IMPECCABLE RESTO-MOD: 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Convertible
January 4, 2021
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by Eric Becker
Offered with No Reserve at the 2021 Scottsdale Auction, March 20-27, this impeccable 1967 Chevrolet Corvette custom convertible was completed by Jeff Hayes Customs in mid-September 2020 and is a stunning masterclass in artisan craftsmanship.
There are few experiences more energizing than slipping behind the wheel of a classic car and turning the key, especially when it starts on first crank. That confident start-up can be ensured through modernization, which has become a mainstay of the collector car hobby. Resto-Mods, a combination of “restored” and “modernized,” offer period-correct appearances with the ferocity of modern performance, blending the best of old and new, taking an icon of the 20th century into the 21st. Resto-Mods combine charisma and nostalgia making for an all-encompassing experience few of today’s cars can replicate. They can be subtly revisited or reimagined into a true wolf in sheep’s clothing; the possibilities are limited only by vision and imagination.
One such classic that has become a staple of the Resto-Mod world is Chevrolet’s Corvette, a distinctly American design emblematic of Motor City performance. And few, if any, merge vintage aesthetic and modern dynamics better than Master Corvette Builder Jeff Hayes. No stranger to reenvisioning American performance icons in his own way, Hayes has crafted numerous award-winning custom Corvettes over the past decade, many of which have found themselves commanding attention as they cross the Barrett-Jackson auction block.
Offered with No Reserve at the 2021 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, March 20-27, 2021, is a wonderful reimagining of the honest Corvette driving experience dialed up to the extreme. This impeccable 1967 Chevrolet Corvette custom convertible was completed by Jeff Hayes Customs in mid-September 2020 and is a stunning masterclass in artisan craftsmanship. The Corvette began life as an unhit California original before going under the knife and receiving a 540hp heart transplant. Underneath the long, swooping Stinger hood is an all-new GM LS3 engine. The hot cam V8 channels its might through a 4L70E 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission and sticks to the road via a staggered set of custom 18-inch front and 20-inch rear Schott wheels wrapped Toyo red line tires.
Beautifully sinister in its black and red finish, the Corvette rides on an Art Morrison Sport chassis and features 6-piston polished Wilwood front brakes and 4-piston polished rear brakes, both featuring drilled and slotted rotors for supreme stopping power. Pull back the cloth Haartz convertible top and the attention to detail in the fit and finish defies belief. The red leather interior wraps around the Corvette’s iconic dashboard cowls and wonderfully highlights the chromed and polished bezels and switchgear. The beautiful instrument cluster relays the happenings under the hood to the driver, and a Vintage Air climate control system keeps the luxuriously appointed cabin comfortable and temperate whether the top is up or down. A carbon-fiber center console shrouds the polished Lokar shifter, and the driver takes control via a leather-wrapped and color-keyed Billet Specialties steering wheel.
The striking Corvette represents the pinnacle of the Resto-Mod spirit and ethos, a wonderful exploration of classic style and modern performance. When this gorgeous ’67 Resto-Mod takes center stage in Scottsdale with No Reserve, know you’re bidding on one of the finest Corvettes and Resto-Mods around.