 I think! Do "we" know the new owner?

Funchi, you'll have to spend some of your new found time posting some of your old pictures! You might even have one of the car that went a way to influence my Vette purchase, albeit it neary 20 years later! I used to regulalrly see a "chrome bumper convertible shark" at Brands Hatch in the early 70's, white with some clever custom paintwork on the side "coves" and down the centre of the hood and deck lid. When I mentioned it to Pete Darwell at MechSpray many years ago he recalled painting it, but didn't know anything about it.

 

[funchi]

Hi kentvette be careful what you wish for you may have just opened the flood gates hopefully it will spark some interest in club members old Corvettes which could now be owned by other club members.

I never went to Brands Hatch and unfortunately I don't recall that car, I think that is the type of car I would easily remember.

My first 2 photos are hopefully better photos of Terry's car.

When I post photos I will try to add the odd detail, but I don't expect to remember to much.

As a long standing club member I would not be surprised if you knew XLT 2 especially as you like the chrome bumper C3 cars.
The second car was owned by Colin Shepard the club historian, it was a lovely car because Colin was and still is a very good mechanic and the only person I allowed to work on my Corvette.

 

[funchi]

Steve Palmer's car ex Club Chairman, photo taken I think at the CCCUK nationals can't remember when or where.
I know Steve no longer owns this car but it still has a current MOT.

 

[funchi]

H Daytona Vette unfortunately I don't have a photo of your car.