Multi-TASKR

The Evolution of a Chameleon Corvette

- LOU LETO

Jerry Bentley could have taken an easy route to his next car. With a last name like his, he could have chosen his namesake vehicle, full of sophistication and elegance, a hand-built luxury machine equipped with ultra-fine appointments and high-tech refinements. It would have been a Bentley and no one would have dared raise a judgmental eyebrow. Or, given the fact that he recently retired from a successful career in the confectionery industry, his next ride could have been a detailed showpiece that was just as sweet. But, since he was immersed in the rich SoCal and Arizona car cultures, smooth and easy just weren’t the direction Jerry was headed in.

After owning a ’55 Chevy Gasser, a ’68 427 Corvette and a ’32 Ford roadster adorned with 3x2s, as well as being involved with his son’s ’69 Z/28, something soft and quiet or all show and no go wasn’t his style. Aside from these undeniable factors, his Arizona neighbor, the legendary drag racer John Loper, also influenced Jerry’s thirst for high horsepower. “I watched Loper build two Gassers,” Jerry said, his facing beaming. Instead, one might say the choice for his next project became channeling all of the above influences.