1962 C1 Corvette Has a 376 ci LS Motor

A Labor of Love

There’s something about a Corvette that revs us up. Its V8 power, its aggressive sports-car looks, and its engaging driving dynamics all come together in a package that is hard to beat. Few people understand that as well as David Tocci of Needham, Massachusetts. He has been in love with Corvettes right from his formative years when his father used to take him and their entire family to the Indy 500. David has also grown up seeing what Corvettes are capable of doing through the eyes of his brother Al, who is an ardent Corvette track racer. Today, David boasts of having owned over 20 corvettes of different generations over the last few decades. 

One of David’s prized Vettes is a modified and rebuilt 1962 C1 Corvette that draws attention wherever it goes. David took on this special C1 Corvette project with the desire to explore the potentials of this car, both performance, and design-wise. With the help of Steve Pasteiner of Advanced Automotive Technologies, he managed to transform his 1962 C1 Corvette into a whole new car.

Photos Courtesy of SuperChevy

The Right People To Partner With

David wanted excellence in this customization project, and for that, he knew he couldn’t cut corners. With his college degree from Art Center College of Design and his 22 years of automotive design experience at General Motors, Steve was the right guy for the job.

>>Join the conversation about this C1 with LS3 power right here in Corvette Forum.

Why the C1?

After connecting with Steve Pasteiner, David set out to get the project car. He has always had a special affinity for the C1 Corvette. He saw his brother race a 1959 C1 Corvette for years while he was younger, so he knows its potential. In its time, the C1 was the first American sports car marque to truly give the more established European sports cars a run for their money, both on street and on track. And as such, it set the pace for the subsequent Corvette generations. David managed to find a worthwhile C1 project car in New Hampshire. It was in good shape, but it didn’t have a drivetrain. 

>>Join the conversation about this C1 with LS3 power right here in Corvette Forum.

A 376 ci LS3 Motor

For strong, confident propulsion power, David chose to use Chevrolet’s legendary 376 ci LS3 motor. In stock form, this engine can generate a healthy 430 horsepower and approximately 425 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to propel the C6 Corvette from zero to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. The team at Advanced Automotive Technologies gave it a custom-fabricated engine cover, a 4-inch polished aluminum cold-air induction kit, and a coolant reservoir, so its output certainly exceeds that of the stock engine.

>>Join the conversation about this C1 with LS3 power right here in Corvette Forum.

Structural Enhancements

After consulting with Steve, David resolved that the first order of business was to reinforce the chassis of his project car and to install C4 suspension components. Making the chassis stiffer would give the suspension system a more stable foundation, and so it would enhance the car’s handling and performance capabilities. The more-refined C4 suspension components would also give the C1 project car better ride quality and sharper handling.

>>Join the conversation about this C1 with LS3 power right here in Corvette Forum.

Wheels and Tires

To take full advantage of the capabilities of this car's engine and enhanced suspension system, Steve and his team chose to install 17x8 Schott Velocity wheels with BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 tires. With these lightweight aluminum wheels, the suspension system wouldn’t have to work so hard. The BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 tires also deliver excellent road grip so they would help to put all the car’s power to the road.

>>Join the conversation about this C1 with LS3 power right here in Corvette Forum.

Transmission and Exhaust

The team at Advanced Automotive Technologies matched this engine to a racing-inspired TREMEC TKO-500 5-speed manual transmission that delivers swift, precise shifts. For the exhaust system, they installed custom stainless steel headers and a 3-inch exhaust system Borla muffler.

>>Join the conversation about this C1 with LS3 power right here in Corvette Forum.

Exterior Styling

David also chose to personalize the exterior design of this project car. Inspired by the C1 Corvettes that competed at the “12 Hours of Sebring” endurance races in the 1960s, David went for a more minimalist yet racy look. He ditched the ‘Corvette’ badging and redesigned the front fascia, giving it a clean and classy triple front opening. The custom grille and the vents on both sides of the grille were all recessed and accented with stainless steel. David and his team also removed all the metallic body accents that came with the stock C1, and they also removed the door handle. This gave the car a cleaner look, and it brought out the beauty of its custom front fender flares, daring curves, and contours.

At the back, the team at Advanced Automotive Technologies removed the rear bumper and gave the car triple taillights instead of the original dual taillight setup. They also designed a custom lower valance in the rear with dual oval exhaust outlets.

>>Join the conversation about this C1 with LS3 power right here in Corvette Forum.

Interior

The interior of this car was also redesigned to match the level of perfection on the outside. The factory seats were reshaped for extra comfort, and the dash got a new gauge cluster with cool-looking digital gauges from Dakota Digital. Steve also chose to enlist Dagmar Salis of Protovision, a master craftsman, to cover the interior of this car with sapphire blue leather with suede accents.

>>Join the conversation about this C1 with LS3 power right here in Corvette Forum.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to page in the forum.