The animated Speed Racer manga series debuted in the sixties, but it wasn’t until the seventies that I first remember it airing in my local TV market.  I was young and impressionable, and as this was my introduction to Japanese anime, I remember being quite fascinated with the antics of Speed Racer.  More than the character himself, what I remember most was his race car, the powerful Mach 5, as the television theme song calls it.  Kudos to whoever took a 1996 Chevrolet Corvette and turned it into a tribute, which you can own right now for $54,400, if you’re already envisioning yourself behind the wheel.  This one is located in Corona, California, and can be spotted here on eBay, with our thanks to reader Curvette for finding it and sending us the tip!

No clues are provided on how this went from a C4 body to one resembling the fictional Mach 5, but a little internet probing reveals that there was once a company named Speed Racer Enterprise that proposed building 500 of these replicas.  The best number I could find was that only an estimated handful were ever made, but it’s not confirmed that this is one of those, or if its origin is entirely different.  Some information we do have is that the seller reports this modification was performed professionally, with the photos appearing to show a good fit and finish on the custom exterior panels.

Inside, the factory airbag-equipped steering wheel has been replaced with an aftermarket unit that has more of a vintage racer look, but unfortunately, the center studs aren’t buttons, with no letters present to activate all the features of the “real” Mach 5.  The instruments in front of the driver look stock, but some of the upholstery appears to have a few custom enhancements.  I’m not seeing a boot area or evidence of a top covering of any sort, so this one’s probably permanently in the open-air driving position.

Mechanically, this one’s stated to be entirely an all-stock Corvette, and it’s said to drive like one.  With this being more of a novelty or showpiece, it’s not surprising that the mileage is low, with 46,500 showing on the ticker.  The seller mentions that this car might have a special appeal for parades, display events, and comic conventions, or for a collector who’s just seeking something unusual to turn heads.  Is this 1996 Corvette Mach 5 replica one you’d be interested in acquiring?