This 1971 Corvette has been upgraded in every possible way, making a case for restomods in general.
While restomods have been a thing in the automotive world for a very long time now, the Corvette is one of the more popular candidates for this type of treatment, for many good reasons. This is particularly true of a large portion of the C3 generation, which was a victim of the fuel crisis and emissions requirements that effectively killed off the great horsepower race at the time, making those cars the perfect candidate for a modern powertrain. That’s exactly what has been done with this 1971 Corvette up for grabs at Bring a Trailer, but a newer engine and transmission are just the tip of the iceberg on this heavily modified machine.
Those upgrades start on the outside, where this 1971 Corvette has been treated to restyled front and rear fascias, widened wheel arches, an L88-style hood with pins, fixed headlights with covers, a black grille, ventilated fenders, side exhaust pipes, 18-inch Gray Team III ET wheels, and BFGoodrich G-Force Rival tires. The massaged body was then coated with PPG Daytona Sunrise orange paint with a black hood accent and rear stripe.
Underneath, this C3 rides on a custom tube chassis with a host of C4 ZR1-style suspension components, Aldan American adjustable front coilovers with Bilstein shocks, a mono-leaf rear spring, C4 brakes, a Wilwood proportioning valve, and a power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering assembly.
Inside the cabin, that modern classic theme continues with an upgraded cabin containing Corbeau bucket seats with JEGS harnesses, a triangulated roll bar, a Painless wiring harness, a Vintage Air climate-control system, simulated carbon fiber, an Ididit tilting steering column and steering wheel, and aftermarket gauges.
Pop the hood, and you’ll see why all of these racing-type upgrades were necessary – this C3 is powered by an LS3-based 427 cubic-inch V8 with a GM ECU, a Holley accessory-drive system and fuel pump, Stahl headers, a four-inch exhaust, a Moroso baffled oil pan, a DeWitts aluminum radiator, and twin Spal electric fans. Output comes in at a stout 619 horsepower and 574 pound-feet of torque, which flows to the rear wheels via a Tremec TKO-600 five-speed manual transmission and a rear end fitted with 4.10 gears.
Altogether, this 1971 Corvette presents a very nice mix of new and old, with some serious mechanical upgrades that should make it a total hoot to drive. And if that isn’t a ringing endorsement for restomod Corvettes in general, well, it’s hard to say what would be.
Photos: Bring a Trailer
Keyword: Heavily Modified 1971 Corvette Is a Modern Take on a Classic Sports Car