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I bought my 1979 Corvette in 1986. Since 1989, it has become my "Vacation Car". Each year, I drive it from my home in Indiana to Daytona Beach, Florida; about 2500 miles round trip. I drive my Corvette on the beach in Daytona, which is one of the main reasons I drive it to Florida each year. It is one of the greatest feelings - cruising on the beach with the T-Tops out and watching the ocean waves and scenery.
I must have over 52 round trips to Florida over the last 28 years (two vacation trips per year, in April and in October). One lesson I quickly learned was the importance of maintenance for the car to prevent break downs during these long trips. I learned a lot about which parts to replace within how many miles before they fail. I also learned what brand and type of parts to buy that would last the longest.
A large amount of the parts I bought over the past 23 years for this car came from Mid America Motorworks Corvette. They sell parts that are designed to last longer than original equipment. I bought a pair of their Rear Wheel Spindle Flanges which had grease fittings on them so that made it a simple job to grease both Rear Wheel Bearings, which is very important if you want these bearings to last a long time. I also bought their SS “0 Ring” type Brake Calipers (612-052) which lasted longer than the OE lip seal type. The Stainless Steel Exhaust System (651-0162) and Brake Line Kit (623-811), and SS Braided Flexible Front Brake Lines also lasted for years, and are still on the car. I purchased Adjustable Rear Struts (602-896) which made it easy to adjust rear wheel alignment and had urethane bushings which make them last longer.
I have put over 200,000 miles on my "Vacation Car" since I bought it and looking forward to many more trips!