Welcome back to Hobby Car Corvettes. Turning your dream of owning your very own third generation Corvette, into a reality.

 

A few weeks back on the blog, we brought you a post featuring the Mako Shark concept car. If you didn’t catch this post, here’s a brief rundown. The Mako Shark concept car was inspired by a fishing trip taken by Bill Mitchell, who was at the time GM’s head of design. On this trip his caught a shortfin mako shark, and was so inspired by the appearance of this ocean beast, that he launched a project of designing a concept car Corvette to look just like it. Designer Larry Shinoda took the lead in this project, and succeeded in meeting Mitchell’s expectations.

 

 

 

 

The project went well and Bill was pleased with the outcome. The Mako Shark Corvette was sleek, stylish, and sharp. It was exactly how Bill imagined the car to be. The reveal of the concept car was successful and Corvette fans were in awe. The downside of the concept car, was that it was just that—a concept—a stylish car, fitted with all the bells and whistles, unfit for the road.

 

 

But that didn’t stop admirers from setting out to own their very own “Maco” Shark.

 

MACO SHARK MODIFICATION KITS

 

 

Because Chevrolet had only intended for the Mako Shark to be a concept, never was a drivable Mako Shark released for purchase by Chevrolet. Instead, Corvette enthusiasts decided to seek modification kits. These kits consisted of Mako Shark-esque body parts to replace the exterior of an existing Corvette. Fiberglass specialists create and use Maco molds to build and form the Maco Shark kits. The ‘k’ in Mako was changed to a ‘c’ when referring to modification kits, to avoid confrontation with GM.

 

 

THE FIRST MACO SHARK CUSTOMIZERS

 

 

 

It didn’t take long for those who had the resources and the passion to realize that there was a market for providing these Mako Shark enthusiasts with the Corvette of their dreams. Many people got into the business of molding bodies for purchase, but some of the most successful customizers from the start include Joel Rosen of Motion Performance, John Silva, and Bohannon Concepts. Having started in 1974, Bohannon is still selling Maco Shark body kits today, but John Silva and Joel Rosen remain the front runners in original Maco Shark kit creations.

 

 

 

 

While several enthusiasts got into the game early, there is always a first. The first man to build a successful Maco Shark mod kit, was John Silva.  He was also the first person to refer to his kit as a “Maco” kit instead of a “Mako” kit.

 

 

 

 

Because John Silva was first, he sought to work out a deal with Joel Rosen of Motion Performance, who also wanted to create and sell Maco body kits. Rosen had already been in the business of creating supercars, and Silva knew Motion Performance could take these Maco kits to the next level. Rosen quickly began offering turn-key Motion Macos and Maco body kits.

 

 

STILL CUSTOMIZING MACOS TODAY

 

 

Over 30 years later, the dream hasn’t died. People still ache to own a Mako Shark of their own, but are happy to seek a Maco modification. In addition to Bohannon, there are many other talented Corvette enthusiasts in the business of building Maco Shark body kits for those seeking.

 

 

Located in Jackson, NJ, Keith of Corvette Upgrade, recently shared with us his long journey and ultimate acquisition of what he believes to be, original Motion Maco molds. Already in the fiberglass business, specifically pursuing a passion of Corvette upgrades, Keith is eager to help people achieve their Mako Shark dreams, by providing Maco Shark body kits. The pictures here display the molds he has acquired, and a Maco Shark car upgraded from the molds. 

 

 

 

 

We also have connections with a David Seybert, a Corvette enthusiast who has been providing Maco kits for some time. He sells the pieces individually or as kits. The pieces that come in a kit include the front slip, rear clip, side cowls, and reverse gills. A full kit costs $5,000, which is a savings of $500 if you were to buy pieces individually. All of his parts are made by Fiberglass Technologies located in Bucks County, PA. Turnaround time is typically about one week from purchase.

 

 

 

WHEN CHOOSING YOUR KIT PROVIDER

 

 

One thing to keep in mind when seeking to convert your Corvette to a Mako-esque design, is that each kit will vary slightly. Most molds differ in some way, but differences are minor and all kits stick closely to the original Mako Shark design, as that is the ultimate goal. When seeking a Maco Shark kit provider for your conversion, ask to see photos of cars that have been converted using the kits. The picture to the right is a car that has been converted by Seybert’s Maco kit.

 

 

There is no doubt about it, the Mako Shark II concept car remains one of the most successful concept car reveals. The fact that Corvette enthusiasts around the globe still seek to modify their own Corvette into Maco Sharks, stands to support this fact. This also supports our belief here at Hobby Car Corvettes, that while all Corvettes have a place in our heart, the third generation remains the nearest and dearest. If you have a dream of converting a Corvette to a Maco Shark mod, we would be happy to point you in the right direction and answer any questions you may have.

 

Mako Shark Corvettes for Sale or Recently Sold