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2025 C8 Z06/7/E-Ray of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C8 of the Year Finalist Unmodified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C1 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2017 Corvette of the Year Finalist
2016 C2 of Year
2015 C3 of Year Finalist
Originally Posted by Phanni
The problem with that is that a C-1 is almost impossible for a large person (6' and above and over 200 lbs.) to enter or even drive. The steering wheels are huge and even small people must have the wheel almost between their legs. C-1s look cool, drive like a truck, are a pain to maintain, they are about as reliable as a Yugo for trips over a couple hundred miles..
I'm 6'1" 225 and have driven the 61 for 35 years. Is it comfortable: No. Do I fit, Barely. I just duck when I'm going over bumps with the hard top on. The ride isn't too bad with good shocks and modern radials. As for maintenance and reliabilty: there is nothing difficult about it. Simple as any old Chevy. It's alot less complicated than most of the new stuff.
As for the resto-mod thing, I get it. Looks like an old one and drives like a new one. They are bringing big money. Don't like to see an original car cut up to make one. I'm fine with the retro bodies on modern frames with LS motors. It's all good.
The problem with that is that a C-1 is almost impossible for a large person (6' and above and over 200 lbs.) to enter or even drive. The steering wheels are huge and even small people must have the wheel almost between their legs. C-1s look cool, drive like a truck, are a pain to maintain, they are about as reliable as a Yugo for trips over a couple hundred miles..
I loved my 62. Easy to work on and very reliable. People today just aren't used to maintaining their cars. They just want to hop in and go, and then when it breaks, buy another one or have somebody else fix it. I'd take a c1 over a c5 any day, and I have owned 4 of them. (c5's)
I have to admit that I'm fascinated by these conversions, but I don't think I'd be willing to put out the required bucks to buy one or the effort to build one. Its a nice piece of eye candy though. Take care!
All generations of Corvette have something that appeals to me visually. But these wanna be C1's have NEVER grown on me. As mentioned before, way out of proportions and just plain ugly imo.
I have to admit that I'm fascinated by these conversions, but I don't think I'd be willing to put out the required bucks to buy one or the effort to build one. Its a nice piece of eye candy though. Take care!
Yeah they kind of look neat, but for what the conversion costs holy crap, I'd rather just buy a real C1 or C2. And I think the modern interior with the vintage body would feel off.
The '67 conversion costs $87,500 ! (you supply the C6) You could buy a nicely restored 327 '67 for that, maybe even a single carb 427.
I loved my 62. Easy to work on and very reliable. People today just aren't used to maintaining their cars. They just want to hop in and go, and then when it breaks, buy another one or have somebody else fix it. I'd take a c1 over a c5 any day, and I have owned 4 of them. (c5's)
A C1 is a better collector car than a C5, but in terms of automobile engineering, it's in the dark ages. Cannot imagine going back to having to drive something that has a flexible chassis, vague steering, old fashioned braking and handling and nowhere near the performance of the C5, or even today's better sedans.
IMHO the C5 was the first real world class Corvette, with real state of the art performance and handling - definitely not just another "flexible flier", with too much engine combined with too little chassis capability.