Harold Fudge Brings an Old C2 Corvette Back to Life
Some people keep their dreaming in the bedroom, while others eventually bring them to life. Harold Fudge had a lifelong dream of owning and restoring a Corvette, and it only took 48 years to make it come true.
1. A Lifelong Dream
This dream started at a tumultuous time, in 1967, while the United States was involved in the Vietnam War, and the whole was going crazy. Harold Fudge, however, was slowly falling in love with a 1965 Corvette Convertible that belonged to a friend, as they cruised with the top down. At that time, Harold was in no position to buy such a premium vehicle, but nothing can stop a man from dreaming.
2. 48 Years Later...
48 years later, on April of 2015, Harold spotted what he would probably call "the dream car." While walking around the swap meet at the Goodguys show in California, he saw a rough 1965 Corvette convertible sitting on a trailer. After 48 years, he didn't hesitate, but decided on the spot that this Corvette should be his, and he bought it on the trailer, without even bringing it down.
3. The Plan
The plan wasn't a frame-off restoration, the plan was a frame-off rebuild. Although Harold had fallen in love with this car in 1967, he wanted to bring it to life to modern-day performance standards, which meant modern engine, suspensions, brakes, wheels, and everything. His idea was to this Corvette like something Chevrolet would produce today, while keeping its original 1960s style. With the help of Leonard Lopez at Dominator Street Rods in California, the dream was becoming real.
4. Engine
The original V8 engine was long gone, so in its place, Harold put a brand new LS376 crate motor, which works through a T-56 Super Magnum six-speed manual transmission. The LS motor delivers 495-horsepower and 473 pound-feet of torque, as much as the hottest big block from back in the day, while weighing hundreds of pounds less. The new engine produces 65 more horsepower than usual, thanks to an LS Hot Cam with 0.525/0.525-inch lift and 219/228 degree duration.Exhaust is handled through custom-made three-inch steel tube, which go out the sides of the Corvette.
5. Shaping the Dream
Shortly after stripping the '65 Corvette down to bare fiberglass, the team at Dominator reinforced the fiberglass, gelcoated it, then blocked it three times to get the body as smooth as possible. Once the bodywork was ready, it was painted House of Kolor Jet Black, and complemented with fine red stripes on the hood, surrounding a silver accent on the Stinger hood. Finally, Dominator fabricated the bumpers and pulled them in tighter to complete the sleek look of the exterior.
6. Wheels and Tires
There was no room for mistake when it came to the wheels. With the amount of hours that went into the look of the exterior, the right wheels were critical to the overall style of the classic. After lots of consideration, Harold decided on the 18-inch Schott Mach V wheels in a classic 5-spoke design, which hold wide Nitto NT555 G2 tires.
7. Suspension and Brakes
To finish what was to become a masterpiece, the team added 3/4-inch antiroll bars to make this classic corner flat, and handle the added grip of that wide modern rubber. Tightening up the ride, and absorbing the bumps are RideTech monotube coilovers. Dominator also equipped the Corvette with a Borgeson Power Box to quicken the steering, which works with a Flaming River tilt steering column, allowing this vintage sports car to drive like something much more modern. Finally, reining in the powerful engine are Wilwood disc brakes all around, with six piston calipers and 14-inch rotors in the front, and four piston calipers with 13-inch brake rotors in the rear.
8. Inside the Dream
The team at Dominator set a very high standard with the exterior and engine work, which meant the interior had to be of extremely high quality. The seats were reupholstered with premium quality red leather, which of course covered brand new foam, and they were set on top of brand new darker-red carpet. The gauges were all replaced with classic looking modern examples, to maintain the spirit of the 1965 legend, and the center console and dashboard were equipped with Vintage Air Vents, as well as an ARC Audio sound system. Back in 1967, a Corvette this nice could only exist in a dream, but now it exists for all to see.
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