Everyone wants a piece of Corvette history. The American icon has been around for more than 65 years throughout its eight generations, and while the current Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C8 has stolen headlines with its change to mid-engine madness, among other things like quality concerns, there's a special place in the hearts of enthusiasts for classic 'Vettes. This prime resto-mod example of a 1966 C2 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible is one such car that could easily hold a place in your heart, and your garage, as the special machine has come up for auction at Barrett-Jackson. It's not just any C2 Corvette Convertible, however, as this one has been extensively worked over by master Corvette builder, Jeff Hayes.
Built in 2019 by Jeff Hayes Customs, the Corvette 'Land Shark' has been reinterpreted in fine form. In much the same way as Singer reimagines Porsche 911s, so too does Jeff with Corvettes, and the end product is remarkable. The pristine engine bay, for example, plays host to a GM LS3 Hot Cam crate engine developing 540 horsepower and putting it to the ground via a four-speed overdrive transmission. But all the power needs quite the chassis to handle it, and this Frankenstein's Monster is happy to oblige.
The fundamentals are provided by a Coffman chassis, while the brakes have been lifted from a Corvette Z06. The front suspension comes from yet another generation of Corvette, the C5, while the rear setup has been borrowed from the C6. As if the whole deal wasn't incestuous enough, the Land Shark rides on chrome wheels from the C7 Z06 - 18 inches up front and 20 inches in the rear - wearing Toyo Proxes 4 Plus red line tires.
The iconic interior of the C2 has been restored to its full glory. A red leather dash accentuates carbon fiber dash inlays and the Vintage Air switchgear for the climate controls, while an AutoMeter gauge cluster takes position ahead of the driver. The center console is made from carbon fiber, too, with a polished Lokar shifter with a red shift boot proudly poking out the center. The Billet Specialties steering wheel is finished in color-keyed red leather.
To finish it all off, the Land Shark has been painted in a striking silver/gray metallic hue with no fewer than five clear coats to give it a premium look, while the Haartz soft-top in black adds the final touch.
As for how you can get your hands on it, the stunning silver bullet is Lot #177 at the upcoming Barrett-Jackson July auction.