Reviving an old chestnut!!!
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
The seller states that it was "Built by John Silva, the original builder of the Mako Shark Corvette and designer of the Dodge Viper". John Silva DID NOT build the Mako Shark Corvette, and probably did not design the Viper!
John Silva worked with Joel Rosen of Baldwin/Motion, on the Motion "Maco" Corvette conversions, that were designed to look like the Chevrolet Mako Shark II. He had nothing to do with the real Chevrolet Mako Shark or the 1965 Mako Shark II, which were the work of Bill Mitchell and Larry Shinoda, I believe.
Silva and Chrysler were involved in a legal battle over the design of the Viper. If I remember right, Silva was building a car for someone, that looked very much like the Viper. When Chrysler found out about the car (which was built on 70's Corvette running gear), they sued him for stealing the Vipers design. Silva counter sued, claiming that he had designed the Viper and sent drawings of it to Chrysler, trying to sell them the design, and that they subsequently stole his design. I don't remember if there ever was a final ruling on the case, but I do remember that Silva admitted that the Viper looked very little like his car.
John Silva died about 15 years ago.
John Silva worked with Joel Rosen of Baldwin/Motion, on the Motion "Maco" Corvette conversions, that were designed to look like the Chevrolet Mako Shark II. He had nothing to do with the real Chevrolet Mako Shark or the 1965 Mako Shark II, which were the work of Bill Mitchell and Larry Shinoda, I believe.
Silva and Chrysler were involved in a legal battle over the design of the Viper. If I remember right, Silva was building a car for someone, that looked very much like the Viper. When Chrysler found out about the car (which was built on 70's Corvette running gear), they sued him for stealing the Vipers design. Silva counter sued, claiming that he had designed the Viper and sent drawings of it to Chrysler, trying to sell them the design, and that they subsequently stole his design. I don't remember if there ever was a final ruling on the case, but I do remember that Silva admitted that the Viper looked very little like his car.
John Silva died about 15 years ago.
Allow me to clarify that and give all credit where it is due,
While Joel Rosen of Motion did make the Mako or as they called it the Maco famous he had nothing to do with design or building it,
Silva had nothing to do with the GM show car besides lovong it deeply, Silva came up with the Maco kit very early on, he built many turn keys and sold lots of kits, Motion bought all their part or at the least farmed out the building for example the Motion Phase GT rear end are Ecklers GT rear clips...bought from Ecklers.
While I do not know the inner personal deals and business of Silva and Motion I do know they parted way on less than good terms...and then Motion came up with their "own" Mako kit that appeared to be the very same as Silva parts...hum.
At least a couple other outfits offered Mako kits that appeared they would fit right in Silvas molds.
The Silva Mako was at best a cartoon caricature of the real deal, I say that and I own a Mako kit....I am also in the process...moving slowly of pulling molds off my parts so I can offer these to people wanting to build a Mako if interested hit me up The13bats@aol.com
So while Motion gets the spotlight and fame all the credit goes solely to Silva.
As far as Vipers and this Camaro I have no clue what if any involvement Silva had.
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Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Burlington Connecticut
Silva is passed away it is far from his fault that this fellow doesn't have his facts straight for the ad.
Allow me to clarify that and give all credit where it is due,
While Joel Rosen of Motion did make the Mako or as they called it the Maco famous he had nothing to do with design or building it,
Silva had nothing to do with the GM show car besides lovong it deeply, Silva came up with the Maco kit very early on, he built many turn keys and sold lots of kits, Motion bought all their part or at the least farmed out the building for example the Motion Phase GT rear end are Ecklers GT rear clips...bought from Ecklers.
While I do not know the inner personal deals and business of Silva and Motion I do know they parted way on less than good terms...and then Motion came up with their "own" Mako kit that appeared to be the very same as Silva parts...hum.
At least a couple other outfits offered Mako kits that appeared they would fit right in Silvas molds.
The Silva Mako was at best a cartoon caricature of the real deal, I say that and I own a Mako kit....I am also in the process...moving slowly of pulling molds off my parts so I can offer these to people wanting to build a Mako if interested hit me up The13bats@aol.com
So while Motion gets the spotlight and fame all the credit goes solely to Silva.
As far as Vipers and this Camaro I have no clue what if any involvement Silva had.
Allow me to clarify that and give all credit where it is due,
While Joel Rosen of Motion did make the Mako or as they called it the Maco famous he had nothing to do with design or building it,
Silva had nothing to do with the GM show car besides lovong it deeply, Silva came up with the Maco kit very early on, he built many turn keys and sold lots of kits, Motion bought all their part or at the least farmed out the building for example the Motion Phase GT rear end are Ecklers GT rear clips...bought from Ecklers.
While I do not know the inner personal deals and business of Silva and Motion I do know they parted way on less than good terms...and then Motion came up with their "own" Mako kit that appeared to be the very same as Silva parts...hum.
At least a couple other outfits offered Mako kits that appeared they would fit right in Silvas molds.
The Silva Mako was at best a cartoon caricature of the real deal, I say that and I own a Mako kit....I am also in the process...moving slowly of pulling molds off my parts so I can offer these to people wanting to build a Mako if interested hit me up The13bats@aol.com
So while Motion gets the spotlight and fame all the credit goes solely to Silva.
As far as Vipers and this Camaro I have no clue what if any involvement Silva had.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Thanks for the info, it's interesting what can happen with designs and copyrights etc... I guess what bothers me about this particular add besides the pure vulgarity of the car is the references to Silva. I don't know of his true involvement with this particular car but would believe he had little to do with it. My gut feeling (take it for what it's worth) is the add poster read a magazine article and is making some rather poorly researched references in an effort to sell a piece of cr@p to some unsuspecting, uninformed 16 year old kid....just a little pet pieve of mine....caveat emptor!
I doubt I am too far from your same page on this one,
I have been down right obsessed over customs especially vettes for well over 35 years,
I would like to think I am fairly good at knowing different builders styles and whose parts are whose
This car has several "off the rack" Camaro custom items from the day....that and the fact it was never finished makes me wonder how if at all Silva was involved,
Through the years I have sadly seen too many cars like this, hack jobs all stuck together never finished.
My other rub is I do not like seeing Motion get so much credit for things they simply did not do.
