One out of seven Chevrolet Corvette Barrister convertibles designed by George Barris, the famous author of the first live Batmobile replica, will be heading to an auction next month.
Barris redesigned the frame to make the hood appear longer and put new bodywork on this ‘Vette, leaving only the doors stock. The front clip took on an edgier appearance, while the rear end was sculpted with two raised sections. He also redesigned the windshield frame, which necessitated changing the way the roof folded down.
Further highlights of the build included custom lights all around, unusual side mirrors, a reworked interior and tailpipes exiting from the sides in front of the doors.
To ensure a more modern driving experience, Barris installed per-wheel suspension on both axles and ventilated rotor brakes. Power for the Barrister comes from a 5.7-liter GM V8 linked to a four-speed automatic transmission. The numbers aren’t available, but a stock Corvette convertible of the same generation usually had around 300 PS (296 hp / 221 kW).
There is no asking price. Another Corvette Barrister was sold for $51,520 USD in 2019, but that one was based on a 1981MY chassis and sported a black and gold color scheme.