Hearing our readers’ own car stories is one of my favorite things about my job, and today’s car is becoming something of a celebrity on the enthusiast circuit. This C3 Corvette restomod was designed by Jeff Monchilov. While Jeff’s day job is being the owner of a real estate company, he’s also a highly talented hobbyist. The car in question is a ’72 C3 Corvette, named the ’72 Speedvette, a fast and tasteful Chevy with a great story behind it. With no further ado, let’s begin.

Michigan-based Jeff first got this car in a trade for his 1969 Camaro convertible back in October 1985. He then restored it over the winter of 1985/86, and sold it again on the 4th of July weekend 1986. However, as you’ve gathered, this is far from the end of his journey with the Corvette. Nearly twenty years after selling it, in July 2014, he bought it back from the very same owner he’d sold it to in 1986. It had been left to sit since 1998, and it was high time that it underwent another round of work.

The restomodding process began in fall 2014, and took just over three years, with Jeff finishing it in February of this year. Since then, Jeff’s been exhibiting it at several shows, winning a fine selection of awards. The Speedvette debuted at the 2018 Detroit Autorama, where it topped the modified sports class. Since then, it’s won Promoters’ Choice at the 2018 Pigeon Forge Spring Rod Run, and Coolest Corvette at GoodGuys Nashville. This is a car with a pedigree. Perhaps not a surprise, as Jeff has been working on cars since the age of 12.

Let’s take a look at what makes the ’72 Speedvette so speedy. Under the pristine LT1 long hood, you find, what else? An LS3, knocking out 525 horsepower. This is hooked up to an automatic GM 4L70E with overdrive. There’s also a Speedvette smooth firewall, complete with wiper cover for a clean look. The hood itself is hooked up to a linear actuator that also serves the E-brake, and the radiator is courtesy of BeCool.

The car’s killer looks arise from a variety of tasteful exterior and interior modifications. Take the side exhaust for example, they’re still factory side pipes, but with chambered mufflers by Sweet Thunder Exhaust. Another example is the deck lid, which is done in C6 style, with waterfall. The convertible top latches have been removed, replaced with a custom buckle to hold the roof down. The rear flares are two inch customs from Custom Image Corvette. That deep blue paintjob is a custom PPG mix called “Super Blue” by Paint House Rags of Cypress, Texas, with the painting itself handled by Bruce Kuznicki of Great Lakes Restomods.

The interior of the car is just as gorgeous as the exterior, with dark red leather contrasting wonderfully with the blue of the metalwork. The seats are from a C5 Corvette, and have been cut down into a shorter form to fit the cabin. There are Dakota Digital HDX Gauges in the Speedvette C3C6 dash, as well as a Pioneer stereo system and outlets for the Vintage Air A/C system. Even the shifter and pedals are customs from Lokar. The interior work has been handled by Steve Holcomb at Pro Auto Custom Interiors of Knoxville.

Suspension, as we’ve discussed before, can make or break a restomod, with the all important ride and handling a crucial part that’s often forsaken by amateurs. Not such here. Like many restomodders, Jeff has opted for a coilover setup, made by RideTech. This is just one of a selection of great upgrades that aim to improve the Corvette’s handling. The stock rearend, for example, has been replaced with a 3.73 posi by Vtech Corvette. The steering system is a mix of custom parts: there’s a Borgeson 605 box and a Flaming River tilt column, with the system topped off with a Billett Specialities wheel. The whole car sits on Schott Venom Wheels, fitted with six-piston, 14″ Baer brakes.

There’s myriad other small changes made to this restomod, which has been updated, effectively, from top to bottom. The headlights are by Detroit Speed, there’s a new Concept One Serpentine system, and the whole car’s been rewired.

In short, this car is a hell of an achievement. It’s gone from being a completely stock Corvette (in bad condition back in the 80s) to a beautiful, fast, award-winning restomod. Jeff’s not a one-car man either, having also restomodded a ’68 Chevelle SS. Speaking to him, what came through was a love of cars: while he prefers custom and restomod cars as a rule, he likes them all. I think that’s the handle. It’s impossible to update a car like this, retaining the original’s soul, without having a deep love for cars. That care is perhaps the most important component, beyond anything mechanical. If you want to see more of the car, including pictures of the build process, scroll on down.

It was a pleasure to speak to Jeff, and we’d love to hear from more of you! Whether your pride and joy is a Cadillac, an AMC Pacer X, a Mustang Fastback, or something completely different. Get in touch with us on Facebook, and show off your work to an audience of over 180,000 enthusiasts!

Jeff Monchilov’s ’72 Speedvette build sheet:

• GM Performance 525 HP LS3
• 4L70E Automatic 4 speed overdrive
• Factory Side pipe covers with chambered mufflers by Sweet Thunder Exhaust
• Speedvette LT1 Long Hood with 73-75 Vent Widened 4” – hood latches removed
• Speedvette Smooth Firewall Kit with Wiper Cover
• Speedvette C6 style Deck Lid with Waterfall – convertible top latches removed
• Custom turn buckle made to hold down top
• Speedvette C3C6 Dash Kit
• Rear Valance panel molded to body
• C5 Corvette Seats – shortened
• Interior by Steve Holcomb Pro Custom Auto Interiors
• Custom Mixed PPG Paint – “Super Blue” By Paint House Rags, Texas
• 2”Rear Flares from Custom Image Corvette
• Schott Venom Wheels: 19 x 9 5.0 B/S, 19 x 11 5.25 B/S
• Diamond Back Classics Redlines on Hankook Ventus tires: 275/35/19, 325/30/19
• Baer Brakes: 6 Piston Calipers, 14” Rotors
• Baer Remaster Cylinder
• 3.73 Posi Rearend by Vtech Corvette
• Concept One Serpentine Pulley System
• BeCool Radiator
• Vintage Air
• American Autowire Highway 22 Kit
• Dakota Digital HDX Gauges
• Detroit Speed Electric Headlight Kit
• Linear Actuator for Hood & E-Brake
• RideTech Suspension with Coilovers
• Borgeson 605 Steering Box
• Flaming River Tilt Column
• Billett Specialities Steering Wheel
• Pioneer Stereo System
• Lokar Shifter & Pedals