[VIDEO] Tony Hawk Shares His Electrified 1964 Corvette on Jay Leno’s Garage

If you happen to see a black 1964 Corvette convertible that seems like, properly, like the engine has been stolen, it may possibly just be Tony Hawk driving his now-silent electrified Sting Ray.&#13
&#13

Back again in 2019, the now-retired legendary skateboarder despatched his ’64 Corvette to a California company named EV West that specializes in converting gasoline-operate automobiles to electric power. Now, right after delays prompted by the pandemic, he’s at last obtaining to see the vehicle for the initial time in a few years, and along for the experience is previous Tonight Clearly show host and automobile buff Jay Leno.&#13
&#13

Jay quips that they could raise the hood, but there is almost nothing underneath there but batteries, replacing the first 327 V8 gasoline motor that after resided there.&#13
&#13

“We can nonetheless open up it up just to piss off all the purists,” Tony states with a superior-natured chortle.&#13
&#13

“It appears to be like like a coffin,” Jay says afterwards, searching at a silver box complete of batteries and topped by an evil-searching skull emblem. He notes that you can’t even see the new motor for the reason that the back again of the car where by it’s located doesn’t open up up.&#13
&#13

The Corvette is now powered by a Tesla little generate unit that puts out 300 horsepower and helps make 2270 lb-ft of torque, with a solitary-velocity transmission, even though it can all be converted back if in the foreseeable future, his grandchildren may possibly get a wild hair and say, “My grandpa mistakenly manufactured it electric…”&#13
&#13

“I really do not feel the Corvette purists are gonna like this really a lot,” Tony surmises, “but I have never been just one to hold on to just all the initial sections. I suggest, we nevertheless have ’em…”&#13
&#13

“Nothing’s been lower,” Jay interjects. “The body has not been modified. You can put the first engine and transmission again in at any time.”&#13
&#13

“So my apologies to all the GM purists out there,” Tony quips. &#13
&#13

“And they will hunt you down…” Jay jokes.&#13
&#13

Enough talking. Now it is time for the two adult males to go for a short trip in the electric powered Sting Ray, and just after a minor while behind the wheel, Tony states the handling nonetheless feels extremely identical. “It feels the similar as it did,” he suggests. “I have this unconscious want to change gears, like appropriate now I want to downshift so badly!”&#13
&#13

This modern consider on a classic Corvette absolutely is a whole lot unique from the 1977 Honda Civic CVCC hatchback that Tony 1st learned how to drive on. He acquired the auto for $1,500, and his father drove it to Tijuana and experienced it painted crimson for his birthday.&#13
&#13

“My father needed me to discover how to tune up my motor vehicle, which I did not learn,” Tony admits.&#13
&#13

Hawk suggests his relatives was amazingly supportive of his skateboarding vocation, though his father handed away in 1995, just prior to Tony’s significant wave of accomplishment.&#13
&#13

“But my mother used to practically prevent strangers in the airport and say, ‘My son’s Tony Hawk!’ It’s wonderful when I’m not with her, but when I was with her, it was awkward.”&#13
&#13

A World War II Navy veteran, his father was a “jack of all trades” and even fashioned the National Skateboard Affiliation when there was no sanctioning entire body for skating functions “so he was a huge supporter,” Tony suggests.&#13
&#13

After an ultra-successful 17-yr skateboarding profession, Tony spends a lot with the Tony Hawk Foundation that about the previous 20 years has spent more than $10 million to aid build far more than 900 public skate parks in minimal-revenue, underserved parts.&#13
&#13

So if you have produced it this considerably, Mr. and Ms. Corvette Purist, what do you consider about this conversion?&#13
&#13

&#13
https://www.youtube.com/enjoy?v=8O6n2fsBPDg&#13

Source:
&#13
Jay Leno’s Garage
&#13
&#13

Associated:
&#13
What if the Next Corvette Will come as an Electric powered Sedan with Two Further Doorways
&#13
Sketch by GM Design Has People Conversing About an Electrical Corvette SUV
&#13
[VIDEO] YouTuber Abundant Rebuilds Starts Collection on EV C4 Corvette Task
&#13
&#13