Black Thunder

“A Motion Inspired Blast from the Past”

Jeanie Garrick has been a "car girl” since childhood. She started by building elaborate scale model "car towns" for her hot wheel collection with the neighborhood kids. The first car that got her hooked on Corvettes was a silver 84 model Barbie Corvette.  Jean watched her father put it together and thought that someday she would own one. 

At the young age of 21 Jean realized her dream.  She purchased a very gently used 88 Corvette Coupe in 1991, which she regrettably sold three years later.  Her dream was rekindled years latter when with the acquisition of a 2000 C5 coupe.  Two years latter Jean and her husband traded up for an almost new 2005 Victory red C6 Coupe.  The C6 was destined for some serious performance modifications.  Jeans husband who is a diesel tech owns his own shop installed a Procharger blower and other upgrades in the C6.   

Jean and her husband latter cane across a 69 Corvette that was in dire need of some help.  The body was good and the frame was excellent. The only thing that was missing from the C3 was a complete drive train, interior, hood and bumpers.  They decided that since the car would never be brought back to its original state a “resto-mod: was in order. 

This was going to be Jeans project car her husband would handle the mechanical handle but Jean would have the last word on the cars overall appearance.  Jean spent endless hours scouring the internet for ideas on paint, wheels and styling, she copied photos of anything she liked.  Jean finally decided to go with the original Baldwin Motion paint scheme for the project.  The car was painted in black metallic with a pearl white Motion style stripe.  A “big block” L88 hood finalizes the Motion look.

Black Thunder is motivated by a warmed over LS6 that was donated from n 05 Z06.  The LS6 hooks up to the vintage car via a Speartech wiring harness. A Billet specialties pulley system keeps the engine spinning. Custom fabricated headers send the exhaust gases South.  GM’s famous 4L60E auto tranny handles the power transfer. A Dewitts custom radiator helps the LS6 keep its cool. The car steers true with the addition of a Steeriods Rack and pinion system.

The C3 was then fitted with a set of American Racing “Torque Thrust” polished aluminum wheels with very beefy lettered 15x9” rubber.  The rear end is fitted with a set of LED taillights that gives this shark a very modern look. A Lemans fuel cap to finishes the Motion look.  A friend of Jeans held a contest on Face Book for an appropriate name for the car.  He suggested calling it "Black Thunder".