My Corvette : Dan Ward

Posted on 14 August 2025 |

Dan Ward's 1959 C1
After 56 years, he still loves his little red Corvette

By Claudio D'Andrea

Some love affairs last a lifetime and the passion never flames out. Dan Ward and his 1959 C1 Corvette is like that. Since the Vancouver resident purchased the sleek roadster in June 1969, he's been devoted to that little red beauty and he could sit down with you for hours telling stories about her and him.

Like when and why he first bought the car 56 years ago. He was in university at the time and would trade friendly barbs with a friend. Ward had a 1957 Ford Fairlane convertible and his friend was driving a 1961 Corvette. They would tease each other about which was better, Ford or Corvette.

One day, his friend took him out for a ride in his Vette and Ward remembers almost being killed. "The guy was a madman," he says of that speedy spin.

He also realized, "I gotta get one of these. I just gotta get one of them."

Ward did find a Vette — his 1959 C1 — for sale and managed to bargain down the price on the car. He later sold his factory standard three-speed Ford Fairlane, which was painted red like his Corvette.

Ward drove his Corvette to his parents' house and saw a brand new 1970 Maverick parked in the driveway. When his father learned he paid $2,325 for the Vette, he pointed out his aunt and uncle paid $2,300 for their Maverick. "You paid $25 more for a 10-year-old car," his father mocked.

Since then, Ward put on 667,200 miles (the Vette had about 100,000 when he bought it) and it was his only car for years. He's driven it on Route 66 twice and as far south as the Mexican border.

A member of the British Columbia Corvette Club since 1969, Ward has taken his Vette on the club's Santa rides for more than 30 years as well as on parades. He has a room filled with trophies and plaques about the car.

Ward's Vette has been front page news in the Vancouver Sun. He's also been featured in the Vancouver Province and in pamphlets.

His tales about his Corvette go on. For instance, he remembers women throwing themselves into Santa's lap in the 'Santa sleigh.' Or of the times police, with lights and sirens on, pulled him over just to take a closer look at his car. The car has had a lot of work done on it over the years including several engine replacements especially in the first few years when he ran it hard. He spotted one of those replacements by accident in a garage — a 1966 Corvette 327, the last small block engines used on that model.

"As for the car, itself, it’s Roman red with arctic white coves, 4:11 gears and now a five-speed tranny and lowered suspension on w/w radials and has black leather button and tufted interior and trunk, dual four bbl WCFB carbs, exhaust cut-outs and other things added in the last 50-plus years that I probably have forgotten," Ward writes.

Ward was readying his car for an especially busy summer. One of the earliest members of his Corvette club, he says he's looking forward to their 60th anniversary celebration, their Diamond Jubilee event, in Kelowna this August. He was also planning to drive to Penticton for their Peach City Beach Cruise at the end of June and other parties and trips to his cabin.

Ward drives a Jeep Grand Cherokee in the winter and has restored other cars over the years, including a 1965 Mustang and 1956 Thunderbird.

But his first love remains his forever love — his 1959 C1. "It's been my only Corvette."

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