By Brian Brennan – Photography By NotStock Photography – Illustration By Eric Brockmeyer
The name Jon Hall, a longtime hot rodder associated with Shadow Rods, and the well-known XL27, a freshly minted out of sheetmetal roadster body, should be familiar to many hot rodders. He’s no stranger to trying something new.
What you see isn’t what it might initially seem to be: a 1957 C1 Corvette. The owner is Jon Hall, and this “C1” is the prototype and first finished vehicle for the XL57 Corvette program, created by Steve Snow of Dynamic Corvettes (DC), Jon Hall of Shadow Rods, and Jesse Greening of Greening Auto Company (GAC). They combined their talents to build this one-of-a-kind vehicle from composite materials, with the intention of developing a future product line. Motor City Solutions (MCS) now owns the program and will be producing these XL57s moving forward. (Editor’s note: Look up Motor City Solutions online, a very interesting company. —B.B.)
The engine is from Lafontaine Performance Center. Marcus Montague provided the 2023 GM Performance LT4 with a wet-sump system. It’s based on a 6.2L (376ci) V-8, featuring a cast-aluminum block, forged aluminum pistons, and internally balanced components. The aluminum cylinder heads also include custom valve covers by GAC. GAC also designed the induction system and utilizes a GM performance ECM, along with all ignition components from GM Performance. The headers are based on stock LT4 exhaust manifolds and feature a custom exhaust system built by GAC.
In November 2018, Jon collaborated with Roadster Shop to develop a new frame featuring a C7 Corvette suspension and a Camaro rearend. Construction of this new frame began in February 2019, during which he assembled the initial body and floor to assess the fit. As one might expect, it keeps the rear-wheel-drive setup but now features a Super Sport Camaro differential with 3.73 limited-slip gears and C7 IRS components. The rear suspension features C7 springs, coilovers, a sway bar, and a Panhard bar.
The framerails, custom-designed by Roadster Shop and based on their SPEC 7 Series, were modified to include several design changes, such as dropped floors, enlarged engine bay, and numerous trunk modifications, all of which were handled by Dynamic Corvettes. The front suspension, based on the Corvette C7, has a 57-inch-wide track, C7 spindles, and billet coilovers. The front sway bar and steering box are all C7 components.
The tires are Michelin Pilot Super Sport, measuring 285/35ZR18 in the front and 305/35ZR19 in the rear, mounted on custom wheels that were designed and machined in-house at GAC. They feature a two-piece design made from 6061-T6 billet aluminum and measure 18×10 in the front and 19×11 in the rear, with a 5×4.75-inch bolt pattern.
The body is made from a composite material and closely resembles a 1957 Corvette, but with modern enhancements that give it a distinct contemporary look. Snow of DC performed the modifications on an original body, and then a mold was made to create a completely new body incorporating all the modifications to achieve the current look. The new body, taken from the mold, was then mounted onto the Roadster Shop chassis, and the bodywork was finished at GAC. It is painted black with silver coves, typical of how one of these 1957 Corvettes would have been painted in the past. Glasurit basecoat and clearcoat are used, with PN 55-1250 Deep Black and custom-mixed silver in the coves created by GAC.
Numerous body changes were made to the original style to achieve the present look. It all began with making the floor fit the new frame. The body has undergone a comprehensive list of modifications made to elevate the performance and aesthetics of this 1957 Corvette, now dubbed the XL57.
Among the recommended upgrades, the floor was lowered by 2 inches for a sleeker profile, the transmission tunnel was raised to fit the 8L90E eight-speed trans, next the seatbacks were moved rearward by 3 inches for improved driver comfort, thereby enhancing airflow and access. The decklid has been widened by an additional 4 inches to facilitate easier access and increase capacity through the expanded body. Additionally, the body was shifted forward by 1 inch, and the wheelbase was moved back by the same amount for better handling.
To create a more aggressive stance, the rear quarter-panels were extended outward by 2 inches per side and each rocker panel was lengthened by 3 inches to align with the doors and rear quarter-panels. From here, the doors were moved outward by 1-1/2 inches at the rear, and each rocker panel was lowered by 1/2 inch. Next, the rear valance and front lower valance were lowered by ½ and 2 inches, respectively, to match the new styling changes. Finally, the rear tubs were moved inward by 6 inches, again per side. With these modifications, the XL57 stands as a modern interpretation of a C1 Corvette, showcasing enhanced performance and striking looks.
Eric Brockmeyer designed the interior. Next, Wise Guys’ seat frames were used, with Kristina Crawford involved. Utilizing Moore & Giles’ dark maroon leather, the bucket seats, doors, and kick panels were covered. Additionally, square-weave carpet from Relicate was also used. The dashboard is a stock-style 1957 Corvette, reworked and widened to match the interior, then filled with Dakota Digital custom RTX gauges. It is coupled with Dakota Digital drive-by-wire cruise control and a Vintage Air A/C system, featuring custom center console-mounted rotary controls. Note that the steering column was designed by Jon, featuring a Lecarra model wheel with a custom leather cover, painted spokes, and a GAC-fabricated horn button. The floor-mounted shifter is from a 2019 Camaro factory shifter and mechanism. Look closely, and you’ll see that the XL57 does have a stock convertible top, with top irons covered in EZ-ON black Twillfast material. (As an aside: What is the difference between using Stayfast or Twillfast? Twillfast features a polyester weave and an ornate underside, lending the top an upscale appearance. Stayfast features black cotton fabric underneath, giving it a subtle appearance. Additionally, a Twillfast top is heavier than Stayfast and generally quieter.)
So, where does this project go from here? MCS now owns the program, while Jon still owns the first XL57. MCS has purchased the molds, tooling, and the program. Some DC parts are produced for MCS moving forward. Shadow Rods has committed to MCS to help with the sales and marketing of the first few production units.
This project has truly been an evolution, blending elements from both classic and modern designs to create a unique and powerful hot rod. MR
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