Man rebought his first Chevy Corvette four decades after selling it for tuition fees

  • The Chevrolet Corvette has endured as America’s most beloved sports car
  • First introduced in 1953, the Corvette has gone from strength to strength
  • One Michigan man was recently reunited with his Corvette – 40 years later

Published on Mar 24, 2025 at 4:47 PM (UTC+4)
by Keelin McNamara

Last updated on Mar 24, 2025 at 10:05 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Kate Bain

The Chevrolet Corvette is one of the most iconic cars ever to be produced from the United States.

It’s also one of the longest-lived, having been produced continuously since 1953.

The Corvette has remained as one of America’s most beloved sports cars.

And it has recently served as the core of a truly heart-warming story.

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Little Red Corvette: Chevrolet icon

The Corvette name has a surprisingly interesting origin.

In 1953, the executives of General Motors were given an idea by a man named Myron Scott.

Scott, at the time, was the assistant director of GM’s Public Relations department.

He proposed naming the new sports car after the corvette, which was a small, agile warship.

And that is pretty much exactly what the Corvette would become.

Despite being born as a small, six-cylinder convertible, the Corvette has evolved…a lot.

Various iterations of the now-iconic car have come with V8 upgrades, as well as mid-engine layouts.

In fact, the Corvette has gradually graduated up into the supercar class.

Many people consider the Chevrolet Corvette to be “America’s Sports Car”.

Praise doesn’t get much higher than that.

One man and his car

As we mentioned at the top, today, the Corvette is the topic of a different story.

Instead of breaking lap records in Atlanta or dominating the drag strip, it’s managed to do something completely different.

It all started in 1980, when Michael Kehoe was deciding on his first car.

His decision came down to a choice between a 1979 Pontiac Trans Am and a 1980 Chevrolet Corvette.

Heartbreakingly, after buying the Corvette, Michael had to sell it to his cover tuition costs.

Michael, who grew up in Sterling Heights, Michigan, explained the story.

“My dad owned J&J Sheet Metal in Warren. I worked there in middle school and high school and saved every penny I earned.”

Kehoe’s car was owned by a GM executive, who had driven it for six months prior.

“It had 2,500 miles when I bought the car.

“In 1980, the car was ultra-modern,” Michael explained

Three years later, he wanted to enrol in the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

In order to cover the first year of tuition, Michael had to sell his beloved Chevy.

But he went on to his own company, Kehoe Orthodontics, before retiring in December 2020.

Kehoe and Corvette reunited once again

In 2021, Michael got a call from his brother, Bob, about a post on Craigslist.

Bob was absolutely convinced that it was Michael’s car from 1983.

After doing some internet detective work, the retired orthodontist confirmed that it was, indeed, his car.

Thankfully, this story has a truly wonderful ending – as he bought his car back 40 years later.

“I repurchased the car in August of 2021 for the same price I sold it for in 1983.

“When I found this car, I was like a kid in a candy store. I was so excited.

“It’s the sentimental value. The sentimental value is priceless,” he explained

Michael even has a scrapbook of the history of his car.

In total, the Corvette has had five owners, including him and the GM exec from whom he purchased the car all those years ago.

We truly wish Michael all the best in enjoying his new – old – car!

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Keelin McNamara is a content writer at Supercar Blondie from Ireland, covering cars, technology, and lifestyle. Despite being a Law graduate, he discovered his passion for journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has worked in the industry ever since. Outside of work, he is an avid MotoGP fan, and is a self-confessed addict of the sport.