By Nick Licata – Images by Jason Lubken
It’s good to have friends—and if one of those friends happens to have a 1967 Corvette project that’s been sitting stagnant for years, well, that’s even better. That’s how this C2 Corvette ended up in the hands of current owner Dan Gernstein, a fiberglass manufacturer from Omaha, Nebraska. His buddy had lost interest in restoring the car and offered it up to Dan, who had ideas of his own for the neglected project.
“When I bought the car, it was basically just a body and frame,” Dan says. “It took me a while to get motivated, knowing it was going to be a fairly big job and I needed to put together a solid plan with an idea on the build style to go with.”
That “while” turned out to be about 15 years. During that time, the Corvette collected a little dust and a lot of potential. Eventually, Dan’s vision started to take shape: keep the body as original-looking as possible but subtly stretch those classic lines to fit some serious modern muscle underneath. The rear quarter-panels were widened 2-1/2 inches to accommodate meaty tires, and that single modification hinted at the direction the entire build would take—classic form with unapologetic function.
“I’ve always been a fan of the 1963-67 Corvettes,” Dan confirms. “The slick lines and overall design are amazing—they make the car look fast even when it’s sitting still.”
Once Dan was ready to roll, he sourced a brand-new chassis from Coffman Corvette and paired it with a stout 440ci LSX engine built by EVOD Industries in Escondido, California. With that hardware locked down, he turned to his longtime collaborator, Clark Twiestmeyer, owner of Twisty’s in Grand Island, Nebraska. Twiestmeyer has nearly 30 years of car-building experience and had already worked with Dan on a few projects. “[Twiestmeyer] and I think alike,” Dan says. “He’s got a great eye for detail and isn’t afraid to try something new if it makes the car better.”
Together, they mapped out a plan that would see the Corvette evolve into a modernized street machine—one that could stand toe-to-toe with today’s high-performance rides while still wearing its midyear body proudly.
Under that classic silver skin, the Corvette is a pure mechanical symphony. The LSX, bored to 4.185 inches and stroked to 4.00, checks in at 440 ci. Inside spins a Lunati Voodoo crank, H-beam rods, and Wiseco pistons. The camshaft—Lunati’s 0.624-inch lift, 247/255 duration at 0.050 with a 114 LSA—adds a throaty, aggressive idle without sacrificing driveability. Up top, Trick Flow aluminum heads breathe deep through a Holley dual-plane intake manifold and Holley EFI setup, while spent gases exit through Sanderson headers and a 2.5-inch stainless exhaust system feeding side pipes. The whole deal produces a thundering 632 hp at 6,400 rpm and 571 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm—numbers that’ll make any big-block from the ’60s rethink its swagger.
Backing the LSX is a TREMEC TKO transmission fitted with a Centerforce clutch and an American Powertrain shifter. Power travels through a Precision Shaft Technologies driveshaft into a C4 Corvette rearend armed with Yukon 3.54:1 gears and C8 axles. The combination ensures smooth, reliable power delivery—old-school muscle with new-school manners.
The Coffman chassis serves as the foundation for an entirely reimagined suspension system. Up front, C6 Corvette spindles and control arms work in harmony with Strange coilovers and QA1 550-pound springs. A Thunderbird rack-and-pinion setup provides sharper steering response than the factory’s original linkage could ever hope to deliver. Out back, C6 suspension components, Strange shocks, and QA1 400-pound springs handle the torque and traction duties. Braking is equally modern, with PBR six-piston calipers up front, four-pistons in the rear, an electric power brake master cylinder, and a Wilwood proportioning valve—giving this C2 the stopping power to match its acceleration.
The Corvette’s stance and footprint come courtesy of EVOD Industries wheels—18x8s up front and 19x10s out back—wrapped in 235/40R18 and 285/35R19 rubber, respectively. The widened quarters perfectly house the modern rolling stock, maintaining the factory lines while adding an unmistakably muscular presence.
When it came time to dress the body, Dan turned to Pat Buse at Extreme Paint in Fremont, Nebraska. The result is a flawless coat of Axalta Mercedes Iridium Silver that perfectly complements the Corvette’s timeless curves. Bumpers and trim remain largely stock—just the way Dan wanted—but with a few subtle tweaks: widened rear bumpers, LSX emblems by EVOD, and Detroit Speed electric headlight doors.
