“Honestly, just wanted a challenge and thought it may be fun to try…” Those were the words from Matt K. out of Mishawaka, Indiana, that inspired me to write this piece. Your average enthusiast will look at the pictures of this flooded 2000 Fixed Roof Coupe, this monumental project, and think, Oh hell no. Heck, when I found my “perfect” 2000 FRC 500 miles away on Marketplace, it was enough of a headache to figure out the logistics of the inspection, purchase, and round trip. Just like most of our digital content, this article is FREE and not behind a paywall. If/when any pop-ups appear, please click to dismiss them and continue enjoying the article.
Not only did Matt have to deal with the logistics of picking up the flooded C5 from the Copart broker, but the real fun began when he got her home. I think his willingness to take on a challenge like this, however insurmountable, is what separates the great “shade tree” restorers from the backyard hack wannabe wrenchers.
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Here is Matt’s post on the popular Facebook page, C5 Vette’s, that got the party started. With nearly 64,000 members, this community is never shy about speaking its mind (and the 154+ comments proved it!). We’ll get to some of the funnier and more insightful posts, as well as the more interesting factoids from Matt K., including what inspired him to take on this challenge, and more importantly, how much he paid for it.
Just how bad was she? From a flood in Pennsylvania.
Yikes! Matt hopes to avoid electrical nightmares by completely gutting all the electrical components.
The gut job begins.
How about the condition of that sweet LS1? Matt plans to attempt firing her up after the new computer components arrive.
Any progress yet?!? Heck ya!
The Before
And some after pictures… making progress!
A Funny Exchange & The Sentiment From the Community
The general sentiment from the community was positive and encouraging.
Matt displays more of that optimism that inspired me and the community.
My favorite “inspirational” quote from Matt.
- “Sometimes I think when your already on fire what’s a little more gas…”
Well, how much did it cost for “just a little more gas?”
How does $4,000 sound? Even better, the 700-horsepower track car with a sequential transmission sounds even more fun!
We will end today’s Corvette Culture feature with “the first guy that gets it.”
Thanks for joining CorvSport today! I keep a close eye on the C5 Vette’s Facebook page and will add more features if Matt posts his progress. Would you ever attempt a project like this? Join the CorvSport movement!
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- This is Douglas B. signing off–click here if you would like to view more of my features.
