Who in his right mind would take two completely different Corvettes and turn them into one? Anthony McDowell, that's who. McDowell's abiding passion for cars led him to a 25-year career in collision repair and hot-rodding. In addition to providing him with a good living, all those years fettling wrecked and broken-down cars gave McDowell considerable insight into automotive structural design. This knowledge would eventually prove pivotal in the construction his hybrid Corvette.
McDowell's story begins after he sold his collision center-cum-rod shop. Instead of taking a typical two-week vacation, McDowell spent two years in Costa Rica. While he loved life in the Central American paradise, he deeply missed the sight of American iron. In fact, the Toyotas and Hondas that inundated the region bored him to tears. Where were the street machines, the ones that could run like drag cars but still idle all day with the AC on, or cruise across the country in comfort?
McDowell had built cars like that in the past, but he had always felt that something was missing. Indeed, no matter how much time or money he threw at them, or how great they looked, these vehicles always lacked driveability when compared with their newer counterparts.
Eventually, McDowell had an epiphany: He would build his dream car in reverse. Instead of starting with an old car and updating it, he would begin with a late-model Corvette and modify it to look like a classic C2. But the car would require more than just looks. It needed performance, safety, comfort, and the dependability of a modern Vette.
Improving interior comfort over that of an early Corvette wouldn't be difficult. The larger doors of the C5/C6 cars greatly ease entry and exit, and the wider passenger compartment provides more shoulder and elbow room. Larger seats with multiple adjust-ments also improve fit and comfort, and the shifter is located in such a way that the armrest is still usable with the seat adjusted fully rearward.
With anticipation having reached a fever pitch, it was time to find a donor car. After moving back to the States, McDowell found a '98 Corvette online that fit his plans perfectly. But while making preliminary measurements and mocking up parts placement, it became clear to McDowell why car bodies were designed and built by corporations with teams of engineers and million-dollar budgets. In fact, he came close to scrapping the entire project numerous times. Fortunately he persevered and continued on with the conversion.