Euro-Fusion

1967 Chevelle SS blends European style with American performance

- Chuck Vranas

PHOTOS: Robert McGaffin

In the world of hot rodding there are plenty of schools of styling to relate to, especially when you look at the roots of the hobby when trying to dial in a specific era to concentrate on for your build. A lot of this depends if you are looking to re-create a factory, numbers-matching restoration; capture the perfect ’60’s street/drag look; possibly a mile-high gasser; or even the re-creation of a ’70’s-era street freak. Move toward the later decades of the 20th century and the low-slung Pro Street and Pro Touring feel bring it all full circle. What if, though, you grew up in another country far away from any of these influences, which have become a staple of our history?

For George Kouthouridis of Newton, Massachusetts, growing up in the quaint seaside city of Katerini, Greece, his automotive roots sprouted from a completely different set of experiences. Spending his youth near the base of Mt. Olympus and the Aegean Sea, historical culture took precedence. As the years passed he became more in tune with the local automotive scene where plenty of French, German, and British cars flooded the narrow streets—many with lowered suspensions and hopped-up engines. Building scale model kits at the kitchen table while also pouring over as many car magazines as possible to absorb technical and stylistic designs from around the globe fueled his fire.