Scotty Hooper is a huge fan of the 1963 Corvette and has had one on his radar for years as his next build. He’s a car guy to the bone and in fact has a collection consisting of 67 various hot rods and muscle cars–vintage and late model–along with 83 restored antique Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Scotty’s collection is more like a museum due to the immaculate condition of the restored rare cars along with the eclectic grouping of vintage Harleys, with the newest being from 1983.

As we tail back to this 1963 Corvette and how it came about, we’ll let Scotty tell the story: “Paul Atkins, owner of Paul Atkins Interiors, is a hot rod builder who I’ve been close friends with since high school. We used to do a lot of street racing, and we took part in quite a bit of shenanigans back in our younger days—it was mostly harmless, but it was usually car-related stuff. [Atkins] started out doing just auto upholstery and through time began doing full hot rod and muscle car builds. Over the years he has built seven or eight cars for me, so I visit the shop quite often. For years I had been stalking a 1963 Corvette he was in the process of building for himself. It was a car he purchased in pieces about 12 years prior and at this point he was making good progress on the build, as it had a Roadster Shop chassis, an LS9, and a transmission mocked up in the car. Just about every time I stopped by the shop, I would bug him to sell it to me. I’d get more aggressive with every attempt, but he wouldn’t budge. At some point he got tired of my constant harassment, or I offered him the right amount of money. Either way, he reluctantly gave in and sold me the car.”

With the Corvette now a customer car, Atkins and his team put the build in overdrive and began the customizing process while staying true to the Brockmeyer rendering. They enhanced the side vents for a custom touch then focused on the bodywork prep, which included hours and hours of tedious wet sanding and proper gapping prior to laying down a brilliant R-M Light Misty Green paint, giving the Corvette outstanding eye appeal. As a finishing touch, a set of custom bumpers were narrowed and tucked for a stealthier approach that pairs nicely with the 1966 Corvette big-block hood.

The engine bay was treated to custom inner fender panels color-matched to the exterior prior to dropping in the aforementioned LS9 powerplant. Lokar valve covers, Concept One accessory drive system, and custom-painted supercharger lid spice up the engine’s otherwise-factory appearance.

That power works its way through a T-56 Magnum six-speed transmission, triple-disc Tick performance clutch, Fast Shift driveshaft, and onto a Ford 9-inch, Dutchman centersection stuffed with 3.70 gears, Truetrac posi, and 31-spline axles. It’s a robust setup capable of handling every ounce of power the C2 can dish out while providing years of worry-free operation.

Underneath, the Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis employs Corvette Z06 spindles, 1⅝-inch lower control arms, and 1¼-inch upper control arms up front for additional strength and a proper hot rod stance while able to accept a wider-than-stock wheel-and-tire combination. Out back, the IRS system relies on Fox coilover shocks and 1¼-inch splined sway bar for an exceptional driving experience.

Schott Vulcan wheels (18×8 front, 19×12 rear) wrapped in vast Bridgestone Potenza rubber ensure the Corvette maintains a firm grip on the road while showcasing a bold and assertive style. Wilwood disc brakes reside on all four corners and work in tandem with the Wilwood master cylinder and Tuff Stuff brake booster for precise stopping power.