Transformation

Fred and april takashima’s 1954 corvette shows off vintage touches blended with modern components

- Dale M. Moreau

Early 1953 and 1954 Corvettes were underpowered with few, if any, options and their handling left a great deal to be desired. But still, for their time, the Corvette was an acceptable sports car. In time, enterprising young men added the newly minted small-block Chevy V-8 with better transmissions, and the tide was turned. Dick Takashima was one of them that saw the potential of the car and did something to improve on its shortcomings.