1988 French Deco Corvette Only a Mother Could Love

French-Deco-Style Dream Car

This Frankenstein car was assembled with parts from a 1988 Corvette, 2001 Audi TT, and a 1937 Chevy. Despite the extreme differences in these three cars, the builder managed to create something that actually looks seamless, cohesive, and intentional. The bad news is that there is no market for this car, proven last week when it went up for auction on eBay but there were no takers. The starting bid was $27,500 and the reserve was unknown. The lesson learned is that not everyone wants Frankenstein's monster. You can tell me for sure in your comments, but I imagine most of you would like to chase it into a Swiss windmill and burn it down.

The unrecognizable Corvette, which featured a C5-donated 5.7-liter V8 small-block LS1 under the hood, was even dubbed a "French Deco-style Dream Car," but clearly, nobody but the owner who built it had any dreams like this.

A dream realized

The seller tells us in an eBay description that more than 6,000 hours went into the build of this sporty coupe, starting with the front and rear subframes which were taken from a clean, rust-free 1988 Corvette. It also received a cabin from a 2001 Audi TT coupe. The car's massive sweeping fenders came from a 1937 Chevy coupe and the taillights were sourced from a 1959 Corvette C1.

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Interior Cabin and Top

The top and interior of this dream machine should also look somewhat familiar. For anyone with any experience behind the wheel of an Audi TT, you might get a sense of familiarity when sitting in the Corvette's driver's seat. But while the charcoal leather interior cabin is based on the Audi TT, the similarities are not completely obvious at first glance as it has been altered with lots of wood trim, new custom gauges, an aftermarket  AM/FM/CD/Satellite/MP3 stereo, and an alternate automatic gear shifter. The car also comes with custom running boards, Vintage Air AC, cruise control, and tilt steering.

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It Drives Like an LS1

Under the hood, the Bella Elan Coupe, which it is also referred to, is powered by a 1998 5.7-liter V8 small block fuel-injected LS1 engine that was once upon a time used for bench testing purposes. The overdrive automatic was rebuilt and the rear end is completed with a 2.59:1 diff. Only about 1,800 carefully driven miles have been racked up since completion. The owner tells us that "When you drive this car, it drives just like an LS1 Corvette."

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Finishing touches

Final pieces include new alloy wheels and radial tires, gold metallic paint, new carpet, door panels, and headliner. 

Even though the eBay auction is over with no takers, this French Deco can be had through Classic Vintage Cars. It is being sold without warranty and as is, but is said to drive and handle like a new car. I'm sure there is someone out there who would pay to take this unique custom car home with them, and if you are that person, share your thoughts. We'd love to know what strikes you most about this coupe! 

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