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One Step Beyond By John
Nelson Bill Verboon knows what he likes in a Corvette, and
he builds his cars accordingly. We last caught up with Bill in our July
2000 issue, "Modern Conveniences." That C4-suspended, LT1-powered '62
(which also graced our cover that month) combined an understated, classic
look with substantially upgraded technology. As Bill puts it now, "I need
a classic car with modern, state-of-the-art parts, to go fast and far, in
comfort" That first '62 certainly fit the bill, but, even as he finished
that car, Verboon was already formulating ideas for a more radical hybrid.
"After having so much success with that first Vette," he told us, "I
thought I would take all of my ideas of what a modern, straight-axle
Corvette should be, and put them into the next one."
When Bill and his wife, Karen, discussed a theme
for the car, their thoughts were influenced by the fact that they'd just
ordered a Millennium Yellow 2000 with a tan interior. Smitten by that
particular color combo, they decided to go with a "2000" theme, and Bill
directly got to work. Bill had already located a suitable donor car, a '62
that was "a No.3 driver." The 327/340 roadster wasn't what he was looking
for in a resto project, but Bill considered it the perfect starting point
for his ultimate modern solid-axle. The first step was to strip the veteran Vette down
to the bare bones. The frame was then sent to Paul Newman's Car Creations
of Templeton, California, who performed their special brand of chassis
magic by modifying the old rails to accept the complete front and rear
suspension systems from a '91 ZR-1 donor car. Newman and crew also
prepared the frame to accept an updated powertrain (more on that later).
The not-so-new, but definitely improved frame ended up yellow powdercoated
and polished before final assembly, but, of course, there were many more
hours of work before that point was reached. The "new" C4 suspension
pieces were polished before being assembled to the frame with Energy
Suspension bushings. The stock ZR-1 monospring was retained at the rear of
the car, where it was attached to a C4 differential sporting
stiffer-than-stock 3.73:1 cogs. Verboon opted for a Vette Brakes &
Products front spring, a piece that allowed him to drop the frontend 2
inches, while Bilstein shocks reside at all four corners. Steering is
handled by a stock late C4 rack-and-pinion, but Verboon wanted something
special in the steering column department. Ken Kallison of ididit was up
to the challenge, and with Verboon created the sharp aluminum billet
tilt/tele unit the car now sports. When it came to the braking system, components were
sourced from a variety of companies. The stock brake pedal wears a Lokar
pad(as do the clutch pedal and the through-the-floor pivot gas pedal), and
works to actuate a Car Creations master cylinder. Stainless steel lines
then connect to the stout Baer calipers, which work with drilled and
slotted rotors to provide braking force at each corner. Anticipating the
need for wide and sticky rolling stock, the seriously upgraded '62 chassis
rolls on chrome 2000-style Corvette wheels: 8.5x17-inch up front and
9.5x18-inch out back with Firestone Firehawk RFWs, 245/45ZR17 in front and
295/40ZR18 in the rear. For motorvation, Verboon went for the current
Corvette power champ and ordered an LS6 powerplant from Street &
Performance. Thanks to Mr. Newman, the Gen III mill mounted right into the
modified frame using stock C5 motor mounts. S&P also provided the
necessary pulleys and a 90-amp alternator to help keep plenty of spark on
hand. The motor is basically stock, with a few exceptions, of course. A
custom wiring harness was a necessity, and this was provided by Speed
Scene Wiring of San Antonio. The new engine takes big breaths through a
K&N filter, which is perched on the end of a color-coordinated elbow
(fabricated by Alf Eberoth). The stock GM ignition system lights the
fires, but spent gasses exit through TPI Specialties headers created to
meet Verboon's specifications, 2-1/2-inch stainless tubes (both ceramic
coated by Capps), and Borla stainless mufflers. The potent package bolts
up to a T56 six-speed transmission (donated by a 2000 Camaro by way of All
GM in Sacramento, California) which sends the ponies back to the upgraded
differential through a Camaro hydraulic clutch and via a Car Creations
driveshaft. Extensive work was done to the '62s fiberglass. The
grille shell and insert are both stock, restored, items, but most of the
rest of the body has been modified in some way. The front fenders appear
to be stock, but the inner panels had to be modified to accommodate the
front suspension, as well as the A/C, alternator, brake power booster, and
the clutch master cylinder. The stock rear quarter-panels were replaced.
The new pieces incorporate a fender flare, but and also serve to widen
things out back, to the tune of 2-1/2 inches per-side, allowing that fat
modern rubber to easily fit underneath. The Vette already had the
three-taillight treatment in place when Verboon bought it; he elected to
keep the lights in place, and wired them to blink sequentially. The
fiberglass floor of the '62 also needed to be modified, and Bill received
lots of help from his son Doug in tackling this task. The duo made a steel
pattern to properly fit and cover the modified driveshaft and trans
tunnel, all while retaining the look they wanted. A polished Griffin
radiator and a Rock Valley fuel tank completed the chassis
componentry. When asked about his '62s most striking exterior
feature--the hood, in case you didn't notice--Bill readily explains his
reasoning: "I wanted to build a photogenic car that people like, and
what's more photographed than a '67 big-block hood?" It's a deviation from
the "2000" theme the Verboons originally envisioned, but hey, what custom
car builder doesn't change his plans along the way? The hybrid hood was
created using a '62 bottom piece and a '67 top, which was then sectioned
to fit with some help from Jim Waldschimdt at Waldschmidt Automotive. Doug
sprayed the eye-catching yellow and black PPG hues; stock bumpers, Hella
headlights, bronze window glass, and a black convertible top sewn up by
Tom and Mae Crockett rounded out the exterior. For the interior, Bill and Doug started off by
making a custom dash panel to accept AutoMeter gauges, including a
hand-built clock. All the dials sport carbon-fiber faces with yellow
lettering. While Doug was working on the transmission tunnel, he also
built a special center console. The HVAC controls rest in the center pod,
though they now control a Vintage Air A/C system that's driven by a Street
& Performance compressor. The power window controls also reside
there--this amenity came from Power Window Specialties. There's also room
for a Sony "Explod" stereo and amplifier, which sound off through speakers
that are mounted in the kick panels. Cookies of Fresno, California, came
up with a batch of yellow leather, which was utilized in stitching up the
beige, tan, and yellow interior. A Budnik steering wheel and a B&M
Ripper shifter top things off. There's nothing else that looks like this '62, and
it has already brought home several awards, including one at Reno,
Nevada's Hot August Nights. And Verboon's enthusiasm for this type of car
is such that building them has becomea "strong hobby/business," called
Gold Top Restorations. But Bill really gets fired up when asked about
driving his creation. "It puts a smile on my face," he says. "I love
driving it. It feels like you're gonna pass your own taillights. That LS6
torque just powers it out of turns." (We went for a ride after our photo
shoot, and can readily confirm that). In our book, that in itself is more
than worth the extra steps that were taken in building this unique
Vette. Bill and Doug Verboon fabricated the
vintage-looking yet thoroughly modern-performing dash cluster and center
console.That LS6 looks right at home in the '62's engine bay, and with all
that Gen III power on hand, makes this "old" Vette really get up and
move.The same fit, finish, and attention to detail found on the rest of
the car are just as evident underneath it.
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