tHE HISTORY OF THE LOST CORVETTES
VH1 CORVETTE COLLECTION (1989)
In 1989, VH1 launched one of the most notable automotive sweepstakes in television history. The VH1 Corvette Sweepstakes, or VH1 Corvette Collection, offered a staggering collection of 36 Corvettes, one from every model year between 1953 and 1989. The promotion ran as part of a broader campaign to boost viewership and brand visibility, and it succeeded.
Thousands entered. One man won.
Dennis Amodeo, a carpenter from Long Island, took home the entire fleet. But without the means to store or maintain the vehicles, he was soon looking for a buyer.
PETER MAX COLLECTION (~1990)
Pop artist Peter Max, known for his psychedelic color palette and celebrity-studded career, purchased the entire VH1 Corvette Collection from Amodeo in a deal rumored to include both cash and art. Max imagined transforming the cars into an ambitious multimedia art project: an explosion of color, paint and spectacle that would bring his vision to the American road.
But the project never materialized. the cars were tucked away in a series of New York garages and left untouched for over 30 years. Dust gathered, paint dulled, tires cracked, and the collection became something closer to myth, until a new team stepped in.
CORVETTE HEROES RESTORATION (2014-2019)
Beginning in 2014, a team of Corvette experts lead by Chris Mazzilli and David Weber launched a multiyear restoration effort to bring the cars back to life. Known as the Corvette Heroes, the group committed thousands of hours and countless resources to return each car to its former glory.
Some models required extensive mechanical rebuilding; others needed full interior overhauls or bodywork down to the frame. In total, it took five years to complete the restoration process. The work was painstaking but vital.
What began as a salvage job became a resurrection.
History Channel/FYI DOcuseries (2019)
The story behind the cars and the restoration effort was captured in a multi-part docuseries aired on the History Channel and FYI Network. The Lost Corvettes brought national attention to the project, detailing the origins of the collection, its and decades in limbo and the team that brought the dream back to life.
The collection also made a surprise appearance on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, when Jerry Seinfeld and Jimmy Fallon commandeered a 1956 Corvette Convertible from the collection, giving viewers a candid look at the legendary collection.
The lost corvettes sweepstakes (2020-2019)
With the cars restored and the story gaining national attention, the Corvette Heroes launched a nationwide sweepstakes to give away all 36 vehicles — one by one — to individual winners across the country. The effort mirrored the 1989 VH1 giveaway, but with a charitable mission at its core.
Proceeds from the sweepstakes supported the National Guard Educational Foundation and Stand for the Troops, a nonprofit committed to veteran wellness and advocacy. For many entrants, the chance to win a piece of American Automotive history came second to the opportunity to truly give back to the country that made it all possible.
NONPROFIT EXPANSION (2022-2024)
Following the success of the initial sweepstakes, The Lost Corvettes expanded its nonprofit partnerships and campaign efforts. In collaboration with Soldiers for the Truth, the organization launched two separate TapKat-powered fundraising campaigns, using collectible Corvettes to raise awareness and funds for veteran’s causes.
At the same time, a new campaign featuring a rare blue Corvette extended the mission further. That established a partnership with Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum and TRI Industries, combining heritage preservation with veteran job training and disability employment programs.
FULL-TIME NONPROFIT PARTNER (2020-2019)
Today, The Lost Corvettes has fully transitioned into the role of a nonprofit fundraising partner. The team develops campaigns and secures iconic vehicles, while simultaneously investing in partner organizations.
As the organization looks ahead, it continues to seek fresh partnerships and new ways to drive impact through American automotive cultures.
Each campaign reinforces the organization’s belief that great cars can serve even greater purposes.
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