It’s Tuesday. I’m drooling again. This time it’s because of Lot #1343 from the Barrett-Jackson auto auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. This gorgeous 1963 split-window coupe received the full resto-mod treatment, updated in every way possible with modern equipment while retaining the bodylines that made this second generation Corvette a timeless classic. It truly is a piece of rolling art. Unfortunately, a conversion at this level doesn’t come cheap. It sold over the weekend for $478,500. For those of you interested in what went into the build, check out the short video or the details below.
And if any of you think that I deserve to own a Vette like that, my PayPal account is always ready to accept donations of any amount!
-keep
Lot #1343 – This custom 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split-Window coupe was built by Burning River Resto-Mods in Berea, OH, and powered by a GM 6.2-liter 650hp supercharged engine paired with a 6L80E transmission. It is equipped with a Rick’s Tanks gas tank with a GM pump, an American Autowire harness and a Speartech powertrain harness that completes the wiring. Stopping power comes from Wilwood 14-inch brakes with 6-piston calipers up front, 4 pistons in the rear and stainless brake lines. This Corvette is riding on a powder-coated Art Morrison IRS chassis that includes chrome front upper and lower control arms, painted and chromed rear lower control arms, and chromed and painted RideTech adjustable coilovers. The exterior was stripped, and all the panels were brought back to the original look, then the quarters were widened, a new tunnel was built and a smoothed floor was installed. The floor was extended for more legroom, and a smooth firewall and fender closeouts were also added. The exterior was then finished in a custom mix of gray metallic, adding pearl and glass flakes to give it a diamond sparkle. The car also features Resto-Mod Tech custom LED headlights, a Dakota Digital linear-actuated hood and smoked glass. The interior floor was sprayed in LizardSkin and then covered in Kilmat to enhance the interior sound dynamics. The custom red-leather interior features matching door panels, a Vintage Air system, power windows, a custom dash, a console and custom LED lighting with Dakota Digital HDX gauges, a clock and a Rockford Fosgate stereo. The car sits on staggered Schott Fuel wheels, 20-inch in the rear and 19-inch in the front. This Corvette has a very documented history, including being previously owned by Gary “The Local Brush” Kupfer. Kupfer painted and modified the car to take to numerous ISCA shows. In 2022 Burning-River Resto-Mods in Ohio acquired the car, gave it some 20th-century upgrades, and then toured it through the ISCA show circuit. It has been featured in numerous magazine articles and covers, with one magazine cover displayed in the National Corvette Museum to this day.
It’s Monday. Bleh. With the temperature now above freezing, instead of the horrid white stuff, we were treated to a weekend of rain. And while I greatly prefer our precipitation in the liquid form, it melted all the snow and made for one hell of a soggy mess. I took Abby to the park to catch some tennis balls for about an hour and we both returned a muddy mess.
Wild Dashcam Video!
It’s Wednesday. Yikes. This is a scary dashcam video from an incident that took place on January 18th in Oklahoma. Highway Patrol trooper Jesse Gregory had pulled over a driver on I-40 at Cimarron Road. While speaking with him, a distracted driver suddenly veered off the road and struck the driver’s SUV, violently throwing trooper Gregory into the brush. Amazingly, no one was seriously hurt, but the video serves as a strong warning against distracted driving. And remember, in both the United States and Canada, it is required by law to slow down and or move over for all vehicles displaying emergency lights. Be safe and keep your eyes on the road, guys.
-keep