Slideshow: Joe Rogan's C2 Corvette Stingray Restomod

Not the average Joe

Joe Rogan is a man of many talents. In his younger years, he was a competitive martial artist in the discipline of Tae Kwon Do. He transitioned into stand-up comedy and even had a stint as an actor on the TV sitcom NewsRadio. People of a certain generation are most likely to remember his years as the host of Fear Factor and his uncanny ability to encourage contestants to do the unthinkable. Nowadays, Rogan stays busy with a full-time stand-up comedy schedule, a podcast with a huge following, and a side-gig as a ringside commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). What may not be as well known is Rogan's affinity for American muscle cars. Back in 2015 Rogan stopped by Jay Leno's Garage and introduced the "Man in Denim" to his resto-modded C2 Stingray. Let's take a peek at what makes Rogan's C2 so desirable. 

Picking up where they left off

Joe picked up his 1965 C2 Corvette Stingray from RK Motors in Charlotte, NC. He sent a representative to check out the car which had already been modified by the last owner. The Stingray was modified to incorporate a tube chassis with late model independent front and rear suspension from a Corvette Grand Sport. The engine was a swapped LS1 and the brakes and wheels were upgraded thanks to a set taken off a 2007 Grand Sport. The previous owner also went through the trouble of modifying the interior with seats from a late-model Corvette. 

Good, but not quite perfect

While the previous owner had done an honorable job of updating the C2, it wasn't quite to Rogan's liking. After taking delivery, Rogan noticed there were some things off here and there. Rogan had already developed a working relationship with Steve Strope from Pure Vision Designs in Simi Valley, CA. Strope built Rogan's Plymouth Barracuda back in the day and was trusted to put the finishing touches on his latest project. Strope quickly got to work mending fine details on the C2 such as the wiring. As he describes it, the wiring looked like it "was done by an 8-year-old." Strope got to work re-doing some clumsy modifications from the previous build and helping Rogan modify the C2 to his liking. As you can tell, the Grand Sport wheels were ditched in favor of these Centerline Auto Drags. 

>>Join the conversation about Joe Rogan's Supercharged C2 right here in LS1Tech.

Boost is better

The LS1 heart of the C2 was given a bump in power after a Magnuson supercharger was strapped on top. As Strope describes, the supercharger kit was designed specifically for the LS1. Unfortunately, it wasn't designed for an LS1 which had been swapped into a C2 engine compartment. Luckily Strope is a master fabricator and was more than capable of designing and producing the brackets required to marry the supercharger to LS1 in the cradle of the 'Vette's tube chassis. While neither Strope or Rogan specified a power output, a guess of 450 horsepower seems well within reason. 

>>Join the conversation about Joe Rogan's Supercharged C2 right here in LS1Tech.

Less is more

Rogan wasn't a fan of the burgundy interior of his C2 or the flimsy late-model Corvette seats. He put Eric Thorsen of Eric Thorsen's Custom Upholstery to work with the goal of simplifying the look of the interior. The interior changed tones from a gaudy burgundy to a sleeker black.

>>Join the conversation about Joe Rogan's Supercharged C2 right here in LS1Tech.

Back to black

The door panel inserts feature a black perforated leather material which better suit the C2's swagger. The new seats tuck under the rear moldings of the deck while holding the driver in place. The steering wheel is now a more discrete black rimmed tiller with a chrome centerpiece. The shifter was swapped to a timeless Hurst cue-ball design, reminiscent of the muscle car glory days. To make sure Rogan stays cool during the warm Southern California summers, a Vintage Air air conditioning setup was installed. 

>>Join the conversation about Joe Rogan's Supercharged C2 right here in LS1Tech.

A well-balanced package

Leno was obviously impressed by Rogan's build. The 'Vette struck the right balance between canyon carver and everyday driver. Rogan's Stingray possesses the power to exhilarate while also striking a compromise between comfort and performance. Kudos to the do-it-all man for commissioning the build for a do-it-all Corvette. 

>>Join the conversation about Joe Rogan's Supercharged C2 right here in LS1Tech.

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