The C5 Chevrolet Corvette was the generation that left behind the “two seat musclecar” approach and went straight for the curves. It was the first Vette to use a transaxle and a torque tube, had great power and handling capabilities, and could even turn decent fuel mileage numbers when you weren’t doing triple-digit speeds while running errands. As a donor car goes, you would struggle to find a better bang-for-your-buck machine than a C5, and there are companies out there that specialize in trimming off the fiberglass and plastic off and leaving the Corvette as a rolling chassis, ready for whatever your twisted mind offers up. Why are we bringing this up? Between the Mustang that Lohnes found and the Duster we featured as part of our LS Fest coverage, it appears that using Corvette skeletons with a random body is a very real option for those who want to use a proven platform for a performance machine instead of just trying to make an old car dance properly.
With a wheelbase of 104.5 inches, the Corvette is pretty compact, but we found a few close options if you wanted to keep from modifying the major assembly of the rolling chassis any. A Chevrolet Citation, Celebrity, or 1995-up Cavalier all sport 105″ wheelbases, and all could be cool as a RWD converted autocross monster…picture a Citation X-11 wringing out an autocross course like Brian Finch’s Camaro. The “AeroBird” era Ford Thunderbird/Mercury Cougar/Lincoln Mark VII, first generation Dodge Avenger/Chrysler Sebring coupes and, of all things, the Jeep Liberty KJ, also fit. Or, you could do like Gordie Rutkowski did with the Duster and it’s C6-sourced drivetrain and modify the location of the suspension…in his case, the front suspension got pushed forward to meet the Duster’s 108″ wheelbase.
So, you’ve got the rolling skeleton of a C5 Corvette at your disposal, running and ready. What body do you slap on top of it?
104.5! That’s longer than I thought. My initial thoughts were and AMX or a Gremlin, but their both way to short (97and 96), my next thought was a Datsun 510 still too short at 95, so I guess I have to go with the long wheelbase Chrysler Lebaron.
A replica body of the original Corvette Grand Sport.
I’d put a 1970 Corvette on top. Then tub it, put in a Lenco, and a 1005 cubic inch Sony Leonard motor. And then a strut front end.
I’d slap a very heavy weight dropped from a great height onto it…
Sounds like you long for the old “Top Gear”…very touching CHMG!
Whatever Geordie is driving. Then give him a huge Bowtie tattoo on his forehead.
I DO like the way CHMG thinks!
46 Chevy pickup
I was going to say a train
I’m thinking the best bet would be to build something like an ’80s silhouette racer, using giant fender flares to hide if the wheelbase doesn’t match up.
Forgot to mention that I was thinking, for some reason, to start with an Olds Trofeo. Give it the sportiness it looks like it should have. The ideal candidate for this sort of swap would be something that looks like it should be a great performance car but had absolutely zero performance to back it up.
Always liked the mid-90’s era Monte Carlo and the wheelbase is just slightly longer but doable.
I\’d sell the chassis to someone that would make something out of it and use the money for my Mopars.
I’d sell the chassis to someone that would make something out of it and use the money for my Mopars.
Pontiac G6 coupe. Also had a fast look but a mediocre everything else. MEH!
CJ8 Scrambler. Put a bench in the back, family cage, full soft top.
The last Riviera or first Aurora. I thought both cars would have been way cooler RWD and LS’d. Dare to be way different!
opel diplomat… has a 1″ larger wheelbase.
puting ‘vette technics in it isn’t that strange, opel was GM, and the diplomat has been sold with sbc 327 / powerglide 😉
1976 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. To overcome the additional mass of the behemoth boost would be added to the LS.
Pretty good imagination from a Ford guy.
Replica Cobra Daytona Body. Just have to figure out how to shrink the Corvette’s wheelbase down to 90 “
57 Corvette
I have a 1953 Studebaker R2 Pickup – I would set that baby on there and not say a word. (eg…)
Absolutely an AMC Pacer.
Wherever do you get these great ideas for stories? I’ll play – As I said in my build thread Plastic Fantastic tew…. under a flared C3 Corvette. With the mods detailed there. 😉
Kaiser Darrin
A second gen Corvair coupe body.