Dave Kindig became a household name in 2014 when his show “Bitchin’ Rides” debuted on TV. However, he was well-known in the custom car world long before that. At his shop in Salt Lake City, Dave and the team build, restore and modify custom cars for their clients. The show is more focused on the cars compared to Overhaulin’, which is about trying to get a car done on a tight timeline and in secret.
Fans of the show may remember that in 2021, Dave embarked on a project to do his own small-production run of cars inspired by the 1953 Chevrolet Corvette. The “CF1 Roadster” is Kindig’s take on the classic Corvette. The episodes ran in Season 8 of the show and featured the car’s debut at the 2021 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
I was fortunate to see Chassis #07 of 10 on display at the Arizona Concours d’Elegance on January 21, 2024. It was an uncharacteristically rainy day in the desert with clouds and rainthroughout most of the day. Still, they were able to remove the plastic and exhibit the car during the show. The Arizona Concours d’Elegance provides the opportunity to admire and enjoy rare and special cars such as this, and I am grateful to the organizers and volunteers who put the event together.
Though it looks like a custom 1953 Corvette, the CF1 Roadster is a completely new car. It starts with a Roadster Shop chassis that retains the stock Corvette wheelbase, while adding modern strength and rigidity to the car.
The body features plenty of changes including a raked windshield, restyled wheel arches, custom headlamps, a redesigned grille, and much more. The entire body is made of carbon fiber and weighs just 70 lbs (32 kg) while also being incredibly strong. The new body is wider and longer than the original. There are some trick features too, such as the fuel filler and onboard trickle charger concealed behind the car’s flip-up taillights. The car is a true roadster with no soft top or cover of any kind.
Under the hood is a 427 cubic inch LS7 V8 engine that has been upgraded by Lingenfelter Performance Engineering to produce 650 horsepower and 580 lb-ft of torque. This is a huge upgrade over the ’53 Corvette’s original 150 horsepower engine. Poking out through the hood is the 8-stack EFI setup from Borla.
Other performance highlights include a floor-shifted GM 4L80E automatic transmission, independent rear suspension, and Wilwood 14-inch disc brakes mounting 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers. Dakota Digital gauges and a Borla exhaust that exits through the rear bumper, just as on the original Corvette.
The wheels are a unique design created by Kindig and made by EVOD. They are inspired by Lamborghini Miura wheels and are finished in gold with chrome tri-bar center caps. They measure 21″ up front and 22″ in the rear and are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.
This specific car was shown in the Dynamat booth at the 2022 SEMA Show.
At the same time Chassis #07 was on display at the Arizona Concours, CF1 Roadster Chassis #04 was just a few miles away at the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction in Scottsdale. While there are some cosmetic differences, the cars are substantially the same specification. Chassis #04 is painted in Blue Suede Blue with a white interior, while Chassis #07 is Bering Sea Blue with a tan interior. Chassis #04 sold for a staggering $605,000 at auction (including the buyer’s premium). So if you were wondering what one of these ultra-rare and bespoke roadsters is worth, there is your answer.
I think that Kindig’s take on the classic Corvette is a good one. The CF1 Roadster is a very special car that is truly a work of art on four wheels.
