OUR CLUB HISTORY
Around March of 1958, Al Carroll, by then a true Corvette enthusiast, was convinced other people were just as excited about America’s true sports car. With the assistance of then ACME Chevrolet to serve as our first sponsor and provide a meeting place, efforts began to obtain members. COCSD was founded by a group of individuals who were determined to provide a solid foundation of sound practices and documents that have served the club well over the years. (Click on image below to make it readable)
The following is a copy of the June 1968 Club Newsletter “Wheel Talk” (the club’s tenth anniversary) describing the very beginnings of the club by #2 Charter Member Ray Taylor. Also shown were the first ten years of club presidents.
In 1959, over the kitchen table Ray and Marie Taylor completed a final draft of by-laws and plans were made to incorporate. COCSD was incorporated in California as a non-profit corporation on February 27, 1959 as corporation number 369837.
While working on by-laws and the early formation stages of COCSD, our founders were also working to develop a logo to be proudly displayed in the years to come. Ray Taylor, a graphics supervisor at North Island, designed the COCSD logo. For colors, Ray focused on Red, White, and Blue – the patriotic colors of our country to represent America’s true sports car. The checkered flag was added to represent the fact that the Corvette was a winner. The steering wheel was to represent the steering wheel of the early year Corvettes, many of which were red. The black elliptical, together with the elliptical curve of the flag and the steering wheel were symbolic of the drawing of an atom, representing the power of the Corvette. This official logo of COCSD was adopted in 1958 and remains unchanged today – a proud heritage.
Below is a copy of one of the ads that got everything started.
Around 1995, club members believed that the beginnings of COCSD were in 1956. From that time until 2019, the club observed 1956 as the beginning of the club, making it the oldest Corvette Club in the world. Significant anniversaries were celebrated based on this beginning. It was not until these newspaper ads were found by a Board Member in 2019 that the correct beginnings of COCSD are now recognized.
Since our founding in 1958, COCSD has been a continuously active club. “We believe that COCSD is the oldest continuously active Corvette Club in existence”. We are extremely fortunate to have a complete archive of historical documents dating back to the beginnings of COCSD including the incorporating document of 1959 and By Laws, applications of the original members going back to members # one Jack Brabban and Ray Taylor #2 and thru the current applications of today. We also have copies of the original ads placed by Acme Chevrolet in March of 1958. We also have the original patch with our logo. Our rich and documented history serves our members of today and preserves the Corvette heritage for those members who will continue COCSD in the future.