Long Island Vettes - Membership Profile - Lenny "The Mayor" Goldstein

	MY PROFILE by Lenny “The Mayor” Goldstein Well where did it all start? Way back in 1953 when I was eleven years old the Corvette was born. I was in awe. The post WWII MG’s were nice but the Vette was just plain “Cool”. As the years went on the TV show “Route 66” stirred up lots of excitement about the Corvette, I got hooked. I went to Autorama every year with my Dad at the New York Coliseum on Columbus Circle. It was there that I made a promise to myself that someday I would own a Corvette. Well with bringing up a couple of sons and the expenses that go along with it I didn’t get my first Corvette until I was 58 years old. If it weren’t for the efforts of my good friend Quentin Carbone a proud owner of two incredible “Mid-Years” himself and co-owner of Benchmark Corvette Restorations in Lindenhurst I still might be looking for the “right one”.
	He called me early one morning in October of 2000 and told me that a mutual friend of ours was about to sell his ‘96 Triple Black Corvette Convertible. His words were something to the effect of “Meet me and bring your checkbook. It’s time to pull the trigger and own a Vette”. This Vette was in great shape with exactly 7,777 original miles and had been stored for awhile. I love this last C4 convertible and enjoy it immensely.
	In June of 2004 I decided it was time to get a companion for “Black Beauty”. I really liked the 2004 C5 coupe, particularly in Magnetic Red ll with an Oak Interior. I compiled my wish list of options and set out on the search. I went to every dealer on Long Island and several in the Metro-NY area as well as enlisting the aid of Vettefinders on the Web and still nothing was available. Everyone was telling me that because of the year end build-out I would never find one equipped with the color and options that I wanted. All suggested that I should wait for the new C6. Not being a person who gives up easily I pressed on.
	Low and behold I got a call from Samuel Kelley of Kerbeck Chevrolet in Atlantic City one Thursday morning in June. He said that the exact Vette I wanted was being unloaded in front of the dealership at that very moment and it could be mine if I could take delivery by that Saturday, the day before Father’s Day. I might add that the discount was extraordinary as well. I was delighted. I bought myself this great Father’s Day gift and filled that vacant spot in my special garage. I subsequently discovered that this particular C5 coupe may actually be the last one ever produced in that color.
	I’ve been active in the “hobby” on Long Island since 2000. I belong to LICOA, LIV and Corvette Society and try to be as active as time allows. I’ve met some great people in all the clubs and have made many new friends along the way. Hence the nickname “The Mayor” has evolved. I look forward to many more years of involvement.
It’s all about people and celebrating America’s only true sports car. “Vettes4Ever”.