Salvaged C8 Corvette Comes Back to Life in 8-Minute DIY Video
After rolling it off a flatbed, we get a good look at the damage, and it doesn’t appear to be too awful – just a smashed-up passenger side that needs some love.
It wasn’t long after the C8 Corvette launched that we began seeing people wreck them. That is depressing stuff for sure, but it also presents a great opportunity. Those that want one but don’t have the money required to buy new can pick up a salvaged C8 Corvette on the cheap, then fix it up like new. We’ve seen this happen a few times already, and that includes this cool salvaged C8 rebuild from YouTuber ThatShortGuy, which was just recently finished.
It took a while to bring this wrecked C8 back to life, but in this video, we can watch the whole thing happen in a neatly compressed 8 minutes and 16 seconds, which is both mesmerizing and perfect for those with a short-attention span. After rolling it off a flatbed, we get a good look at the damage, and it doesn’t appear to be too awful – just a smashed-up passenger side that needs some love.
Otherwise, as one might expect, the car looks to be in great shape, including the immaculate interior. Armed with nothing more than some QuickJacks and basic tools, ThatShortGuy gets to work, first disassembling his C8 and removing all of the damaged parts. He then cuts away all of the bent-up bodywork that can’t be removed otherwise, as well as the passenger seat and its blown airbag.
After replacing all of the damaged mechanical bits behind the rear passenger side fender, ThatShortGuy wraps up the bodywork and fits some new panels before setting up his own impromptu paint booth in the backyard and sprays those new bits to match. The new panels then go on the car, and it’s looking like brand new already.
Next, the interior goes back together after a new airbag is installed in the passenger seat, and a little wet sanding ensures the newly painted body parts are perfect. The biggest problem ThatShortGuy incurred along the rebuild journey was acquiring a new SDM, or airbag module, as GM no longer sells them to the public. Thus, his car sat for five weeks at the dealership waiting on a new one. Otherwise, this project turned out to be a huge success, and it’s well worth reliving, especially in fast-forward.
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