Vehicle Description
This 1970 Chevrolet Corvette Restomod might be the coolest C3 we've
featured at Streetside Classics in a long time. You don't know it
yet and just looking at it doesn't tell the whole story, but this
is one piece of vintage fiberglass that'll show its taillights to
some pretty ferocious hardware, even today. Can a Corvette be
improved from stock? You bet!
A '70 Corvette coupe is nothing overly unique or special, right?
Sure, they have that timeless Stingray look, but they've become so
ubiquitous that they almost go unnoticed. And I'm quite sure that
was part of the plan when this one was on the drawing boards.
Painting it Bright Aqua metallic certainly helps, giving it an
elegant, attention-grabbing look that is just different enough to
stand out but not send up any red flags about the performance
lurking underneath. The hood is an L88 piece with a functioning
cowl induction air cleaner, the side pipes are bright and super
aggressive, the rims are from Ultra, but otherwise it's completely
stock and looks great. Bodywork was nicely done in 2001 and looks
very good still today with only a few signs of use, with great shut
lines and a modern urethane shine. Chrome bumpers give the Corvette
a classic sports car look and with all the factory trim still in
place, the brightwork sparkles against the high-impact bodywork.
There's absolutely nothing on the exterior that wasn't tweaked,
upgraded, or polished to a high shine during the restoration, and
it's all holding up very well. And yes, those are T-tops, so get
ready for some open-air fun in this beauty.
The interior does a great job matching the exterior's flash, with
choice upgrades throughout the cabin. The beige upholstery is a
great choice with the bright blue bodywork, suggesting someone with
excellent taste was picking the colors. All the soft parts are nice
shape, including the leather buckets swapped in from a '94
Corvette, plush carpets, door panels, and dash pad, so it all looks
uniform and everything matches. Fully operational factory gauges
still monitor the beast living under the hood, and you'll note that
they've been augmented with a set of auxiliary units centralized in
the dash inside a custom panels that also houses a double din
stereo. This C3 is also equipped with such niceties as air
conditioning (although it needs a service), power windows, a
tilt/telescopic wheel, and a Richmond 6-speed manual gearbox in the
center console. That big screen in the dash is actually a JVC
AM/FM/AUX/Satellite/Bluetooth unit that powers the speakers in the
cabin, so the soundtrack can keep up with the rest of the car. And
with T-tops, the open-air experience is quick and easy.
The crate ZZ4 V8 engine really needs no introduction: 355 cubic
inches, 355 horsepower, and plenty of pounds of torque, ready to
rock. It's bulletproof, and thanks to an Edelbrock fuel injection
kit, a roller cam, and aluminum heads, it runs beautifully. Crank
the key and it starts instantly and idles well even when cold, just
like a dialed-in Corvette should. Tasteful modification to an
already venerable crate motor means this powertrain is very
impressive and the looks you'll get when you open the hood are
worth the price of admission all by themselves. Look closely and
you'll see shiny finned valve covers, a mesh air cleaner, and a big
aluminum radiator with dual electric fans to keep the whole show
nice and cool. Power four-wheel disc brakes and power steering
making this car reliable and easy to drive, and the Richmond
6-speed manual transmission means this is one of the funnest cars
to drive in our showroom. 15-inch Ultra wheels were installed and
then wrapped with 255/60/15 Firehawk Indy 500 white-letter radials
to finish the custom look.
Brutally fast and supremely agile, this is the Corvette GM would
have built with unlimited funds. With a ZZ4 crate motor, 6-speed
manual, and high-quality workmanship throughout, this is a car you
can drive and show with pride. Call today!