By Nick Licata – Images by NotStock Photography
As the saying goes, “Ya gotta break some perfectly good eggs if ya wanna make a stellar omelet,” or something to that effect. In that same vein, to build a totally custom Corvette, some original parts will have to be given up, making room for some aftermarket or one-off fabricated parts. So, it’s not uncommon for builders to seek out a fairly rough vehicle to use as a blank canvas for an upcoming project. Eddie Pettus owner of Eddies Rod & Custom in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, took a slightly different approach: he sourced an original red-on-red 1963 Corvette in excellent condition, with approximately 60,000 miles on the original 327 as the base for what would become a highly modified C2. Needless to say, there were a number of Corvette purists who voiced their disapproval of Eddies’ radical customizing shenanigans of the unmolested classic.
“I was asked by a customer to find the nicest ’63 Corvette out there and turn it into a mild restomod while keeping much of the original aspects of the car in check,” Pettus says. “Once we started working on the project, the owner decided he wanted to go all in and build the wildest supercar-inspired Corvette anyone has ever seen.”
Eddie was up for the challenge in taking this C2 to the next level so he collaborated with automotive designer and artist Eric Black to develop a widebody design that would make this ’63 stand out among every other Sting Ray in the wild. “We not only widened the fenders front and rear but also the doorskins 3 1/2 inches at its widest point to help make the mods look more subtle while still maintaining the iconic lines of the ’63,” Eddie notes. “We didn’t set out to piss off the Corvette purists, but I’m pretty sure we did just that.”
To complement the car’s customized shell, it was sprayed in Glasurit Roque Green, a unique color that gives this car a fresh take in the hot rod and especially the Corvette world. Carbon-fiber bumpers designed by Eddies and made by Brothers Composites reside front and rear and jive perfectly with the Ringbrothers custom-fit side mirrors, enhancing the car’s striking visual appeal. A custom fiberglass hood with functioning hood scoops enables additional engine cooling that complements the custom side vents, also functional in controlling heat generated by the massive disc brakes. The one-off front splitter and rear diffuser succeed in giving this car a distinct personality all its own.
To feed into supercar theme, the factory small-block was replaced with a Steve Morris Stage 1 LS3. The engine is topped with a Whipple supercharger and includes a forged rotating assembly capable of handling the 1,000hp output. Dart LS3-style aluminum heads provide improved airflow and rely on a custom SME camshaft and GM LS7 lifters for high-performance efficiency. Spent fuel exits via a set of custom Inconel long-tube headers, custom 3-inch titanium side-exit exhaust and custom titanium mufflers, creating a distinctive sound that sets this C2 apart from the pack.
Custom inner fenders and firewall provide a sophisticated home for the powerful mill, which is garnished in Billet Specialties LS valve covers and custom-fabricated intake fronted with a Billet Specialties accessory drive system.
A Bowler T-56 six-speed transmission backed by a McLeod twin-disc clutch ensures smooth, precise gear changes while a QA1 carbon-fiber driveshaft sends power to a Strange Dana 60 rearend stuffed with 3.73 gears, Eaton Truetrac posi unit, and Art Morrison Enterprises axles.
An Art Morrison IRS chassis ensures pinpoint performance during aggressive track navigation while offering a smooth road-compliant ride in street driving situations. Bilstein double-adjustable coilover shocks and 550-pound springs ride out back while up front an AME IFS features a Detroit Speed power rack-and-pinion steering system, Bilstein double-adjustable coilovers, and 450-pound springs accompanied by a hydraulic lift suspension system, taking this Corvette to the next level of control.
Brembo 16-inch carbon ceramic rotors and six-piston calipers up front combined with 15.5-inch rotors and six-piston calipers out back, respectively, rest behind a set of massive HRE P200 wheels coming in at 20×10.5 up front and 21×12 out back, wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber on all four corners.
The interior reveals an incredibly modern take on the Corvette’s classic design with the utilization of 3-D–printed door panels and center console made of polymer resin by Avante-Garde Design. Gray Anthracite German Velour carpet combined with black Nappa leather offers a modern supercar vibe throughout, including the custom Recaro seats. Holley Pro Digital gauges perched in the custom 3-D–printed dash provide precise engine vitals and visually coincide with the high-performance theme. An Ididit steering column topped with a black Ringbrothers steering wheel complement the scene while the Dakota Digital control panel manages the Vintage Air A/C system and looks good doing so.