Inside, the car strikes a balance between vintage and contemporary comfort. The Upholstery Shop in Grand Island wrapped the stock seats and dash in Sailor Blue leather, offset by ACC Midnight Blue carpet. Custom aluminum door panels, EVOD handles, and a custom EVOD steering wheel add handcrafted touches without disturbing the factory character. Classic Instruments gauges sit in a carbon-fiber vinyl insert, keeping tabs on the modern powerplant beneath.
Creature comforts abound thanks to Vintage Air climate control, a Painless Performance Products wiring harness, and an Infinity Primus audio system featuring dual amplifiers, Infinity speakers, and an NVX 8-inch subwoofer—installed, of course, by Twiestmeyer himself.
After five years of cutting, fitting, machining, and perfecting, the silver Sting Ray made its public debut and promptly snagged its class win at the 2025 Grand National Show—a validation of vision, craftsmanship, and patience. “It’s great to take a car that had been pushed aside for so many years and witness it transform into not only an incredible-looking car, but one packed with exceptional modern performance,” Dan says. “To me, this is the ultimate Corvette. Its handling ability is light-years ahead of what it was capable of with the factory suspension system, and the horsepower this thing puts out is absolutely off the charts.”
That’s the magic of a restomod done right—preserving the soul of an icon while bringing it fully into the modern era. Dan Gernstein’s 1967 Corvette isn’t just a revival of an abandoned project; it’s a masterclass in blending style and substance. From its hand-built LSX to its Iridium Silver skin, every inch of the car tells a story of persistence and precision.
While it may have sat idle for years, waiting for the right spark, it’s now impossible to ignore—a Silver Bullet built not just to honor the past, but to outrun it.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
TECH CHECK
Owner: Dan Gernstein, Omaha, Nebraska
Vehicle: 1967 Chevy Corvette
Engine
Type: Chevrolet Performance LSX
Displacement: 440 ci
Compression Ratio: 10.8:1
Bore: 4.185 inches
Stroke: 4.00 inches
Builder and Machine Work: EVOD Industries
Rotating Assembly: Lunati Voodoo crankshaft, Lunati H-beam rods, Wiseco pistons
Camshaft: Lunati (PN 20549911) 0.624 lift 247/255 duration at 0.050, 114 LSA
Cylinder Heads: Trick Flow aluminum
Induction: Holley dual-plane intake manifold
Fuel Injection: Holley
Exhaust: Sanderson headers, 2.5-inch stainless exhaust, side pipes
Valve Covers: EVOD Industries
Air Cleaner: Custom by EVOD
Accessory Drive: Billet Specialties
Ancillaries: Speedway Motors radiator, Powermaster alternator
Output: 632 hp at 6,400 rpm, 571 lb-ft at 4,900 rpm
Drivetrain
Transmission: TREMEC TKO
Clutch: Centerforce single disc
Shifter: American Powertrain
Driveshaft: Precision Shaft Technologies
Rear Axle: C4 Corvette, Yukon Gear 3.54:1, C8 Corvette axles
Chassis
Frame: Coffman Corvette
Front Suspension: C6 Corvette spindles, C6 Corvette control arms, Strange coilover shocks, QA1 550-pound springs, Thunderbird rack-and-pinion steering
Rear Suspension: C6 Corvette suspension system, Strange coilover shocks, QA1 400-pound springs
Brakes: PBR six-piston calipers front, four-piston calipers rear, Electric power brake master cylinder, Wilwood proportioning valve
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: EVOD Industries 18×8 front, 19×10 rear
Tires: 235/40R18 front, 285/35R19 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Sailor Blue leather
Carpet: ACC Midnight Blue
Installation: The Upholstery Shop (Grand Island, NE)
Door Panels: Custom aluminum
Inside Door Hardware: EVOD
Dash: Stock with Sailor Blue leather
Gauge Insert: Stock with carbon-fiber vinyl
Instrumentation: Classic Instruments gauges
Insulation: Dynamat
Seats: Stock
Steering: Flaming River column, EVOD custom steering wheel
Wiring: Painless Performance Products
HVAC: Vintage Air
Vents: EVOD
Entertainment System: Infinity Primus 60004A amps, Infinity speakers, NVX 8-inch subwoofer
Installation: Clark Twiestmeyer
Parking Brake: E-Stopp
Exterior
Bodywork and Paint: Extreme Paint (Fremont, NE)
Painter: Pat Buse
Paint: Axalta Mercedes Iridium Silver
Grille: Stock
Front Bumper: Stock
Rear Bumper: Stock (widened)
Headlights: Detroit Speed & Engineering Electric Headlight Door Kit
Taillights: Stock
Body Mods: Rear quarter-panels widened, LSX hood emblems by EVOD
