Gordon Fong’s 1990 Corvette C4 has been driven over 850,000 miles
Do you enjoy driving your Corvette? Are you in interested in learning about how far this aspect of the hobby can be taken? Well in that case, sit back and enjoy the story of a man who truly lives the Corvette dream. Gordon Fong from Los Angeles, California has owned his 1990 Corvette since 1991, and at the time of this article, Gordon’s superbly maintained and presented Corvette has an odometer reading of 851,475 miles! Such a feat should delight Corvette fans who love to drive their cars, as well as represent a pinnacle example of pride and love for the Corvette and the long-term enjoyment that ownership can bring. So, what’s the story of this well-travelled Vette and its dedicated owner? Read on and discover the history of the Seasoned Vetteran, as Gordon continues his quest to reach and surpass ONE MILLION MILES in his almost 37-year-old, daily driven, shiny red Corvette!
Gordon’s passion for American sports cars with V8 engines began early in life. He saved up and bought his first car at age 17: a 1984 Trans Am. The third generation ‘F-Body’ styling led by Jerry Palmer for the Camaro had clearly made an impression on young Gordon in his acquisition of his Trans Am, and Palmer’s work would catch Gordon’s eye again as he was driving down the street in March of 1991 and noticed a red 1990 Corvette Coupe for sale in the driveway of a dealership.
“I was drawn to the car” Gordon remembers. “Even back in high school, I really liked that sharp nose of an ’82 Corvette and the transition to the new C4 body style. But I couldn’t afford a Corvette back then and hadn’t thought about buying one until that fateful day when I drove by the dealer. And there it was: A red Corvette staring at me”.
Gordon remembers: “I told myself that if the car was still there next week, I would buy it. It’s equivalent to buying a ’25 C8 if you’re 24 years old right now. I took the plunge and bought the Corvette. It had 15k miles on it and it still had the new car smell. It was such an exciting moment for me.”
Proud of his new Corvette and still a busy young man living in Los Angeles, Gordon was ‘out and about’ on the road regularly from the outset. Gordon’s Corvette spent a lot of time on the Californian highways from early on in his ownership; a trend that continues to this day, 35 years later. “I can’t remember when my quest to reach a million miles started, but I had a high mileage Corvette early on because I drive so much. I drove across the country from Los Angeles to New York City in 1997. My car turned exactly 200k miles on the Kansas City turnpike on that trip.”
35-year owner Gordon Fong has added all but the first 15k of the over 850k miles on his Corvette.
You will undoubtedly be wondering what Gordon has needed to do in order to achieve his many miles of Corvette cruising. Dedicated to maintenance, Gordon looked after his car from the very beginning. After a noisy steering rack, a carbon-choked throttle body, an air bag sensor and shock absorbers were all replaced under a 50,000-mile warranty (which Gordon drove through in 18 months!), Gordon enjoyed essentially ‘trouble free’ driving right through to that 200k mile mark. Regular oil changes and routine maintenance or replacement of items as they are due; these are requirements that Gordon never skips over. A new air filter, fuel filter, and if deemed appropriate, new coolant, transmission fluid, differential fluid and a new PCV valve every 30k miles is common practice for Gordon. As well as regular maintenance, Gordon attributes good driving habits to the longevity of his Corvette. “I hardly go beyond 2500 rpm. I don’t rev high before shifting either.”
After recognition and media coverage in the late 90s of Gordon’s 200,000-mile Corvette on its original L98 motor – a significant achievement at the time, considering the car was still less than ten years old – Gordon continued his tried-and-tested ‘Corvette lifestyle’ before doubling that mileage to 400,000, at which point, it was decided a ‘refresh’ was needed.
“The original L98 engine was never raced, but it was tired, and I had to rebuild the engine at 406k miles. I managed to get over another 100k miles out of it. I took it up to about 525k miles.”
At this point, Gordon faced a decision that would take some significant thought and consideration: “The engine had a chronic oil leak. I was told by my mechanic that there was a ‘low’ in one of the corners of the block where the intake manifold sat. The engine shook a lot also; it was never the same after the engine rebuild. I made the decision to get a new engine and give up the original matching numbers.”
The choice took some time for Gordon to make, particularly since his car’s transmission and differential are still, to this day, original and have never been rebuilt. But Gordon took a practical view of the situation, and ultimately, was primarily motivated to keep his Corvette on the road and to keep driving his pride and joy. This is what led him to opt for a new GM crate engine / Chevy 350 V8. “My thought was that the real story behind my Corvette is not so much the engine but my life and passion for the Corvette. It’s really about the driver: me.”
‘Forward March’: Gordon continued driving, maintaining and enjoying his Corvette for the next several years, and eventually, a significant milestone was in sight: In 2017, a Corvette story garnered online attention when 2000 C5 owner Mark Blackwell donated his car to the National Corvette Museum with 773,338 miles on the odometer. Gordon’s next goal was set: to ‘meet and exceed’ this mileage figure in his 1990 C4.
On July 1st, 2023, Gordon set off from his home in Irvine, California on a 2070-mile trip across the country to Bowling Green, Kentucky; a road trip on which his destination would see him equal, and then surpass the mileage of the vaunted Corvette that was donated to the museum. Gordon documented his journey on a daily basis through videos he uploaded to his YouTube channel and his Facebook and Instagram accounts. Gordon arrived at the National Corvette Museum on July 5th, 2023, meeting and exceeding his goal of 773,338 miles.
1997 and 2023. The latter being Gordon’s most recent cross-country visit to the National Corvette Museum, on which he reached and then exceeded 773,338 miles on his 1990 C4 Corvette, surpassing the mileage of a well-publicized C5 that was donated to the museum in 2017.
Gordon is as dedicated as ever to keeping his September ’89 built 1990 Corvette looking good and running well. He says his attention to detail has never wavered: “I have all the books and records from the beginning of time. Every oil change and repair from the beginning to present day is fully documented”.
So, with less than 150,000 miles to go until a million, Gordon is continuing towards this mythical milestone:
“I’m just an enthusiastic car guy who enjoys driving his Corvette. I’m on a quest. It’s about the experience of my million-mile journey that I can impart to others; whether they’re technical matters or otherwise. Anyone can reach out to me, and I’ll be happy to share my knowledge.”
To this author, Gordon’s story is an inspirational example of how dedication and care towards a Corvette can lead to a long and thoroughly fulfilling ownership experience that can certainly include many miles of driving enjoyment. New engines, new paintjobs, or whatever it takes. With enough motivation and determination, you can keep, maintain and drive your dream Vette for as long and as much as you want to. I feel Gordon’s dedication to his Corvette deserves significant celebration and recognition, which I hope and believe he will receive even more of upon reaching one million miles!
You can follow Gordon’s journey on his YouTube channel, MrCORVETTE1990, and on Instagram @mrcrvette.
James “The Dragon” Turner is the WPKO World Light Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion, a film actor and an avid Corvette enthusiast. James owns a 1992 C4 Corvette that is his pride and joy, which he uses in publicity for his Kickboxing career, and his Vette will be featured in his upcoming martial arts action movie ‘The Butterfly’. Driven, maintained and polished with equal passion!
Source:
Photos by Gordon Fong
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