A Sad Day: The Passing of Ron Leahey Pierce

I learned from my neighbor and good friend Bill Pierce today that his son, Ron died of a pulmonary embolism on May 9th in Arizona.

Ron was an avid Corvette fan and racer.  He purchased a new 1967 Corvette Stingray Coupe from a dealer in the Los Angeles area.  Ron's Stingray was manufactured on May 12, 1967 and came equipped with the L71 Special High Performance 427 cu in engine putting out 435 horsepower.  The car was for serious racing as it was also equipped with the M21 Heavy Duty Transmission, F41 Special Performance front and rear suspension, G81 Posi-traction rear end, and J56 Heavy Duty Brakes.  He enjoyed racing the car both at drag racing and in SCCA race events.

Later Ron acquired a second SCCA race car, a 1965 Corvette Roadster.

The photos below show Ron with his son on Father's Day, 1978 out for a drive in the Stingray Coupe.

Ron's cars will continue to serve as a testimonial to his love of Corvettes.  The 1965 Roadster is being restored by Joe Hoffman of San Diego while the 1967 Coupe is patiently waiting in my garage for me to bring it back to the streets of Southern California.

A memorial service will be held in Ron's memory at the Carlsbad Community Church in Carlsbad, California at noon on May 30th.