Seen in its previous incarnation, Jim Tabor's Corvette was outfitted with racing-style wheels in this photo snapped atop the Gander Mountain parking garage by admirer Dennis Underwood.
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Dennis Underwood / Courtesy
Jim and Sherry Tabor keep their stunning '58 Corvette snug and warm in its own carpeted garage during bad weather. Jim has owned the car for almost half a century and still enjoys hitting as many area car shows as possible each season.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Tabor says the '58 Corvette was nicknamed the "Ugly Duckling 'Vette" because it carried a lot more chrome than earlier models, including the twin blades down the deck lid. The molded-in, almost horizontal tail lights, though, are classics.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A styling addition for '58 was this set of non-functional hood louvers, sometimes referred to as a "cheese grater."
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The original 283 4-barrel V-8 has been replaced by a 350-cubic-inch, 350 hp Chevy Ram Jet crate motor. Tabor created his own cold air induction system for the fuel injection, shaping a piece of scrap stainless steel tubing to fit the confines of the engine compartment.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Back in black, the 'Vette's interior once sported a red-and-white pleated interior, including the headliner of the removable hardtop. The stock wheel and instrument panel look more appealing in a solid black setting.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The factory 4-speed transmission long ago succumbed to the rigors of performance driving and has been replaced by a Muncie 4-speed.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Sad to say, this is about as good as it gets, organization-wise, in the old Wheels office. This shot was taken shortly after a major excavation of the desktop.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Dean Teague applied his stitching skills to the seats, using subtly pleated black leather when the car's interior was refurbished 20 years ago. Still looks good as new.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Mike Tabor handled the simple, but elegant door panels when the interior was upgraded as part of an overall restoration of the car.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A wicked stance puts the 'Vette's front splash pan only a few inches off the pavement. Following an accident, Jim Tabor upgraded the stock grille by adding eight more shark's teeth to the look, for a total of 17.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Jim Tabor fabricated his own set of traction bars to keep the rear tires from digging into the fiberglass bodywork under hard acceleration. He also built his own exhaust system, including the connecting rod-style pipe hangers.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Tabor recently went back to a more traditional looking set of rolling stock, opting for steel wheels painted to match the body and police-style dog-dish hubcaps.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The 1958 Corvette was the first of the line to sport dual headlights, giving it a more modern look.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
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