Hey Speed Racer, Your 1980 Custom Corvette is Up for Auction

All Chevrolet Corvettes are collectible, but there is one customized Corvette coming up in the Houston Mecum Auction that is designed to capture the hearts of anime lovers. A 1980 Chevrolet Corvette has been customized to resemble the race car in the cult anime hit called Speed Racer. Originally a Japanese series, Speed Racer has been released in a number of genres and even fueled a couple of short-lived television series. Versions of Speed Racer have run on MTV, Nicktoons and in comic books since it was originally created in 1966. One television series ran for a season in 1993, another in 2008. A movie was released in 2008 but didn’t do well at the box office. Another series is said to be in development for Apple TV, but no release dates have been announced.

1980 Corvette Convertible Custom Roadster

The 1980 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Roadster that is scheduled to be sold at the Mecum Houston Auction appears to duplicate the Mach 5 that stars in the Speed Racer series. Just like the Speed Racer featured in the show and cartoon, the roadster has a bright white exterior and red interior. The Corvette has a V-8 engine and automatic transmission. The odometer shows 65,257 miles. The lot description does not say when the custom work was done or who provided the work. Nor does the description suggest why the fan decided to go with the Speed Racer mock-up.

The Corvette-based Mach 5 has disc brakes and chrome wheels. The custom has fender-mounted mirrors, dual exhaust, bucket seats and power windows. The description does not say what the vehicle has been used for or who owned it. A quick check on line shows only a handful of the customs exist and all are based on either the C3 or C4 body style. One replica is in the Volo Car Museum, in Illinois.

How You Can Land the Speed Racer

This 1980 Custom Corvette Speed Racer, lot F246, will go up for auction at the Mecum Auction in Houston April 3-5, 2025. The roadster, with Vin number 1Z878AS430186, is scheduled to cross the block on Friday, April 4th, but Mecum is not giving an approximate time. You can see the listing and all 27 photos of the Speed Racer replica at the Mecum website. Go, Speed Racer, Go!

Mecum Photo

Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.

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