BOB WINGATE passed Sunday 9-15-19 from heart complications. He was born August 17, 1936 and lived a good long life in Glendale, California.
It was Bob himself who was the guy on the ground promoting Corvette in the early days. Wingate was ''THE West Coast Pioneer at the grass roots level where the action was''
Starting in 1956 as a salesman for Clippinger Chevrolet, in California, Wingate sold Corvettes and got involved in all kinds of Corvette activities from 1958-1974. In 1959, he created his first Corvette club at Clippinger and in 1966 was one of the founding fathers and first President of Western States Corvette Council, [WSCC]. Many Clubs from Canada to Mexico were created with Wingate
Autocross, slalom and road racing events were also a big part of the West Coast Corvette culture. Bob was a leader who helped mold the national SCCA rules for autocross and slalom racing. No wonder Southern California Corvette sales skyrocketed. The guy was everywhere promoting Corvette. WingateWingate
BobWingate
Turns out, they really were important!
BOB also found and sold the three 1968 L-88 Corvettes to the JIM GARNER ''AIR'' RACING TEAM from Gledhill Chevrolet. In these Hi Performance days Wingate sold many Camaro's, Corvairs, and passenger cars with high performance engines and transmissions. THIS WAS the TIME of ''GLORY YEARS OF HEARTBEAT OF CHEVROLET in AMERICA'', and Bob was a big person in the history of the Corvette and Chevrolet. Services will be private with family members.
It was Bob himself who was the guy on the ground promoting Corvette in the early days. Wingate was ''THE West Coast Pioneer at the grass roots level where the action was''
Starting in 1956 as a salesman for Clippinger Chevrolet, in California, Wingate sold Corvettes and got involved in all kinds of Corvette activities from 1958-1974. In 1959, he created his first Corvette club at Clippinger and in 1966 was one of the founding fathers and first President of Western States Corvette Council, [WSCC]. Many Clubs from Canada to Mexico were created with Wingate
Autocross, slalom and road racing events were also a big part of the West Coast Corvette culture. Bob was a leader who helped mold the national SCCA rules for autocross and slalom racing. No wonder Southern California Corvette sales skyrocketed. The guy was everywhere promoting Corvette. WingateWingate
BobWingate
Turns out, they really were important!
BOB also found and sold the three 1968 L-88 Corvettes to the JIM GARNER ''AIR'' RACING TEAM from Gledhill Chevrolet. In these Hi Performance days Wingate sold many Camaro's, Corvairs, and passenger cars with high performance engines and transmissions. THIS WAS the TIME of ''GLORY YEARS OF HEARTBEAT OF CHEVROLET in AMERICA'', and Bob was a big person in the history of the Corvette and Chevrolet. Services will be private with family members.
Comment