Dave's Story

The man behind this impressive Corvette collection has always had a passion for cars. Dave Ressler's interest grew from buying fixer-uppers, repairing and cleaning them up for resale when still a teenager to eventually owning his own dealerships in North Dakota and Montana not that many years later. He grew up in Mandan, North Dakota, where his father had been a car salesman for 25 years at Chase Chevrolet. After his father's unexpected death, Dave was offered a sales position at the same firm. Let's just say that cars are in his blood. Chase Chevrolet was sold to Ivan Gandrud in 1979 and Dave became manager at the age of 25. Ressler was able to buy the Mandan dealership from Gandrud in 1987. Later in 1999, he expanded to Bozeman, Montana, and moved his family there. His success stems from his exacting determination and dedication to his work. He has always been driven to achieve perfection in any project in which he becomes involved, whether that is work, sports, home and family, or charity. There's a big heart behind the tough business facade; Dave and his family have been very generous to those in need including community projects and foundations.

The first collector Corvette Dave acquired was a 1978 Corvette Indy Pace Car which currently has 78 miles on its odometer. He began traveling to auctions and rallies with his wife, Gerri and their daughters, Kandace and Natalie to add to the collection. There are currently 29 Corvettes in this collection. Every car is in perfect condition with an interesting history. In 2006 at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, Dave was able to achieve the ultimate addition to their collection by acquiring the "million dollar Corvette," a 1953 Blue Flame, the oldest existing Corvette, third off the assembly line. This was an unplanned purchase because Ressler expected the 'Vette to go for much more. When he realized the car was within their reach he ran out onto the stage and got into the bidding. It didn't take long for him to buy the most expensive car in his career.

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