Auction Watch-1957 Restomod ‘Vette Hits Barrett-Jackson 2019

Whether you like auctions or not, they’re a good barometer of what hot rods and kustoms are selling for. Our Auction Watch column features some of the coolest cars offered around the country, from some of the biggest and most recognized auction houses.

Restomod Corvettes are all the rage and this ’57 is an excellent example. This is a mega-buck build with all the right aftermarket boxes ticked. The pale yellow color (we love it) is the only thing that might cause consternation.  You can usually buy a car for less that it cost to restore, so this might be a “steal” for a serious Corvette aficionado. Look for it to cross the block at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ, January 2019.

According to B-J, “Lot #1327 – This 1957 Corvette roadster is a fresh body-off, no-expense-spared custom by Steve’s Restorations out of Portland Oregon. The Corvette has an SR111 Motorsports chassis with C5 front suspension and C4 rear suspension. This creamy yellow ‘Vette, is running a new 6.2-liter LSA Cadillac engine rated at 556hp mated to a T56 6-speed manual transmission topped with a vintage Corvette shifter.

“Custom leather wraps the interior with a one-off waterfall console, machined pedal assemblies and wood-grain steering wheel, Classic Instruments gauges, custom door pockets with fabricated arm rests and capped-off doors with custom tops. The door windows were eliminated with fabricated door top trim pieces shaped and chrome-plated to make this a true roadster.

“Look closely and you’ll notice a 1953 windshield assembly, 2” shorter than a stock 1957 assembly. The hood is styled after the 1967 big-block hood. Patterns were made for the inner and outer hood sections with a downsized Stinger configuration and a mold was made from those patterns. New inner and outer sections were laid up in the new molds and new hood parts were made. The hood pieces were then sized to fit the 1957 hood opening in the body and bonded together.

“The trunk lid is a 1953-55 design with the stock recessed license plate pocket. The grille opening and grille teeth are still stock but the grille tooth assembly has been recessed a half-inch. The left and right front bumpers were designed differently than stock and fabricated out of steel and fit snug to the body.

“The parking light and turn signal lenses used were from fender lights on a 1932 Buick. These were chosen to match the prism pattern on the T-3 headlight bulbs. The rear bumper was redesigned and fabricated for a snug fit to the rear of the body. The design for the rear exhaust outlets was inspired by the exhaust outlets on a C5 Corvette and the entire exhaust system was fabricated out of stainless steel.

 

“All this rolls on one-off 18” wheels, custom-designed and machined out of aluminum. Custom tri-bar center caps include Corvette emblems. The exterior of the car is painted in “Murano Yellow Pearl” and was inspired by “Panama Yellow” used on 1958 Corvettes.

“All surfaces were sanded and buffed to show-quality standards. The color palate for all the components on the chassis was developed to blend with the yellow exterior color scheme. A custom engine cover was fabricated and color-keyed to the chassis and exterior. All interior engine compartment panels installed without any fasteners showing. The entire trunk area is finished off with carpet and yellow leather with a delicate highlight rib accent that matches the interior. The top well is finished in matching leather as well.”

Truly a bitchin’ build and probably worth the expected lofty price. What say you? What do you think this Corvette will bring? Stay tuned to Barrett-Jackson and Rod Authority for all the details.

 

About the author

Dave Cruikshank

Dave Cruikshank is a lifelong car enthusiast and an editor at Power Automedia. He digs all flavors of automobiles, from classic cars to modern EVs. Dave loves music, design, tech, current events, and fitness.
Read My Articles