Ground Up Built Don Davis Corvette Street Rod 454 V8 Auto 4-link

The Pro Street movement, keenly summarized as going wicked fast and looking real good doing it, began gaining popularity about 35 years ago. And today, with technology that continuously blurs the lines between street beast and track king, transforming a storied classic into a custom-fabricated speed machine has become one of America's favorite pastimes. But even with top-tier customizers and a who's who list of extreme kits, there's still something to be said about originality. And even though many companies create purpose-built scorchers that light up Christmas trees across the world, many of them are about as stylish as a Malaise Era pickup. Well, as you can probably see, this incredible Corvette is the elixir for street and strip sickness. A Super Gas-style custom that was built to show AND race, it combines picture-perfect aesthetics with serious mechanical prowess. And if you're looking for invigorating performance, a lust worthy parade queen or just a cool car to own and enjoy, it's a great candidate for your next classic!

APPEARANCE

For gearheads, there's something very primal about a car that has a big motor, flashy paint and big tires. But, like the technology needed to successfully flaunt that appearance, the appeal of this Super Gas Corvette runs much deeper than inquisitive novelty. NHRA chassis guru Don Davis knows a thing or two about technology, developing cars that won more than half a given season's Super Gas races when he was hand-fabricating customer builds. See, Davis had already spent years building hot rods, bikes, off-road racers and successful Sprint racers. However, when he wanted to start scaling up his business to a full-time operation, he settled in NHRA because, unlike Sprints, the league enforced a universal rule book. Eventually, Don got so good at his craft that the NHRA started incorporating his work in to that national rule book. And ultimately, Don's business, and legacy, would live on through the help of customer and impassioned loyalist Jim Hughes of Hughes Performance.

This unique Corvette, finished in 2012 by McCabe Racing, was constructed under the direct guidance of Don Davis. The idea was to create a one-off street car that could easily double as a bracket racer, and, after four years of hard work, that goal was fully realized. As you might expect, the car's flip-top body is made of quality composite. A chromed Corvette grille joins a retro looking windscreen and tall Cowl Induction Hood to add a sense of style and familiarity. With legality of utmost concern, halogen headlamps and bright turn signals complement polished mirrors and factory taillights. If this Chevy wasn't sporty enough already, a polished roll bar, a giant Davis wing and polished, side-exist exhaust set a serious tone. And everything ties together on bright red 2-stage, which has been stamped with cross-flags and highlighted with crisp silver coves that wrap old school leafing around a ghosted checker motif.

POWER

When this C1 was initially constructed, it featured a much hotter motor that made the car much more temperamental. However, cooler heads eventually prevailed, and the car was fitted with 454 cubic inches of big block Chevy that are spry at the strip and well-mannered on the road. Lift the fuselage and you'll find a beefy Ron Davis radiator, which hangs two electric puller fans in front of two billet pulleys. Those pulleys spin a polished Weiand water pump, which cools a Jet Black block that's centered on large-diameter long-tube headers. Above those tubes, cast iron heads hangs mirrored valve covers between polished breathers and Loomed MSD Super Conductor plug wires that trace a quality Mallory distributor. That distributor is planted in an Edelbrock TM2R Tarantula intake, which milks a big Holley carburetor that's capped by a K&N X-Stream air cleaner. And the car's airy engine compartment is exceptionally tidy, with items like braided fluid lines, a Wilwood master cylinder and a polished block-off plate upping the ante for both performance and aesthetics.

POWER MANAGEMENT

Underneath, you'll find a no-compromises drivetrain that's complemented by professional grade track equipment and fresh aluminum floorpans. Behind the big block, a tough Turbo-Hydramatic 400 3-speed centers a polished pan and polished flywheel cover in front of a remote cooler that's mated to a breezy Perma-Cool fan. That transmission twists a 9-inch Strange axle that spins in a fabricated, back-braced housing. That drivetrain hangs in a choice Don Davis chassis, which is pushed by a custom 4-link that's complete with adjustable coil-overs and an adjustable panhard bar. That clip is led by Flaming River rack-and-pinion steering, which spans Strange hubs that are finished with polished control arms and a second set of coil-overs. At the corners, Strange calipers squeeze slotted discs to counter the big engine's rocket-like momentum. Power scorches the strip through polished WELD alloys, which spin 125R15 Firestone F-560s in front of 33x19.5-15 Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pros. And, in keeping with the tradition of its clean engine bay, everything from the car's braided hoses to its custom fuel tank is fully-sorted and ready to hit the track.

COCKPIT

Piloting this flip-top is relatively easy thanks to a snug, all-business cockpit that's lined in neutral vinyl. The car's driver and one lucky passenger perch on simple buckets that feature body-matched Crow Enterprizes harnesses. In front of those seats, a minimalist dash founds vital Auto Meter telemetry behind simple toggle switches and a mirrored instrument panel. Beneath that dash, clean carpet frames a custom console that's centered on a beefy B&M shifter. And in front of the driver, a removable steering wheel laps metal foot pedals.

Plenty quick and plenty streetable, this pristine Corvette is an excellent combination of awesome Pro Street performance and timeless hot rod aesthetics. What other niche allows you to own a classic that can rip invigorating quarter-mile passes, then politely drive you home? Call your friends at RK Motors Charlotte and stage a bid for this bad bowtie!

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SUMMARY

* The beneficiary of a detailed, professional build that was shepherded by Don Davis
* 454 cubic inch Chevrolet V8
* Turbo-Hydramatic 400 3-speed automatic transmission / Remote cooler
* Strange 9-inch rear axle / Custom housing
* Custom Don Davis chassis
* Custom suspension / Fully adjustable 4-link rear suspension
* Strange 4-wheel disc brakes / Rack-and-pinion steering
* 15-inch WELD wheels
* Composite flip-top body
* Vinyl interior