Jimmy Shine’s ’67 Corvette Restomod is a 508 HP Beauty!
Jimmy Shine’s ’67 Corvette Restomod is a 508 HP Beauty!
Jimmy Shine’s latest creation is a beautiful ’67 Corvette restomod, which features a 502 Big Block motor under the hood.
When it comes to restomods, the community definitely has a soft corner for ’67 ‘Vettes, and we have seen many gorgeous examples in the past. Jimmy Shine and his custom car outfit Shine Speed Shop has churned out many striking builds over the years, and the customizer’s recent project grabbed the attention of AutotopiaLA.
The car started life as a beautifully restored 1967 Corvette, which would be enough for most gearheads, but this wasn’t the case for its owner, Mr. John Quirk. The owner approached Jimmy with the vision of a complete mechanical overhaul, which would include upgrading the suspension setup and the motor in addition to several other modifications.
The Jimmy Shine Speed Shop team swapped the original 454 engine with GM Performance’s Gen. V 502 Big Block motor. The new 502 cubic inch powerplant produces 508 HP of power and 600 lb-ft of torque which is plenty when one considers that the entire ensemble only weighs around 3000 lbs.
Jimmy explained his reason for selecting a Big Block motor, “We wanted to maintain the theme of the car. We don’t want to, you know, pop the hood and have it look like an LS. I mean that’s the charm of this car.” He further adds,” So even though this is a gen 5 Big Block, it still looks like a 1960s 427.”
The engine now comes mated to Modern Driveline’s TREMEC 5-speed transmission, which slots perfectly in place because the company builds its own shifter box that also gives the car its stock look. The suspension overhaul involved swapping the mono-leaf setup with Ridetech’s single-adjustable coil-over system. The car now rides on new aluminum rims that are styled to look like Halibrand wheels and were wrapped in Dunlop’s racing bias-ply tires.
The motor is mated to a side pipe exhaust system, which retains the design of the original headers and muffler. The team also installed a roll bar that sits behind the cockpit hidden underneath the tonneau cover, which also houses the driver’s side hoop. The cockpit of this restomod gets Procar seats, a tilt steering column, and a fatter aftermarket steering wheel.
The car becomes even more impressive when you find out that Jimmy and his team managed to achieve the feat of engineering in just a couple of months. Jimmy eloquently describes his creation as, “a 500 horse go-kart. I mean it loves corners you know, it just, it’s very responsive. When you drive this car you feel this car, and it’s talking to you. It’s not a mushy Cadillac, it’s a real driver.”
