As far back as he can remember, Chris Shade recalls the Corvair as being a part of his family. Not only were Corvairs everyone’s chosen mode of transportation, but also a source of enjoyment as they travelled to the ice cream shop and had road rallies to church with his mom and dad racing each other. Chris’s love for Corvairs also led to meeting and eventually marrying the love of his life, Stephanie.

The twists and turns of life eventually brought Chris to a full-time career dedicated to Corvairs. His business, Shade’s Classic Corvairs, grew over time and has become a point of destination for many car enthusiasts. It even spawned an annual Corvair event, the Corvair Track Classic, which was attended by Don Yenko’s daughter, Lynn. The Corvair Museum of America is a natural extension of the almost daily comment from visitors, “This is a museum!”

Through his business, Chris has met many wonderful car enthusiasts from all over the world, including those who now make up the CMoA Board. The Corvair Museum of America’s mission statement is, “…..to deepen and enrich the public understanding of the Chevrolet Corvair with an experiential, historic and curated focus. We strive to fulfill our Purpose — to honor God in all we do, to serve others, and to pursue excellence.”