1973 Chevrolet Corvette C3 HR Coupe - Grand Touring, Vette-Rod Style

But nice isn't one of the words you'll use to describe Bob's '73 "C3-HR" (named for the Corvette's third generation and HarborVette Restoration), once he turns the key. "This car sounds so mean!" says Bob, who also notes a key feature of the VBP-enriched undercarriage. "It's a very strong, adjustable chassis, where you can change the ride exactly as you want it. There are four different settings. I ride it pretty hard-I just like that feel." Though it's a car that can carve up the twisties on a road course like Mid-Ohio with no problem, Bob says it hasn't shaken itself apart when he's driven it hard. "We built it so it was tight," he says. "I've been driving it, and there are no rattles in the chassis-it's solid as a rock!"

Should you be considering building your own Vette-Rod, Bob advises, "Buy one with a complete body. Don't start from the ground up."