Cool cars draw a crowd in St. Charles

Mike Hagerman prepares to close the bidding on a 1967 Corvette, a car that went for $235,000 on Saturday. (Rob Winner photo)

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ST. CHARLES – Bob Davis, his face aglow with devotion, sat in the shade Saturday and gazed at his prize: A 1966 Corvette painted sunset Daytona orange.

“I’m just here to have fun and show off,” said Davis, of Branson, Mo. “I restored it from the ground up. It’s the car I wanted since I graduated high school in 1965. I bought it four years ago for $35,000. I put in $131,390 and about 100 hours a year on it. It’s worth $150,000 now.”

Davis’ Corvette was one of thousands on display at the 35th Anniversary Bloomington Gold Corvette show, which continues from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles. The event includes vendors selling parts and accessories for Corvettes.

Corvettes in every color, style and year lined walkways across the golf course next to the resort as enthusiasts walked and - admired and gawked - and proud owners stood by their treasures. Many of the Chevrolet-made sports cars sported too-clever vanity plates, including: VRROOOM, LUVRVET, WEBMUVN, ACOOL 1, BYBY AND CRUZUSA.

The vanity plate for Jeff Martens’ Corvette is 2QUIC4U. The Wisconsin man and his family trekked out to see the show, but left his car at home.

“I just want to see all the Corvettes,” Martens said.

Similar sentiments abounded. Laurie Kurtzweil and friend Diane Kaiser from Wisconsin, said the attraction is simple: “They’re pretty. And we want to see everybody’s details.”

Her husband Karl Kurtzweil said Corvette ownership can be a tricky deal.

“If the wife allows him to buy a car,” Kurtzweil said as his wife laughed. “She’s against it. He does it anyway. Owning one is fun.”

If you go:

What: Last day of the Bloomington Gold Corvette show

When: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. today

Where: Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles

Events: Survivor Collector Car Show of unrestored Corvettes, swapmeet, exhibitors, for sale by owner and display on golf course

Cost: $20 per person, free parking, children 13 and younger free

More info: www.bloomingtongold.com/