Ronde Barber’s Corvette Quartet Reveals Life-long Passion for America’s Sports Car
Former Tampa Bay cornerback’s Corvette collection resides in his garage, represents four generations of America’s sports car.
Celebrities and Corvettes go together like bald eagles and apple pie. Here in Los Angeles, local icon Angelyne is always in a pink Corvette. Jimi Hendrix owned two Corvettes in his brief life, customizer George Barris built a green one for Farrah Fawcett, and Jay Leno has a garage with more than a few examples.
Another garage with Corvettes inside? That of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber. Motor Trend recently visited the NFL veteran at his Florida home to check out all of the rides he owns, including a special quartet of ‘Vettes.
“In 2010 my wife bought me a cherry red 1966 that my neighbor had restored to its original state,” said Barber. “It’s pretty cool. The only knock on it is that the A/C doesn’t work and it’s hot in Florida. Other than that, it’s a pretty cool car. It takes some love and attention to get that thing going, but it’s really worth it.”
His red C2 is parked next to his first Corvette, a yellow 50th Anniversary C5 convertible he bought in 2003. It was the second Corvette he ever bought, gifting his mother a white 50th Anniversary model for her 50th birthday before buying the yellow ‘Vette for himself.
“When I grew up, if you saw a Corvette, you saw this one,” said Barber of his silver 25th Anniversary C3, “the one with the big wide body in the back, the dolphin hood where it goes up and slopes down in the front with the big, wide wheelbase in the front as well and the narrow waist. It’s a good-looking car.”
He drives the C3 whenever he wants something more rugged than refined, but without the workout the C2 above provides with the manual transmission. In fact, all but the 2003 ‘Vette have manuals.
“[Corvettes are] available to the everyman,” said Barber, “and that’s how I identify those cars. They’re not Ferraris, Lotuses, or whatever was most popular back when I was younger. They’re one of the American muscle cars.”
Barber’s newest Corvette is his 2014 C7. He almost bought the car upon retirement from the gridiron. Instead, two of his coaches footed the bill after his wife told them about it. Like the C3, the C7 stays on the ground, ready to go whenever he is. We wonder if he has room for a C8, too.
Photos: Motor Trend
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