By Tommy Lee Byrd – Images by the Author
Springtime in East Tennessee can be tricky. The month of March may see freezing temperatures and threats of snowfall in the high elevations, or you may break out the swimming gear. Despite the unpredictable weather, the organizers of the Corvette Expo seem to have Mother Nature on their side, at least for the last few years. This event is in its 49th year, starting as a small gathering of like-minded gearheads, and growing into an event that caters to all classic Chevys, with the creation of the Chevys in the Smokies.
The event is held at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This convention center offers plenty of room for show cars, vendors, and swap meet, but there is a huge outdoor portion of the show with even more cars, vendors, and swap meet vendors. This dual-purpose event offers a cool variety of cars, ranging from NCRS award-winning Corvettes to wild custom creations to fit all tastes. There was a great mixture of stock and modified Corvettes, and the diversity of Corvette generations covered the full scope from the earliest of C1s to the latest and greatest C8s. Our favorites included two incredible custom Corvettes, a ’58 and ’64, that were parked front and center inside the LeConte Center, but we also had our eye on a Hugger Orange ’69 Stingray street machine with slotted mags and 50-series Pro Trac tires in the outdoor area.
For the past few years, the Chevys in the Smokies segment of the event has attracted some of the nation’s coolest Chevrolet muscle cars and this year was no different. Highlights from Chevys in the Smokies included a 1968 COPO Nova, which is one of only three Fred Gibb/Dick Harrell collaborations known to exist, as well as a trio of 1965 Chevelle Malibu SS L79 cars. All three of the L79 cars were owned by the same guy, Brandon Hall, and all were documented heavily.
There are multiple driving events throughout the three-day show, giving enthusiasts a great reason to tackle the twists and turns of the Smoky Mountains. Additionally, the tourist towns of Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Sevierville provide plenty of attractions nearby if the Corvettes and Chevys aren’t enough to keep you occupied. There is a change coming for the schedule of the Corvette Expo and Chevys in the Smokies event, as this event will move to the month of April in 2027. Stay up to date on the event by checking out corvetteexpo.com and make plans to join the fun!
