It's not often that a car with such a pedigree and substantial amount of time and money invested comes up for auction. Rarer still is when a car that's won the Detroit Autorama Ridler Award, SEMA Best in Show Prize, and highest awarded car on the 2018-9 ISCA Car Circuit comes across the auction block. But here she is. Worldwide Auctioneers Lot # 39, 1957 Chevrolet Custom "IMAGINE" Hardtop.
She started her life as a rather simple 1957 Chevy 150 before Johnny Martin out of Alamosa, Colorado undertook a 10 year effort to design, fabricate, and build her into what would later become "IMAGINE." There is literally not a single element of this car that was not touched, massaged, replaced, or tweaked in such a way as to yield what can only be described as...perfection.
She was conceived of by sketches from Jason Rushworth from a commission by Greg and Judy HreHovcsik. Rather than demolishing the classic lines of the 1957 Chevy, Jason accentuated her graceful curves, tightening her up here, loosening a little there, and making her "more" all over. The roof was chopped and channeled with window glass reprofiled for a sleeker look. A custom frame was fabricated. An interior was designed from scratch. And bits and pieces of the Chevy parts bin were drummed into service to complete "IMAGINE."
As this is no ordinary car, no ordinary motor would do. A twin turbocharged 515 cubic inch Nelson Racing Engine generating in excess of 1,000 hp sits under a sculpted hood and engine bay. A Bowler-modified GM TH400 automatic transmission transmits all that power to a C6 Corvette independent rearend with 4.11 gears.
The interior has 4 hand built bucket seats wrapped in the best leather available with a custom console running the inside length of the car. A modern dash is employed with Classic Instruments gauges, an Evod steering wheel, and Terra Cotta coloring to play off the PPG Silver exterior.
The fit and finish of this car is amazing and I can see how it took ten years and $2 million dollars to build. And while I firmly believe that even the most unique, storied, expensive, and historical of cars are meant to be driven and driven hard, I think I would find it a tad perverse to get "IMAGINE" dirty. But I think I would anyway! Imagine that! Check her out below at the Detroit Autorama last year. Buckle up.
(via Worldwide Auctioneers)