Register now to get rid of these ads!

History Saving Dominique - Now with (slow) build thread!

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by Barn Hunter, Nov 24, 2019.

  1. Barn Hunter
    Joined: Feb 15, 2012
    Posts: 1,514

    Barn Hunter
    Member

    It was sitting for well over 30 years. The guy that made it into a drag car loved green so he stripped the paint and interior. He had green diamond tufted metalflake door panels made and never installed. The seats were done in white pearl with green diamond flake inserts, but they're wasted.
     
  2. Black Panther
    Joined: Jan 6, 2010
    Posts: 2,133

    Black Panther
    Member
    from SoCal

    Looks like the only body mod it suffered from it magazine days are the hole in the hood for the blower and the rear wheel openings were made rounder. Incidentally..if you dress that motor with older valve covers and lets say a pair of early afb carbs...it would look like an evolution of Dominque instead of a radical change. These old customs were changed regularly back then to keep them fresh for the show circuit. I'd run the blower...it takes the car to a different level..
     
  3. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,390

    Squablow
    Member

    Glad to see it survived so well intact and very restorable. The engine and those mag wheels are neat pieces in and of themselves but I really personally would love to see it restored back to it's magazine days with wire wheels and the solid hood.

    The waiting time would have driven me insane!
     
  4. Barn Hunter
    Joined: Feb 15, 2012
    Posts: 1,514

    Barn Hunter
    Member

    The hood piece is gone but at least he had the foresight to keep the wheel cutouts. 20191125_162357 (2).jpg
     
  5. 296moon
    Joined: Oct 24, 2007
    Posts: 662

    296moon
    Member
    from england

    This is the Monday Ive ever had!..............
     
  6. Black Panther
    Joined: Jan 6, 2010
    Posts: 2,133

    Black Panther
    Member
    from SoCal

    Wow!! So rare he kept the quarter panel pieces...a little fiberglass glue and she'll be just like her glory days..
     
    Sancho, Peanut 1959, drdave and 8 others like this.
  7. Barn hunter,
    It’s your car,,you can do whatever you please.
    But,,,,please take it back the original custom.
    Those old pics just look like pure class,,,,there were really cool machines made back then.
    Did I see a pic from back then that had factory GM fuel injection?
    That might be cool as well ,,,,but at the minimum,,use carbs anyway.

    Tommy
     
  8. captainjunk#2
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,420

    captainjunk#2
    Member

    a very cool score nice for the car to see the light of day again
     
  9. gearheadbill
    Joined: Oct 11, 2002
    Posts: 1,318

    gearheadbill
    Member

    Love the original version. So many customs from the era were so overdone and gaudy. A lot of stylish mods, color choice etc.. to the car. Very nice!

    Plans??
     
  10. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,390

    Squablow
    Member

    Shocking that those quarter sections were still with the car, that's certainly happy news. The hood hole will be much easier to fab a repair from scratch in comparison. If you had to have one or the other, those are the pieces you want.
     
    Sancho, Peanut 1959, Thor1 and 5 others like this.
  11. Wait....you haven't changed your avatar yet ? What the heck.....and nice save !
     
  12. traffic61
    Joined: Jun 15, 2009
    Posts: 1,545

    traffic61
    Member
    from Owasso, OK

    That is one sexy custom Vette. I am glad that you ended up with her.
     
  13. I see some similar style...just came across this today.. 70C48303-8E93-43A7-A01E-F94CE8E7C8FD.jpeg
     
    Blownfuel, Stogy, catdad49 and 4 others like this.
  14. SuperFleye
    Joined: Jul 17, 2005
    Posts: 2,053

    SuperFleye
    Alliance Vendor

    Great car and story! I look forward to follow this! Congrats on an awesome buy!
     
    40two, loudbang and Barn Hunter like this.
  15. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Cool beans. Those wheel well pieces make it a whole lot easier to put back right.
    Normally the only thing in the heads of those "restorers" is the "it's going to be worth $$$$$$ when I am done and have it back to showroom stock. Most have no interest in the history of a custom or old car unless someone famous owned it and they can use that for bragging rights.
     
