Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

[D S.]

Clark Kirby is trying to round up Corvettes for the Dallas Veterans Day parade Friday November 11. The parade organizers are hoping for 180 Corvettes and so far 70 have registered. Contact Clark Kirby by email for details. clarkakirby@swbell.net

Thanks,
Scott Sims
Texas Chapter

[Mark D.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

If there is any parking involved, will it be free?

[D S.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

No steak and chocolate cake either.

[D S.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

Clark Kirby is trying to round up Corvettes for the Dallas Veterans Day parade Friday November 11. The parade organizers are hoping for 180 Corvettes and so far 70 have registered. Contact Clark Kirby by email for details. clarkakirby@swbell.net

Thanks,
Scott Sims
Texas Chapter

When you register there will be a Veteran assigned to ride with you. Meeting is at 9:00 AM and the parade starts at or right after 11:00 AM. It should conclude around 1:00 PM. Clark Kirby has the specifics. My dad was a WWII veteran and I am taking his military photo with me.

[Clark K.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

If there is any parking involved, will it be free?

No, Mark, there is no cost, other than your time and gasoline. If you would like to help out our WWII veterans by offering your Corvette for them to ride in, here is what I need from you:
(1) full name (already have Mark's)
(2) model/type/color Corvette (i.e.: '67 Black 427 Convertible)
(3) your cell phone number
Once I have this information, I will forward you the information as to where we will meet to be assigned a veteran, etc.
Clark Kirby
(817) 275-8809

[D S.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

We are up to 85 entries. Need 95 more. That's 95 Veterans without a Corvette to ride in.

[D S.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

It's going to be a nice day for a parade with temperatures around 70 degrees and sunny. You get to drive a Veteran in your Corvette for an hour and both get an hour's worth of exposure to hundreds of patriotic people.
Give these Veterans their day! Make their day!

[Carl N.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

Thought membership in Lone Star Corvette Club was a requirement

Maybe just prior years ???

[John G.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

Where's the parade going to be ? Downtown Dallas??

[D S.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

Thought membership in Lone Star Corvette Club was a requirement

Maybe just prior years ???

Carl,
I can't speak to that as I am not a member but I know the invitation has been extended to Cowtown Vettes, on the Corvette Forum, and Facebook. I believe that Lone Star was not able to provide that many Corvettes this year (180). All years, all types of Corvettes are invited to have a Veteran as a passenger for the parade.

[D S.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

John and all other Corvette drivers, here is the information I have:

• The parade will be held in downtown Dallas on Veterans Day (Friday, Nov 11). We are usually asked to shoot for arriving at the check-in point around 9am (there is some slack in this as it takes a couple of hours to get everyone lined up, but I would for sure plan to be there by 9:30).
• The parade's "official" start time has in the past been announced as 11:00am, but it usually actually starts moving around 11:20 or so.
• The parade route will be finalized and provided to you before parade day along with the LOI (Letter of Instructions); although the route might change slightly, it will be through downtown Dallas - typically starting near Union Station on Houston Street, then east on Main, south on Ervay Street, west on Young Street, south on Akard, and past City Hall before returning (probably via Canton Street) to the original assembly area.
• Our check-in point is usually a tent structure with a large sign on it, somewhere in the large empty lot at the corner of Memorial and Hotel streets, just south of the Dallas Convention Center (easiest way to get there is south on Sports Street from the big mirrored Reunion Hotel). When you check in, they will direct you how to find your Veteran passenger and your spot in the lineup. NOTE: The Corvettes with WWII Vets are always lined up very near the front of the parade, and therefore will be among the first to finish.
• Because you're likely to be spending 1-2 hours hanging around your car in the lineup, I'd suggest bringing a small cooler with bottles of water or Gatorade, and if it looks likely to be warm/sunny maybe an umbrella for shade if you're in a convertible (remember, you're likely to be with a Veteran in his or her 80's). A couple of collapsible lawn chairs wouldn't hurt either - I use 'em every year.
• You can decorate your car with a patriotic theme if you wish (optional, of course, but encouraged). I usually mount a couple of American Flags.
• Once you start rolling, it will probably only take an hour or so to traverse the entire parade route and return to the assembly area (IMPORTANT:
• You'll probably be finished and on your way out of downtown by 1:00 to 1:30 pm.