A LinksWell head unit is backed by a Mosconi 6- to 8-sound processor powered by Pro 4/10 and 1/10 amps powering a Focal speaker system, including a 10-inch sub installed by Avant-Garde, delivers a sonically endearing high-end audio experience.
Pettus and his crew hunkered down and took care of business. In just three years they created a 1963 Corvette that can best be described as a vintage-inspired supercar with modern functionality and endless customization that sets this C2 in a universe all its own. It’s a car that needs to be seen in person to fully appreciate, and those who did so at the 2022 SEMA Show were completely blown away by the car’s seemingly endless one-off custom components.
We understand that there are those who appreciate the wholesomeness of a pristine concourse restoration void of any widebody or carbon-fiber shenanigans, but to us Pettus and his crew need not apologize for breaking down barriers and creating a 1963 Corvette that offers eye-catching aesthetics combined with supercar performance.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
TECH CHECK
Vehicle: 1963 Corvette
Built By: Eddies Rod & Custom, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Engine
Type: Chevrolet Performance LS3
Displacement: 376 ci
Bore: 4.065
Stroke: 3.622
Builder: Steve Morris Racing Engines
Machinework: Steve Morris Racing Engines
Camshaft: SME hydraulic roller camshaft
Cylinder Heads: GM LS7
Induction: Whipple supercharger
Fuel Injection: Holley
Exhaust: Custom 1 7/8-inch headers, titanium 3-inch exhaust, custom titanium mufflers
Valve Covers: Billet Specialties
Accessory Drive: Billet Specialties
Ancillaries: Eddies Rod & Custom C2 hinges, custom closeout panel, custom inner fenders, K&N air cleaner, Powermaster alternator, custom fans by Creative Works, Custom U.S. Radiator
Output: Est. 1,000 hp
Drivetrain
Transmission: Bowler-prepped T-56
Clutch: McLeod twin disc|
Shifter: Bowler
Driveshaft: QA1 carbon fiber
Rear Axle: Strange Dana 60 housing, 3.73 gears, Eaton Truetrac differential, Art Morrison axles
Chassis
Chassis: Art Morrison Enterprises IRS
Front Suspension: AME IFS, Wilwood spindles, Bilstein double-adjustable coilover shocks, 450-pound springs, Detroit Speed & Engineering power rack-and-pinion steering
Rear Suspension: AME IRS, Bilstein double-adjustable coilover shocks, 550-pound springs
Brakes: Brembo 16-inch carbon ceramic 16-inch rotors, six-piston calipers front, Brembo 15.5-inch carbon ceramic rotors, six-piston calipers rear, Tilton master cylinder
Suspension Mods: Hydraulic lift support on front suspension
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: HRE P200 20×10 front, 21×12 rear
Tires: Michelin Pilot Super Sport 4S 275/35R20 front, 335/30R21 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Black Nappa leather
Carpet: Gray Alcantra German Velour
Door Panels: 3-D modeled and printed Avante-Garde Design (Palm City, FL)
Center Console: 3-D modeled and printed by Avante-Garde Design
Installation: Eddies Rod & Custom
Insulation: DEI
Seats: Recaro, custom by Avante-Garde Design
Seatbelts: Seatbelt Planet
Steering: Ididit column, Ringbrothers steering wheel
Shifter: Bowler
Pedals: Tilton
Dash: 3-D modeled and printed by Avante-Garde
Instrumentation: Holley Pro Digital
Wiring: Ron Francis by Eddies Rod & Custom
HVAC: Vintage Air
Control Panel: Dakota Digital
Entertainment System: LinksWell head unit, Mosconi signal processor, Mosconi Pro 4/10 and Mosconi Pro 1/10 amplifiers, Focal speakers, Focal Utopia 10-inch sub
Exterior
Bodywork and Paint: Eddies Rod & Custom
Body: Custom by Eddies Rod & Custom, carbon fiber by Brothers Composites
Paint: Glasurit BASF Rogue Green
Hood: Custom fiberglass
Grille: Custom
Front Bumper: Custom carbon fiber
Rear Bumper: Custom carbon fiber
Headlights: Factory
Taillights: Custom 3-D printed
Side Mirrors: Custom carbon fiber by Ringbrothers
Door handles: Removed
Glass: Custom side glass, flush-fit windshield and rear glass
Body Mods: Body widened 3 inches, functional hood and side vents, custom wheelwells, custom inner wheelwells and inner fenders, custom floorpan and firewall, custom exhaust covers
