Words & Photos: Chadly Johnson
Perhaps the only things better in the classic car hobby than the cars themselves are the friends you make along the way. If you are lucky, over time you’ll acquire a group of friends who have your back and work alongside you during the long hours of restoring or building a custom car. Often times this core group will be the launching point of a car club. Mike Itel and Ken Kinnear met in just such a way due to their passion for Corvettes. Both men enjoyed autocross racing their ‘60s era Vettes and dreamed of building show quality Corvettes as well. Mike was the first to take on a show build, with Ken playing a key roll. You can see the results of this collaboration in issue #47 of TRK, or right here on Hot Rod Hotline: Mike’s incredible “Autumn Leaves” ‘71 Corvette.
With the completion of Autumn Leaves, Ken longed for a show car of his own, so in 1975 Ken and a group of friends tackled a frame off build on his ‘67 Corvette Sting Ray coupe. This elite team consisted of Ken and Mike along with Ron Becker, Mitch Kim and many Corvette club friends. The build consisted of adding body flares, custom side exhaust, a front spoiler and Coke bottle mag wheels. The body and frame were painted maroon, and undercarriage components were powder coated. Mitch Kim also added pinstripping.
The ‘Vette was shown at indoor events around the Pacific Northwest during the mid ‘70s into the early ‘80s, including the Portland and Eugene Roadster shows, the Multnomah Hot Rod Council show and the Seattle and Portland World of Wheels. With show cars needing to be constantly updated and improved for each show season, Ken was financially unable to continue showing the ‘67. The show ‘Vette was put into storage, where it would remain for over 30 years. Sadly Ken passed away in 2015, and Mike acquired his old show ‘Vette…which I’m sure would make Ken very happy. In Ken’s honor, Mike set out to perform a second frame off restoration on the ‘67 in his memory.
The ‘67 is a rare model, as it came from the factory heavily accessorized. Who wouldn’t dream of owing a numbers matching 400hp 427 coupe with a tri-power and a close ration Muncie 4 speed? Additional factory options include Positraction, air conditioning, power windows, side exhaust, 4 wheel disc brakes, power steering and brakes, heavy duty sway bars, telescoping steering column with a teak wheel, dual mirrors, tinted glass and head rests. What a ‘Vette!!
The first thing you cannot help but notice on the restored Sting Ray is the absolutely incredible paint job. The restoration of the coupe was carried out by Steve Heuer Customs, and the paint work was done in the style of Jack Ruckman, aka “The Beard.” Again, if you recall the Autumn Leaves feature, you will remember that its paint job is a surviving example by The Beard, so the crew at the body shop had an actual example to reference. The paint techniques executed are from the era of the ‘60s and ‘70s and give the ‘Vette a period perfect appearance that requires a second or third look to capture all the details. The upholstery work was carried out by A.J. Bentler 1st Appearance Upholstery and the bright work by Cruisin’ Classics. The ceramic coating on the exhaust was by Russ Meeks at Finish Line Ceramic Coatings.
The first time I spotted the Sting Ray was at the Portland Roadster Show. I knew the ‘Vette was going to be there, and had a general idea of what it looked like, but to see it in person is a whole different experience. The paint is truly a piece of art, and the level of detail in the upholstery and chrome work is flawless. Ken would be so proud of his old ‘Vette. Mike, along with the team at Steve Heuer Customs, went above and beyond to make the ‘67 a stunning show piece – and if it weren’t for the cars on display around the coupe, you would think you were time warped back to 1967. The ‘Vette looked amazing under the lights at the Roadster show, but looked even more incredible outdoors when I photographed it at the beautiful Wilmes Hop Farm Wedding Facility in Aurora, Oregon. Every angle I took photos at revealed a new level of detail in the paint work; it was a very enjoyable shoot.
Mike is a great guy and has created an amazing dedication to his late friend. It’s always nice when you know a car went to the “right guy,” and Mike is the perfect caretaker for this show stopper.
