Corvette Basketcase Ready For SEMA360 Revival

Matthew Tracey rescued his ’71 Corvette from a closing auto shop, reveals his plans for the ‘Vette for SEMA360 Battle of the Builders.

One of the things we’re missing right now is being on the floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center for the SEMA Show. Especially the part of the floor where the SEMA Battle of the Builders resides. You never know what the battlefield might offer on a given year, though we hope a Corvette or two turn up.

However, the battle rages on for 2020 on the virtual SEMA360 stage. One of the combatants is Matthew Tracey of Maywood, New Jersey, and his 1971 Corvette. To say it’s seen better days is an understatement, though he has a plan to bring it back to life, and then some.

Corvette Lived a Rough Life

“It has 56,000 original miles on it,” said Tracey of his Corvette. “It sat inside since 1984; it’s the last registration. It’s had a rough life.”

How rough? Tracey says the ‘Vette was originally Bright Orange with a brown interior from the factory, plus a 350 V8 with a four-speed to move it around. From there, it was painted blue, followed by a black-painted interior. The exterior was repainted gray, then the whole thing got crashed and abandoned at a shop before Tracey rescued it.

Haulin’ Ass Like a Truck

“This is a 5.3 LS from a ’99 GMC truck,” said Tracey. “It’s a stock bottom end motor. It’s got brand new piston rings in it that I opened up myself. It’s got 799 aluminum heads on it. It’s got Texas Speed valve springs, a Texas Speed Stage 4 Turbo Cam, stock intake, FAST 85-pound fuel injectors, Flotec up and forward turbo headers, and a Holley Terminator X ECU.”

Regarding the interior, Tracey plans for a “bare-bones and lightweight” cabin, including a custom aluminum dash. Out back, he opted for a Ford 9-inch rear to handle the 700-plus horsepower his Corvette’s 5.3-liter V8 will make once the turbo’s installed.

“We actually bought this from a friend of ours who had a body shop around the block from my house,” said Tracey. “He was closing up the shop, and was getting ready to scrap the car. I was like, ‘No way! Don’t do that! I’ll buy it from you.’”

The Corvette sat in Tracey’s garage for a couple of years while planning took place. With Hot Rod Drag Week around the corner, though, Tracey finally pulled the trigger on his build. We can’t wait to see his masterpiece on the virtual floor.

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