Someone commented that this C3 Corvette looks horrific—and honestly, I get it. This is a car that invites a reaction before you have even finished looking at it.
In this MakerBuildIt Garage video, I take a quick look at a 1982 Chevrolet Corvette that has been stretched and given Excalibur-style bodywork. Add chrome wire wheels and whitewall tires, and you have a combination that is anything but subtle.
A Corvette with a very different personality
The custom bodywork is the main attraction. The long proportions, wire wheels, and whitewalls give this Corvette a look far removed from the usual sports-car silhouette.
My reaction in the video is that it sits somewhere between a Corvette, a luxury land yacht, and something a cartoon villain would drive. Whether that sounds appealing probably tells you a lot about how you will feel about the finished car.
What is underneath?
As described in the video, the car still has a 350 V8 and an automatic transmission underneath the custom exterior.
This is a short walkaround and reaction, rather than a road test or mechanical inspection. The discussion focuses on the car’s unusual appearance and the question of whether the modifications make it more interesting—or simply too much.
The auction detail
In the video, I mention a $20,000 figure at Mecum and note that the car was in “The Bid Goes On.” That is the auction context discussed in the clip, rather than a confirmed sale price or a current offer to buy the car.
There were plenty of other Corvettes to look at as well, from relatively new examples to classic split-window cars. This one stood out because its owner took the design in such a different direction.
Horrific—or weird enough to be cool?
That is the question I leave with viewers. A custom car does not have to appeal to everyone to be memorable, and this Corvette certainly gives people something to talk about.
Would you keep the traditional Corvette look, or does this extravagant build win you over? Let me know what you think in the comments.