Old habits are hard to break, especially when they are good ones. Richard Corbitt of Yorba Linda, California, is a life-long Chevy fan (as a kid he watched gassers race at Lions Drag Strip) and with good reason. His first '37 Chevy sedan, complete with a blown 350, made it onto the cover of STREET RODDER back in October 1986. Fast forward 20 years and here's Richard with another Chevy, this time a '37 Master Sedan. Needless to say, Richard's love affair with Chevy sedans continues.
Having sold the first Chevy, it wasn't until 2001 that he purchased his current ride from longtime friend Larry Shaleen, who had owned the car since '94 but couldn't finish the project. The basket case was dragged home and the latest build was on.
The chassis is a 117-inch wheelbase '37 Chevy frame with boxed framerails while an '88 Corvette with only 900 miles registered served as the donor car. The Vette anteed up the engine, transmission, independent front and rear suspension, steering, and even the floor-mounted shifter. The custom 2x3 crossmembers and boxed frame are only two of the several modifications, along with the use of stainless steel plumbing with braided hose. While all of the braking and steering is Corvette, the rear shocks are Monroe air units, and in front ShockWaves from Air Ride Technologies are employed.
The body is based on a stock '37 Chevy sedan with subtle but well thought-out modifications, which include hidden hinges for the remote-operated doors, hood, and trunk lid. The door hinges are made from '56 Chevy hinges. Other noteworthy body mods include the removal of the driprails, hood louvers, filled cowl vent, and the removal of the wind wings creating one-piece side glass in each of the doors. The headlights and taillights are '37s while each of the buckets was lowered 2 inches with the headlamps converted to halogen and the taillights running custom red lenses and LED electronics. The stock bumpers were also "massaged" with the holes filled on the front bumper and moved 1 1/2 inches closer to the body. A similar treatment was applied to the rear bumper, as it was moved closer and down (2 inches in each direction). On the drive side there is a Vision rearview mirror with turn signal lamp built in. All of the sheetmetal is painted in DuPont Super Black over Richard's own body and paintwork. The subtle, "heavy" tipped, thin white flames were brushed on by Kent Garcia.
Inside there are additional modifications which begin with a stock dashboard outfitted with an '81 Olds Cutlass insert and its gauges. The Southern Air A/C and control panel is used along with owner-made A/C vents. The seating consists of a pair of '98 Chevrolet Cavalier buckets covered in a combination of graphite gray leather and suede by Raymond Miller Custom Upholstery. The door panels and molded armrests are more custom touches along with the homemade center console that houses the Corvette shifter, the A/C control panel, and air gauge for the air shocks. The stereo is based on a remote-operated Kenwood CD changer with Sound Stream five-channel 600-watt amplifier and front and rear 5-inch midrange speakers with 1 1/4-inch tweeters. The subwoofers are a pair of liquid-cooled Bazooka 10-inch units.
Proving street rodders can never have enough friends or help when it comes to building a car, Richard relied on longtime friends Larry Shaleen, Mike Feist, and Brian's Auto Restoration in Fullerton, California, to get this BADCDAN on the road.
From '88 Corvette to '37 Chevy...
From '88 Corvette to '37 Chevy sedan--the wrecked Vette supplied the 350 TPI engine, trans, front and rear suspension, and even the shifter.
A Corvette steering column...
A Corvette steering column then topped with a Billet Specialties Hustler wheel and Southern Air can be found inside, along with a stock '37 dash with '81 Olds Cutlass instrument cluster and owner-built custom A/C vents.
The front buckets are '98...
The front buckets are '98 Chevy Cavalier upholstered in graphite gray leather and suede by Raymond Miller Custom Upholstery.
The outside mirror on the...
The outside mirror on the driver side comes by way of Vision with a built-in turn signal-indicator lamp.
Look closely, the door and...
Look closely, the door and trunk hinges are removed and operated by remote. Stock bumper moved toward and down from body by 2 inches.
The trunk houses the "normal"...
The trunk houses the "normal" goodies, such as the spare, tools, etc., but you can also find a pair of Bazooka 10-inch subwoofers and a Kenwood CD changer.
The Corvette IRS utilizes...
The Corvette IRS utilizes all of its stock components with the addition of Monroe air shocks. That's a stock Chevy gas tank and note how the custom exhaust exits similar to a stock Vette.
A Midland power brake booster...
A Midland power brake booster is used, and "hiding" above the skid plate is the compressed air tank for the front airbags.
Here you can see the Corvette...
Here you can see the Corvette front crossmember and how the Vette rack-and-pinion steering is retained.
Note how the custom exhaust...
Note how the custom exhaust runs down the passenger side, keeping the heat away from the master cylinder, brake booster, and air compressor. Good idea.
Utilizing the stock Corvette...
Utilizing the stock Corvette front crossmember, the IFS is all Vette, as are the rest of the suspension components and brakes. Correct geometry front to back has ensured that the sedan rides like a modern car coupled with performance-handling normally reserved for a Corvette.