FEATURE
Images by NotStock Photographyream cars come in all shapes and sizes, but it’s safe to say that Corvettes, especially those built from 1963 to 1967, rank highly for most Chevy guys. For Arny Gollott, his idea of a dream car changed over time. He always liked Corvettes, and he owned several nice examples through the years, but his dream was to own a true “showstopper.” Arny lived in D’Iberville, Mississippi, spending his life in the shrimp business, and came to know fellow Mississippians Justin and Eli Griffin several years ago. The Griffin brothers own and operate Twin States Rod Shop in Meridian, Mississippi, and have built numerous high-end customs, ranging from Tri-Five Chevys to wild custom trucks.
Arny wanted the car to sit low and options are somewhat limited on C2 Corvettes for an extremely low ride height. Eli Griffin started cutting until the body sat over the new Roadster Shop chassis for the perfect stance. This required intense fiberglass work in the firewall, floor, and rear floor sections. While he was at it, he mini-tubbed the car and fabricated custom rocker panels and a custom tail pan that’s molded into the body. Eli used BASF materials throughout the bodywork process, priming and blocking until the body was ready for black paint. Additional block-sanding took place after the paint cured, and the flattened material was brought back to a mirror-like shine with multiple stages of buffing and polishing.
The smoked glass came from Auto City Classics and adds a subtle touch to the ultra-slick Corvette, but it doesn’t hide the bright red Relicate leather inside. Erin Ruddy of Ruddy Made Interiors in Alton, Missouri, handled the stitchwork, using Snowden bucket seats and many custom panels, including a custom console. The original dash was wrapped in leather and houses custom-made Classic Instruments gauges with the Twin States Rod Shop logo. Finishing touches include a Billet Specialties steering wheel, Juliano’s seatbelts, and a polished Lokar shifter. Justin Griffin handled the wiring, which consists of an American Autowire harness, which feeds numerous accessories, including the Vintage Air, JL Audio equipment, and Holley Terminator EFI system.
The horsepower department is occupied by a stroked LS3 combination from Turn Key Engine Supply. While it started as a standard 6.2L (376ci) displacement, the new bore and stroke setup brings it up to 427 ci. With a more aggressive camshaft and accompanying valvetrain components, the 427 LS3 is nearing the 700hp mark. Despite the modern powerplant, Arny still wanted a vintage look, so old-style finned valve covers and a Tri-Power air cleaner were adapted to the LS engine. Coated headers lead into a custom 3-inch exhaust system complete with MagnaFlow mufflers. An aluminum radiator with dual Spal electric fans keeps the rowdy LS3 cool, while a GM 4L65E automatic transmission with a Circle D torque converter puts the power to the ground through 3.70:1 gears. Jackson Powertrain built the custom driveshaft.
After an extensive three-year build, Arny had the opportunity to see and drive his showstopper Corvette for the first time in its finished state. Unfortunately, Arny died a few months later. Justin and Eli at Twin States Rod Shop agreed to show the car at various events throughout the year in Arny’s honor. We first spotted it at the Triple Crown of Rodding in Nashville and it grabbed our attention with its great combination of details and a killer stance to tie it all together. Arny was proud of his dream car, although he didn’t get to enjoy it for very long. Now it’s up to the Gollott family to cherish this certified dream car and continue telling its story.
Vehicle: 1966 Chevrolet Corvette
Type: LS3
Displacement: 427 ci
Compression Ratio: 10.7:1
Bore: 4.065 inches
Stroke: 4.125 inches
Rotating Assembly: Forged crank, H-beam rods, Mahle pistons
Cylinder Heads: GM castings, 260cc intake runners, 2.160/1.590 valves
Valvetrain: 0.080-inch wall pushrods, double valvesprings, 1.7:1 rocker arms
Camshaft: Custom grind hydraulic roller with Delphi lifters
Ignition: Hidden coil packs, Delmo vintage-style plug wires
Intake: Holley EFI with Custom Tri-Power air cleaner
Assembly: Turn Key Engines
Exhaust: Custom headers and exhaust, 3-inch, MagnaFlow mufflers
Ancillaries: Finned Corvette valve covers, Vintage Air Front Runner
Output: Estimated 700 hp
Transmission: GM 4L65E, Circle D torque converter
Rear Axle: Narrowed 9-inch by Currie, 31-spline axles, 3.70:1 gears
Front Suspension: Roadster Shop tubular control arms, JRi coilovers
Rear Suspension: Roadster Shop four-link, JRi coilovers
Brakes: Wilwood 14-inch rotors, six-piston calipers
Master Cylinder: Wilwood
Wheels: Schott Mod 5 (one-off), 18×8.5 and 19×12
Tires: Custom redline
Seats: Snowden bucket seats, stitched in red leather by Ruddy Made Interiors (Alton, MO)
Steering: Billet Specialties wheel, Ididit column
Console: Custom
Shifter: Lokar
Instrumentation: Classic Instruments with Twin States Rod Shop logos
HVAC: Vintage Air
Audio: JL Audio head unit, amplifier, and speakers
Wiring: American Autowire by Justin Griffin
Paint: BASF black by Eli Griffin at Twin States Rod Shop (Meridian, MS)
Hood: 1966 big-block
Bumpers: Cut down and tucked, chrome by Chevy Shop
Headlights: LED
