1962 Chevy Corvette Looks As if It Just Rolled off the Production Line, but With a Twist

First-generation Corvettes are real gems. They rarely come out of their hiding places as barn finds covered in rust and dust, with engines not running and bodies falling apart. But this one right here has left its barn-find life far behind to shine like it did the day it drove through the factory gate. Back then, it was instantly labeled as "America's sports car," a tag that it still carries today.

In 1962, when Chevrolet rolled out the new model year, it was the quickest of the C1 generation. It came with a small-block V8 with a capacity increased from 283 cubic inches (4.6 liters) to 327 cubic inches (5.4 liters), which pumped out 250 horsepower (253 metric horsepower) in its base single four-barrel carburetor version.

Upper in the range, the engines with hydraulic valves churned out 300 horsepower (305 horsepower), while the range-topping versions were fuel-injected for 360 horsepower (364 metric horsepower). Chevrolet had phased out the dual four-barrel carburetor engines. 1962 was also the last year the Corvette came with solid-rear-axle suspension.

There is no information regarding what powered this C1 Corvette. But it has not retained much of its past. It left most of it behind, in an attempt to live a brand-new life, with a brand-new engine and brand-new looks. And it seems that it nailed it, living up to its poster car reputation.

The model that you are looking at, one of the 14,531 to see the light of day in 1962, has undergone a full rotisserie restoration without having its DNA altered. Rebuilt around a black powder-coated chassis concept frame, it is now set in motion by a GM 6.2-liter small block V8 LS3 engine, produced by Chevrolet Performance as a crate engine.

Its most potent version comes with 430 horsepower. But this restomodded Corvette wasn't going to settle for the factory output, so it went all the way to 495 horsepower (502 metric horsepower). The engine is mated to a Tremec five-speed manual transmission, which helps it put the power down through the rear wheels.

The car rides on a C7 front adjustable coilover suspension and a C4 rear suspension with a Dana independent positraction rear. It sports a Lodestar rack and pinion power steering, while Wildwood power brakes with power stop drilled and slotted rotors provide the stopping power.

The 1962 Chevy Corvette also received a custom exhaust and a DeWitts aluminum radiator, while a CVF polished alternator and compressor and a Silky air intake are also on the menu.

The model rocks a Glasurit Tricot Pearl Maroon paintwork over a Saddle Brown interior, protected by a new Stayfast top or the original black-painted hardtop. Dakota HDX electronic digital gauges found room in the dashboard of the 1962 C1 Corvette. The C1 got an air conditioning system and Bluetooth connectivity. The odometer only reads 160 miles (257 kilometers) since the rebuild.

The restomod is for sale for an eye-watering $249,999. With that money, you could buy three Corvette Stingray Convertibles and still be left with enough for a trip to Europe. Back in the early 1960s, customers had to pay a base price of $4,038 to drive a C1 Chevy Corvette home.