[D S.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

We are up to 90 Corvette entries. We need another 90. Can you imagine 180 Corvettes in a caravan carrying 180 military Veterans? Awesome!

[Clark K.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

Thought membership in Lone Star Corvette Club was a requirement Maybe just prior years ???

In the past, LSCC could supply 30-40 Corvette Convertibles for this parade. Since they are a large club with about 900 members, this was "doable". However, this year, the veterans are coming out of the woodwork for this parade. That is why LSCC has asked any Corvette owner, convertible or not, LSCC member or not, to come if they can.

I don't know about you guys but with almost 100 Corvettes of all models, this will be something to see. If we get enough Corvettes for all 180 veterans, it will be even more spectacular. -Clark

[D S.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

From the Corvette Forum:

I talked to Clark and signed up. Can't wait to get there and help make one of these hero's happy.

Thank you, Txsailor! That's the spirit of Veterans Day and what better way than to honor these men and women than a parade for them and be a part of it. Likely a good many of the Veterans owned Corvettes or at least wanted to own one. Many Corvette owners today are Veterans of previous conflicts and/or served in the military. What Veteran who owns a Corvette wouldn't want to honor another Veteran who doesn't?

The parade will likely get some local news coverage. To what extent is not known but I noted that the parade starts at 11:20 AM and some local news stations have their news broadcasts from noon until 1:00 PM and then re-airs the segments in the evening news. There is a good chance some of you will see some of the Veterans in your Corvettes.

Sign up today. Show up tomorrow morning at the designation point.

[Clark K.]

Re: Corvettes needed--Dallas, Texas

An after-parade report:
During the staging for the Dallas Veteran's Day Parade, I counted 118 cars in the line-up area. The temperatures rose (from the moring low in the mid-40s) to the 60s during the parade, with almost clear blue skies and lots of sunshine. It was perfect parade weather.

Due to the unprecedented demand for Corvettes this year, the Lone Star Corvette Club (LSCC) was unable to provide more than the usual 30-40 Corvette Convertibles for the parade. A week or so before the parade, there were only 60 or so Corvettes registered. Needing up to 180 Corvettes, LSCC first opened up the registration to any LSCC-member Corvette, convertible or not, then later opening up participation to any Corvette owner, regardless of club affiliation.

The Model A Ford Club was in attendance with at least three cars (1914, 1916, & '31). The Porsche Club was there with a handful and the BMW Club was also present. There were quite a number of Corvettes from Legends of Texas, at least one member of Cowtown Vettes (my twin brother, Mark, a Vietnam-era Navy veteran) and I heard that other Corvette clubs were also in attendance. Scott Sims and I represented NCRS with his '70 BB Convertible and my '65 Coupe. I am also a member of LSCC.

So, as you can now surmise, more than Corvettes were in the parade. Of the 118 cars, probably 100-105 were Corvettes, with 90% being C5s and C6s. The oldest Corvettes were the three or four late 50's-early 60's "C1s" with a few "real" Sting Rays (my '65 included). There were a few C3s and only one or two C4s.

The only car, that I was aware of, that had a problem during the parade was a 50's-era Cadillac holding the driver and four veterans. I don't know if the fact that the Caddy's owner was seen putting two gallons of gasoline in the car's tank just before the parade had anything to do with the car stalling later. It had to be pushed the last 1/3 of the parade route by 3-4 spectators. The spectators seemed pleased to do this duty since it got them in the parade!

At the November LSCC meeting, yesterday (Saturday), the club's parade coordinator told me that the club has decided to do it differently next year. The plan is to open up parade car registration to anyone with a Corvette, regardless of club affiliation. It is apparent that no club, even one as large as LSCC, can field 180 parade Corvettes. This needs to be a Corvette team effort. I am glad to hear that, since I believe that inclusion is necessary for any large activity to succeed.
-Clark