By Natasha Fujimoto
Wedge-shaped and retro-futuristic, the 1987 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible is an eye-popping icon of its era. The embodiment of synthwave aesthetics, it summons a nostalgia for late-1980s pop culture that makes it easy to picture this doyen of geometric design cruising through the backdrop of Stranger Things.
From its pop-up headlights to its digital liquid-crystal dashboard, this iteration of the C4 generation captures the 1980s vision of the future wrapped in classic sports car proportions.
For local car enthusiast and Corvette owner Brock Hood, owning the classic convertible is about preserving a piece of automotive history.
Ticking all the boxes when it comes to distinctive 1980s styling and cutting-edge technology, Brock said the car began life in California before being imported to Australia in 2008. Purchased from a collector in Melbourne several years ago, he is proud to still have the original California number plates.
Despite more than 300,000km on the odometer and a few breakdowns over the years – the car’s breaks having failed on the road home after purchase – Brock remains devoted to the car. Brock’s passion is never more evident than when discussing the Corvette’s specifications, which tumble from his mouth as readily as any self-respecting car aficionado would expect.
Equipped with the desirable Z52 performance package, the Corvette is powered by a 5.7-litre L98 V8 engine and remains largely original despite a handful of upgrades and repairs since Brock purchased it almost four years ago.
When asked what drew him to this particular car, Brock said it was the unmistakable styling of the era.
“I like the styling from those cars in the ’80s, the very angular, aerodynamic look,” he said.
“It was the first of the computers. It’s got the full digital cluster on it.”
And Brock is not wrong about the technological leap the car represented at the time. When it debuted in the mid-1980s, the fourth-generation Corvette marked a major step forward for Chevrolet, introducing advanced aerodynamics, computer-aided design and futuristic digital instrumentation. While the Corvette was rated at around 240 horsepower when new, Brock jokes that after nearly 300,000 kilometres on the odometer, it is probably producing a little less these days.
Now registered on Victoria’s club permit scheme, Brock said the car spends more time being admired than driven.
Nevertheless, when the left-hand-drive icon cruises local roads, its personality is impossible to miss.
“One of the car’s more amusing quirks is a pop-up headlight that refuses to retract fully,” Brock laughed.
“It winks,” he said.
