Corvette Sting Ray Roadster Pro Touring LS1 V8 5 Speed

As owners of classic cars, we're all nostalgic people. But as unique as old cars are, and as romantic as past times seem to be, there's no denying the positive effects of technology. For instance, a modern smart phone that connects you to the world in the blink of an eye is much better than some old rotary unit that's cord-bound to the wall. And I know you'll agree that a sharp, highly interactive flat-screen TV is much more entertaining than a heavy tube that's made of shadows and ghostly figures. So what's a classic car lover to do when they're torn between golden era style and modern car technology? They take a good, long look at this killer Corvette roadster! Combining classic Chevrolet form with a hot LS1, sturdy Jamison's chassis and classic black interior, this awesome C2 is a ground-up build that mixes the best aspects of yesterday with the best advancements of today. If you're in the market for a solid collectable that's comfortable, fast, reliable and absolutely stunning, this no-compromise Vette is your next ride!

Sealed in custom-blended Burgundy, this slick pro-tourer was painstakingly restored by a place called Cars R Us in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. As you can see from our professional photography, the car's body features better-than-factory alignment, reflecting a razor-sharp two-stage that's been polished and wet-sanded to a stellar shine. That body's combination of form, fit and flash reinforces the fact that the car was a solid driver before its detailed metamorphosis began. And today, this fully sorted Sting Ray rolls as one of the finest Chevys in our 300 car showroom!

When you think of Corvettes, “classy” usually isn't the first thing that comes to mind. It's not that America's sports car lacks class. It simply floods the mind with far more appealing descriptors like fast, free and lust-worthy. After all, this C2 was built to lap tracks, not float through a stuffy regimen of tea-times. At the front of the car, bullet-style marker lights, a brilliant bumper and a red, white and black cross-flag emblem cage a body-width, stainless-trimmed grille. At the sides of that grille, simple heat extractors ride between traditional chrome door handles, colorful fender emblems, and chambered and shielded side pipes. Opposite those pipes, a '66 Sting Ray hood leads the eye to like-new glass that's framed in fresh stainless trim, fade-free cloth and a chrome bowtie mirror. And behind that mirror, standard, monochromatic tail lights illuminate a chrome-trimmed fuel filler, a clean “Corvette Sting Ray” emblem, a chrome-trimmed tag bracket and small, equally brilliant bumpers.

What good is all that 'show' if you can't back it up with a little 'go'? Lift this roadster's sculpted hood and you'll find the forerunner to virtually all the technology still featured in Chevrolet sports cars: GM's potent Generation III small block. Utilizing aluminum construction, flat top pistons and coil-near-plug ignition, that efficient mill is conservatively rated at 350 horsepower and 360 lb./ft. of Kansas-flat torque. And despite consistently delivering track-blistering performance, it passes all emissions tests, drives like a commuter car and still pulls 26 MPG on the highway! Aesthetically, GM's familiar fuel rail covers have been augmented with a custom engine cowl that mixes striking paint with shaded flames. The engine's bland serpentine system has been exchanged for a sea of bright brackets, polished pulleys and aftermarket ancillaries. There's a beefy DeWitts radiator that's fitted with an efficient puller fan. A clean Spectre air filter combines with braided fluid lines, KRC power steering and a fresh Wilwood master cylinder to detail an otherwise purpose-built performer. And with one twist of the key, the engine zings to life, pulsing rhythmic notes through ceramic-coated headers.

As our regular readers know, this is the paragraph that separates the pristine pro-tourers from the well-done resto-mods. And this Sting Ray's thoroughly updated underpinnings leave no doubt as to its affiliation with the former. Jamison's Custom Corvette's hand-made, tubular frame was a perfect foundation for the car's inspired resurrection. Behind the LS1, a fresh Tremec TKO600 5-speed utilizes a beefy hydraulic clutch to twist a proven posi-trac around friendly 3.08 gears. That first class drivetrain rolls on a fourth generation Corvette independent suspension that's fitted with fresh coil-overs and high quality Vette Brakes & Products control rods. Turns come courtesy of modern power rack and pinion steering. Smooth and solid stops are provided by manual, GM-style discs. Power flows through chrome C6 Z06 wheels, which spin 275/40ZR17 Aurora H107 radials in front of 275/40ZR18 Aurora H107 radials. And everything, from this Vette's stainless fuel tank to its Satin Black floors, is expertly finished, superbly detailed and ready for action.

Inside this Chevy you'll find a standard black interior that's completely restored to showroom mint. The thick vinyl seats feel firm to the touch and show virtually no signs of wear. In front of those seats, a sporty, dual-cowl dash hangs a quartz clock, modern climate control and a digital head unit between rebuilt gauges and stylish aluminum trim. Under that dash, stain-free carpet centers a small console and traditional chrome shifter between textured rubber floor mats. At the sides of that carpet, good looking door panels trace plush armrests with clean chrome handles and bright stainless trim. And in front of the driver, a leather-wrapped steering wheel twists chrome spokes and rich horn button around a modern, tilting column.

If you're looking for a razor-sharp sports car that offers vintage style and top notch performance, your search is officially over! Not only is this awesome Sting Ray fast, it's durable, it's comfortable, it has killer handling and it even gets good gas mileage. Why buy a finicky showboat when you can pick up this fully sorted pro-tourer and enjoy the road without worry?