2009 News
PPG-painted Corvette wins "Street Machine of the Year"
STRONGSVILLE, Ohio – August 8, 2009 – There are lots of cars on the street, but there’s only one “Street Machine of the Year.” And in 2009, it’s a stunning, PPG-painted 1962 Corvette that wowed the crowd, got the unanimous approval of the judges and drove off with the coveted “Street Machine of the Year” award at the 12th annual Goodguys PPG Nationals held recently in Columbus, OH.
While the car looks like a Corvette and would be easily identified as one, it retains very few original components and is nothing like anything that ever came off an assembly line. Known as “C1RS,” the car is owned by Barry Blomquist of Onalaska, WI. It was designed by artist Eric Brockmeyer and built and painted by Phil and Jeremy Gerber and their team at The Roadster Shop in Mundelein, IL.
C1RS’s body modifications were created in aluminum and then executed in fiberglass. Brockmeyer came up with a paint scheme based on black to complement and accentuate the ‘Vette’s low-slung, swooping profile. The Roadster Shop chose the PPG Deltron® brand product line to enhance the car’s appearance. The Deltron coatings used included DPS 3055 gray primer and DCC 9300 single-stage black along with other Deltron metal preps.
“We’re very happy with the results we got with the Deltron coatings,” said Phil Gerber, co-owner of The Roadster Shop. “We’ve been spraying PPG products for years. A car like this, you don’t want to diminish it by using anything less than the best paint.”
“This is an absolutely fabulous car and the finish is incredible,” added Blomquist. “It blends blacks and grays and silvers. These guys created a beautiful car and then made it more beautiful with that PPG finish. It’s fantastic.”
The car looks like a true street machine and performs like one, too. Goodguys street machine contestants must run at least three laps on the autocross course to prove their mettle. C1RS ran away from the other entrants – 31 of them – thanks to its road-hugging Roadster Shop chassis, Bowler T-56 transmission and monstrous 618-horsepower, LS7 Turnkey engine. Inside the car, Blomquist will enjoy Italian red leather seats with suede accents, a sculpted aluminum dash and a handcrafted center console.
C1RS took over nine months to complete. It is the street machine to beat for the coming year.
Goodguys is one of the world’s largest rod and custom associations with membership approaching 70,000 nationwide. The association produces more than 20 car shows and events annually with the Goodguys PPG Nationals being the highlight of the year. PPG exhibits at every national and many regional events, featuring the hot colors, unique pigments and special effect finishes showcased in their brand of custom colors, the Vibrance Collection® and other brands including Deltron®. PPG is the official paint supplier to the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association.
about ppg
Pittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. The company has more than 140 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates and operates in more than 60 countries. Sales in 2008 were $15.8 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.