If you are looking for the super-cool styling of a Solid Axle Corvette, but don’t want to put up with the absolutely agrarian handling, braking, and ride, you need a restomod like this 1961 Chevy Corvette that just sold for $352,000 at auction.
Restomods have become all the rage in the collector car market over the past several years, as aging collectors have come to prefer the niceties of modern cars, but don’t want to relinquish the styling cool of their beloved classics. This 1961 Chevy Corvette has all the goodies: Full Art Morrison chassis, a Gen V LT1 6.2-liter V8 producing in excess of 450 horsepower, a 4L65E four-speed automatic transmission (sure beats a two-speed Powerglide), C7 Corvette suspension, Wilwood power brakes, Vintage Air, and much more.
The exterior of this 1961 Chevy Corvette has been refinished to a very high standard in a gorgeous dark gray metallic with light gray metallic coves. The gas door just aft of the driver side door has been changed to a round shape from the factory square design. Chrome bumpers, grille teeth, and headlight trim rings have been replated, and all the stainless trim has been quite well polished. The headlights have been changed to Xenon units with LED halo rings. Gone are the painted steel wheels with bias-ply tires, replaced with custom, highly polished billet rims wrapped in low-profile radial rubber. The front Corvette emblem has been glassed over for a smoother appearance. The soft top is a handsome Stayfast done in black Haartz material.
Inside the Chevy Corvette restomod, the interior has been much improved over stock. The firewall has been extended four inches creating much more leg room. The seats, dash, steering wheel, and console are all covered in gray Italian leather. Vintage Air and a double DIN Bluetooth infotainment system have replaced the old heater and AM radio. The carpets are a lustrous light gray with custom Corvette carpet mats. Dakota Digital gauges keep the driver apprised of all the Corvette’s goings-on. The finishes are every inch the measure of modern European sports cars.
The Chevy Corvette restomod’s hood is raised by a Dakota Digital power hood actuator. Beneath the hood, the engine bay is spotless. The LT1 looks as if it was made to fit the space. A large plastic engine cover with “CORVETTE” script has been fitted. The LT1 exhales through a full stainless exhaust. Backing the LT1 is a 4L65E electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission. A Wilwood power brake booster powers the four-wheel disc brakes. The firewall has been smoothed and color matched to the exterior, as have the inner fenders.
The undercarriage of the Chevy Corvette is just as impressive as the top side. A full Art Morrison chassis allows the use of C7 Corvette suspension with adjustable coilovers. The underside of the car has been sprayed with a color-matched Raptor liner. The Wilwood brake discs and calipers are in full view.
This stunning 1961 Chevy Corvette Restomod just sold at the Mecum Auctions Orlando, Florida Summer Special event for an astonishing $352,000 including buyer’s premium. The eye-watering sale price is indicative of the remarkable build quality.
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Comments
What kind of idiot pays that kind of money for what’s essentially a new car and not a very good new car. For that money you could have a Porsche Taycan plus a Model S Plaid for when you want to go fast. If your heart is set on a Corvette then you could have three fully loaded C8s. Or how about a Ferrari? If the car was in original condition then it would qualify as a collector car but almost nothing of the original is left in that thing.
Yeah, I don’t understand this either. For that kind of money you could have a real performance car, not some project car like this. Although it is very nice.
There’s a shop here that has been doing this for many years starting with putting C4’s under the vintage Vettes. I looked at one of his recent builds with C7 stuff and if you’ve never seen or driven one then you have no clue. These get more thumbs up than any Taycan or Tesla and values will go up. And even they don’t go up in value the experience is unlike new crap. I’ve been building, driving, buying, selling, living the hot rod and custom car life, more than 60 years and no new vehicle can compare in that 7 sensory expereince.
I understand what you`re sayin, but that car will NEVER fetch anywhere near 300k again!
Very true
100% ground beef car.
Would get in that long line for a C8 and invest whatever money was left.
Every single piece is custom or hand made to fit so it’s three times the new vete just in labor alone ( and at that price you should own one of the Nicest Vetts around
And you can’t take it with you …..
Agreed! Really a beauty but no way worth that kind of money!
The porches values drop really fast the maintenance is expensive brakes ,oil changes are really expensive.. my brother bought one for over 200 thousand he just traded it got 136 thousand for it . Nice lost . The resto mod vettes have been getting more expensive every year in 2016 they were selling for 100 thousand… because the bodies are getting more rare and expensive.. do your research before you speak …