Corvette Roadster Pro Touring LS3 V8/630 HP 5 Speed

With restored Corvette roadsters being highly desirable collectables in factory-correct condition, it takes quite a bit of nerve to pull the gloves off and 'frankenstein' a killer pro-tourer. But, as you'll see, the results are definitely worth the six-figures it required to finish this amazing car, as few C2s possess its combination of sheer performance and classic style. Ready for a first class build that combines everything great about the storied Sting Ray with technology that's more akin to a modern Z51? Here it is!

Sealed in pearled Lexus Indigo Ink, and topped with a Sikkens Silver stripe, this slick pro-tourer is the beneficiary of a six year, ground-up restoration that was completed by Corvette Express in Vacaville, California. In addition to better-than-factory alignment, the car's body features super sinuous appeal thanks to a fresh front clip and GTS Customs quarters that flare 1.5 inches over stock. That body's combination of form, fit and flash is reinforced by fully shaved emblems and NINE coats of clear which, during the finishing phase, was cut to seven. And today, this fully sorted Sting Ray rolls as one of the finest classics in our 225 car showroom!

Despite the excellent work performed by Superior Chrome Plating of San Jose, California, 'classy' isn't the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of this stunning Corvette. It's not that the car lacks class. It simply floods the mind with far more appealing descriptors like fast, free and lust-worthy. After all, America's sports car WAS built to lap tracks, not float through a stuffy regimen of tea-times. At the front of this Chevy, Detroit Speed headlight motors, bullet-style marker lamps and a brilliant chrome bumper cage a body-width, stainless-trimmed grille. At the sides of that grille, simple heat extractors ride between traditional door handles, color-keyed rocker trim and a familiar, bowtie-branded mirror. That mirror reflects a smoothed stinger hood, like-new glass and gray Haartz Stayfast that's framed in fresh stainless trim. And behind that trim, an airbrushed decklid flows into dual-mode tail lights, a chrome-trimmed tag bracket, equally brilliant bumpers and custom, center-outlet exhaust.

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 IV small block. Officially known as the Mast Motorsports Black Label LS3, that $15K mill utilizes 416 cubic inches to twist brutal 11.2 to 1 compression into 630 horsepower and 564 lb./ft. of torque. And despite consistently delivering track-blistering, low-end performance, it revs to 7,000 RPM and drives like a commuter car! Up top, GM's familiar intake and fuel rail covers have been augmented with a smooth mix of Lexus and Sikkens two-stage. The engine's internals have been beefed up to include a Callies forged crank, Callies H-beam rods, a custom Mast cam and Mahle Motorsports pistons. Above that first class metal, Mast 12-degree CNC heads employ Mast beehive springs and LS7 hydraulic rollers. There's a beefy Be Cool radiator that's fitted with two efficient puller fans. A Vintage Air FrontRunner system spins Vintage Air climate control at the sides of a re-usable filter element. A Mast M90 ECM combines with hardened pushrods and ARP fasteners to detail otherwise purpose-built performance. That performance rides between a custom-airbrushed hood and smooth, Semi Flat Black frame. And one twist of the key zings the powerplant to life, pulsing rhythmic notes through ceramic-coated Street & Performance 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. A powdercoated Newman Car Creations frame was a perfect foundation for the car's inspired resurrection. Behind the LS3, a fresh Tremec TKO600 5-speed utilizes a McLeod dual-disc hydraulic clutch to twist a proven Dana 44 around big, 3.73 gears. That first class drivetrain rolls on a powdercoated C4 suspension that's fitted with Bilstein shocks and a Vette Brake Products leaf. Turns come courtesy of a fourth generation Corvette steering rack. Smooth and solid stops are provided when Hawks HPS pads squeeze four modern discs: C5 front and C4 rear. Spent gases roll from custom, 2.5-inch stainless steel pipes to an X-shaped crossover, polished Magnaflow mufflers and the aforementioned Corsa GTR tips. Power flows through Hyper Silver Z06 replicas, which spin 245/45ZR17 front and 275/40ZR18 rear BF Goodrich KDWs around airbrushed Corvette Jake center caps. And everything, from this Vette's QuickTime scattershield to its stainless Rock Valley fuel tank, is expertly finished, superbly detailed and ready for action.

Pop this Chevy's electric locks and you'll find a stylish black interior that's completely restored to road-ready condition. The custom leather seats, fitted with 3-point safety belts, look akin to something you might find in a fifth generation Corvette. In front of those seats, an Al Knoch dash hangs restored and converted gauges beside stylish aluminum trim. Under that dash, a filled and leather-wrapped console hides docks for a modern sound system behind a color-keyed shifter and re-located parking brake. Below that console, cut-pile carpet centers a substantial fire extinguisher on Dynamat insulation and Corvette-branded floor mats. At the sides of that carpet, Corvette Central door panels float between leather-wrapped quarter panels, big Focal speakers and leather-wrapped Eckler's kick panels. In front of the driver, a Chuck Pelton-wrapped C3 steering wheel twists satin spokes around a tilting steering column. And behind the passengers, an AudioControl sound processor pumps power through a custom speaker box thanks to two Alpine amps and a JL Audio Reference Grade subwoofer.

The sale of this incredible roadster includes a pile of build receipts, build photos, a stack of component manuals, a stack of tech manuals and a vintage Owner's Manual.

This professionally restored Vette is the kind of car that runs hard and wins trophies. Everyone loves topless Sting Rays, but some are A LOT nicer than others. If you've been searching for an awesome C2 to enjoy for years to come, you're looking at your next classic!