By Dean Larson

Photos: Seller, Craigslist

Among the top echelons of automotive purists, you’ll undoubtedly find Corvette guys. That’s not to say that modifying Corvettes is a taboo in the way customizing a Ferrari F40 would be, but Corvettes have such a massive presence here in America. And lets face it, most of them are stock.

Other than the mighty Grand Sport, Corvette enthusiasts take a pretty negative approach to kit cars, and they’re terribly quick to cite that they’ll never be worth any money, and that you should just invest your money in a lesser Vette instead. Well that kinda defeats the point, doesn’t it?

That’s the type of response you’ll generally see on the forums for cars like this ’53 Corvette replica. And while I’ll admit that many of these C1 replicas are not done well, this car honestly looks like a solid build. The car has a pro-touring flavor with the large-diameter wheels and smooth lines, and while that’s not for everyone, most will agree that a replica gets you a free pass to experiment.

The seller doesn’t reveal who manufactured the fiberglass ’53 body, but he does explain that the body is mounted on a chassis and the doors and hood are hung. The chassis is said to be from a Monte Carlo, likely a GM G-platform, and all you have to do is compare a few photos to see why that’s not such a bad thing.

Compare these photos of a stock C1 chassis to the Monte Carlo chassis under this Vette, and you’ll likely agree that the Monte chassis is a worthy substitute, given its front discs, superior front suspension geometry and a four-link axle with coil springs. Now it’s important to address that this chassis has been modified with a large X-brace to add stiffness, since the Monte Carlo’s body has been removed. Interesting, that addition mirrors the C1 chassis, and they even look similar with the brace present. Additionally, this new chassis looks factory fresh, and sports new aftermarket parts up front.

Things are looking fairly complete under the hood, where a rebuilt Chevrolet 400 ci resides. Everything looks new and fresh, including headers, roller rockers, a dual-plane intake and aluminum Edelbrock cylinder heads. Power runs through a 700R4 automatic, which is tagged “Gangster,” signifying that it was rebuilt by a company called Mad Dog Transmissions to support up to 300 hp.

The seller in Shreveport, Louisiana, states that the car is 75-percent completed, but health concerns forces the sale at a loss. He’s asking $25,000, which is a ton of money to spend on a project car. But with only 300 original ’53 Corvettes built, values stretch from $140,000 to $350,000 — bonkers money. But a project ’54 can be had for around $40,000, likely the better use of your funds in this case.

See the seller's ad here on Shreveport Craigslist.