The seller of this wild 1961 Corvette warns “This car is not for die-hard Corvette owners. They just hate to see ‘vettes modified like this, so turn your head and look somewhere else.” Sage advice, especially after one look at the immensely modified 1961 Corvette found here on eBay, that is claimed to be the 1982 X Race World Champ.
After it’s championship run, this Big Block Beast was parked behind a barn in Canada – where it sat for almost two decades. It looks to have been lovingly restored to its fighting form with everything looking new – as the seller details. It now sports a 600 HP, 355 from famed Hot Rod turnkey engine provider Big Al’s Toybox. With Big Al’s work sticking out of the hood (way, way out of the hood), you can see a BDS blower scoop presiding over the 671-supercharger, dual 750 Holly blowers, and much more.
My favorite throwback features are the massive Mickey Thompson Sportsman street rod tires slipped over period perfect Cragar 5-point star rims – front and back. It took a summer of pool cleaning, but in September of 1980, I went back to High School with a similar set all around on my much less impressive Camaro. Seeing them here brings back memories for sure.
But then this entire car is about memories. Specifically, the early 1980’s when a Corvette like this could rule the road, and the race-track. The seller also says “If you’re looking for a real head turning corvette, well, this is it. It draws big crowds everywhere it goes”. Without a doubt, that is true. In an era of identical hybrids and clone hatchbacks – this one will stand alone no matter where it is!
That’s a lot of money to ask for a car with a sketchy story. Division 7 consists of California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, Utah and at least part of New Mexico. It’s doubtful a car from Canada would make the commute to run races in that division, it doesn’t even have a number that starts with a 7, which it would. If it was world champion in modified production, show some evidence, it would exist. There is nothing left of any race car heritage, one picture doesn’t prove anything.
The days of Pro Street cars selling for are over, if they ever existed in the first place. It’s nice, but at this point in time it’s just another aging show car.
Steve R
The most famous 1961 Corvette is the heavily-modified drag racer of John Mazmanian. With its crudely shaped rear wheel cutouts and painted Honduras Maroon it is instantly recognizable to any Corvette “purist”.
This is a neat car regardless of provenance, but to impute any extrinsic value I agree with Steve R – show me the documentation.
Corvette aficionados, especially the C1 variety, can be a bit snooty. But basically we’re all car guys & girls who appreciate automotive art in all its forms.
As a old vette purist it’s not that great to see but it is what it is and someone should buy it if they like blowers jetting thru hoods
The wheels are weld prostar copies I think, they didn’t come out until the 2000s? Not really period correct by any stretch. Regardless, nice car for $35k, good luck with 125 lol
Purists, I’m so OK with putting a Ford engine in a Chevy, repainting, updating, just keep them running. Would you fix your Maytag fridge with a GE part to keep it working? Bet you would. Why are cars such sacred cows? Everyone bit#hes about cost, but won’t do any creative solutions. Have a nice day.
The hairnet over the blower intake is a nice touch.
As a die-hard Corvette owner, I love this car! Growing up in the 1960’s every other Corvette I saw looked like this. Back then, an unmodified Corvette was the outlier. Very cool.
No truer words were ever written.
I might give you 10k…then rip all that “70’s-high-school-kid-fantasy-car” junk.
Leaving basically the shell..as a clean sheet canvas…ready for a more proper
boulevard cruiseworthy restomod.
It needs a whole bunch of flames over the front fenders and every racing decal you can find. To heck with the purists.
I tried to get more info but the seller will not respond HUMMM I don’t think they will ever get 125K but i would love to bid IF THEY WOULD respond!!
My kinda car.
Needs a big block.
Maybe some flames.
Yeah.
A buck and a quarter, with no provenance (that includes the fact that it is massively changed from its race configuration)?
Also; big wheelstand? Likely not the first time.
Frame damage is suspected.
For somebody else.
It woulda been a real hit at the 82 street machine nationals…. 36 years ago..
Actually, the carbs are HOLLEYS, and they suck, not blow. On a related subject, that looks like a Magnum sized condom on the scoop,(see what I did there, tee hee).
If this is the Drag City Corvette from Winnipeg, MB, then it would have been Division 5 Modified Eliminator champ, not Division 7 nor World Champ. I’ve sent a message to driver, Gary Chomiski, to confirm.
I gave you the thumbs up… Has Chomiski responded?
P.S. – I give people Thumbs Up, even when I hugely disagree with them, as long as they are presenting INFORMATION. We can always debate their conclusions.
Everybody on this board should have given your comment a Thumbs up… but some other commenter will get 7 or 8 thumbs up for writing something like, “Wow. Beautiful car. Wish I could afford it. I’d park it right next to my Camry project”
Sigh.
Wow! beautiful car, wish I could afford it, I’d park it right next to my Camry project.
No seriously I would kill to drive this thing around what a cool car. I never had the money to do something like that to a car when I was younger, but I sure love them all. To me that car is pure, it’s pure hot rod! I would have a lot more fun driving that the way it is then if it was stock.