ZZ4 Crate V8, Richmond 6 Spd Man, Side Pipes, Great Colors, T-Tops, Fun Driver!

This 1970 Chevrolet Corvette Restomod might be the coolest C3 we've featured at Streetside Classics in a long time. You don't know it yet and just looking at it doesn't tell the whole story, but this is one piece of vintage fiberglass that'll show its taillights to some pretty ferocious hardware, even today. Can a Corvette be improved from stock? You bet! A '70 Corvette coupe is nothing overly unique or special, right? Sure, they have that... timeless Stingray look, but they've become so ubiquitous that they almost go unnoticed. And I'm quite sure that was part of the plan when this one was on the drawing boards. Painting it Bright Aqua metallic certainly helps, giving it an elegant, attention-grabbing look that is just different enough to stand out but not send up any red flags about the performance lurking underneath. The hood is an L88 piece with a functioning cowl induction air cleaner, the side pipes are bright and super aggressive, the rims are from Ultra, but otherwise it's completely stock and looks great. Bodywork was nicely done in 2001 and looks very good still today with only a few signs of use, with great shut lines and a modern urethane shine. Chrome bumpers give the Corvette a classic sports car look and with all the factory trim still in place, the brightwork sparkles against the high-impact bodywork. There's absolutely nothing on the exterior that wasn't tweaked, upgraded, or polished to a high shine during the restoration, and it's all holding up very well. And yes, those are T-tops, so get ready for some open-air fun in this beauty. The interior does a great job matching the exterior's flash, with choice upgrades throughout the cabin. The beige upholstery is a great choice with the bright blue bodywork, suggesting someone with excellent taste was picking the colors. All the soft parts are nice shape, including the leather buckets swapped in from a '94 Corvette, plush carpets, door panels, and dash pad, so it all looks uniform and everything matches. Fully operational factory gauges still monitor the beast living under the hood, and you'll note that they've been augmented with a set of auxiliary units centralized in the dash inside a custom panels that also houses a double din stereo. This C3 is also equipped with such niceties as air conditioning (although it needs a service), power windows, a tilt/telescopic wheel, and a Richmond 6-speed manual gearbox in the center console. That big screen in the dash is actually a JVC AM/FM/AUX/Satellite/Bluetooth unit that powers the speakers in the cabin, so the soundtrack can keep up with the rest of the car. And with T-tops, the open-air experience is quick and easy. The crate ZZ4 V8 engine really needs no introduction: 355 cubic inches, 355 horsepower, and plenty of pounds of torque, ready to rock. It's bulletproof, and thanks to an Edelbrock fuel injection kit, a roller cam, and aluminum heads, it runs beautifully. Crank the key and it starts instantly and idles well even when cold, just like a dialed-in Corvette should. Tasteful modification to an already venerable crate motor means this powertrain is very impressive and the looks you'll get when you open the hood are worth the price of admission all by themselves. Look closely and you'll see shiny finned valve covers, a mesh air cleaner, and a big aluminum radiator with dual electric fans to keep the whole show nice and cool. Power four-wheel disc brakes and power steering making this car reliable and easy to drive, and the Richmond 6-speed manual transmission means this is one of the funnest cars to drive in our showroom. 15-inch Ultra wheels were installed and then wrapped with 255/60/15 Firehawk Indy 500 white-letter radials to finish the custom look. Brutally fast and supremely agile, this is the Corvette GM would have built with unlimited funds. With a ZZ4 crate motor, 6-speed manual, and high-quality workmanship throughout, this is a car you can drive and show with pride. Call today!