This '57 Corvette Just Set A World Record Seven Decades In The Making

When it comes to feel-good stories, it's hard to beat those that involve regular people setting Guinness World Records. A 94-year-old California man is hoping to secure his own world record — not because of his age, but because of his 1957 Chevrolet Corvette.

Bill Hatch bought his vintage ride for $3,400 the year it was released, and he's been the only owner since then. He was 25 at the time, and now he's set to establish a new Guinness World Record for longest ownership of a vehicle purchased new, which currently stands at 67 years and 314 days. As of this writing, Hatch has owned the Corvette for 69 years, passing the current world record in June 2025. A local Corvette club, North Coast Vettes, submitted Hatch's record application to Guinness, which approved it. The club held an event on August 12, the 69th anniversary of Hatch's ownership, to celebrate the milestone and officially establish the new world record.

The Corvette has over 171,000 miles and has been an everyday driver for Hatch, who has done some work to his ride over the years. The car has been repainted, but it still has its original engine and much of the original equipment, including its AM radio. Hatch and his wife have also kept up a long-standing tradition of taking the Corvette to the beach and getting burgers on their wedding anniversary.

If Bill Hatch's achieves a Guinness World Record for the longest ownership of a vehicle from new, he will pass Harold Lehman, who set the record at 67 years, 314 days on July 9, 2024. The Monticello, Indiana, resident bought his blue 1956 Chevrolet 210 brand new on August 30, 1956. He continued driving it until 1966, when he decided to put it into storage. After a full restoration that began in 2015, Lehman took his Chevy back to the road and was still driving it when Guinness recognized his record.

Hatch's road to the world record began in 1957 at Bates Chevrolet in Arcadia, California. The black 'Vette caught his attention, and he chose it over the 1957 Bel Air, more commonly known as the '57 Chevy, he had planned on buying. Hatch's new ride was a base model with a hardtop and Chevy's Wonder Bar radio but no heater. The car also had a three-speed transmission and a 283-cubic-inch V8, one of the greatest engines ever put in a Corvette.

In Hatch's case, North Coast Vettes' approved application allowed the record attempt to move forward, but it did not automatically make him the record holder. After an application is approved, an applicant receives specific rules and instructions about the evidence needed to document the attempt. That evidence is submitted online and reviewed by Guinness, which determines whether the requirements have been met.