If you check Jerry Heasley’s book CORVETTE MASTERPIECES you’ll find a 1-of-a-kind pink Corvette that belonged to Elfi Duntov. We met Elfi several times at Mike Yager’s Corvette Funfest event and she always had great stories to tell about the “father” of the ‘Vette — her husband Zora Arkus-Duntov. Zora and Elfi were a couple that made history and supported Corvette enthusiasm long after Zora had left the employ of General Motors and Chevrolet. Even after Zora died, Elfi stayed active in the Corvette hobby. She was a wonderful lady and I was saddened to receive the following message from Keith Martin at CORVETTE MARKET.
Elfi Arkus-Duntov, wife of Corvette icon Zora Arkus-Duntov, passed away on October 23 at St. John’s Hospital in Detroit. She had been hospitalized there for several weeks with a severe leg infection. She was 93.
Together, she and Zora personified the performance and allure of the early Corvettes. Even well into their years, the pair had an energy and spark that infected everyone around them.
Funeral arrangements are pending, though Elfi will be cremated and her ashes will be joined with Zora’s as part of the current tribute inside the National Corvette Museum.
"Gunner" is one of of the most prolific authors and most visible characters in the old car hobby. He has written dozens of books about old cars for Krause Publications and is the former editor and publisher of Old Cars Weekly. His collecting pursuits range from old Pontiacs, to MGs, to retired police cruisers, to Indian motorcycles. He remains a frequent contributor to Old Cars Weekly and owns and operates Gunner’s Great Garage, a classic car restoration and gift shop in Manawa, Wis.
