Pro Street Provenance: A 1963 Corvette that Showcases the Works of Two Street Machine Legends
If you’ve ever watched any of those high-end collector car auctions on TV, you know the announcers like to talk about provenance. What they’re referring to are aspects of a vehicle’s origin, history, or prior ownership that add to its significance, authenticity, or appeal. With that definition in mind, it’s easy to argue that George Clampet’s ground-shaking 1963 Pro Street Corvette has plenty of pro street provenance, despite the fact that it was never built to run on the track.
What, exactly, provides provenance to this pro street beast? Besides being a bold and badass example of the build style, George’s split-window ’Vette has the significance of being built by two titans of the movement – Troy Trepanier and Rod Saboury. These men helped define, refine, and popularize the pro street build style in 1980s and ’90s and have set standards that many still strive toward today.
This pro street Corvette’s path to pro street glory dates back more than a decade, when a previous owner commissioned Trepanier’s Rad Rides by Troy to build a wild pro street machine as a decoration for his Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based restaurant. The original idea was to hang it on the wall, though it ended up displayed on the ground in the lobby for eight years. The owner was inspired by one of Saboury’s well-known pro street ’63 Vettes, which is evident in the build. When the original owner died, Rod was able to purchase the car from his family and set out to put the “street” back into this machine.
As you might expect from the Rad Rides team, nothing on the original build was done half-assed or casually. The car’s foundation was a Jerry Bickel-built chassis with a Strange strut-type front suspension, a custom four-link rear suspension locating a 9-inch rearend with 4.10 gears, and Mark Williams disc brakes on all four corners. Billet Specialties 15×4-inch front and 15×15-inch rear wheels were wrapped in skinny and fat Mickey Thompson rubber.
The engine was yet another very legit piece used in the original Rad Rides build – a 513c.i. Keith Black Hemi that came from a Top Alcohol dragster! When Saboury got the Corvette, he sent the engine to Mike Janis Race Engines to de-tune it for street duty. The 14-71 Littlefield blower is fed by a Holley EFI system that’s supported with Magnaflow and FAST fuel system components. An MSD ignition system keeps the fire ignited in the big Hemi, while custom zoomie headers by Rad Rides expel the fumes. A Ram twin-disc clutch connects the engine to a Lenco four-speed transmission with a quartet of Hurst shifters – a signature of the pro street look.
Another crucial element in the classic pro street playbook is bold and colorful paint. This ’Vette obviously delivers with custom silver and House of Kolor candy purple paint by Rad Rides, complemented with green graphics by Bob Thrash. The custom finish covers a body that’s been shaved, smoothed, and altered with stretched rear wheel openings and cutouts for the zoomie pipes. A custom aluminum rear spoiler and mount system for the dual parachutes all contribute to the drag-inspired appearance.
Inside it’s mostly business, with the exposed Lenco trans and shifters serving as the centerpiece. The race-style bucket seats have been upholstered in black leather by Bux Customs, with gray leather upholstery on the door panels and square-weave carpet on the floor. A host of AutoMeter gauges have been integrated into the custom dash, and you’ll find carbon fiber accents on the full roll cage.
After spending a year and a half refining this pro street Corvette masterpiece, Rod Saboury enjoyed it for a while before George got the opportunity to buy it. The prospect of owning a fat-tire street machine built by two legends was all the incentive George needed, though he’s quick to note that becoming friends with Rod – and getting to take a country road ride in the ’Vette with him – helped seal the deal. “This car is totally streetable,” George assures us. Combine that quality with the Stingray’s impact and visual appeal, and we’ll bet that George takes it out for a blast down the road every chance he gets. Wouldn’t you?
Photos by Damon Lee, Todd Ryden
