[VIDEO] When You See a Famous C3 Corvette at a Corvette Show

Dec 27, 2025

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[VIDEO] When You See a Famous C3 Corvette at a Corvette Show

Our friend Luis from the Corvette C3 Channel on YouTube recently came across a two-tone 1981 Corvette that once had a famous musician as its owner. Not only that, but the car even appeared in one of his very first music videos about a couple named Jack and Dianne. Any guesses as to who its famous owner was?

If you guessed John Cougar Mellencamp, you would be correct!

Luis recently caught up with the car and its latest owner at the 2025 Corvettes Coast to Coast show in Bunnell Florida. He had seen the car for sale back in 2024 during the Hot Rod Turkey Run at Daytona International Speedway with a for sale sign attached to it. That where the current owner for saw the car for sale and then eventually purchased it.

As far as documentation goes, the new owner claims that the seller had a “fax” showing John Cougar Mellencamp as a previous owner. The car does appear in the Jack & Dianne music video, however the video used a technique to make it appear as if it was shot on super-8 film for a nostalgic look so it’s nothing like the 4K videos shot today.

The owner says when they got the car they cleaned it up and did some minor restoration work that included new seat covers. Overall, the 1981 Corvette looks outstanding and it was nice to hear the owner tell the story about the car, as well as the meaning of their custom Florida vanity license plate, TSTYFRZ.

During the show, Luis takes with eight different owners of C3 Corvettes and there is a story behind each and every one of them. If you like C3 Corvettes, you’ll enjoy this video!

From Corvette C3 via YouTube:

The 2025 Corvettes Coast to Coast show in Bunnell, Florida, was a celebration of Corvette culture, hosted by the Flagler County Corvette Club.

I filmed eight C3s, each with its own story—including a jaw-dropping Daytona Yellow 1970 454 coupe recently purchased at Mecum Kissimmee, and a familiar face from the 2024 Spring Daytona Turkey Run: the “Jack and Diane” Corvette, once (purportedly) owned by John Cougar Mellencamp.

Rumored to have appeared in the “Jack & Diane” video and once owned by Mellencamp, this C3 Corvette has a story that’s part fact, part folklore. I first spotted it at the 2024 Spring Daytona Turkey Run—and now it’s back.