Man Donates 1974 Corvette to the National Corvette Museum
Last week, Paul Marseglia of Franklin, Massachusetts, donated his 1974 Corvette to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Marseglia was actually a founding member of the museum, so when it came time for him to finally give up his pride and joy, he knew no better place to see it taken care of, the right way.
Paul Marseglia and his now donated 1974 Corvette
“I’m a founding member of the museum so I know that people donate their Corvettes,” said Marseglia. “I figured that was the best thing to do… to take it somewhere for other people to enjoy, and for other people to take care of. I don’t want to sell it locally and see it getting beat up or neglected by somebody. I wanted it to go to someone who would take care of it. I get emotional when it comes to my cars.”
In fact, cars have kept a special place in Marseglia’s heart since the beginning. Growing up, he wasn’t much into athletics or academics; it was always just about cars. It was when a friend purchased a used 1959 Corvette, however, that Marseglia’s biggest passion became the ‘Vette.
“Gas was cheap back then, so we went riding in it all the time,” he remarked. “I had to have one after that.”
So back in 1969, Marseglia managed to find a 1958 Corvette that needed restoration. Luckily, Marseglia was a mechanic—and a good one at that—but the process was still arduous. Eventually, Marseglia decided that he wanted to buy a brand new Corvette, so he and his brother together purchased two 1974 models. His own has hardly left his sight ever since.
“I like it. I like everything about it. Every generation of Corvette that has come out I’ve liked, but not enough to trade in my 1974 or buy a new one and hold on to the old one,” Marseglia recounted with a smile.
Over the last forty years, the skilled mechanic has kept up with regular maintenance, taken good care of the leather seats, and kept the Corvette out of the rain. His hard work paid off, as the ‘74 Corvette looks brand spankin’ new. But after four decades of ownership, Marseglia knew it was time to let someone else take care of his baby. Selling it locally could yield poor results if it fell into the wrong hands, so the museum was the perfect option.
Shortly after donating the 1974 Corvette to the National Corvette Museum, a visitor told him that it was a nice addition to the collection, which caused Marseglia to grin and say, “That makes me feel good to hear that. It makes it worth it.”
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