1961 Chevrolet Corvette Bubbletop “Ramses II” Looks Like a Jetsons Car

While the aftermarket side of the industry pays a lot of attention to the C8 Corvette these days, the project we have here, which was recently taken out of the oven, is all about the C1 ‘Vette. We’re looking at a bubbletop car built by Don Boeke. Nicknamed The Egyptian, the aficionado has been building cars since the early 1960s.

Dubbed Ramses II (no surprise here), the ’61 Corvette used to be Don’s personal car, which he grabbed after leaving the Navy. And while the machine has been the subject of various experiments over the years, you are now looking at its final form.

Nevertheless, that Jetsons-like top, which is hydraulically operated, is only the icing on this custom cake. For instance, while it might appear that the front fascia brings a custom touch to the four-headlights-and-chrome approach of the original, you should know the bumper actually comes from a Mustang.

In fact, as the builder explains in the video below, which comes from the the aptly-named Shutterfuel (the same goes for the pics above), the idea was to deliver a modernized C1 Corvette that could still be identified rather than coming up with a whole new design.

The rear end is just as much of a custom jewel, with this obviously maintaining the four-taillight approach (by the way, 1961 was the first model year that saw the car offering this layout, which survives to this day).

Air suspension allows the driver to play with the ride height, with this further impacting the appearance of the American icon. And while we’re talking about the connection to the road, those wheels feature chips from the Luxor Casino in Las Vegas.

As far as the firepower goes, the Chevy’s original 283 V8 (think two four-barrel carbs) is in place, with this being matted to a four-speed tranny.

That bubbletop can be replaced by a windscreen, which means this puppy can become play the song of the Roadster people. And if we look past the glass, we’ll find an interior that has “restomod” written all over it, from the steering wheel to the tablet.

Related Posts

Retro coachbuilder Saoutchik has returned with a stunning 300 SL homage

Remember Saoutchik, the legacy French coachbuilder from the early twentieth century? No, we suspect you won’t. Because the company went bankrupt around 70-odd years ago when it, er, ran out of money….

Read more

Tech Breakdown: Here’s What Makes the Ford Performance F-150 Lightning Super Truck So Super

Things are happening at the Ford Performance Center in Concord, North Carolina. You might have heard of the Performance Center mostly for its involvement with NASCAR, but if you aren’t familiar…

Read more

5 Tempting Adventure Vehicles from the Overland Expo

Airstream With nearly a century of tradition in helping America explore the planet (and beyond the planet, as it built the Apollo Mission quarantine capsule), Airstream got into the overlanding…

Read more

A Junkyard’s Yield of Automotive Treasures Is Headed to Auction

Dust off your wallet, because RM Sotheby’s auction this October will see some freshly unearthed classics in shocking condition, including Lamborghini Miuras, Porsche 356s, and a legendary ex-Caracciola 1935 Mercedes-Benz…

Read more

Lando Norris’s Newest McLaren Is a Life-Size, Drivable Lego P1

The full-size replica, which features an electric powertrain, is made out of 342,817 Lego Technic pieces and is the first Lego build to feature fully functional steering. Welp, we’ve got…

Read more

Toyota Supra Gains a V-8 Engine and Will Go Racing in Australia

Toyota is entering the Supercars Championship in Australia with the Supra sports coupe, fitted with the same V-8 engine that powers the Lexus LC500. The Toyota Supra earned its legendary…

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *