Corvette with soul

Today's car repair market is dominated by accident repair services, but in recent years the number of cars that are past their prime and in need of restoration has been steadily increasing. There are more and more enthusiasts of cars with character, as they believe that new cars have lost their uniqueness and individuality due to the ubiquitous electronics and systems that regulate every aspect of driving.

The contemporary color market focuses heavily on new, unique colors, but it should be remembered that cars from several years ago also have their own characteristic shades, which we can recreate using modern and ecological technologies.

By browsing through trade magazines, we can find a lot of information on how to paint a car body correctly. However, if we look at what we are particularly interested in, namely the reconstruction of cars, especially older ones, there is much less information available. That is why we would like to present the reconstruction of a car whose history began in 1958.

Survived a tornado

The car was restored by Chevrolet, a brand that is characteristic of the American market as part of the General Motors group and which began in 1911. Over time, the brand's cars became faster and faster, until the Chevrolet Corvette 58 came along. The model with its characteristic streamlined shapes perfectly combined with chrome continues to inspire awe to this day.

How did it end up at our company? In 2017, we started looking for a suitable car. After searching for several days on an auction website, we found a forgotten car on a farm in Kansas City, Missouri. The car survived an F3 tornado, which means a wind speed of over 250 km/h. Such an atmospheric phenomenon can destroy large buildings and even overturn trains, but the Chevrolet model was preserved, even though during the tornado the barn door was blown off by the wind and destroyed the front part of the car.

The next step was to verify that the photos were true to life and we went to assess the car. It turned out to be a Corvette with the factory number 20. These are the first VIN numbers that were created, and today we already have numbers that include the individual specifications of a given model, such as equipment or color. The damage caused by the tornado was indeed significant, so the decision was made to build a new frame and install a new engine. So it promised to be a lot of work. We assumed it would be a 1958 car with today's technology.

Time is relative

The first problems arose when creating the new frame, as the planned time for the new construction was extended from 8 to 16 weeks. We started preliminary tests on the components without the frame so that everything would be ready. The restoration actually began in April 2018. Time was of the essence, as we only had six months to finish building the new supercar before it was due to make its debut at the SEMA auto show in Las Vegas.

So we set about working on two fronts: the first was to build the chassis with the engine and suspension, and the second was to build the body and replace the parts damaged by the tornado. The original color of the car was blue, but we decided to give it a more distinctive color, so we removed all the old layers and... it turned out that the car had a riveted back! Then it turned out that the back of our car dates back to 1959, because it was damaged in a collision. The repair was done carefully, for that time, but not for the modern needs of our super car. We used composites to join the two elements together, creating a perfectly connected body.

Then we started repairing individual elements. To level the irregular surface of the composite, we used Profix putty. Once we had filled in all the defects, we could start applying the primer - Profix, of course. The primer layer provided an insulating layer that protected our surface and gave it adhesion.

Unique car, unique color

What color is distinctive and gives our car more character? Of course, the three-layer color created especially by our color laboratory for our super Corvette - red. For a phenomenal effect, we decided to use Profix VHS CP 2016 clearcoat, which is characterized by exceptional transparency and gives the surface incredible depth. An intense light source makes the pigments in the paint sparkle like thousands of glittering sequins.

The beast within

The next step was to connect the chassis to the body. We would never have guessed how this car would turn out. We started with practically nothing and ended up with a new 1958 Corvette with modern technology. The car was equipped with a new GM LS3 engine with 480 hp, a six-speed Tremec gearbox, an Art Morrison frame, a Strange rear axle and Wilwood brakes. We also used new leather upholstery, which perfectly matches the red color and gives the Corvette an elegant look. Within a year, the team of Tony McAfee, Gary Cook and Doug Call had achieved something groundbreaking: they had created a car that not only impressed with its classic and sporty look, but also with its great features.

SEMA conquered

Finally, our car could be admired at the SEMA trade fair. This distinctive car caught the attention of all visitors, thanks to our efforts, which were paid for with many hours of planning, ordering and execution. Now the car decorates the headquarters of our company Multichem in Tarnowo Podgorne near Poznan. We invite you to the painting and color training courses, which will be held in this very place, and during the break you can take a look at our super car.