Resin Redo

Car collectors usually strive to preserve the originality and authenticity of a classic Corvette, but in some cases it’s fitting to make it better than new. That’s the case of David Davies’ 1978 Stingray, which can be characterized as a “restomod” since he improved on the original in a number of areas.

In particular, Davies had to deal with the urethane bumpers, which tend to fade, crack or discolor on the ’73 to ’79 models. He worked closely with J&D Corvette to correct this common problem, as noted in detail below, along with several other areas. The result is one sweet-looking Coke-bottle Corvette. But it wasn’t always that way, and it took some doing to get the recipe right.


When Davies acquired his Corvette in 1979, it had 33,000 miles on it, and was “powered” (using the term loosely here) by a factory 350 engine. Rated at a meager 185 hp, this model didn’t have a whole lot of getup and go.


“When I found out that the catalytic converter was choking the engine,” Davies recalls, “it miraculously ‘fell off’ the car while going through an intersection.” When the muffler shop told him the cost associated with replacing it, he was able to talk the owner of the shop into installing the equivalent of a ’69 Corvette exhaust system. This change drastically improved the performance of the car (no surprise there!).

Restoring and modifying the car was an ongoing project that went on for several years. Eventually the old 350 went south, so Davies had to install a new engine. “Because of smog regulations in California, I was not able to install a 383 stroker and was stuck with a smog-legal motor. What a shame!” Davies notes, shaking his head. After researching various engine builders and warranties offered, he chose an Edlebrock Performer 350 crate engine rated at 310 hp and 375 lb.-ft. of torque.