Sam Krahn 
Last month’s Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction was one of the greatest car auctions we’ve ever seen. With the very first Ford Bronco, Mustang Mach 1, Ram TRX, Cadillac Blackwing sedans and C8 Corvette Convertible all fetching big bucks. But even though the new metal stole the headlines, the classics were just as interesting as always. One of the coolest was a 1959 C1 Chevrolet Corvette restomod that sold for close to $825,000. And it turns out it was none other than muscle car aficionado and comedian Kevin Hart that’s the lucky owner of this beautiful sports car.
At first glance, this 1959 Chevrolet Corvette looks relatively stock. The Franny Green exterior, white wall tires, chrome and creme interior makes it look like it just rolled off the factory back in the 50s. But look closely, and you’ll see the lowered ride height, bigger wheels and performance tires. Look under the hood, however, and there’s no mistaking this for your typical C1 Chevrolet Corvette.
That’s because propulsion comes from a modern 6.2 liter LT1 V8 pushing out 460hp and 465 lbs-ft of torque. It sends power to the rear wheels through 4L75E automatic transmission. And the chassis handles that power with Art Morrison C7 independent front suspension, fully adjustable ride height and Strange coilovers. Rounding out the handling upgrades are Wilwood brakes, which should provide ample stopping power.
And while that creme colored interior may look standard, there are some nice modern touches. There are Dakota Digital gauges and LED lighting throughout the cabin. Then there’s the retro looking Wonder Bar stereo that hooks up to a Focal sound system with bluetooth connectivity. Our favorite modern touch is the power opening and closing hood, although that’s something today’s supercars don’t even have very often.
Kevin Hart revealed this C1 Chevrolet Corvette restomod to be his own on his Instagram, in the post you see below. Congratulations Mr. Hart, you have a keeper with this one.
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