writer: Christopher R. Phillip
photographer: Tony Rabbitte
Murray Forman is president of the National Corvette Restorers Soci-ety's (NCRS) Australia chapter. Much like his American counterparts, Forman is dedicated to the restoration, preservation, and enjoyment of Corvettes, and he has a sworn obligation to hold his actions within the hobby to the highest standards.
So you can imagine Forman's initial ambivalence over the idea of taking an NCRS Double Top Flight '66 Corvette Coupe and turning it into a pro-touring cruiser. "I have always had a passion to do a hot rod, so I thought, 'Why not do a Corvette?'" he tells us. "But I was concerned that this would not be appropriate in the NCRS fraternity. I was pleasantly surprised to find that most NCRS members have a hot rod of their own."
His fears assuaged, Forman called upon the help of Tray Walden, of Street Shop, Inc., in Athens, Alabama, to make his dream a reality. Walden suggested using one of the company's C2 conversion chassis. Forman was so impressed with the Street Shop package that he commissioned Walden to build him a chassis before he even had a Vette body to put on top of it.
Walden started with one of Street Shop's top-of-the-line Stage 4 chassis. This elite offering is the company's most extensive frame system and supplies much more than just a modern foundation for a classic Vette. The package begins with a mandrel-bent frame onto which C4 components may be easily bolted. It also includes a formidable arsenal of custom and aftermarket components:
* Mustang power rack-and-pinion with new tie-rod ends
* 1-inch front sway bar with urethane bushings and billet endlinks
* Custom rear-toe assembly
* Steering-shaft adapter
* Billet lower coilover mounts
* Aldan adjustable aluminum coilover shocks (front and rear)
* '96 Corvette suspension
* Stainless-steel brake system with braided hoses, and '96 Corvette Grand Sport rotors and calipers
* Stainless-steel fuel lines with AN fittings for EFI
* Corvette Dana 44 rearend
* LS accessory-drive kit
* 17-inch American Racing wheels with Bridgestone tires
With his chassis build already underway, Forman put the word out that he was looking for a C2 to turn into a best-of-both-worlds showpiece. Soon afterward, Dennis Kazmierzak, of Rocky Mountain Corvette, in Park City, Utah, told Forman about a Top Flight '66 for sale by one of his customers. "It had excellent paint and was over-restored for a '66," Kazmierzak says. "It was too nice."
Forman started negotiations with the seller, and on July 18th, 2005, the Vette was his. Since it came from the Rocky Mountains, he christened his new car "Rocky."
This shot provides a good look at the car's Aldan coilovers, Dana 44 diff, and ceramic-coated exhaust system. Watch those speed bumps!
According to Kazmierzak, who was charged with preparing Rocky's body for its new underpinnings, modifying the Top Flight Vette to fit Forman's unique vision was no small challenge. "I had to tub the rear compartment three inches on each side to accommodate the ZR-1 [size] wheels," Kazmierzak said. "And I had to modify the stock body mounts to bolt onto the custom chassis."
Meanwhile, Street Shop had finished the rolling chassis-suspension parts, wheels, tires, brakes, fuel and brake lines, rearend, gas tank, and all. With a brand-new LS2 crate engine and a Tremec TKO-600 five-speed bolted into place, the finished product was shipped to Rocky Mountain Corvette for Part Two of the project.
Once the rolling frame arrived in Utah, Kazmierzak got to work. "First, I carefully set the body down on the frame and adjusted the height so that there was proper clearance over the wheels for steering," he tells us. "Then, I installed a Flaming River tilt steering column, hooked up the universal joints, set up the clutch and brake linkages, adapted the electrical system for speed controls, turn signals, and lighting, and installed the digital gauges and radio."