Once a Pile of Junk, This 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Is Now a Piece of Restomod Art

But only a small fraction of the C1 Corvettes that are still around as of 2023 can brag about being rotisserie-restored gems. Many of them are still waiting for their second chances in junkyards, while others are locked away in barns. Sure, many of these cars aren't worth relative to their value on the classic car market, but some enthusiasts found ways around that by taking the restomod route.

Yes, a restomod will never be as desirable as an all-original classic and some diehard fans actually hate them, but getting modern underpinnings and tech is definitely a better scenario to spending retirement in a junkyard. And as this one-off C1 by Timeless Kustoms shows, some restomods are downright cool.

Like most such projects, this one was born out of a derelict Corvette. It wasn't a rotten junkyard find, though. This C1 arrived at the shop in pieces and with its front end smashed following a crash. Since a ground-up restoration didn't make financial sense, the crew decided to give it a new life with modern parts.

While it looks very much like a 1962 Corvette, this roadster now rides on an Art Morrison chassis and modern suspension components. The front was sourced from a C6-generation Corvette, while the rear unit is a Watts three-link. There's also a nine-inch Ford rear end in there.

But what about oomph? Well, the shop kept the C1 true to its General Motors roots and went with a small-block LT1. First introduced on the seventh-generation Corvette Stingray, the 6.2-liter V8 is currently available in both dry and wet sump configurations via Chevrolet Performance. This C1 packs the wet sump crate engine and the builder claims it cranks out 470 horsepower to the wheels.

That's not a whole lot by modern standards, but it's notably more than a stock first-gen Corvette, regardless of engine. As a brief reminder, the most powerful C1 arrived in showrooms in 1962 with a 5.4-liter V8 rated at 360 horsepower. The LT1 mates to a six-speed Tremec gearbox while stopping power comes from Brembo ceramic brakes at all four corners.

Laying all that oomph to the ground requires modern wheels too, so Timeless Kustoms swapped the original rollers for larger, 19-inch rims wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.

The restomod look is rounded off by clean front fenders that are missing the original chrome trim and feature color-matched insert panels (instead of the original white ones). The badge and the nameplate scrip were also removed from the nose.

I think it looks great overall but I am well aware some of you may not agree with me. But regardless of how you like your C1 Corvettes, you'll definitely enjoy the way thing roadster sounds when the pedal hits the metal. Find out more about that in the video below.