Corvette Delivery Dispatch with National Corvette Seller Mike Furman for Jan 7th

Criswell Chevrolet’s Mike Furman delivers new Corvettes to his customers who come from all across the country to work with the nation’s top individual Corvette seller.

Thanks for joining us for another fun Delivery Post from Mike. Before getting to some of the deliveries this week, Mike shares some cool history on Corvette production from a former GM’er who worked at both the St. Louis and Bowling Green assembly plants. Mike offers up photos on several new deliveries from the Maryland dealership, and then he also shares a great collection of throwback and vintage photos. Keep scrolling to end and let us know your favorites in the comments form below.

You can see all of Mike’s posts and pictures through the week on his CorvetteFurman Facebook Page.

~I posted this picture last week and Ralph M. was employed by the Corvette plant in St Louis added some great description and I thought I would share his words. From Ralph Montileone…

“What you’re seeing is the completed Corvette going to the very last operation before shipping out the door just a few feet away. As they drive off the conveyor line about 15 feet in front of the vehicle is the brake test pad. Four individual four-foot square steel gridded plates in the floor that when the operator drives on about 5 mph, they hit the brakes hard. The forward movement of the plates indicate if the movement is within the parameters. If good a green light illuminate to the driver all is good, an impact stamper stamps the vehicle document with “BRAKES OK” and time and date. While on the certified level brake test pad headlights are raised via the vacuum switch, the operator gets out of the vehicle and walks to the front of the vehicle and connects two headlight aim fixtures that are hanging from balancers just above the roof height of the vehicle to the low beam lights and adjusts as necessary. Then puts the aimer on the high beam lights and aims. If all is good the inspection document is stamped by the operators personally assigned inspection stamp OK for headlight aim. For aiming purposes only about 3 to 5 gallons of gas could be in the car and no operators in the vehicle. The headlight aim equipment is calibrated for these specifications. Setting off to the left side of the brake test pads is a master calibration fixture for maintenance checking the aimers for calibration. The check is performed once per shift. Headlight aim is considered a MVSS safety issue and must be performed to speck on each and every vehicle the same way and documented before shipping. Did strange things happen if brakes did not work, (a big block 427 with a stuck open throttle cause an issue, yes), did the headlight aimers get pulled down from the ceiling if the operator forgot to remove before driving off, yes, speaking for a friend. Just another process in the St Louis Corvette plant. Those were the days.“

~More insight, great historical info from inside the Corvette Plant in Bowling Green, KY. Ralph Montileone had worked in both plants and is a wealth of knowledge with an incredible memory.

“We had just reintroduced the convertible in 1986. The 1975 was the last convertible till 1986. A couple of great guys who worked on my team. Daily production count occurred right at this spot. Inspector Irmin Denny working the pay point computer. At that exact location is where the Corvette officially became a built unit. Tom Boatman driving off the line headed over the joust bumps and onto the toe set alignment machine. During Toe set a leak check was performed. Tom also performed the Hunter Alignment check. Numerous random vehicles pulled to check alignment from chassis. His findings would be fed back to the chassis sub area for verification of alignment. From there DVT Dynamic Vehicle Test. Hopefully after that it would go to a final electric check and headlight aim then down the final line later the CARE line for shipping. Side note, all the mirrors hanging was there for Tom to reinspect the electrical after repair that was further back the line as you see.”

~Eray on Corvette Academy

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~ “As seen on TV,” Columbo S1E8 {May 1974) Just cruisin’ down Hollywood Blvd! Series 1 Episode 8.

~ Here’s an old photo (1959) of the X700 when Mr Mitchell drove it to the races in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. This was before it got its bubble top.

~My Nebraska customer, Robert F. And his Grandson had some ride home in Bob’s new Torch Red 2024 Z06 Coupe. He drove out to Criswell Chevrolet in Gaithersburg, MD 1600 miles through a massive Nebraska snow storm and then literally took the long way home first heading to the Atlantic Ocean. Read the email he just wrote me and enjoy the pictures he and Aaron took along the way.

“Mike, Made it home after putting 2940 miles on the car since picking it up from you last Friday. You were right. I do love the car and it was a pleasure doing business with you and Criswell Chevrolet of Gaithersburg, MD! I was pleasantly surprised when you gave me the trade in value you quoted sight unseen back in October for the 2022 Stingray, Nobody does that.! The Z06 performed flawlessly on the trip back to Nebraska. Drove the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Outer Banks of North Carolina, Smoky Mountains, Tail of the Dragon, Nashville and Broadway where the car was a big hit and made it to the Museum in Bowling Green. Best part was I didn’t get caught in a blizzard the way I did when I left the day after Christmas in the Stingray. I have decided to park my Corvettes and only drive them in December. LOL. Thank you so much for the experience. You can be assured I will be dealing with you for The E Ray when my name comes up! Thank you again. You are the best. “
Robert Foster of Merrill, Nebraska

~JD of Silver Spring, Maryland sent his son to pick up his new Red Mist 2024 Z06 Convertible yesterday and he took it straight to All American in Rockville for PPF etc. This color Red Mist metallic literally glistens in the sunlight!

~Jay D. of East Hanover, New Jersey last bought his 2019 Grand Sport Convertible from me and today he traded it in on his Silver Flare 2024 Corvette Z06 Convertible with Tension/Twilight Blue dipped interior with Spider Tech Bronze wheels. Super sharp combo all the way around. Jay and Denise met me for dinner last night along with another customer that made the 90 mile ride each way as these two met at one of my Spring Mountain Corvette driving schools in Pahrump, NV. Thanks Tom for coming to dinner! Equipment: 3LZ, stealth interior, red engine intake, CF ground effects, body color accents, front lift, Ceramic brakes, and much more. Jay also owns a cool 1966 Corvette!

~Matt K. of Barton, Maryland has bought Corvettes from me over the past decade but today was the ultimate as he took delivery of his new Hypersonic Gray metallic 2024 Corvette Z06 Convertible. The interior is two tone Natural/Black and looks great with Hypersonic Gray. Equipment: 3LZ, Red engine intake, front lift, edge red calipers, black exhaust tips, black spider forged aluminum wheels, engine appearance pkg and more. Note from Matt after returning home.”I got her home and safely put away until this winter weather leaves us. Thank you Mike “Corvette” Furman for another awesome buying/delivery experience. I have no idea why anyone would buy from anyone else. See you at Spring Mountain in April” Matt K.

~Chris D. is a VP of a local company here in Gaithersburg, MD that has bought nearly 100 vehicles from me over the last 22 years! Today I squeezed him in for his new 2024 Silverado Crew cab in between all my Corvette deliveries. Chris was in and out in less than 15 minutes.

~ This weeks Top Corvette Barn finds and throwback pictures from around the globe!

Drive safely and enjoy the week.

Mike Furman
Criswell Chevrolet
Gaithersburg, MD
301-212-4420 desk direct (not a text line)
Off Fridays and Sundays
"I sell and ship Nationwide and have done so for 45+ years!
[email protected]
CorvetteFurman.com

Click on the link below for Cigar Aficionado magazine article that just came out:
Cigar Aficionado: The Legend of Mr. Corvette

Each day I post up Corvettes stories and delivery videos…follow on Instagram: corvette.furman and Facebook: CorvetteFurman

Mike can deliver new Corvettes at Criswell Chevrolet in Gaithersburg, MD or through the National Corvette Museum’s R8C delivery program. He can also deliver new Corvettes via covered transport direct to your door or a courtesy delivery to the Chevrolet dealer near you.

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