'The Velvet Vett' from the early '70's Showcar scene? A friend at work actually has this thing. It's a 1958 Vette Gasser showcar built by Custom Equipment, based here in Flint back in the day, that made its rounds on the Carl Casper show circuit in the early '70's. Pretty radical car. All chrome chassis (including the 6" I-beam that lifted the front end), super bad DZ302 small block (still has it!), Ansen Sprints, M&H's, purple velvet interior and crazy panel paint. Well, anyways, it's well on it's way to being ressurected to it's former showcar status by it's current owner, Chris Perrault. I have convinced him it NEEDS to be at the Frankenmuth AutoFest carshow in Sept this year. For this show, it has to be driven in. That's what's gonna hurt him. Ya see, it was wrecked HARD in 1974 and he just started to straighten the frame and body back into shape. He's in pretty good shape but may need some help. He really needs a core support (I offered to make him one, he wants a '58 Vette support), someone willing to re-do the interior in (gulp) purple velvet, and a whole friggin' case of COURAGE! I think he can do it. I don't even care if The Peter Beater doesn't make it, The Velvet Vett had better!! Anyways, look for this thing. I'll try to keep everyone updated with his progress.
...noone at all? OK...who remembers Kustom Equipment? Big hot rod/dragster outfit here in Flint. The building is still there at the corner of Belsay Rd. and Richfield Rd. I think it's a fish store now...aquariums and what not. Closed down in the late 80's early 90's. Man, do we need a shop like that now!
Pete, Your dragging some old memories from the recesses of my mind. We used to trade at Kustom Equipment in the 60's and 70's and they sponsored our '67 SS/EA record holder for a couple of years. I used to make an almost weekly trip from Bay City to get everything from slicks to Holley carbs and Edelbrock intakes. Dick Siebert, the manager there, tried to get me to buy the louver machine that they used to take to the track and punch louvers on site. It was mounted on a single axle with a hitch to tow it and they had 3", 4", and 6" dies for it. Louvers were out of popularity at the time and the machine just sat out in the open behind the shop. The initial asking price was $200 and he dropped it to $100 just to get rid of it. After about a year I finally decided it would be a cool old piece to own and when I visited next he informed me that it was just sold. Since then I've worn out a couple pair of shoes kicking myself in the ass for not buying it. Oh, There was a neat little sign attached to it. It read "Louvers-25 cents ea.". I've been called a lot of things in my life but "stupid" seems to fit a lot circumstances that I've lived through. Frank
Come on.....anyone else? Chris is gonna borrow my welder next week to finish the front frame work. He's geeked (as am I) to get it mobile!
Chris brought it to work Sat. Sounds uber tuff. Kinda jive in that 70's show car way but really cool nonetheless. Should rumble through Frankenmuth this weekend.
I got a little excited when I first started reading this and saw the "velvet vette". The Velvet Vette I knew was here in the late 70's and was made from a (I think) 74. The entire outside was covered in 2-tone, Black and Red velvet, instead of paint. Made a few mags, and was around for a few years ..... Wonder what ever happened to that one....
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