When you first lay eyes on one of these modified C3 Corvettes with the Eckler’s Daytona-style body kit installed, it’s easy to cast it aside as yet one more aftermarket creation in a sea of custom cars. However, the body kit serves as a significant reminder as to the achievements of John Greenwood, a normal guy who decided to go racing and took that dream all the way up to LeMans. The body enhancements he designed as part of this venture (along with an 8.0L V8) made for some pretty memorable moments on the track, and this 1980 Chevrolet Corvette listed here on eBay with the Daytona kit serves as a reminder of those achievements.
Now, like all “consumer-friendly” versions of body kits like these, it’s not an exact clone of the race car that put down some ridiculous speeds at places like Sebring, Daytona, and LeMans. The car that Greenwood built featured handcrafted bodywork, and it almost appears to be pinched in the middle, like a woman wearing a corset. The front is clearly wider than stock, then it gets tight by the doors, and flares out heavily over the rear haunches. The competition car appears barely resembles a C3 Corvette, whereas you can still tell on this street-going version what era it’s from. One of the best ways, in my opinion, to make it appear more like the track car is obtain a set of period-correct, heavily staggered wheels – that alone would transform the appearance.
Now, bodywork alone didn’t help Greenwood put down speeds of 215 miles per hour on the Mulsanne Straight. He ordered a 510 engine block right from Chevy’s speed catalog at the time and built it into a monster. What a time to be alive: build your own race car to go hunt Porsches at LeMans, all the while strolling over to the dealer to pick up an 8.0L competition-grade engine. The car shown here clearly doesn’t have that level of performance, instead relying on the standard-issue 5.7L V8 engine, paired to a Turbo 350 automatic transmission. The seller confirms it remains completely stock and road-legal in all states, down to the smog pump and exhaust system.
The interior is standard-issue C3 equipment, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s in fine shape overall, with no obvious flaws beyond some signs of use. The seller seems confident that the odometer reading showing 27,887 miles is accurate, and I could see someone building this car into the showpiece that it is and then keeping it under wraps save for the occasional car show. The asking price is $42,500 or best offer, which would seem reasonable for a low-mileage, bone-stock C3, and depending on your opinion of the Eckler’s kit, could make it seem like a borderline steal at a number just under $40K. What do you think – is the Eckler’s kit and the history it represents worth the price?
I never like to start these unusual presentations on a negative note, although many go that way anyway. I’ve heard of Ecklers, even an AMT model kit, mostly milder customs, this seems to be the most ostentatious one. Visiting their website,( that almost requires a computer with more memory) they have much simpler ones, but out of my price range by a couple decimal points. It’s difficult to find a cost of a kit like this, some say almost $20grand in 1980, AND, you had to supply your own Corvette.($14,000 alone). Looking at their website in Titusville, FL. ( boy, there’s an area hit hard when the space program went ka-put) their products are not for the thin of wallet. It is really a cool car, I just wouldn’t park it in any parking lot where the elderly drivers drive by feel.
This is a poor representation of Greenwood’s race car. How do I know? In 1976 we were standing at the end of the pits watching the start of the LeMans race that had Greenwood’s Corvette and two NASCAR cars in it. Don’t remember how many laps Greenwood made but the next thing we knew the car pulled into the pits and stopped right where we were standing, the right rear tire in shreds and fuel leaking out of the fuel cell. That might not have been that bad as they had wheels and tires but did not bring an extra fuel cell. We helped them push the car back to their trailer and went back to watching the race. The NASCAR cars thundering down the Mulsanne Straight really excited the locals lining the track.They both withdrew with transmission failure about half way through the race.
“The Two Monsters”! That’s incredibly cool you were there to see those run, bobhess. More than a few folk here in the USA would’ve loved to have been in your shoes, myself especially.
Rumor has it that they had to let up sooner at the end of the Mulsanne because their brakes couldn’t match their overall straightaway capabilities, that 200 MPH-on 86 octane gas-was no big deal.
Greenwood’s was another hero of the times and obviously impressed many especially when we look at this body cladding..
Bobhess that is so amazing!! To have been there during that time. Thanks for telling us about it.
It was amazing for us too. Yes the big guys had to brake sooner. They had a Ford and a Dodge and a hauler full of Moon Pies and Nehi soda.
Thanks for sharing the story. The Dodge still exists and has been restored. It was sponsored by Olympia beer.
Steve R
Glad to hear that. Would love to see the present day cars out there.
This car was ugly when new and hasn’t aged well. I’m not sure why anyone would want to pay close to 3 times the price of a nice 1980 Corvette for this. There are much better C3 Corvettes for a lot less money. At some point you will run out of people that might be willing to pay a premium for something like this, once you reach that point those who own one, hoping to recoupe what the spent to acquire one of these will feel a lot of pain in their wallet.
Steve R
Okay which is worse (uglier) on viewing each failed look.
Mark Hamill “Corvette Summer” movie Vette (1978 Movie release )
Or This thing with bulky over hangs…
Both are a pass for me…
You would get lots of attention at a car show, but for many bad reasons!!
I would have fun with this thing, especially with the purist at cars and coffee, but nowhere near the money they’re asking, when I see a butchered up car like this, I expect the price to go DOWN !!! I got excited for a second there .
I think it would be an embarrassment to be caught driving this…thing.
Uhhhhh, No. Looking at this causes a bad flashback to a cheesy movie with Mark Hamil and Annie Potts that I had the misfortune of being railroaded into taking my kid sister to.
I would never consider taking a perfectly good body style like the C3 and plastering abstract chunks of fiberglass all over it because some stoner somewhere thinks it’s “cool”.
But that’s just me.
Kind of cool reminder of the day. But like body kit it is pure poser. A car outfitted like this with an automatic transmission is a joke on wheels. Strictly “look at me” with no mechanical bits to back up the look. I’m not a C3 fan anyway. But this is just foolishness. I was a crew member on a Trans Am series C3 Corvette. (part time racer) There was plenty of Greenwood goodies “under the fiberglass” but only one or two minor fiberglass parts. Definitely had to change to a “racing ” brake master cylinder. At the end of the main straight at Road America a hard push on the brakes caused the seals in the stock master cylinder to turn inside out! Resulting in “an off” in turn 2. (Somehow made it around turn 1) I don’t know if Paul is still racing. But he now owns Backhawk Farms Raceway.
13 year old me is getting a chubber looking at this.
60 year old me? Nope.
No chubber.
May not be the car’s fault.