By Jordan Grim • October 27, 2025 • 06:01 AM (PDT)
By Jordan Grim • October 27, 2025 • 06:01 AM (PDT)
An exoskeleton restomod that blends modern Z06 power with the nostalgia of a 1963 Corvette is going up for auction at Mecum’s Las Vegas event.
There’s no shortage of amazing restomods these days. In some cases, people upgrade classic cars with modern components, while others perform body swaps, putting an old exterior on a new chassis. What you see here is a completely different approach that results in something somewhat similar.
Created by the aptly named Stripped Down Street Rods, this is a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 that roughly resembles a 1963 model.
Notably, the tubes at the rear are shaped to mimic the split-window design that the C2 Corvette is most famous for. However, it’s far from what we would call a completely accurate recreation.
This isn’t the first exoskeleton car with a tubular shape that we’ve covered. A few months ago, someone put a similarly conceived Dodge Challenger up for sale.
The first charge, $300, is understandable as a key fob was missing. Then came the biggest charge: $2,400 for a damaged front bumper. According to the Lucid inspector, there were two scratches on the bumper, one six inches long and the other five inches long.
Interestingly, there are two 15-inch scratches on the lower front bumper cover, but that part will be replaced free of charge. This is the same part that was recently damaged by another lessee, who was charged $2,400 for it.
Then there are the wheels. Lucid noted a four-inch curb rash on the left front wheel and charged $200 to repair it. Then they noted a 19-inch curb rash on the right rear wheel, but instead of repairing it, they charged $900 to replace it. Paint chips are fine, but curb rash isn’t?
That one looked pretty accurate in terms of dimensions and layout. This car seems to have an excessive number of tubes.
Still, we’re happy to report that you can’t see the exterior from inside the cockpit. And you’ll get to enjoy what makes the Z06 so much fun, plenty of power, and a manual gearbox. Under the hood lies a 7.0-liter LS7 V8 engine claiming 500 horsepower (kW). The builder added a short-throw shifter but otherwise kept everything else the same as the original Z06 running gear.
Specific modifications include C2-inspired lighting elements front and rear, a MOMO steering wheel, vinyl bucket seats, four-point harnesses, and 19-inch Corvette Centennial Cup wheels.
Marine-grade carpeting and headliner upholstery ensure that the car won’t develop any strange odors if it ever gets caught in the rain. Nitto 275-section-wide tires and a functional traction control button help it maintain traction.
It’s an odd but undoubtedly eye-catching car. It will be auctioned at Mecum’s Las Vegas event on November 15th. Given all the car’s quirks, it’s difficult to predict how much it will fetch. But there’s no doubt the next owner will have a blast driving it.
Photos Source: Mecum