History The Robert Clews Corvette

Agreed. I love today's pick.

I also have another favorite. I aways liked the elusive late 50's Corvette that Gene Winfield modified and painted for Mike Sparrow. Other than a few black and white photos, it's been lost to the sands of time.



And that's all I have. Evidently, the side or interior shots, didn't out rank these chosen rear photos that day. Never seen further studies of this one either.

Thank you for this thread. Great read.

 

Just awsome !!
Yeah the Bette is too collectable to gold chainers to customize!
It’s a shame as they make killer customs

 

I always though the most obvious mod to a 53-57 Corvette would have been to replace grill with a 55 Belleayre grill, but I've never seen one. Those early grills belong on a DeSoto, not a sports car, but a Belleayre grill would make a C1 look like a Ferrari.

 

my uncle has a 60 Drag 'vette with the same dual chrome roll bars

 

Also in the "Corvette Quartette" article in August 1959 Hot rod. Looks like the same photos however, other than Robert and removing the background from the second one.

 

Ryan - the first time I saw Clews silver vette, about 1961, it was in his shop, American Auto Upholstery, which was located next door to your uncle Franks business, Air Service. A pretty notable car locally as it had been in HRM. Bob was in business around Reno for about 25 years. I have no idea where the vette went after the early sixties.

 

I've always liked this early version of the X-sonic.


These other two are very similar to each other and KEWL.

 

I love the early C1 Vettes, either stock or custom, but I think the headlight treatment on that one is off and detracts from the Vette's great design. Those posted by Scott T look great.

 

I love the C1s too, stock or hot rodded. I just don't see any of the custom mods here as an improvement over a perfect design. I know you can get drummed out of the core for saying so.. I do think other cars lend themselves well to customizing.

And, I'm a customized Vette (C2) owner, so it isn't blue ribbon syndrome or whatever you call it. I did it too, flared the wheels, shaved, scooped.. Is it nicer than stock? Maybe not, that was 40 years ago, ain't going back now.

 

Nothing wrong with that Morarity. Still retains all the gorgeous lines. I have the triple tail lights too. Sometimes they even all work.

I've toyed with the idea of trying to trade for a C1 many times. What has stopped me is a, I have too big a heart for my crap and seldom let go, b, it does ride really nice, been a long time since I've been in a C1, not the best rep for ride quality, but I'm sure that's and easy fix and c, as others eluded to, once you get a car titled in California and just send in the reg check every year, best to just die with it.

 

Never really was a fan of the first gen Corvette as a full custom. Like said, hard to improve on what's already damn near perfect. Something mild, like Moriarty's, I can dig. Go changing the lines and it becomes a slippery slope pretty quick. JMO, that's why there's chocolate and vanilla.

 

looks like the car has the name painted in the scallop, but I can't read it.