THE BUILD
With expert guidance from master fiberglass craftsman Jim Grindrod, this was my first attempt at ANY body work. In addition to my full work week at Automotive Engineering in Clearwater, Florida, I spent approximately 50 hours per week on the process for eight straight months in 1978.
The rear clip was originally manufactured by Eckler's, but was extensively reworked and modified. The L-88 style hood was extended to eliminate the air inlet grille, yet retain the factory wiper door. The entire car was sanded with two different colors of primer directly over the fiberglass, using negligible filler.
HIDDEN ELEMENTS
The previously most frequently asked question of "How do you add fuel?", (behind the license plate), was replaced by "Where are the headlights?", (they flip down into the center of the grill), when the new nose was installed in 1992. The leading edge of the nose is a Kaminari replacement fiberglass bumper for C4 Corvettes, grafted on and molded in. The headlights are sealed beam GM units used in some early ‘90s Pontiacs and Camaros, mounted on an aluminum bar operated by a power window motor.
Not truly hidden, but likely to go unnoticed, are the removal of the 4th side gills from each fender, elimination of the door locks, recessed door handles, integrated rocker panels and the C4 mirrors molded onto the doors.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
From grille inserts and striping in the gills, GOBO lights at the front corners of the body, blue LEDs in the heads of the throttle body bolts and removable RGB lighting in the side exhaust tubes, to the "Nightwind" sign reflected in the paint on the sides, there are always surprises to be found - day or night.
