Words: Bassem Girgis
Seeing a 1962 Corvette can put a smile on any car enthusiast’s face, and if you’re a fan of the legendary Corvette, then you love the first generation. In 1962, Chevrolet produced a total of 14,531 Corvettes, and they all came with a V8 overhead-valve 327 cubic-inch engine. The iconic all-American muscle car received immediate love from the automotive performance-seeking junkies, and now, 55 years later, the very same car continues to impress.
Classic cars often make great custom vehicles simply because they are much simpler to work on, given their electrical systems are far less sophisticated than modern cars’ systems; not to mention they are much more distinct than today’s mass production vehicles. People can take innumerable paths to restore and modify classic cars, and for this specific C1 Corvette, owner Ward Seifrid went an extremely untraditional route.
Ward Seifrid found a 1962 Corvette for sale in a commercial parking garage, and even though the ‘Vette has seen better days, he decided to buy it, mainly because it had a clean title. He described the initial meeting of his Corvette as “a pile of parts stored in a second story rafters of a commercial building.” Ward’s initial plans were to restore this C1 back to its original glory, which is what most people would do to such a recognizable classic. Seifrid took his Corvette to a shop called “The Custom Shop” and, after meeting with John Wargo and seeing what the shop has produced and how creative the team is, he decided to explore an entirely different route for his ’62 Corvette.
The team at The Custom Shop gave Ward a list of modifications they planned to do to his Corvette throughout the restoration process, and the list covered almost every single component on the C1, from the exterior and interior to the engine and suspensions. The restoration process was set to take two years, and with the mental image Ward and Wargo had in mind, they couldn’t wait to get this project started.
Frame-off
The first thing the team did was take the body off the frame and give some attention to the chassis. They smoothed out all of the welds around the frame, sanded the entire thing down and premiered it down - then they sanded it again. They installed stainless steel panels to add some durability to the floorboards, as well as offer more sound and heat insulation, which is much needed with what hides under the hood of this C1 Corvette.
Exterior Modifications
The exterior was extremely modified and the Corvette now features no top, which makes it a full-time roadster. To complement the theme of the custom C1, they chopped the glass three inches lower and rounded it out, making it look smoother than it did back in 1962. The rear of the body has been widened three inches, and the bumpers were sprayed satin silver to contrast with the tremendously unique Mango Tango paint. The team did a fantastic job adding some elegant, finely painted flames on the sides, which don’t take the attention off of the Corvette; they only complement it. The side mirrors were modified, and to the naked eye, it doesn’t look like there are side mirrors, simply because they are now built into the custom windshield pillars as cameras. On the front, the grille was replaced with a custom one designed and built by The Custom Shop; the headlights are now LEDs that sit inside smoothed-out fenders, and the fog lights are projectors with Halo rings.
Interior Upgrades
At first glance, the interior of this Corvette looks nothing like it did back in 1962. For starters, the entire cabin has been wrapped in smooth two-tone leather. As if this custom Corvette wasn’t already full of surprises, there is a quality Sony sound system hidden under the hard tonneau behind the driver and passenger seats, which is connected to two speakers located in the door panels. Speaking of the door panels, the team installed custom inserts for the door panels that match the grille, making the exterior match the interior and adding a tremendously creative touch to an already mind-blowing classic.
Engine and Performance Upgrades
Taking the place of the 327 cubic-inches is a big-block Chevy. The V8 596 cubic-inch engine is force fed with a Vortech supercharger, allowing this custom C1 to develop 1,048 horsepower. The engine is equipped with a Scat 4340 forged steel crank, as well as H-beam rods pumping JE pistons and COMP cams roller lifters. The entire hood was custom built to fit the big-block and the supercharger, and without opening it up, you wouldn’t know there is a supercharger hiding under there. The V8 is equipped with aluminum Dart 355 Pro 1 heads and a ported Edelbrock Super Victor intake. Managing the fuel going to the engine, a Holley Terminator EFI system is in charge of the four 125-pound fuel injectors. Two fuel pumps send fuel to the engine, and expect all of the gasses to exit through a Borla exhaust system. Finally, the engine is cooled with a custom-made radiator (50% thicker), a Spal fan and an electric water pump.
The entire vehicle sits on TSW wheels, which are connected to a full Corvette C4 rear suspensions, as well as C5 suspensions for the front.
The Custom Shop took this beautiful classic and made it into an absolute vicious beast. Whether you’re a fan of original or custom restorations, this is a car to be appreciated.