Bunkie Knudsen’s C2 Corvette is a Piece of Auto Show History
Bunkie Knudsen’s C2 Corvette is a Piece of Auto Show History
Straight from the golden age of auto shows, this restored C2 Corvette encompasses everything we loved from that era.
Nothing captured the imagination of the world back in the ’60s quite like a good auto show. They were a far cry from the events we know (and still love) today. Car shows used to be a place where you could feast your eyes on the most amazing automotive creations anywhere. Whether they be imaginative one-off customs or manufacturer-built dream cars previewing future styling changes. And among the many legendary show cars to roll out of GM, this C2 Corvette is one of the coolest.
Amazingly, the old show ‘Vette is still around in fantastic shape, as we caught it for sale over at Corvette Mike. And just the sight of this historic ride is enough to conjure up memories for anyone who grew up in the ’50s or ’60s. Constructed during the golden age of these extravaganzas, the original version of this C2 Corvette was built for the New York Auto Show.
It was such a hit with both the public and GM brass that Chevy’s GM at the time, Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen, had them build this very car for his own personal use! Like every other car in Knudsen’s collection, this C2 Corvette was painted Crimson Firefrost. And like the concept, it incorporates a number of styling elements straight from GM’s design center.
The Mako Shark-inspired exhaust and knock off wheels represent the most obvious cues. But there are other, more subtle differences here as well. The steering wheel uses two different types of wood, the console, custom built. The seats actually came from a ’64 ‘Vette and are stitched in white Naugahyde. Lift the hood, and you’ll find one of the nicest dressed up 327s you’ll ever see.
Knudsen drove the car for many years before selling it off. After changing hands several times, a collector discovered it sitting in a barn back in the ’80s. Now fully restored to its original glory, this special C2 Corvette has been a regular on the show car circuit ever since. Which is exactly where it belongs!
#gallery-1 {
margin: auto;
}
#gallery-1 .gallery-item {
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 25%;
}
#gallery-1 img {
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
}
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {
margin-left: 0;
}
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
