There isn’t a weekend that goes by that we’re not asked if we know of someone who can sort out their first, second, or third-generation Corvette.
Once upon a time, those with keen mechanical aptitude, deft wrenching skills, and dogged determination could work wonders under the hood of a car.
The “Golden Age” of American muscle cars produced legendary tuners. In fact, an entire cottage industry of talented shade tree mechanics emerged.
Ironically, as the demand for classic muscle cars soars today, the ranks of those who truly understand them mechanically dwindles.
Fortunately, we know Bob Catapano from Classic Glass Corvette Club of Marietta. Bob is one of those people whose reputation proceeds him.
You actually hear about his skills long before you get a chance to meet him. We caught up with Bob at his busy shop in Woodstock, Ga.
The edited transcript of our conversation about classic Corvettes, track days, and SuperVette Saturday follows.
A Junkyard Start
Rod Worley – Editor – Bob, you’ve got a strong, well-deserved reputation for getting Corvettes back on the road. When did you start working on cars?
Bob Catapano – I grew up on Long Island in New York, and my older brother and his buddies were motorheads. So since I was the younger brother, they asked me whenever they needed somebody to crawl in the car, get a tool, or get something.
My father was an operating engineer and worked for a construction company his whole life. So from a very early age, I grew up with tools, cars, grease, and gasoline.
When I turned 16, my father said, “Okay, if you’re going to get a license, it’s time to find a car for you.” So I spent weeks going to Chevrolet dealerships picking up all kinds of booklets and magazines, thinking I was getting a brand new car.
Finally, the big day came. I’m so excited. So we hopped into his car to drive over to get my new car. But unfortunately, instead of going to a dealership, he took me to a junkyard.
See, my father had made a deal with one of the guys he worked with for an old 68 Chevelle 300 coupe car that didn’t run. It had a broken rear end, which they fixed.
After they towed it to the house, my father handed me a Chilton’s book and said, “You can get your license when you get it running.”
So for those that don’t know what a Chilton’s book is, you can Google it. But in those days, it was today’s computer for automotive parts.
So with a 48-piece Craftsman tool set, a screwdriver set, and a lot of help from my brother, father, friends, and everyone else, we got it running. And that’s how it all got started for me.
Early Generation Wheelhouse
Rod Worley – Editor – You’ve retired from American Airlines, Home Depot, and Flooring Decor. What prompted you to come out of retirement to start Catapano Corvettes?
Bob Catapano – Shortly after I retired the last time, I had a friend call me who had a problem with his Corvette. I said sure, bring your car over and let’s see what we can do to fix it.
And you know, five or six years later, I’ve got three, four, or five Corvettes here besides my own on any given day. The problem is that with each passing year, fewer people remember how to fix these old cars.
My wheelhouse is the first three generations of Corvettes because I grew up working on them. Then, of course, I also work on the later generations of Corvettes.
Often I hear from people who’ve had their classic Corvette stored away for 20 years and their trying to get it running again. That seems to be the business I’ve developed over the past six years.
Judging by the number of calls I get, it’s showing no signs of letting up any time soon.
Road Course Ready
Rod Worley – Editor – Besides bringing early model Corvettes back to a road-worthy life, I heard you enjoy pushing America’s Sports Car on a road course.
Bob Catapano – Yeah, I do love time on the track. A few years ago, there was a place in town called Brumo’s Porsche Audi.
Back then, I was bringing in gray-market cars from Europe and doing the changeovers from European spec to U.S. spec to get them inspected.
So one day, I was over at Bruno’s getting parts for the conversion, and the parts manager invited me to one of their track days. After that first track day, I was hooked.
I went to a driving program at Roebling Road Raceway over one long weekend and had the time of my life. After that, I started doing SCCA racing.
About six or seven years ago I got back into my track-prepped Corvette because I got the itch again. Some CGCC members wanted to tag along when I started going back to the track.
So, one by one, more members joined our road course group. If they need it, I give driving instructions, help them tune, and prepare the car.
It’s a lot of fun when you hit the road course as a group.
SuperVette Saturday
Rod Worley – Editor – Bob, your expertise extends beyond the automotive field. You’ve headed the talented SuperVette Saturday team for the last three years.
Not surprisingly, the past three years have seen record-breaking attendance. So how did you get involved in this Classic Glass event?
Bob Catapano – Ah yes, the infamous SuperVette Saturday Car Show. We’d have to roll back a few years ago to when I joined the club.
It all started when I volunteered to help out. And in fact, my brother came down from New York, and we did our first event together, which was a lot of fun.
In April 2020, the club had a car show meeting to discuss the upcoming May event. But unfortunately, it was the first year of the pandemic, and the soothsayers said no, we shouldn’t do the event.
Well, the club ultimately decided to go ahead with the show, but at that point, we were four or five weeks out and hadn’t done anything to prepare for it.
And so the next thing I knew, I was in the driver’s seat in charge of the event. We managed to put together the 2020 event, and it just took off.
So 2021 came around, and the club was looking for someone to head up the event. Well, somehow, I got volunteered again.
We looked at the previous year’s event and evaluated what worked and what didn’t. As a result, the show has gotten bigger and bigger over the past three years.
It amazes me what the event’s success has allowed us to do for our charities. It honestly blows me away.
One of the side benefits of SuperVette Saturday has been for our host, Day’s Chevrolet. Because we draw so many Corvettes, especially C8s, that day, there is a broader range of C8s on their lot than at any other time.
The dealership’s sales team often calls potential clients to come down to see the various color and interior combinations.
Busted Knuckle Experience
It doesn’t take more than a casual glance at today’s Corvette’s engine bay to realize it’s a complex operating system. So, it’s obvious why a dealership is the first choice of many when the dashboard warning lights come on.
Multitudes of microprocessor-controlled devices and more lines of instructional code than some jet fighters await anyone venturing into the engine bay. Thankfully that’s not the case for those owners of the early Corvette generations.
The sticking point here is a lack of busted knuckle-wrenching experience and forgotten automotive knowledge.
Thankfully, there’s an answer for those who ask us for someone to help their ailing first, second, and third-generation fiberglass creation.
Here’s your answer – Catapano Corvettes.
Contact Info: Catapano Corvettes – 770-380-0290
4026 Mount Vernon Drive, Woodstock, Ga 30189
Email: [email protected]
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