Video: Woman and Stingray Reunited After Four Decades

terry1972On November 14, 1972, 19-year-old Terri Dietrich drove her brand new 1972 Corvette Stingray to work in Duluth, Georgia, but when she went to the parking lot to go to lunch, the car was gone. 42 years later, she got a call from the police in Forest City, North Carolina, saying that they’d found her stolen car after more than four decades.

Turns out that a classic car dealer had bought the car in 2015 from a local widow, but despite the fact that he recognized the car as one that had been driven around town since at least 1975, once he dug into the details he discovered some discrepancies. The title didn’t match the VIN, and wasn’t even for the same model year or body style.

635593749902601375-BB

Getting the police involved, it wasn’t difficult to connect the Corvette to the police report Dietrich filed back in 1972, and because her family still owned the same home, getting in touch with her was as simple as going to her address listed on the original paperwork.

Unfortunately, although Dietrich still had all the insurance claim forms and police reports from back in 1972, the real title for the car could no longer be found, and the North Carolina DMV was no help. Even if she had been able to produce the title, Allstate Insurance had paid out the claim long ago, and the recovered car rightfully belonged to them. Heartbroken, Dietrich said, “If I cannot have the car back, I do not want to see it. And I will have to get over this all again.

635699692252453433-Still0615-00000

The story has a happy ending, though. Allstate, perhaps realizing that reuniting her with the car was worth more than whatever it might have brought at auction, decided to give Dietrich back her car, and last June she laid eyes on her long-lost Chevy for the first time since that morning in 1972. 

About the author

Paul Huizenga

After some close calls on the street in his late teens and early twenties, Paul Huizenga discovered organized drag racing and never looked back, becoming a SFI-Certified tech inspector and avid bracket racer. Formerly the editor of OverRev and Race Pages magazines, Huizenga set out on his own in 2009 to become a freelance writer and editor.
Read My Articles

Hot Rods and Muscle Cars in your inbox.

Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from Street Muscle, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE!

Free WordPress Themes
Street Muscle NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

streetmusclemag

We'll send you the most interesting Street Muscle articles, news, car features, and videos every week.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

Street Muscle NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

streetmusclemag

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...


fordmuscle
Classic Ford Performance
dragzine
Drag Racing
chevyhardcore
Classic Chevy Magazine

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...

  • fordmuscle Classic Ford Performance
  • dragzine Drag Racing
  • chevyhardcore Classic Chevy Magazine

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

streetmusclemag

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

Loading