Mark Beatty had always dreamed of owning a C1 Corvette, so when the opportunity came up to purchase this 1958 model in 2017, he didn’t hesitate.
“It was one of those bucket list cars,” Mark explains. “It needed work, but it had great bones and was about 99% complete, even both tops were included, which is a big plus living in the Pacific Northwest.”
While the original fuel injection motor was missing, along with the iconic trunk spears, Mark saw the car’s potential immediately. The restoration would ultimately combine timeless Corvette styling with carefully chosen modern upgrades, including a crate motor, six-speed gearbox, power-assisted disc brakes, and upgraded suspension.
But performance was only part of the vision.
Once Mark settled on a stunning root beer-inspired body color, inspired by a late-model Toyota Tundra he spotted on the freeway, he knew the chassis, engine, and transmission needed a finish that could match the depth and character of the exterior while standing up to real-world driving conditions.
That’s where Open Throttle Powder Coatings came in.
For a project this special, durability of the interior mattered just as much as appearance. Powder coating offered the ideal combination of long-term protection, chemical resistance, and high quality finish, ensuring every component underneath the car looked just as impressive as the bodywork above it.
Polychem’s Copper Cabana powder delivered the perfect complement to the Corvette’s rich exterior tone, adding warmth, depth, and durability to the drivetrain and chassis components. The ability to order smaller quantities also gave Mark the flexibility needed for a custom restoration without unnecessary waste.
Applied by Ken’s Powder Coating in Tacoma, Washington, the finished components brought the entire build together, transforming functional parts into standout features of the restoration.
“The powder completely changed the look of the build,” Mark says. “It was quite the project, but it turned out so much better than I ever could have dreamed. I love everything about this car, and you simply can’t beat driving around in a Corvette Roadster at this time of year!”
The end result is a Corvette that not only drives like a dream but showcases how the right powder coating can elevate every detail of a restoration, from protection and performance to pure visual impact.