Back in 1958 automakers were not that stressed out – bumping the round-headlight count from two to four, introducing bumper exhaust tips, a new steering wheel and moving all gauges in front of the driver was enough to count as a thorough refresh for the Chevrolet Corvette. Fast forward to modern ages when this spectacular example went through a host of subtle enhancements...
And when we say that we are actually hinting at the exact opposite. The 1958 C1 Corvette went through a thorough restoration, and because that was not enough it also got a comprehensive list of contemporary upgrades. We could start off with the Art Morrison Enterprises chassis but who cares about the exotic car handling characteristics when the looks are already perfect?!
The all-black exterior is nicely complimented by more chrome than you have seen on 100k of 2020 model year cars and the video (embedded below) from AutotopiaLA specifically directs our attention toward Gabe’s Custom Interiors, the shop responsible for that mouth-drooling red interior.
It features – among others – a completely bespoke steering wheel, custom bucket seats that were built from zilch specifically for this project and a new instrument cluster courtesy of Classic Instruments.
If you would be given the opportunity to slid in the driver’s place the point of view would immediately have you ogle at the 572 big block monster of an engine that found its way under the hood. Actually, saying it fits the engine bay would be a grave error – the huge powertrain needed a hood-peeping hole to have all its components safely tucked away. And, somehow this was also turned into another statement of absolute craftmanship.
And the list of resto-modifications is not nearly complete. The 572 V8 looks like a sleeping giant when seen off-duty but once it is cranked up to life it really shines through with a voice that would make angels rush out and buy C1 Corvette’s in a half-flapping wing beat. This is, of course, in part thanks to the tailored Magnaflow mufflers and three-inch stainless exhaust which help really deliver a heavenly tune.
This is truly one of the best customizations featuring a Chevrolet Corvette we have seen recently – irrespective of the generation.
Our personal best-of-show item, the one that really completes the otherworldly picture, is the fact that its owner wanted some stick action and opted for a Tremec six-speed manual transmission. That clearly shows there are no fears even if this ‘58 ‘Vette has now reached an extraterrestrial badass status.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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