George Talley and his prized ’79 Chevrolet Corvette were reunited at General Motors’ world headquarters, just three miles from where the car was stolen from him 33 years ago.
Talley, 71, last saw his Corvette when it was parked on Jefferson Avenue in 1981. On June 13, more than 30 years later, Talley received a call from AAA informing him his car had turned up in Hattiesburg, Miss.
“It was a lucky day to hear that my car had been found,” said Talley. “They told me it was running, had 47,000 miles on it and was ready for me to pick up!”
Talley – a Corvette fan since he saw his neighbor’s first-generation ‘Vette in the 1950s – was fortunate to own three more Corvettes, but the ’79 was always his favorite.
Talley’s luck continued when Mark Reuss, executive vice president for GM Product Development, heard his story on the news and offered to ship the car home to Detroit.
“George’s story brought a smile to my face,” said Reuss. “As a longtime Corvette owner myself, I know the passion the car inspires. I also knew that car belonged home in Detroit, with its rightful owner, and we could make that happen.”
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.9 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
