In the past, the eBay Motors Blog has explored this classic-car dilemma:
Should I keep my car stock with period-correct nuts and bolts,
or modernize it for modern comfort and convenience?
Here’s a case study to consider: Mike Srigley, a gearhead from Langley, British Columbia had no such concerns about whether or not to modernize his 1964 Corvette when he acquired it in 1972. By that time, the iconic vehicle sported mini-flares but was missing its motor—so it was a no-brainer for Srigley to update the Corvette.
Srigley acquired the car to be a real driver. His first step was to install a 383ci engine for jaunts around British Columbia. Three years later, Srigley started making more significant changes to the car. “I’ve lost count of all the changes I’ve made over the years,” he said.
The most obvious change is a swap-out of the original hood. The original Stingray hood was replaced with this unit with a large bulge to accommodate the motor.
Under that missile-shaped hood, Srigley later swapped the engine again, installing a Chevy small-block 350ci engine. While he continues to modify it, the engine block from 1975 remains in place. Over the years he added Dart aluminum heads to the engine along with roller rockers. An Edelbrock Air Gap manifold hides under that hood along with FAST fuel injection.
Stock Corvettes usually don’t look this good.
Srigley previously owned a 1963 split-window Corvette and still regrets selling it. He promised himself not to repeat that misstep while continuing to update the car with creature comforts—Vintage air conditioning, a new Dakota Digital VHX gauge set, power windows, a Sirius-enabled radio from Custom Autosound, and a CD player. He improved the handling as well, by installing a power-rack steering system, coil-over shocks on all four corners, and custom sway bars. The exhaust now exits from the center of the rear through four pipes, and he swapped to a set of 20-inch wheels.
Srigley squeezed four exhaust pipes under the license plate.
Despite these changes—and others that are too numerous to list—the car maintains the core traits of a Corvette. Srigley enjoys showing it at various car shows, like the recent Goodguys Spring Nationals in Scottsdale, Ariz. where eBay Motors caught up with him. Srigley told us that he hasn’t heard a single complaint about the changes he made to the classic. “I get tons of compliments,” he said. “People tell me this is the car that GM should have made in the first place.”
See Chevrolet Corvette Cars for sale on eBay.
