Vehicle Description
Chances to own a sought-after, big motor, classic convertible
Corvette in any semblance of decent condition are pretty rare these
days, as many of these cars were ridden hard and put up wet. Factor
in an over-the-top restoration that features a built 496 V8, a
quick-shifting 5-speed manual, and a big-shouldered body that's
been coated in jet black paint, and the opportunity becomes even
more scarce. But that's just what we have here with this incredible
1968 Chevrolet Corvette Restomod.
The late '60s was a great era for Corvettes. Chevy had begun to add
some inspired touches to the exterior, including more pronounced
fender flares and body curvature from front to back, to go along
with the signature hidden headlights that had become synonymous
with the model. And if you're going to change the color from its
original Polar White, why not go all the way to the opposite end of
the color spectrum with a deep, lustrous shade of Black finish? The
sinister shade shows off the dual chrome-bumper style to
perfection, benefitting from a dialed-in, solid driver-quality
finish that gives it a lot of depth and excellent shine. If you're
wondering why this particular droptop looks like it's crouched and
ready to swing, well it's because of the custom L-88 hood up front,
the extended wide-body fenders in the rear, and the 4-inch side
pipes covered with stainless steel Sting Ray heat shields at the
flanks. The result is a predatory C3 that looks unique without
losing any of its original styling or spirit, and it somehow looks
like it's going 100MPH while standing still. The Corvette
convertible exemplifies the open-air muscle car experience and you
can picture just how much fun it would be to hit the highway in
this very powerful and road-ready drop-top with nothing but blue
sky above you, but on those occasions when the weather isn't quite
cooperating, the black, manual convertible top is in great shape
and stands at the ready to protect you from the elements. This is
one of those rare classic convertibles that doesn't lose its visual
impact with the top up, and has anyone ever really complained about
a black-on-black-on-black set up?
Open up a contoured door and slip into the driver's seat and you'll
see an interior that's full of modern upgrades. The sporty,
high-backed leather bucket seats were swapped-in from a Mazda RX-8
and are in great condition, as is the center console between them -
angled to put that super-cool custom shifter that's within very
easy reach. At the flanks you'll find door panels that are stock
and sit snug and flush to the steel that surrounds them, while in
front, beyond the thick-rimmed wood-grained steering wheel that
sits atop a tilting and telescoping column, is a truly impressive
array of digital instrumentation - a bevy of blue-lit Dakota
Digital gauges that extends all the way down to the center console,
all easily readable and looking right back at the driver through
clear lenses. The dash was custom-finished and smoothed to look
slick-as-can-be, the original AM/FM stereo was left in place, and
plush black carpets covered in black vinyl floor mats provide
protection from the heat of the asphalt, which so often makes its
presence felt with vintage cars.
The Scat Stroker big block 496 V8 engine you'll find underneath the
signature long, sloping Corvette hood stands as testimony to the
adage: "there's no replacement for displacement." Fully rebuilt
less than a thousand miles ago (the current odometer miles are a
few hundred off the actual miles of the build) and punctuated with
a big Howard Cam, large square-port GM heads, and a Holley Street
Avenger carburetor mounted atop a polished intake, the motor is
immensely powerful. Paired with a quick-shifting Tremec 5-speed
manual transmission with overdrive, it's in fine form, churning out
big horsepower and sounding terrific as it exhales through the set
of Doug's long-tube headers and straight-through side-exhaust. A
high-tech mini starter and HEI ignition makes sure the giant block
cranks with relative ease, and a fat Be Cool aluminum radiator
keeps the whole show nice and cool. Power disc brakes are found at
each corner, and Steeroids power steering make this droptop easy to
drive, despite the big horsepower. The suspension's been attended
to as well, with QA-1 adjustable coilovers, fat swaybars fore and
aft, and 2-inch off-set trailing arm assemblies, while 3-inch
Chromoly half-shafts spin a heavy-duty differential with
cryo-treated internals and a 3.55 gear ratio. Most of the work on
this beauty was completed by top professionals at both the Duntov
Motor Company and Carr's Custom Corvettes, so you know the work is
top-class. The body sits low and level on a set of American Racing
Torque thrust IIs wrapped in 205/60/15 performance radials up front
and fat 26x12x15 Mickey Thompson wide-drag radials in the rear.
In the market for a great-looking, vintage drop-top decked out in
an outstanding color combination and sporting serious big block
power? You have to check out this 1968 Chevrolet Corvette Restomod.
Call today!
