At a bid price of $35,000 (at the time of this writing), this may be the most indulgent cosplay accessory ever offered; a fully functional Speed Racer Mach 5 replica, built on a 1981 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
Unlike the Mach 5 in the anime series, this replica doesn’t produce 5,000 HP. Nor does it have cutting blades or a homing device. What it does offer is exclusivity; the seller proudly states that this is one of only two such cars on the planet, and he/she owns both. Of course, he/she made them both, but that’s neither here nor there.
The hand-laid fiberglass Mach 5 body has been installed over the stock Corvette C3 body, with no changes to the structure. And from the photos, it actually looks astonishingly good. It’s a faithful replica, right down to the big, red decals adorning the hood and doors. Mechanically, the car runs and drives like a third-generation Corvette should, with the addition of a free-flowing exhaust and an Edelbrock carburetor.
The seller writes that he “will provide a Certificate of Authenticity to state this car is number 2,” for whatever that’s worth. Just so long as it’s not written on a napkin.
Comments
But wait there’s more. There are five more. Based on a 1995 Corvette.
But not on a C3 corvette