National Corvette Museum restores Zora’s personal Corvette to honor the man who made it an icon
Published on Aug 31, 2025 at 11:42 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Aug 28, 2025 at 6:43 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
The National Corvette Museum preserved and restored Zora’s personal Corvette, honoring the man who made the Chevrolet Corvette a sports car icon.
Known as ‘The Father of the Corvette’, Zora Arkus-Duntov only ever owned a single example throughout his life. This was a Chevy C3 Stingray with a 454ci V8 under the hood.
It is one of the most important cars in American history, and the museum has preserved it and restored it for display.
This was not your typical restoration, however, but one aimed at preserving it in the best way possible.
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How the museum preserved Zora’s personal Corvette
The Museum’s Collections and Preservation wing took the sports car into its care.
But the restoration they planned for the car was not from the ground up.
The body was separated from the chassis, allowing them to clean, stabilize, and preserve every part of the car.
This was done to keep the original character of the sports car.
For example, the worn leather armrest on the driver’s door was preserved, having been worn down by Arkus-Duntov’s left arm.
The wheels are also original, the car boasting a prototype design that didn’t become public until 1976.
Inside, we can see that the car also has a console-mounted Holley controller.
This toggles the fuel mixture between rich and lean.
The only Chevrolet Corvette that Arkus-Duntov ever owned
Despite his work on the car and involvement with the project, Arkus-Duntov only ever owned this example.
Duntov drove the car until 1989, when he sold it.
But in 1996, after his passing, its owners donated the sports car to the Museum.
Incredibly, Duntov’s body was laid to rest at the museum as well.
It has recently opened its new Hall of Fame exhibition.
This also celebrates 31 years of the museum itself.
This special Chevrolet will take center stage in the exhibition.
It shows off one of the most famous examples of the car in the world.
Beyond this C3 Stingray, the museum intends to preserve as many cars as possible in this manner.
It seems fitting that the first to receive this treatment is Zora’s personal Corvette.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
