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Haute Wheels:
Herman Smith’s Corvette Collection

by Stephen Faure
photography by Jason Grazulis

If someone made a bumper sticker for Herman Smith it would have to read “My other car is a Corvette, and so is my other car, and so is my other car, and so is my other car!” Collecting Corvettes is the only hobby for this businessman, one of the brothers who own and operate Smith Brothers Sporting Goods in Slidell. “I don’t hunt, I don’t golf, I don’t fish; I play with cars,” Herman confesses. “Guys that go out, by the time they spend money on country clubs, golf clubs, boats and everything else, for me, that’s a car note there.”

It’s also a family affair. Herman’s wife, Rolly, and 14-year-old daughter, Amber, also help show off the cars in the shows, contests and cruising events the Corvettes are entered in. The Smith family’s Corvettes include a red 1989 coupe, which Herman calls “The Grocery Getter” because it has the most wins; a 1996 Grand Sport, number 932 out of the 1,000 that were manufactured; a 2002 convertible (“My wife says that one’s hers,” Herman notes); and a 2004 Commemorative Edition Z06.

What the car show judges look for in a winner are all present in the 1989 red Corvette that has brought home a wall full of awards for the Smith family. Judges check the cleanliness and general condition of the car, including the luster of the paint. An important criterion is originality. The judges confirm that all of the parts and accessories are original to the car, and have not been replaced or modified. Another factor is uniqueness, which Herman’s 1989 wraps up with its rare, but original, cloth upholstery. (Corvettes are normally decked out in leather.) The newest and hottest car in Herman’s lineup, the 2004 Corvette Commemorative Edition Z06, is a 405-horsepower monster he treats with great respect. “Oh golly, it’ll get away from you if you don’t know what you’re doing. It took a couple of months for me to really get used to it.”

Something he has learned—and suggests to anyone thinking about collecting cars—is to buy limited or special editions. Numbered editions, such as the 1996 Grand Sport, are particularly sought out by collectors and increase in value over time when kept in good condition.

Built into the Smith’s house is a paradise for guys—a multi-screen home theater/wet bar area with a glass wall overlooking the garage. Immaculate, air-conditioned and featuring a checkered floor, the garage houses the Corvettes, a Harley, a four-wheeler and a couple of small motorbikes. The walls are lined with plaques and trophies that share space with photos of Herman and Amber posing proudly in front of winning entries at shows over the years.

The Smith’s family outings often include trips organized by the local Corvette clubs of which Herman is a member. Car shows and even cruises are put together by the New Orleans Corvette Club, the Crescent City Corvette Club, the Northshore Corvette Club and the Louisiana Confederation of Corvette Clubs. The northshore club was formed by members of the New Orleans area clubs who lived north of the lake. “But it ends up most of the southshore guys joined us anyway,” says Herman. The family enjoys the events, which are full of camaraderie and relaxing activities that invariably include a lot of food. “We cruise to eat and eat to cruise! It’s all a bunch of really good guys. A lot of them are older and have more time to spend at it.” Herman’s business obligations, as well as Amber’s growing participation in team sports, increasingly keep him away from some Corvette outings.

Herman has purchased several cars through Levis Chevrolet in Slidell. Salesman Pat Alonzo, who sold Herman some of his vehicles, has been in the car business with Chevrolet since 1963 and has owned four Corvettes over the years. He notes that, like Herman, “Corvette buyers are fanatics about their cars,” and goes on to say the make is a good investment that holds its value very well.

The Corvette logo has a design element that’s of local interest: a fleur-de-lis emblazoned on one of the crossed flags that make up the emblem. This was pointed out to Herman, who, when asked of its significance, said that in all his years of showing the cars no one had ever asked him and he did not know. After a little snooping on the internet, an interesting explanation arose. The original logo design included on the 1953 prototype Corvette contained an American flag crossed with a checkered racing flag. Chevrolet executives had the design team remove the American flag before the car’s debut because it was unlawful to use the country’s symbol on a commercial product. Looking for a replacement, the designers decided to celebrate company founder Louis Chevrolet’s French heritage by placing the fleur-de-lis on a flag with the company’s trademark bow tie symbol.

Alonzo was also asked about the fleur-de-lis logo. He had no idea about it either, and, when told the story about the flags, added his own only-in-New Orleans speculation on the matter: “Maybe they knew, way back when, that someday the Saints might be a decent football team.”