Vehicle Description
OK, first of all, this obviously isn't a car for the snooty purists
out there, so please save your e-mails telling us what you think of
this absolutely amazing 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible LS7
Restomod. It isn't stock and isn't intended to be. Instead, it's a
distillation of all that's great about the Corvette, both classic
and modern: a booming 427 LS7 V8, 4L80E automatic transmission with
overdrive and paddle shifters, custom tubular chassis and C6
coilover sports suspension, a bespoke Z06-style interior, and the
incomparable looks of the Mid-Year Corvette convertible. It takes
huge guts to turn an American icon into a restomod, but this unreal
build absolutely NAILED IT.
They weren't sneaking around when they painted this one Tuxedo
Black, but when you're driving one of the most fantastic shapes of
all time, why not draw a crowd? Finish work is quite good, not like
a concours car with its "perfectly imperfect" flaws, but really,
really straight and shiny as can be. We're talking show quality
stuff here, a '9 out of 10' only because there's no such thing as a
'10' in this subjective line of work, and with only 7799 miles on
the build it all still looks showroom fresh with nary a complaint
to be had. Several original C2 exterior design elements are still
there, from the 1965-era 'Stinger' big block hood and 1965-era
front fenders with side-vent 'gills', to the beautifully sculpted
rear end - a look that has defined Corvettes for five generations.
Of course, a couple aftermarket components found their way into the
build as well, but really tasteful stuff that only enhances the
original Sting Ray design: color-matched rocker panels that replace
the original ribbed rocker moldings, a centered, quad exhaust-tip
setup that mirrors the new Corvette style, and those flashy, C6 Z06
chrome rims. Gaps are precise, the body panels line up better than
new, and nothing major was shaved or removed during the build, so
they did respect the original design and it still looks like a
vintage 'Vette. Two-stage urethane paint has a brilliant shine
that's appropriate for a valuable icon like this, and all the
chrome has been restored to sparkle against that dark paint. If you
want attention, there are few better ways to get it than this.
The makeover given to the interior pulls this 60-year-old 'Vette
firmly into the 21st century. Swapped-in Z06 power leather bucket
seats fit perfectly inside the reworked cabin, and custom 'Z065'
stitching in the headrests add a bespoke touch that really helps
the two-tone seats pop. You'll find that same embroidery on the
center console (specifically stitched into the arm rest cover) and
on the glove box door, and the simple yet refined door panels and
plush carpets are the perfect complements to the theme of the
build. The original, dual-hump style dash is still in place,
although it's been filled with a host of aftermarket goodies
including a full set of AutoMeter Sport-Comp gauges, a Corvette
racing steering wheel that's been mounted atop a tilt column and
fit with modern paddle shifters that link to the 4L80E automatic
below, and an upgraded Custom AutoSound AM/FM/AUX/SAT stereo inside
the center stack. Vintage Air A/C was cleverly installed along with
under-dash vents, and for those of us that love to pull e-brake
turns on wet streets, that is indeed a working emergency
grab-handle brake that was swapped-in from a late-model Corvette.
And when you don't feel like using those paddle shifters, a sporty,
cue-ball topped short-shifter imitates the 4-speed manuals of old
and anchors the cabin from inside the center console. A glance in
back reveals that the C2 has decent storage space thanks to the
cleverly installed spears and relocated battery that are mostly out
of the way, and should you ever be crazy enough to drive this show
car in the rain, a black Hartz convertible top was installed
complete with a powder-coated frame.
Mechanically, the old small block is long gone, replaced by a
modern tech 427 LS7 rated at a staggering 505HP and 470 lb-ft of
torque. It's a neat fit in the C2 engine bay, and still carries all
its original equipment, including the red coil covers that make the
Z06 stand out. With modern, electronic ignition and a custom
cold-air intake system it fires with ease and is insanely
responsive, especially when you consider how lightweight this
fiberglass body really is. Thankfully, it handles like a dream with
an SR3 tubular chassis that features extra support for all that
added horsepower and torque, adjustable coilovers and sway bars
fore and aft, modern power steering, and 4-wheel disc brakes
punctuated with a Wilwood dual master cylinder, Corvette calipers,
and drilled rotors. The aforementioned, dual-mode 4L80E 4-speed
automatic transmission was built by the pros at Kiesler
Transmission and handles the LS7's huge power with ease, spinning a
swapped-in Z06 rear end with feisty 3.42 gears that help this C2
cruise at highway speeds. Block-hugging headers feed into a throaty
Borla dual exhaust system that sounds mean but is still subtle
enough not to annoy anyone, and the low-slung body rides atop
flashy 18-inch Z06 chrome wheels wrapped with 275/35/18 Pirelli
performance rubber.
It's not stock, but it's also not radical, so if you like the idea
of a show-stopper Sting Ray with some of the best upgrades Corvette
has to offer, perhaps this dialed-in, one-of-a-kind restomod is
what you've been waiting for. Call today!
