2011 Chevrolet Corvette Supercharged ZR-59

 One of the vehicles to catch our attention at the 2011 SEMA Auto Show was the one-off Supercharged ZR-59, a tuning project mixing the classic 1959 Corvette with design elements and technology from the current Corvette ZR1. The project - spearheaded by Cal West Customs and Palmers Customs - was developed to give a classic sports car the feel and rumble of a modern day supercar.

The Chevrolet Supercharged ZR-59 took over a year to be created. It started as a chassis with a stock corvette body and then Art Morrison provided a custom chassis for the project which was then covered with a hand-built metal and fiber glass body. The body includes hand-built side and fender moldings shaped from brass and a custom built stainless gas tank. A set of Nutek three-piece forged aluminum rims complete the exterior look. The interior gets a hand-fabricated dash, center console, and gauge cluster. It took tons of planning and concept, but the final product is the slick sports car in these images.

The engine is also a masterpiece with the two developers opting for a Corvette ZR1 LS9 V8 engine producing a total of 750 HP. This engine was combined with a Tremec T56 six-speed transmission, a Corvette C6 front suspension, air ride shockwaves with auto-levelers, and Wilwood 6 piston front and rear brakes. A push button ignition system was also put in for added convenience.