There’s more than just pre 49 bodied hot rods under the knife at GMS Hot Rods in Kumeu, West Auckland. One of the latest builds underway is this ’59 Chev Corvette for a client. Interestingly enough this car was started over 20 years ago by the late Pete Dore and Daryl Slater.
This was back before you could buy an Art Morrison or Roadster Shop chassis so underneath is a handcrafted chassis with C4 Corvette suspension and an early LS Corvette engine.
The plan is modern underpinnings under ’59 Corvette styling but with a twist. The wheels emulate a Chevrolet Corvette hubcap but measure 18×8 inches. While the car is still under construction, progress is steady working in with MS Vehicle Certification to keep the car legal to LVVTA requirements.
Colors and finishes are still being nutted out. “It’s an interesting project to be a part of – particularly the Dore connection and the fact that the owner is superb to work with sticking to a clear end result”, says Greg of GMS Hot Rods.