C3R Widebody Fitted with LS7 Makes Over 500HP

Historically Significant Corvette

When the Mako Shark II concept car first appeared at the New York International Auto Show in 1965, it garnered the attention of the automotive industry, and rightfully so. It was met with nothing but positive reviews, and as many could have foreseen, it would shape the future direction of the Corvette. 

Photos: Mecum

Timeless Styling

The third generation of the Corvette was officially introduced in 1968, with close resemblance to the Mako Shark II concept. Thanks in no small part to its stunning "coke bottle" styling, the C3 would have the longest production run of any other generation of America's sports car. And decades after the last C3 rolled off the factory line, enthusiasts are paying tribute to the timeless design with amazing restomod builds like this one.

>>Join the conversation about this widebody LS7 C3R right here in Corvette Forum.

Appropriate Restomod

This beautiful creation brings modern performance and flair to the classic lines of the old 'Vette. And not just your average performance upgrades either. This 1968 Corvette is equipped with a slew of parts from the C7 Z06, and importantly, a legendary LS7 V8 mill from the C6 Z06.

>>Join the conversation about this widebody LS7 C3R right here in Corvette Forum.

Classic Meets Modern

The 427 CI pushrod V8 is capable of 505 horsepower and 481 lb-ft of torque out of the factory. Without any additional power upgrades, the stock motor is enough to propel the lightweight C3 platform faster than most modern performance cars. The 7.0-liter is mated to a trusty Tremec T6 six-speed manual transmission.

>>Join the conversation about this widebody LS7 C3R right here in Corvette Forum.

Beautifully Built

The restomod is built on a reinforced Street Shop chassis for improved stiffness. This '68 'Vette also borrows its independent suspension system from a C7 model. to deal with the massive power, a set of C7 Z06 brakes have been transplanted as well. The other important C7 connection is the paint. The Mosaic Black Metallic paint is from the 2018 Z06, and it's mildly accented on the exterior with some touches of orange. This color scheme continues into the cabin, too.

>>Join the conversation about this widebody LS7 C3R right here in Corvette Forum.

Powerful Stance

This Corvette rides on  20x9 and 20x13-inch 3-piece carbon fiber wheels at the front and rear respectively. The fat rubber sits neatly tucked under the C3R wide body panels, giving the car an intensely powerful stance. The restomod was estimated to bring in over $200K at Mecum's Kissimmee auction earlier this year. Ultimately, the hammer dropped at a surprising $148,500.

>>Join the conversation about this widebody LS7 C3R right here in Corvette Forum.

For help with service on your Vette, check out the how-to section of CorvetteForum.com