  16. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,176

    manyolcars

    It seems to be sacrilege to customise a 55, 56,or 57 chevy or a corvette but it used to be done and lots of them look good. I love the look of your car
     
    Barn Hunter likes this.
  17. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,176

    manyolcars

    Is it a Kustom or is it a racecar? I say return it to a Kustom
     
  18. Barn Hunter
    Joined: Feb 15, 2012
    Posts: 1,514

    Barn Hunter
    Member

    I was born the same year that Corvettes came out. This is my first one!
     
  19. Barn Hunter
    Joined: Feb 15, 2012
    Posts: 1,514

    Barn Hunter
    Member

    Thanks! Determined is putting it mildly. Even though I didn't have any history on the car I was hell bent on owning it....just a gut feeling I had.
     
  20. There are lots of stock 56 Vettes out there already.
    I am one of those Corvette guys who likes them stock. But...this car is so absolutely beautiful it would be a travesty not to restore it....to its magazine glory days.
    I hope you can see it through.
     
  21. Congrats, your feeling was just right!
    When you actually received the car it looked much better than in the pics from the ad. In those it looked like one of those Vettes that have been pulled from the woods.
    Unbelieveable that the pieces that where cut off are still with the car. How are the chances for that - like winning a jackpot maybe?
     
    Stogy, Sancho, Peanut 1959 and 4 others like this.
  22. s55mercury66
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 4,335

    s55mercury66
    Member
    from SW Wyoming

    I would leave it as is, save for a red and white metalflake paint job, with blue stars.
     
    Joe Travers and Barn Hunter like this.
  23. 2NDCHANCE
    Joined: Sep 11, 2007
    Posts: 997

    2NDCHANCE
    Member

    That Corvette is awesome. I'm bummed that there are only three pages so far. I need more. I have always dreamed of stumbling across a cool old custom. The magazine credits bring it to another level. Great find, and great persistence. Gary
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2019
  24. Barn Hunter
    Joined: Feb 15, 2012
    Posts: 1,514

    Barn Hunter
    Member

    Yes, I was pleasantly surprised seeing it for the first time. Thanks!
     
    dana barlow, Stogy, Sancho and 3 others like this.
  25. Barn Hunter
    Joined: Feb 15, 2012
    Posts: 1,514

    Barn Hunter
    Member

    Oy!!
     
    s55mercury66 and chryslerfan55 like this.
  26. Barn Hunter
    Joined: Feb 15, 2012
    Posts: 1,514

    Barn Hunter
    Member

    Thanks. There will be more coming!
     
    dana barlow, Stogy and Sancho like this.
  27. Barn Hunter
    Joined: Feb 15, 2012
    Posts: 1,514

    Barn Hunter
    Member

    Was looking around the Kustomrama site and found this in their archives. January 1963, Car Craft. Funny how the different magazines get things wrong/different. This one says 59 Lincoln bezels...also that he bought it for $85, other mags say $250....who knows? It was a good deal either way! 20191126_110403 (2).jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2019
    MBog, dana barlow, Blownfuel and 12 others like this.
  28. Have you found any pics of it as a racer? I kind of like the thought of restoring it to kustom/race status. But just kustom would be kewl also.
     
    Joe Travers, Stogy, Sancho and 2 others like this.
  29. Spex84
    Joined: Mar 12, 2015
    Posts: 172

    Spex84
    Member
    from Canada

    Stories like this are why I'm addicted to the HAMB! Fantastic to see this car dragged out into the light again.
    With the blower poking through the hood, and slicks out back, it looks ripped from the pages of "Model Car Science" circa 1965.
    It was classy as a custom, but the "Show 'n Go" look is pretty darn cool too.
     
    Joe Travers, Stogy, catdad49 and 7 others like this.
  30. oh man, this car tenses a bow between a sports car and a custom limousine, very nice and glad, YOU saved it.
     
    Blownfuel, Stogy, Eisenmann and 3 others like this.

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.