Before the dawn of the internet and subsequent planned leaks and digital rollouts of the latest and greatest automobiles, many of us were captivated by show cars. Back in what some call the golden age, auto shows and in-person reveals were at the core of enthusiasts’ fascination and passion. For many, that enthusiasm translated to a desire to own a show car or something like it, and this weekend one lucky bidder will turn that dream into reality.

Guests at Mecum Glendale this Friday, March 21st will get the exclusive opportunity to own a unique piece of Corvette history. Officially displayed in the Performance Gallery at the National Corvette Museum in 2022, this exceptionally cool custom is the result of a dedicated General Motors engineer meticulously recreating one of the most legendary Corvette show cars of all time: the Chevrolet Experimental Racing Vehicle I.

Created by Zora Arkus-Duntov in 1959, and revealed to the public in 1960, the Chevrolet Experimental Racing Vehicle I was envisioned to help Chevrolet engineers better understand the athleticism of production vehicles, specifically performance-oriented cars. Essentially, CERV I was a race car for the street, from its open-wheel concept and stiff structure to its one-passenger cockpit and one-pound-per-horsepower weight ratio. Perhaps more importantly, it was the very first indication of GM engineers’ desire to move the Corvette to a mid-engine layout.

Build A Better Dream

The story behind this awesome CERV I tribute goes something like this: the car’s creator, the son of a GM transmission engineer, was taken to the GM Tech Center to meet Zora Arkus-Duntov and preview the original CERV I in person. From that moment, he was hooked on cars and eventually followed in his father’s footsteps to become a lifelong GM engineer. Still enamored with the CERV I decades later, he decided to compile as much data as he could to reverse engineer the car and create a replica that stayed as true to its muse as possible.

That retro chic pigment you’re looking at is a custom mix of Frost Blue Poly and Snowcrest White that was documented on the original CERV I back in 1962. That paint blankets a handmade fiberglass body, which is based on the first, and now lost, CERV I body that was created by legendary designers Larry Shinoda and Tony Lapine. That resin is stretched around a 3D CAD-designed frame that was perfected through three years and 83 iterations. While those bones do closely emulate the original CERV I, the beefier structure was created with the help of a Bonneville tech inspector and Southern California Timing Association rules to meet and exceed land speed record specs.

Super Power

Power is supplied by a 388 cubic inch stroker that creates stout 12.5 to 1 compression. Holley Sniper EFI feeds lightweight aluminum heads, which tilt above a COMP roller cam, 4340 rods, forged pistons, and a steel crank. Cooling is supplied by dual front-mount aluminum radiators, dual auxiliary radiators, three electric cooling fans, and an electric water pump. All the mill’s torque gets funneled through a hydraulic clutch and a modified Hurst Competition Plus Shifter.

A predictable Saginaw 4-speed transaxle is integrated into a narrowed Champ quick change independent rear-clip. That suspension, customized to mimic the independent rear setup developed on the original CERV I for the 1963 Sting Ray, pushes a period-correct Corvair front suspension. For increased performance, that front-clip, similar to the Corvette SS leftover that was fitted to the original CERV I, has been upgraded with GM disc brakes and polished, Bonneville-style alloys.

Not only does this CERV I tribute look the part, it also drives the part. Since its completion, the car has been driven and displayed at many historic venues, even duplicating Jerry Titus’ Sebring test run that was documented, with the original CERV I, in the May 1962 issue of Sports Car Graphic.