Fan Friday: Barry Abrahams' Silver Treasure
At ClassicAutoStoreOnline.com, we love hearing the stories behind the incredible cars our community treasures. This week’s Fan Friday is all about Barry Abrahams, who has been driving his beautiful 1967 427 Corvette Coupe for nearly five decades.
Back in the spring of 1976, Barry was driving a 1965 Buick Grand Sport—until a stop sign runner totaled it. With winter approaching and Nebraska’s frigid, snowy conditions on the horizon, Barry knew he’d need a new car before the cold set in. At the time, he was getting by with his motorcycle, but as fate would have it, something caught his eye one Sunday evening in August of that same year: a 1967 Corvette with a "For Sale" sign in the window.
Barry chased the car down, striking up a conversation with the owner, who let him take the Corvette for a spin. After just 20 minutes behind the wheel, Barry knew this was the car for him. The next day, he went to the bank, secured a loan, and bought the Corvette. That was the day his love affair with his 427 coupe began—and it’s been going strong ever since.
Barry's Corvette has an impressively low serial number: 194377S100036. And while the car was always in good condition, he and his wife decided to take it to the next level in 2003. With the help of his brother-in-law’s body shop in Ames, Iowa, they stripped the car down, meticulously applied the bonding strips, added the correct gel coat, and repainted it in a stunning Silver Pearl.
But the work didn’t stop there. Barry and his team of helpers rebuilt the engine from the bare block up and replaced or repaired countless parts, including bumpers, the front grille, headlight motors, shocks, sway bars, and more. Even the clock and radio work! With everything in tip-top shape, Barry’s Corvette runs like a dream. It’s never failed to start and has won multiple trophies at local car shows.
One thing is clear—Barry isn’t the type to keep his Corvette tucked away in a garage. “It’s a lot of fun to drive,” he says, “and I don’t use a trailer.” With the help of his friend Russ Bruggeman, an expert mechanic, Barry has kept his classic Corvette in pristine condition for nearly 50 years.
Barry’s story reminds us all why we love these cars—not just for the speed and the beauty, but for the memories and the pride they inspire. Thank you, Barry, for sharing your Corvette journey with us!
Want to share your own classic car story? Email us at info@classicautostoreonline.com - we love celebrating the passion and dedication that make this community so special!