I arrived to work yesterday morning, and after I completed my typical routine of getting my coffee and such, I started on my email. I came across a message from a great National Corvette Museum supporter, lifelong GM/Chevrolet fan, and longtime GM employee Scott Settlemire. The email subject was “1963 – new showroom” and it contained some great photos of Scott’s uncle, Tom Henry’s, new Chevrolet dealership.
Some of you may have heard of the name Scott Settlemire. He is known as the F-Bod Father in the Camaro world, having been the Assistant Brand Manager of the Camaro and then later the Camaro Product Manager. He grew up in a GM Family, his dad and uncle were Chevrolet dealers and his cousins Tom Henry Jr and Sue Henry still run that Chevrolet Dealership. Needless to say Chevrolet is in his blood and “Chevy Runs Deep” truly applies to Scott.
Tom Henry Chevrolet had just completed a new dealership facility and invited Chevrolet Creative Services to the 
dealership for the grand reopening. Chevrolet brought out some great show pieces including the “Magic Corvette” which was a 1963 Split Window Coupe that lifted off of the chassis, the doors opened, the headlights rotated, and the body would lower back down onto the chassis. Chevrolet also brought out cutaway V8 engines, transmissions, and color-trim displays. The “Star of the Show” as Scott said was a “Brand New 1963 Corvette StingRay!” Scott commented the he “remembers it as if it was yesterday.”
Scott said that guests were treated to various pastries (he remembers the huge cake with a 1/25th scale Chevy models placed in it), coffee, tea and soft drinks. They listened to big band sounds of “The Major Minors”, a Pittsburgh area jazz band in the 50s and 60s. The boys and girls in attendance received promo models of a red Corvette and the ladies received a small bottle of Prince Machabelli's "Prophecy" perfume, a rain hat, pot holders, and measuring cups (all of course with the "Tom Henry Chevrolet" brand upon them). The men got tools! They each received screwdrivers, tape measures and pens/pencils, and of course, yard sticks!
Some may ask, what does this have to do with Corvette Insurance or Collector Car Insurance? Absolutely nothing! I just felt like it was a neat part of Chevrolet history, and I wanted to share it with you. Thanks Scott for sharing these photos and your story.
