As a child who loved cars, I was overjoyed when the next-door neighbor bought his wife an almost new 1978 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Car.  When showing it to me, he described the car as a “cream puff.”  I had to ask what that meant.  Well, if you couldn’t use words and were only able to provide a physical example, this 2003 50th Anniversary Corvette convertible for sale on Barn Finds Classifieds would explain the concept perfectly.  This incredibly beautiful car is currently waiting for a new owner in Springfield, Illinois and can be yours for $29,500.  Is this the kind of cream puff you’d like to have in your garage?

The phrase “cream puff” is often used in describing Corvettes.  The reason why is Corvette owners tend to baby their cars.  A Corvette is a bucket list buy for many owners, and they treat the cars better than they ever would another car.  While Corvettes have almost always been able to run with far more expensive sports cars, most owners end up ordering cars that are loaded with luxury features and automatic transmissions.  Not that there is anything wrong with that.  You just aren’t going to see those folks on track days at your local road course.

When the C5 Corvettes came out in 1997 we saw a sharp increase in the number of “luxurious Corvettes.”  This generation of Corvettes was much more refined than any of the preceding generations.  It rode smoother, handled better, and little touches like lower door sills made these Corvettes much more appealing to an older, more affluent customer that may have been considering a Porsche or Mercedes.  As you would expect, sales soared.

The Corvette we see here is a perfect example of the luxurious C5 described above.  With just 32,950 miles on the odometer and an almost perfect Anniversary Red Metallic paint job, this Corvette most definitely qualifies for “cream puff” status.  This 50th Anniversary Edition boasts the standard shale two tone leather interior and matching convertible top.  All of these commemorative Corvettes also came with the F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control Suspension and the usual badges and embroidery needed to celebrate 50 years of production.

Under the hood is the ubiquitous Small Block Chevrolet V-8 putting out 350 horsepower.  This car is also equipped with the buttery smooth 4L60E automatic transmission and traction control.  The seller also tells us of a 12-disk cd changer,  a heads up display, memory seats and even more options in the ad.  An interesting addition is that the car has been outfitted with a set of C6 chrome wheels.  We are told that the original wheels for the car are available.

The pictures don’t lie.  This car has been kept in fantastic shape.  It is hard to believe that C5 Corvettes have been around for over 20 years, and this red stunner will have its own 20th birthday next year.  C5 Corvettes are held in high regard in the enthusiast community for their performance and the ability to transform them into fire breathing monsters on the track.  There are also a number of garage kept and pampered C5s out there just waiting for their next caretaker to come along.  A commemorative cream puff like this Corvette could be the perfect cruiser for someone looking for luxury more than speed.