This thing ain’t exactly news, but it reared it’s head again on the internet and it’s just nutty enough to revisit. They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery and Japanese culture is a perfect example.

They especially love all forms of American pop culture and have a nack regurgitating it back with their own unique twist. Look no further than this body kit that transforms a first-gen Rx-7 into a 1980-82 “Corvetty.”

There isn’t a whole lot of background on this kit or who made it, but it looks to be fiberglass and adds just enough ‘Vette styling cues to trick the eye. It’s diminutive size compared to a real Corvette would give it away on the street, but the pics can induce a double-take. The roof and greenhouse are a giveaway too.

We wonder if the folks who offered this ever heard from GM. With intellectual property theft a big issue these days (especially by the Chinese,) we’re sure GM would come a-callin’. Way back in the day, who knows if GM was paying close attention to this kind of stuff.

It would be good fun to show up to a Corvette show and shine in one of these and see how long it took before they figured it out. To some hardcore ‘Vette fans this car is blasphemous, but we’d like to be on the sidelines checking out the reactions when bystanders finally realize what their looking at.

For now, add “Corvetty” to your automotive lexicon.