The XP87 Corvette Concept Car remains one of the most striking examples of unchained designers building the car of their fantasies, smashing clay models to pieces and wowing audiences everywhere. Unfortunately, it’s rarely seen today, squirreled away by GM as a “historically significant vehicle.” That doesn’t mean you can’t live the designer’s dream, however, as this rare Fiberfab Centurion kit here on eBay demonstrates.
The Centurion is supposedly one of five ever built, with the production of the kit halted when one of two things happened, depending on who you believe: the founder of Fiberfan was imprisoned, and/or GM filed a lawsuit citing infringement by the Fiberfab body. Whatever the reason – and it does bear more than a passing resemblance to the show car – the Centurion is a rare beast today.
Similar to the Kelmark GT kit car we’re helping to market as part of the large Georgia collection sell-off, the Centurion was built on a donor chassis, in this case a 1960 Corvette. This ‘Vette also gives the Centurion is a clean title to use, making it a whole lot easier to register. Power comes from a Corvette-derived engine and transmission, but the seller doesn’t state whether the C1 body came with its numbers-matching drivetrain. The engine and transmission are not included in the sale but available for an additional $2,300 over the final bid.
The XP87 is so rare and so beautiful that I hope someone does create a proper homage to that great concept with this Fiberfab. It’s a shame no one has yet completed the rare kit despite multiple owners making attempts over the years. With no bids at the $10,000 opening ask, it’s not looking likely at the moment – especially given the limited audience for a custom creation like this. Still, the kit car world is an enthusiastic one, and we’re hopeful this Centurion will be reborn.
The original is currently in the Taubman museum in Roanoke Virginia.
Very cool car
Should have let it keep burning.
Pretty nice write up and nice feature. As bad as it appears aesthetically, anyone with experience finishing fiberglass should be able to make it nice. Would love to see this run in mid ohio vintage races in it’s glory. The thing has history written all over it.
I’m questioning the Fiberfab connection, especially with the Kellison paperwork in the ad. It looks like, to me, that someone took a Vette body and hodge-podged it with pieces from the Kellison J series cars to make a tribute Centurion. I certainly could be wrong… I’ve been around the kit scene long enough to somewhat recognize parts from other donor kits.
It’s interesting that the seller brought up the Kellison-Fiberfab question and reached out to Kellison’s son to try to clarify this. To get teh full price on this one, I’d want to get this question answered…
I’d make this into a mock up of the Death Race 2000 car that David Carradine drove in the movie. Build a long spikey fin along the top and put some nasty big teeth in the grille, give it a green lizard paint job, and there you have it.
One of these sold at Barrett Jackson for 91K
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9vbpc1t3UA
Thanks healeydays, I caught a little bit of the Mecum, Dallas 2018 auction yesterday. I did not see the heavy hitters roll through, but some very nice rigs were going very cheap. I am sure most sellers lost money. I wish I was in the market for another rig.
Yup, it’s funny to read all the comments from the little kiddies that never out-grew smashing their matchboxes into each other…luckily their mommies won’t let them get 2-wheelers, because they keep crashing their little tricycles and getting boo-boos. They have to brag about what “they would do with this car” because that is ALL they are capable of: little kiddie bragging. It would be beyond them to even build a Snap-tite model.
Someone off their meds ?
There appear to be numerous differences between the listed car, and the Fiberfab car that sold at Barrett-Jackson in the above utube video. I think that Rick is correct in his questioning if this is indeed an original Fiberfab car.