He definitely wanted to show the car again, and this time he wouldn’t
be embarrassed with his engine compartment. Mel worked hard cleaning and detailing
the stock V8, but he didn’t jerk the engine, which meant he couldn’t
do a complete job. He did chrome some parts and pieces, which were very tasteful
and well done, just like the rest of the modifications topside.
He knew it was an incomplete job, and that’s
when the president of the Cowtown Corvette Club made him an offer he couldn’t
forget. "When you pull the motor, I’ll rebuild the front suspension
for you."
The offer was too good to refuse considering the
president had a six-car garage that featured a pit to work on the suspension.
Mel decided to get off the porch and run with the big dogs. He was tired of
the anemic 190-horse 350 and not being able to detail the front end fully.
He and the president pulled the engine and sent it
to another club member, Mike Braswell. A professional engine builder, Mike
owns three Corvettes himself, plus a
