The Boxvette: Ohio’s Original Street Outlaw.
Built for Power. Born to Surge.
Big Tire Pro Street Car.
The Boxvette is a 1965 Corvette built by Gary Box in 1999 and transformed into a street-legal, track-ready Pro Street machine. Starting from a bare shell, Gary outfitted the car with a custom chassis, aftermarket suspension, coilovers, struts, steel floors, and a relocated big block Chevy for better weight transfer. Paired with a Powerglide transmission, Dana rear end, wheelie bars, and a parachute, the car was designed for serious performance on and off the strip.
The Birth of a Legend.
Painted in signature "Box Black," the Boxvette came together in Gary’s garage with help from longtime friend Deano Bevelacqua and his son Cory—who, at just 7 years old, became the Boxvette’s co-pilot and remains the only other person to drive it. There was not anything as fast as the Boxvette on the streets in the 1990’s that could drive to the dragstrip and drive home. Spectators would run up to the line to see it make a pass at Norwalk Raceway Park. It is still listed today on Summit Motorsports Park website with the record of the fastest “DRIVEN Street Car.”
Blower Surge That Built a Brand.
The Boxvette has always run a big block Chevy, but its most iconic setup features a blown engine with aggressive blower surge — a sound and sensation that helped define Box Performance as the House of Surge. It gained viral attention with the famous Gravel Video, showcasing its raw horsepower and unmistakable surge. The name "Boxvette" caught on around 2010 when people began asking, "Have you seen Box’s Vette?" — and from that moment, the legend was born.
Career Highlights:
- Roadkill Nights 2017 – 1st Place, $10,000 Winner
- Roadkill Nights 2018 – 2nd Place
- Memphis Street Outlaws – Featured in Seasons 1 & 3
- 2001 Fastest Streetcar Shootout Champion – Norwalk Raceway Park
- Track Record Holder – Fastest Driven Streetcar at Norwalk
- Seen at – Goodguys Columbus, Mill Hollow, Cleveland Autorama
Awards and Achievements:
- Cleveland Autorama – 1st Place of Excellence (2001), Best Engineered Street Machine (2000)
- Car Craft Magazine – Dyno Challenge Winner (2001, 2004, 2007)
- World Auto Parts – Best Pro Street Machine (2001)
- ISCA – Outstanding Street Machine (2001)
- US Fastest Streetcar Shootout – 2nd Place (2002)
- Cash Days – Winner (2017)
The Hit that Hurt.
The year of 2019 was a hard year. On a test pass at Dragway 42, the Boxvette got out of shape and despite a tough fight to save it, it clipped the wall. The front end was badly damaged and had to be completely replaced. It was a gut punch—weeks of hard work, pride, and passion bruised in a split second. That hit stung, but like any true street warrior, the Boxvette came back meaner than ever. Check out the gallery below for some pictures.
Still Surging Strong.
Whether it's idling through a parade or blasting down the strip, the Boxvette does it all — and does it with attitude. Over two decades later, it still stands as a true symbol of Box Performance: horsepower, craftsmanship, and a whole lot of surge.
