This Chevy Corvette / Dodge Viper mishmash can be yours for $16.5k

A car enthusiast from the USA sourced a third-generation Chevrolet Corvette and turned it into a replica of the first-gen Dodge Viper. It’s not perfect, is 43 years old, has 114,000 km (71,000 miles) under its belt, but still goes for $16,500 because you can’t buy anything close to it from an OEM.

The Corviperette – this is what it’s called – is truly a one-off, and an eye-catcher at that. The builder took care to replicate all Viper body panels using glass-fiber reinforced plastic, resulting in a car that looks different but just close enough to its source of inspiration. He also chose for the exhaust system to exit at the sides and retrimmed the dashboard and the console. The Corvette’s stock 5.7-liter V8 stayed as is.

Despite all the efforts, the final result does give off strong Frankencar vibes. The seller pretty much admits it in the listing, arguing that it would be ideal for those who “wanted a Viper and a Corvette but only had one parking spot.” And why not? It’s a conversation starter, if little else.