Corvette Summer 1978

In the sun-kissed streets of Newhall, California, Kenny Dantley (Kenny Dantley) is a self-proclaimed automotive enthusiast and senior in high school. For a shop class project, Kenny embarks on an ambitious endeavor, rescuing a 1973 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray from the jaws of a car crusher in a scrapyard and meticulously restoring it to its former glory as a customized right-hand-drive with flashy bodywork that turns heads. The sweet ride’s reveal is short-lived, however, as it’s pilfered from the streets of Van Nuys, leaving Kenny feeling helpless.

Undeterred, Kenny sets out on a cross-country journey to Las Vegas, determined to reclaim his prized possession. Along the way, he crosses paths with Vanessa (Vanessa), a confident and charismatic drifter who’s quick to describe herself as a “prostitute trainee.” As Kenny finds work at a local car wash, he repeatedly spots his stolen Corvette, but every attempt to report it to the authorities is met with resistance, thanks to a forged tag. Frustrated and determined, Kenny tracks down the culprit to a seedy garage, where a confrontation with the shady owner, Wayne Lowry (Wayne Lowry), leaves him feeling shaken.

Just as Kenny’s spirits are at an all-time low, his high school teacher, Ed McGrath (Ed McGrath), arrives in Las Vegas, bearing news that will shatter Kenny’s perception of his mentor. McGrath reveals that he orchestrated the theft of the Corvette to supplement his meager teacher’s salary, leaving Kenny feeling betrayed and disillusioned. Despite McGrath’s pleas to keep the matter under wraps, Kenny secretly plots his revenge.

As the stakes escalate, Kenny takes matters into his own hands, reclaiming his beloved Corvette in a daring heist that involves outsmarting Lowry’s henchmen and outrunning them in a heart-pumping car chase. Meanwhile, Vanessa finds herself in a precarious situation when she’s targeted by adult-film makers in a hotel, and it’s up to Kenny to come to her rescue.

In the end, Kenny emerges victorious, returning home with his Corvette and high school diploma in hand, but not before rebuffing McGrath’s attempts to mend their fractured friendship. With Vanessa riding shotgun, Kenny gives the Corvette back to the school, symbolizing a new chapter in his life as he drives off into the sunset with his newfound independence and Vanessa by his side.