After 33 years, Detroit man is reunited with his stolen Corvette

George Talley and his prized ’79 Chevrolet Corvette were reunited at General Motors’ world headquarters yesterday, just three miles from where the car was stolen from him 33 years ago.

Talley, 71, last saw his ‘Vette 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 has been a Corvette fan since he saw his neighbor’s first-generation ‘Vette in the 1950s and has been fortunate enough to own three more Corvettes, but the ’79 was always his favorite.

When Mark Reuss, executive vice president for GM Product Development heard the story on the news, he offered to ship the car home to Detroit for the lucky man.

“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.”

Aaron Turpen
An automotive enthusiast for most of his adult life, Aaron has worked in and around the industry in many ways. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP), the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA), the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA), and freelances as a writer and journalist around the Web and in print. You can find his portfolio at AaronOnAutos.com.