Mixed Metaphor: Russ Weid’s Corvette blends the breed’s best attributes
With eight generations to choose from, you’ve got to be a killjoy not to love one Corvette or the other. What the early roadsters lack in speed they make up with classic charm. The sold-out C8s are America’s feasible Ferraris. The six tweener generations broom away workaday misery in the first mile of any weekend excursion.
But what if you could mix and match your favorite Corvette design features without consuming more than a single slice of precious garage space? That’s precisely what Russ Weid of Chelsea, Michigan, has achieved with his 2013 C6 Corvette dressed as a Mid Year (1963–67). Weid’s hinged headlamps, beefy hood, and flared front fenders match the 1967 Corvette’s nosepiece. The tapered roof and split-window backlight pay homage to the ’63 factory Corvette coupe.
Weid bought his Corvette nearly new in Dallas a decade ago with a base 6.2-liter 430-hp V-8 and six-speed manual transmission. Karl Kustom (KK) over Tuxedo Black paint. Their fastidiously made skins are hand-laminated fiberglass bonded with vinyl-ester resin. KK also fitted new custom bumpers, aluminum grille bars, and door handles to Weid’s Corvette. Known as a “split build” because two model-year designs are replicated, the body makeover cost Weid $95,000. Only 14 of the 64 Corvettes converted by KK embodied this split-year configuration.
To add energy under the hood, Weid added a low-pressure Edelbrock E-Force supercharger. He estimates that upgrade yields about 550 horsepower. A new Billy Boat cat-back exhaust system includes two cross-flow mufflers and a flamboyant quartet of pipe tips. Weid’s wife Diane helped EVOD Industries design the unique custom forged-aluminum wheels wearing P275/35ZR-18 front and P325/30ZR-19 rear red-line radials.
The cost of these mods added to the $50,000 core charge yields a bottom line crowding $170,000. The retired Chrysler test driver and mechanic is convinced he made a shrewd investment. The stock suspension provides a nicely controlled ride and the engine’s thunder never overwhelms conversation. Weid confirms, “Even though I’ve owned my Corvette for a decade, it’s still a thoroughly enjoyable treat. Every spring that I remove it from its winter storage bubble, I feel like a giddy 16-year-old!”
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Very pretty vette. What’s with the 6 tail lights? Back in the day, saw a C2 vette with that treatment and still don’t understand why.
Back in the day starting in 1960, lower trim level Chevys had two tail lights on each side. Impalas had three showing a higher trim level from the rear. Corvette owners found adding the 3rd lamp to their Corvettes enhanced the look equally well as it did to the Impala. Many used all red lens in the upgrade and some left the middle lamp lens white as a backup lamp but as you know, in 67′ GM gave the Corvette a central backup lamp and all taillamp lenses were red. Some used a single filament bulb or one with the brake/turn mode burned out in the middle lamp so when turn signals were activated, it gave the appearance of sequential lamps. Somewhere I still have an issue of one magazine showing how to add the 3rd lamp using an electric drill. Yikes!
I’ve seen some of these “Frankenstein” Corvettes at various shows where somebody has grafted retro-looking C1 or C2 body panels on a C5 or C6 Corvette. Okay, so you end up with something that is unique and not bad looking, but it is neither a C1 or C2 Corvette or a C5 or C6 Corvette. It’s a labor of love and you will never recover all the time, money and effort you have put into it. Will any of these cars appreciate in value? Probably not, and the resale market for these creations is much more limited than an original C1 or C2, or even a restorod C1 or C2 upgraded with a late model fuel-injected LS engine, disc brakes and 6-speed or automatic.
Up her in Minnesota we call it the ‘California Tailight treatment. I believe it was first used on a custom, from California back in the late 60’s. I believe it was either Larry Watson or possibly Dean Jeffries who did it first.
I believe the 6 tail light customization originated with the 1958 Impala. It was pretty easy to replace the Impala (only) middle back up light with a red lens. 1959 wouldn’t work that way, but in 1960 it got going again for several years. Same thin with the Corvette, starting in 1961.
The tail lights were added for years at owners expense to make them custom like several GM show cars.
Now collectors at their own expense pay to remove them today. Same with the split window.
You know I found my sweet spot and did not have to do a thing.
I love the 59-60 Corvette roadster with the trunk and also the C3 hide away lamps. But I love the C5-6-7 chassis for better ride and handling. Also the LS is the best GM engine ever.
So i just bought a C5 with low miles. I get the trunk, Hide away lights, the better chassis and 350 HP with a drop top.
The car is more reliable and better quality than the older cars that were for better or worse never perfect.
The C6 and C7 are great cars but they add more computers and more electronics that are problematic where my C5 is more like the older cars and much easier to work on less the torque tube.
I am not too much into the rebody deals. The ones they did on the C5 with the 53 styling are cheesy at best. This one here is well done I must admit. But if I were to want the old style I will just buy the old style.
Much like the Camaros turned into a Trans Am for six figures I would just rather buy a 74 Super Duty 455 for about the same or less.
But that is just my take on it there is no right or wrong.
“my C5 is more like the older cars and much easier to work on less the torque tube.”
I don’t Think you been working under your car. You better look again!
The six pack lights harken back to the early 60’s Impala’s.
Absolute magic s beautiful motor car thats like a 2024 mode,pity I don’t have the Tom because I would have one in my garage today.
“All the Jag could see were my six tail lights.” –Dead Man’s Curve
It is all Dean’s fault.
Lovely. The 63-67 Corvettes have one of the most outstanding shapes of all time. They’ll still look fabulous 50 years from now.
Interesting concept, but the lines just don’t match up. Those big side windows do not blend well with the lines, and they had to make a pretty aggressive drop after the split window to get things to match the rear bumper. From the front, it looks like they put a C2 nose clip on a Pacer. Everybody’s a critic, right?
I believe GM hit the nail on the head with the C7 as a tribute to the C2
Having my two cars side by side the lines are very evident and the look is great.
Needs more neoclassic.
Honestly this has to be the best classic Corvette restomod build ever made
Somehow it flows so well together and man she looks damn good too
I just love looking at every corner of this car
Yeah, Buddy… I’m with you, all the way…. Slick, Sweet, Smooth, all the way…..With an edge!
This looks like a 2024 model a beautiful created masterpiec if I had the Tom it would be in my garage today and happily drive every day.
These newer chassis re-bodied to old school cars never seem to look right to my eye. The proportions are always a little weird. This one is the closest I’ve seen to right, but still not a huge fan.
I have not been a Corvette restomod (What a clunky word) fan until today. This would be a wonderful car to drive cross-country. The only nit to pick is the tail light treatment. I would have gone with the C7 rectangular lenses for a smoother (IMO) fit with the rear bodywork. As a wise person once said “A difference of opinion is what makes horse racing possible” Great car! Happy Motoring!
OK – I get that the split window is a one-year (and therefore rare) thing… But wasn’t it a one-year thing because it’s a bad idea to install a big blind spot in a car that can be difficult to see out of to begin with? I just don’t get the fascination with it. To me, the other four C2 years have always been cleaner-looking cars. I do love that he included the Stinger hood. To make this car absolutely perfect in my eyes, it would be in a roadster body with some side-pipes. Oh yeah…
It is better than the 53 rebody, but this has been done before. The Rossi emulates the 63 but this is a bit more refined. The mirrors are wrong and could use a rebody.
Interesting. To each their own but when I look at this I can’t help think about this car in the same way I look at all those Ferrari Fiero kit cars. It will always look off to me.
Any streetrod corvette is better than original my choice.