Does This Solid Axle Corvette Open A New Chapter In Restomodding?

Whether you call it a first generation, a C1, or a solid-axle Corvette, you know the formula for a top dollar price: either do a factory-correct nut-and-bolt restoration, or inject a large amount of new parts to make an eye catching restomod. Except not, because here’s a restomod 1958 Corvette that is both highly sympathetic to the original, but has no intention in earning credentials from the likes of Bloomington or The National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS). Even with a Powerglide automatic transmission underfoot, this Corvette just blew the doors off everyone’s expectations, coming down with a $181,900 price including fees this week on Hagerty Marketplace.

That’s not hyperbole, as it’s one of the few solid axle Corvettes with a carbureted small block V-8 to crest the $175,000 mark. It went for $5100 less than this dual quad/big brake example. (The RPO 687 Big Brake package adds 25 percent to a Corvette). It’s $10,600 less than this highly predigreed 1960 Corvette sporting a desirable four-speed manual. But what’s most impressive is how this example sold for only $5100 less than the last C1 Corvette ever made, which was another four-speed manual example with NCRS Top Flight certification.

We aren’t just taking note of this Corvette’s performance relative to Solid Axles sold at auction. This sale also knocks our average in the Hagerty Price Guide for a #1 (concours, or best in the world) condition 1958 Corvette out of the ballpark, and does so with a Powerglide automatic, crank windows, a soft top delete, and the lower line suspension and engine options. There are likely many good reasons why this happened, one of which is the quality of the work performed. But the bigger issue here is the level of sympathy in the modifications.

With phrases like “a more reliable driving experience” and “the original components can easily be replaced if desired,” its clear the builder wanted to keep the originality while addressing its shortcomings in a sympathetic way.

There’s an alternator to provide reliable power for a modern audio system, both of which are easily reversed if needed. A smaller-diameter, leather-wrapped steering wheel adds comfort your hands can feel. There’s an aftermarket carburetor with a larger volume air cleaner. An aftermarket transmission cooler and an electric fan keep the powertrain happy, while modern sound insulation on the floor reduces heat and NVH levels in ways that could never be imagined in 1958.

And it all works astonishingly well when presented in the Hagerty Marketplace auction. There will be great audio from those speakers, but there’s no trace of them in your forward view. The color-matched steering wheel looks factory correct, and it is easy to unbolt and replace when purity is demanded at a car show.

While this Solid-Axle Corvette appears to be restored to the highest standards, an honest representation of its flaws was also provided. The rear axle and the Powerglide transmission can leak, the old WonderBar radio is nonfunctional, some interior materials show signs of wear, and the exterior has paint and body flaws that are hard to see in the photos. Perfection is in the eye of the bidder, and clearly these (and others listed in the auction) did not stop a bidding war from happening in the last few hours of the auction.

Perhaps this moment is a cause for celebration, as three bidders took this restomod’s auction to interstellar space. And it marked the moment a Solid Axle Corvette became a milestone for a sympathetic restoration with a splash of modern comforts. Because you won’t find an LS motor, 6-speed manual conversion, disc brake swap, 18+ inch wheels, or conversion to an independent suspension here. Such levels of reserve should demand appreciation from owner and onlooker alike.

This C1 Corvette remains a Solid Axle in both (nick)name and spirit. We can only hope this balance in improvements and restorations can be a bellwether for a new era in restomod appreciation.