Les Mullen's 1956 Chevrolet

Les Mullen completed the build in 1962. The same year it became a cover car for both Rodding and Re-styling and Speed Mechanics magazine. It grazed the cover of Speed Mechanics in June of 1962. Titled "The Dazzling "Dominique,"" the magazine featured a story by Sam Palzer.

A photo of the car from the Speed Mechanics article. Mullen was a boat designer and builder, and according to the story, he bought the car for 250 dollars as junk and spent 1,500 hours and 2,500 dollars in "parts and overhauling labor." Photo courtesy of Speed Mechanics.

Described as a total weck, Mullen had to make all the body panels to fit the car, and he molded new front and rear fenders around mesh. Photo courtesy of Speed Mechanics.

Mullen formed hood scoops for the car using wood molds. They were then dressed up with gold-plated brass hardware. Photo courtesy of Speed Mechanics.

Functional scoops were also added to the doors. Photo courtesy of Speed Mechanics.

A detail shot showing one of the scoops in the rear fender. Photo courtesy of Speed Mechanics.

Mullen's Corvette was also featured on the cover of Rodding and Re-styling August 1962. Tom J. Dubose penned the story, and it was titled "The Dashing "Dominique"."

A profile shot of the car from the cover of Rodding and Re-styling August 1962. Photo courtesy of Rodding and Re-styling Magazine.

Canted quads and scoops! A low angle front end color photo of the car from Rodding and Re-styling August 1962. Photo courtesy of Rodding and Re-styling Magazine.

The dash featured solid mahogany rails, a gold-plated brass panel, Jaguar push-pull switches, and gold and white rolled and pleated U.S. Naugahyde upholstery. It did also receive a gold Naugahyde tonneau cover and a gold-plated floor panel and shift lever. The steering wheel was mahogany Nardi. According to Tom J. Dubose, Mullen did all the work himself, except for the gold and white Naugahyde upholstery, black Orlon top and gold tonneau cover. Photo courtesy of Rodding and Re-styling Magazine.

Under the hood, Mullen installed a 1959 Chevrolet Corvette engine that he bored to 301 inches. A hot cam, fuel injection and chrome accessory were installed before he dropped it into the car. Photo courtesy of Rodding and Re-styling Magazine.

A photo of the car appeared in Car Craft January 1963. It was taken at an indoor car show in Miami where it won first place in Best Paint and first in the Radical Custom American Sports Car Class. The captions states that the car was purchased as a wreck for $85. Photo courtesy of Car Craft Magazine.

One of the grainy pictures that Brian Condon came across in October of 2019. It was part of an upcoming estate auction, listed as an old custom Corvette with a Tom Culbertson front end kit and a Barris rear kit. Photo courtesy of Brian Condon.

The auction was canceled, but luckily for Condon, he was still able to make a deal on the car. This photo was taken in November of 2019, the day he took delivery of the old custom. Photo courtesy of Brian Condon.

Brian Condon was told that the car was turned into a drag car in the mid to late 1970, and that it had been raced around North and South Carolina. During the transformation, a hole was made in the hood for a blower, and the rear wheel openings were radiused. Photo courtesy of Brian Condon.

Photo courtesy of Brian Condon.

Photo courtesy of Brian Condon.

When Condon bought the car, it came with the wheel cutouts. Photo courtesy of Brian Condon.

The guy that made it into a drag car loved green, so he stripped the paint and interior. He also had green diamond tufted Metalflake door panels made, but never installed. The seats were also reupholstered in white pearl with green diamond flake inserts. Photo courtesy of Brian Condon.

Dominique safely stored in Condon's garage. Photo courtesy of Brian Condon.

1956 Chevrolet Corvette owned and restyled by Les Mullen of Miami, Florida.

A star is born

Mullen was a boat designer and builder, and according to a featured story in Speed Mechanics June 1962, he bought the car for 250 dollars and spent 1,500 hours and 2,500 dollars in "parts and overhauling labor." Described as a wreck, almost all body panels received alterations, and he molded new front and rear fenders around mesh.

Canted quads and scoops

The front end was rebuilt and modified to accept a pair of canted and hooded 1958 Lincoln Lucas-beamed headlights. The rear end received six 1959 Cadillac taillights. Functional scoops were added to the hood, trunk, doors, and fenders for a more dramatic look. Mullen formed hood scoops for the car using wood molds. They were then dressed up with gold-plated brass hardware. A sunken antenna emerged from a peak in the middle of the deck lid.

Mahogany and gold

Inside, The dash featured solid mahogany rails, a gold-plated brass panel, Jaguar push-pull switches, and gold and white rolled and pleated U.S. Naugahyde upholstery. It did also receive a gold Naugahyde tonneau cover and a gold-plated floor panel and shift lever. The steering wheel was mahogany Nardi.

Fuel injection

Under the hood, Mullen installed a 1959 Chevrolet Corvette engine that he bored to 301 inches. A hot cam, fuel injection and chrome accessory were installed before he dropped it into the car.

Finishing touches

Many coats of cream and white lacquer covered the custom bodywork, providing a great finish. Mullen dressed the Corvette up with chrome Buick Skylark wheels and a custom grille made from 3/8 inch colled rolled steel, wire mesh, and an emblem he picked up in a junkyard. According to Speed Mechanics writer Sam Palzer, the wheels were pirated from a Buick Skylark that Mullen found lying in a junkyard. He rehabilitated them before they went on the car along with bullet centers.

The Dashing and Dazzling Dominique

According to Tom J. Dubose of Rodding and Re-styling Magazine, Mullen did all the work himself, except for the gold and white Naugahyde upholstery, black Orlon top and gold tonneau cover. He completed the build in 1962, and the same year it became a cover car for both Rodding and Re-styling and Speed Mechanics magazine. In June of 1962, it grazed the cover of Speed Mechanics. Mullen named his custom "Dominique," and the story by Sam Palzer was title "The Dazzling "Dominique."" A story titled "The Dashing "Dominique"" was later featured on the cover of Rodding and Re-styling August 1962. Tom J. Dubose penned the Rodding and Re-styling story.

From show car to drag car

Later owner Brian Condon was told that the car was turned into a drag car in the mid to late 1970, and that it had been raced around North and South Carolina. During the transformation, a hole was made in the hood for a blower, and the rear wheel openings were radiused. The guy that made it into a drag car loved green, so he stripped the paint and interior. He also had green diamond tufted Metalflake door panels made, but never installed. The seats were also reupholstered in white pearl with green diamond flake inserts. It supposedly stayed with that family until 2017, when it was sold to a guy that wanted it as a father and son project.

Sold to Brian Condon

Brian Condon of Savannah, Georgia came across the old custom in October of 2019. "It has been hiding for probably 30 or more years and it needs some attention," Condon told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in 2019. He first saw the car in a few grainy pictures of an upcoming estate auction. It was listed as an old custom Corvette with a Tom Culbertson front end kit and a Barris rear kit. It looked rough, but Condon was intrigued, especially by the blower. The auction was canceled, but luckily for Condon, he was still able to make a deal on the car.

Future plans

Trying to trace its history, Condon spent several nights behind his computer, researching Carolina drag ways, Corvette drag cars, and anything else that could help him locate its history. A Google search for "Custom Corvette" resulted in a photo of the cover of Rodding and Re-styling August 1962, and BINGO! There it was; The Dashing "Dominique!" In December of 2019, Condon plans included restoring the car back to its 1962 configuration.

Magazine Features and Appearances

Speed Mechanics June 1962
Rodding and Re-styling August 1962
Car Craft January 1963