The Chevrolet Corvette has long stood as an American icon among sports car enthusiasts worldwide. But, sitting here in the United States, you might not realize the global passion for America’s finest fiberglass creation.
The truth is, just about anywhere on the planet that you find a cluster of American muscle car lovers, you’ll find a Corvette club, even in Norway. Granted, you might not think of The Land of the Midnight Sun as home to passionate Corvette owners, but it is.
There is more to this Scandinavian country than breathtaking fjords, Vikings, or the awe-inspiring Northern Lights. How do we know?
Easy, we sat down and talked to the newest member of Corvette Cruisers of Atlanta, Erik Stroemnes. Over the years, we’ve spoken with hundreds of Corvette enthusiasts, but none from Norway.
That alone proves we need to get out more. Enjoy our discussion with Erik.
From Norway To America
Rod Worley – Editor – Erik, you mentioned you grew up in Norway. Have you lived there your whole life?
Erik Stroemnes- Yes, Rod, I had land and a small farm in Norway. So I’ve grown up with tractors and cars my whole life, more or less.
I also worked at a Toyota dealership in their service department. I’ve since retired and sold my farm.
Rod Worley – Editor – So, after spending most of your life in Norway, what prompted you to journey to the United States?
Erik Stroemnes – Well, it was romance, honestly. I met someone on Facebook through a mutual friend.
We started talking and after a while decided to meet in Canada. She lives here in Atlanta, and well, as they say, the rest is history.
Rod Worley – Editor – Have you always been interested in American cars? What are your favorites?
Erik Stroemnes – I’ve always been interested in cars, especially Ford Mustangs and Corvettes. My friend had a couple of Mustangs that I helped him restore.
Found out quickly they required a lot of work to restore because of the rust due to the weather. In Norway, I had a 1970 third-generation Corvette coupe with a small block engine for 11 years, which I enjoyed.
Rod Worley – Editor – Are American cars popular in Norway? Is there a Corvette club?
Erik Stroemnes – American muscle cars are popular in Norway, especially Corvettes and Mustangs. They have the two biggest clubs in the country.
The Norway Corvette Club has over 1,000 members. They have local branches all over the country and an active Corvette Club Norway Facebook group.
Oslo, the capital, probably has the largest branch. There are actually a lot of car shows and meet-ups over there.
Driving In The Snow
Rod Worley – Editor – Is it expensive to have a Corvette in Norway?
Erik Stroemnes – It is expensive to buy them because of the taxes. A 2009 Corvette like mine would be roughly $600,000 Norwegian, which is about $60,000 U.S dollars. So a later model C7 or C8 would be $1.2 to $1.5 million Norwegian.
Rod Worley – Editor – Have any of the eighth-generation Corvettes made their way to Norway?
Erik Stroemnes: Yes, a couple of them have gone over already. Since we’re left-hand steering, you don’t have to worry about converting them as you do in other countries.
Fortunately, the government has eased some of its rules also. For example, before, you had to have amber turn signals on the car before getting a license plate.
Now they accept red turn signals. It’s a small thing, but it helps.
Rod Worley – Editor – I imagine the driving season is much shorter in Norway.
Erik Stroemnes – Yes, the season starts in March and goes to August or September if we’re lucky. Though, some people use their Corvettes all year round.
They just put winter tires on them and drive in the snow. Then, when the weather breaks, they put on their summer tires.
So in case you were wondering, you can drive a Corvette in the snow. I haven’t done it, but I have seen people drive third-generation Corvettes through a Norwegian winter.
It’s A Small World
Rod Worley – Editor – Did I hear you bought your 2009 Jetstream Blue convertible just a few days ago from Buyavette? How was the experience?
Erik Stroemnes – They say it’s a small world, and in many ways, it is. One of the salespeople there is Norwegian.
My wife and I were down at Buyavette, and a salesperson came out to see if we needed any help. After talking to him for a few minutes, he asked if I was from Norway.
Apparently, he came to the U.S. many years ago. So what are the odds of running into a salesperson from Norway?
The 2009 Corvette we bought is in excellent condition. It was a great buying experience at Buyavette.
Rod Worley – Editor – There are at least nine Corvette clubs in the metro Atlanta area. Why did you decide to join the Corvette Cruisers of Atlanta group?
Erik Stroemnes – I found their club’s website online and liked the group’s bio and how active they were. So I found out which restaurant they were meeting at and went over to talk to them.
Everyone was so friendly the minute I walked in. We got to talk about Corvettes, their activities, and their charitable work in the community.
I made up my mind to join the club that night.
Global Corvette Passion
After spending some time with Erik we were left with a desire to see the rugged natural beauty of Norway and the dazzling Northern Lights.
We also came away with an understanding that the passion we share for the Corvette brand is felt in many distant countries far from our shores.
We’re thankful Erik shared his journey with us and for bringing his Norwegian love of Corvettes to Atlanta.
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