The Corvette Hunter. Tyler Greenblatt

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       Foreword

       by Reggie Jackson

      There are a handful of Corvette guys out there who are considered the biggest and most knowledgeable when it comes to the buying, selling, restoring, and preserving of important Corvettes. But when it comes to the real high-end cars, the number one guy is Kevin Mackay. Kevin’s credibility, honesty, character, and knowledge is unmatched when it comes to collectible 1953 to 1972 Corvettes.

      I met Kevin in 2007 at Barrett-Jackson when a mutual friend of ours, Joe Calcagno, pointed him out up on stage. I went up to him and his fiancée (at the time), Christina, and told him that I was a big fan of his and that I’d love to talk Corvettes with him. The next year, I saw him again at Bloomington Gold, where he asked if I’d like to drive his see-through L88. Of course I took him up on it. The car has no covers on the sidepipes because it’s meant for competition, and I got a second-degree burn on my leg stepping out of it! But it was not a bad memory at all, in fact, I don’t have any bad memories in the car world. Six months later, I did the same thing getting out of my competition 427 Cobra.

      The biggest mistake that Kevin ever made was when I owed him $600. I finally saw him at Pebble Beach after a few years of owing him money, counted $600 out of my wallet, and handed it to him. It was funny, we made a big deal out of it, and he was happy. But afterward, I think he regretted collecting the money because the story of me owing him money was worth more to him than getting the money. Looking back, if he could do it over again, I think he would turn it down just for the fun of it.

      The Corvette hobby is a small world, it’s an exciting world, and what makes it exciting with Kevin is that he knows where all the good stuff is and who’s got it. On his worst day, he’s one of the top guys in the hobby, if not the top guy. Kevin’s knowledge of individual components, numbers, stampings, and originality is incredible. He covers every aspect of restoring a Corvette from the beauty and presentation, to fit and finish, to the mechanicals and engine. He can look at a car, know its current value, where it should be, and how to get it there. There are a few guys in his class, but I think, objectively, that Kevin has the most all-around knowledge in the Corvette hobby. You might say that Kevin Mackay is the Mr. October of Corvettes.

      I have three cars that Kevin has blessed: a 9,600-mile ’65 white on red leather coupe that’s untouched, unrestored, featured in the Bloomington Gold Great Hall, and achieved an NCRS Five-Star Bowtie award; a ’67 silver with black stinger car famously nicknamed 007 because those are the last three digits on the serial number; and another ’67 Marina Blue on blue car. I’ve enjoyed Kevin coming into my shop and telling me that these cars are the real deal. It makes me feel good as a collector and owner. Kevin has told me to stay away from a couple cars, too. He’s saved me a lot of money and heartache.

      Being in the collector car hobby, I just enjoy being around people who have the knowledge that Kevin does. I’ve had an interest in cars since I was a child and being around guys who teach me and let me learn is fun for me. Knowledge is worth money. It’s valuable. Getting that knowledge from the best out there, not only Kevin, but the others on the top as well, is extremely valuable. Kevin’s a special guy, he’s a special guy to the hobby, and I’m glad he’s my friend.