1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray & 1973 Chrvrolet Corvette

Highway Beautification ::: On the road is where you're most likely to see Jeff Montgomery's '63 Sting Ray coupe and his son Clint's '73 Corvette convertible.

Recently we've brought you stories of distinctively styled Corvettes, milestone Corvettes, and movie-star Corvettes that all spend their days indoors, meticulously preserved in their original (or close to it) conditions. This article isn't about Vettes like that. Instead, this one's about a father-and-son-owned pair that have logged hundreds of thousands of miles between them while seeing the U.S.A.

Jeff Montgomery bought his '63 Sting Ray coupe in 1970 while he was in college at the University of Arkansas, when you could find a good-condition midyear for under two grand. Jeff says that he and his '63 grew up together. "It's done it all, it seems like." he says. "I got it when I was 19 years old, and I didn't hold back." His first modification was four-wheel disc brakes he scrounged off a wrecked '65. Next up: Cut the fenders out and put big tires on, but not until he'd made rubber body mounts that better isolated road noise than the stock mounts did. "When I got to where I could afford it, I cut the fenders out [more], had it painted really nice, and put on Appliance wire wheels. Then, in the '90s, I put it back to original-looking."

Stingray, Clint's Way ::: Body mods on Clint's shark also include the '78 Indy Pace car front spoiler.

In the Belly of the Shark ::: Later-model sport seats and sound system make this shark's belly a comfy one.

Gotcha Again ::: Another stock-looking console-this time, Clint's '73 covers a five-speed Tremec. XM Satellite Radio receiver would have been a welcome option in 1973.

But having a silver '63 split-window that looked like every other silver '63 split-window wasn't for him. As the '90s dawned, so did the Vette-Rod era in this car's history. As Jeff says, "I've always said I was a restomodder before it was cool!"

On The Road Again ::: Going to Carlisle this year? You'll see Jeff Montgomery's Sting Ray in the special Chip's Choice display.

Built For Comfort ::: Sport seats from a '96 Corvette replaced the stock buckets, while a '73 Vette steering wheel graces a Flaming River tilt column.

Thought It Was Stock? ::: Jeff adapted the original four-speed shifter to fit the '63's current T-5 transmission and to clear the original console. The Custom Autosound stereo fits nicely in the original dash opening.