Ralph Eckler was the godfather of custom Corvette fiberglass. Little did he know, from humble beginnings working at his Dad’s gas station in Moline, Illinois, that he would grow a business into a world wide powerhouse of aftermarket Corvette parts. Today, Ecklers Automotive not only supplies parts to Corvette owners, but other makes as well. Although he sold his namesake business in 1997, he continued his devotion to the Corvette hobby for the rest of his life.
For ‘Vette fans of a certain age, Eckler was synonymous with one the wildest eras of Corvette customizing. Not only did Ecker specialize in custom hoods and fender flares, but all-out, Cam-Am body kits that were very radical back in the day.
He also had the foresight to sign an agreement with GM to reproduce discontinued parts for Corvette, inventing an industry that is still going strong today.
What Eckler is most famous for is probably the crazy Can-Am body kits. Although John Greenwood is similarly well known for wide body Sharks, each had different designs.
The wide body craze made Eckler the go to guy if you needed a kit to customized your existing car. Custom guru George Barris jumped on the bandwagon and built Farah Fawcett a sweet green version. Many discotheques and clubs were festooned with Corvettes customized with Eckler’s bodywork back in the day
They say as long as someone remembers you, you live on. Ralph Eckler will live on everytime a crazy, disco-era ‘Vette rumbles down the street. In an age of ho-hum, beige cars, a C3 with a Batmobile-esque body kit is a fitting homage to Mr. Ecker’s life work.
Thanks for the fiberglass memories, Mr. Eckler, RIP.