History of Vette Registry

The Vette Registry journey began on November 1st, 2001, with the establishment of the C3 Vette Registry.

The original site: The idea for a C3 Registry came to me as a friend of mine and I were heading back from a driving school in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania in October 2001. He owned a C5 and I (of course) a C3. As we were driving we were talking on our two-way radios (before cell-phones were as ubiquitous as they are today) and I started asking him about the C5 Registry to which he belonged. He told me all about it and I asked if he knew of a C3 Registry and he did not. So I told him that when I got home I'd check to see if one existed. If not, I'd start one. I got home, and checked for the existence of a C3 Registry. I did find that C3Registry.com was in use, but it appeared that it hadn't been updated in a while, wasn't very robust and didn't have forums. So, I figured there was room for me to start a C3 Registry. I had to come up with an available domain name. And thus www.C3VetteRegistry.com was born!

I'd been a software developer for a while, but I had never really done any serious web development. So I figured putting together the C3VR website would not only be fun but also a learning experience for me. And believe me, it was! But it was also been lot of fun!

Eventually I also got the domain C3VR.com since everyone was referring to C3 Vette Registr as C3VR anyway.

The first working feature of C3VR was the Automatic VIN Decoder. I had noticed that many people wondered what their VIN meant, and I knew it could be determined by looking at the "Black Book" or other means. But there didn't seem to be a way to do it quickly and easily. So, since I was a software developer I knew this would be an easy task for me. I think I put it together in a day.

The next feature that was important to get working was the C3VR Forums! So, I put my programming skills to work once again and came up with the C3VR Forums software completely on my own, instead of buying a pre-made solution. That forum software was in place for over 2 years. Over the years I kept making changes to improve it, eventually upgrading it to the modern/mobile-friendly version you see today.

Expanding the Vision: As C3VR grew in popularity and membership, it became clear that Corvette enthusiasts from other generations needed similar resources. Plus, many Corvette owners own more than one generation of Corvette. This led to the establishment of the C6 Vette Registry on May 15th, 2003, followed by the C4 Vette Registry on March 18th, 2009. Each site was designed to serve as "The Best Resource on the Net" for their respective Corvette generations.

The Evolution to Vette Registry: After more than two decades of running separate registries for C3, C4, and C6 Corvettes, it became apparent that the Corvette community would be better served by a unified platform. The decision was made to combine all three original sites into one comprehensive Vette Registry that would serve all Corvette generations - from the original C1 (1953-1962) through the modern C8 (2020-present).

What This Means for You: The new unified Vette Registry incorporates all the beloved features from the original C3VR, C4VR, and C6VR sites, while expanding to include complete coverage of C1, C2, C5, C7, and C8 Corvettes. Whether you own a 1953 roadster, a 1967 Stingray, a 1984 coupe, a 2006 Z06, or a 2024 E-Ray, you'll find dedicated sections, forums, registries, and resources specifically for your generation.

Many of the features found throughout Vette Registry were ideas submitted by members from our original communities! Which is one of the things I pride myself on with this site - making it useful by providing features that the members want. If I just came up with all the features on my own, members wouldn't necessarily want or use them. I always accept new ideas and if it makes sense and I'm capable of doing it, I'll do it!

Looking Forward: Membership continues to grow across all generations. With the combined membership from our original communities and especially our Gold & Lifetime Members, we have the resources to make this unified site even better than the sum of its parts!

So please enjoy the new unified Vette Registry as we continue to make it "The Best Resource on the Net for ALL Corvettes!"

If you have any question or comments for me about the site, feel free to contact me.

Thank you very much for your continued support!

-Adam Wartell