Oh, Tony, what have you done! Retired professional skater Tony Hawk recently shared on social media that his dream car, a 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, has been converted into a fully electric vehicle.
He then apologized to the city of Detroit, where the Chevy brand was founded, but the smile on his face suggests he is actually not sorry at all. Tony further explained that he actually purchased the car over 20 years ago, but he never got to enjoy it in full running order.
That was until he handed the keys over to EV West, who then swapped the Corvette’s 5.4-liter 327 V8 for a Tesla Small Drive Unit. The car is now propelled by a rear-mounted electric motor, powered by a 41.6kWh battery.
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The shop says that the fully electric Stingray should make about 300hp, while getting around 193km to 225km in driving range. Tony also said that the car is much more reliable and faster, albeit in a tongue-in-cheek tone.
Purists will find comfort in knowing that the rest of the car has been kept in pristine condition...mostly. The deep-red upholstery is all original, and even the gearshift remains as is. However, the instrument panel has been retrofitted with small but noticeable screens to display power outputs.
From Tony’s video, it looks like the dials still work, and the fuel gauge has even been updated to adjust the battery’s level of charge. And speaking of fuel, around back, Tony popped open the gas cap to reveal a charging port. Now, you have to admit that these bits are pretty cool.
The glove box has also been filled with what looks like a power supply, with more accurate readings. Finally, Tony was also happy to see that EV West added run-of-the-mill, standard seatbelts to his now fully electric Corvette.
What do you think of Tony’s electric Corvette? The comments section is yours.
