Military-Themed Custom Corvette

At Karl Kustoms, we work on some pretty cool projects. When we were offered the opportunity to help build a custom Z06 Corvette in honor of America’s fallen soldiers, we jumped all over it. We worked with Bad Boy Vettes, a group of Corvette enthusiasts all over the world, to bring a 2016 Z06 Corvette to the next level.

Called “The Defender”, this Corvette came loaded with custom features. Bad Boy Vettes did most of the build, but they had us take care of the custom airbrushing. Our auto body painter Ed Birmingham spent countless hours working on The Defender. He shows off the end result in this video:

The Defender has an all-black exterior (which we painted) with red as the accent color. Looks pretty simple, doesn’t it? Wait until you look under the hood.

It’s not obvious at first glance, but this car is loaded with incredible murals. You’ll find colorful detailed works of art on the underside of the hood, the engine bay, and other hidden spots on the Corvette.

The murals boast many impressive features, including:

• Detailed lettering
• US Army helicopter firing at another helicopter
• Serviceman with a German Shepherd in uniform
• The USS Iowa battleship
• Arlington Cemetery stones with names of Medal of Honor recipients from each major conflict

The artwork acknowledges and honors every branch of the military, including:

• Army
• Navy
• Air Force
• Marines
• Coast Guard

We made a point to honor a military branch on almost every panel on this car. Even the valve cover boasts custom artwork. Ed Birmingham spent more time than he normally does on a car painting these murals. The end result was well worth it, in his opinion. Our Digital Marketing Specialist Clint Quesinberry was proud to have been a part of this project. “It is a privilege to take on a custom project like this and use our skills to honor our nation’s military,” he said. “This Memorial Day, we are proud to recognize those who served.”

Want to see this one-of-a-kind Corvette? Head on over to the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky! This car is a full-time show car, so it’s being displayed at the museum for the rest of 2021. After 2022 rolls around, it will start traveling the country. It’s already scheduled to visit about a dozen events. It also has a shot of winning the 2021 International Show Car Association (ISCA) Car of the Year. Keep your fingers crossed!