Anyone remember Larry F Parks dba Parks Performance Milpitas Ca in the 70's or 80's?

[William G.]

His business card was found in the door of a 67 coupe . Larry F Parks owned Park Performance "complete Corvette Body and Service Center" in Milpitas Ca. No telling how old the card is but I'd estimate the 1970's or 1980's. We've been told that this car was restored on the west coast and this may be the place. Trying to confirm engine.Thanks for any help. Bill Gould

[Joe L.]

Re: Anyone remember Larry F Parks dba Parks Performance Milpitas Ca in the 70's or 80

His business card was found in the door of a 67 coupe . Larry F Parks owned Park Performance "complete Corvette Body and Service Center" in Milpitas Ca. No telling how old the card is but I'd estimate the 1970's or 1980's. We've been told that this car was restored on the west coast and this may be the place. Trying to confirm engine.Thanks for any help. Bill Gould

Bill-----


I remember it well. It's long-gone, though, but it was around in the 70's and 80's as you surmise. You won't get any information from Larry. He's long-since deceased. You see, Larry was a bit of a "player". His downfall, though, was that he had a HUGELY jealous wife. She got fed up with his philandering and walked into his office one day and shot him dead as he sat in his chair. I believe she's still in jail, but, if she still is, I think she's due to be released soon.

I think that all of his assets were sold off. A good friend of mine bought a couple of his shop lifts. I don't know what's at the location now.

[William G.]

Re: Anyone remember Larry F Parks dba Parks Performance Milpitas Ca in the 70's or 80

Joe, Thanks for the quick response. I had heard that he died in a crash but a crash would have been a better fate. I am researching the car for a member, and the car must have gone through that shop. There is always a story with these cars.

It looks like we must have joined NCRS at the same time back in 1990?
Thanks again for your comments. Bill Gould

[Steven B.]

Re: Anyone remember Larry F Parks dba Parks Performance Milpitas Ca in the 70's or 80

'Can't remember where but I do remember reading the story of his "end" years ago. Hell hath no fury like a ticked off wife. My wife told me just after we were married (it is all in the timing I guess) that we would never be divorced---she would be a widow first.

[Mark P.]

Re: Anyone remember Larry F Parks dba Parks Performance Milpitas Ca in the 70's or 80

My 65 was bought from him in 1990 by the previous owner. Last summer I met a guy at the San Rafael NCC NCRS tech session at an uphulstery shop called Franzini brothers. This guy bought Larry's personal 67 big block. He had a binder 3 inches thick of documentation on his car including the newspaper articles about Larry's demise. I heard the wife is out of jail now. He was friends of the brothers that owned the shop.

[Joe L.]

Re: Anyone remember Larry F Parks dba Parks Performance Milpitas Ca in the 70's or 80

Joe, Thanks for the quick response. I had heard that he died in a crash but a crash would have been a better fate. I am researching the car for a member, and the car must have gone through that shop. There is always a story with these cars.

It looks like we must have joined NCRS at the same time back in 1990?
Thanks again for your comments. Bill Gould

Bill----


Larry didn't have a real bad reputation but he wasn't 100% "squeaky clean", either. In addition to restoration and parts, he was, basically, a used car dealer. He always had 20 or 30 Corvettes for sale over there.

Larry was kind of a "laid back" sort of guy; not a high pressure guy, at all. He was tall and lean, sort of a "surfer looking" guy. I recall he often wore deck shoes. He didn't really look like a Corvette restorer or, even, salesperson.

I think they moved a few times during his time in business. His last business location was very neat and clean, though. A very nice, well-secured used car lot, nice parts showroom, and nice neat shop. It was very close to the old Ford plant which built a lot of Mustangs in it's hey-day but was converted to a shopping mall about 25 years ago.