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According to information released by the Auto Esporte portal, Chevrolet sold for R$ 1 million two Opala SS restored in the restomod style at an auction held at the Carde Museum, in Campos do Jordão (SP). The green model, from 1979, received more than 25 bids and the yellow one, from 1976, at least 30 offers. Each was auctioned for R$ 500 thousand. The cars were restored by BTS Performance with a 4.1 six-cylinder engine, FuelTech electronic injection, Tremec five-speed gearbox, and high-performance disc brakes. The new owners will be able to receive the coupes at the original factory in São Caetano do Sul.
Chevrolet took two Opala from the 70s that could have been rusting in some warehouse and turned them into machines that made more than 30 people compete for each bid in an auction that ended with R$ 1 million in total. The green model, from 1979, attracted more than 25 offers. The yellow one, from 1976, received at least 30. Each of the coupes was auctioned for R$ 500 thousand, surpassing the R$ 437 thousand reached in the sale of an Omega in December 2025 and confirming that the Opala is the greatest icon of the Brazilian automotive industry.
What Chevrolet did with these cars goes beyond conventional restoration. The two Opala underwent a process called restomod, which maintains the classic identity but updates mechanics, visuals, and technology. BTS Performance, a renowned workshop in national vintage car restoration, led the transformation under the supervision of GM engineers, who evaluated the cars at the Cruz Alta Proving Ground in Indaiatuba (SP), with the same criteria applied to new vehicles. The result is an Opala that looks like it came out of the 70s but drives like a car from 2026.
What is restomod and why does it add so much value to the Opala
The restomod is a restoration philosophy that preserves the visual identity of the classic car while modernizing everything the owner doesn’t see at first glance: engine, gearbox, suspension, brakes, electronics, and comfort. Unlike pure restoration, which seeks to return the vehicle to its original factory state, the restomod accepts that a car from 1976 can be better than it was when new if it receives technology and engineering that didn’t exist at the time.
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Chevrolet divided its Vintage project into two categories precisely to cater to both audiences. Pure restoration revives factory originality by maintaining specifications in every detail, even the seat bolts. The restomod gives creative freedom for workshops to customize visuals and mechanics. The two auctioned Opala followed the restomod path, and the value of R$ 500 thousand each proves that the market for modernized classic cars pays more for creativity and performance than for absolute originality.
What changed in the mechanics of the two Opala
The 4.1 six-cylinder inline engine, a trademark of the Opala SS, was maintained but received FuelTech electronic injection and a stainless steel manifold that improve power, response, and efficiency. The original four-speed gearbox was replaced by a Tremec five-speed transmission, a high-performance transmission that allows the car to better utilize the engine’s rev range on the road.
The suspension was recalibrated with Bilstein shock absorbers, a reference in competitions and high-performance cars, and the brakes were upgraded to high performance discs on all four wheels. In practice, the restored Opala brakes, corners, and accelerates at a level that the original 70s car never achieved, but retains the six-cylinder roar and visual presence that made the model one of the most desired cars in Brazilian history.
The look that never existed from the factory
GM gave Batistinha, owner of BTS Performance, the freedom to create something unique. In the case of the green Opala, the body color never existed in the original line of the coupe, nor did the matte black finishes that replaced parts that were originally chrome. The result is a car that looks like it came from an alternate universe where the Opala continued to evolve.
The yellow followed a similar line of customization, and both received 15-inch alloy wheels, special tires, a Lotse sports steering wheel, and genuine leather seats. The assembly was done with precision superior to that of the original factory, with fit tolerances that replicate the criteria of new Chevrolet cars. The “gaps” between the body parts, which in the 70s had generous clearances, were handcrafted to the current quality standard.
The auction that exceeded all expectations
The auction took place at the Carde Museum in Campos do Jordão (SP), and the bidding was intense. The green Opala was auctioned first and attracted more than 25 bids before being sold for R$ 500,000. Subsequently, the yellow one generated at least 30 offers and reached the same value, totaling R$ 1 million for both units. An S10 that won the Sertões Rally was also auctioned for R$ 450,000 at the same event.
The amount raised will be donated to the social projects of the GM Institute, adding a layer of purpose to the purchase. The new owners of the coupes will be able to receive the cars directly at the Chevrolet factory in São Caetano do Sul, where the Opala was originally produced, an experience that transforms the delivery into a symbolic moment for collectors who grew up seeing the model roll off that assembly line.
The Chevrolet Vintage project and what’s ahead
The auction of the Opala is part of the Chevrolet Vintage project, announced at the beginning of 2025. GM acquired ten cars that marked an era and partnered with renowned workshops to restore them in two categories: original restoration and restomod. Chevrolet engineers oversee the entire process, from the purchase of the vehicles to the final evaluation at the Proving Ground.
The project was born from the realization that the Chevrolet classic car audience is diverse and passionate. There are those who pay a fortune for an Opala identical to the one that left the factory and those who prefer a restomod that combines nostalgia with modern performance. The Vintage caters to both profiles and transforms models that could be forgotten into collectible pieces worth hundreds of thousands of reais, proving that Brazilian automotive history has a market value that few imagined.
Would you pay R$ 500,000 for a restored Opala, or do you think that price is crazy for a car from the 70s? Tell us in the comments if you have memories with the Opala and which classic Chevrolet you’d like to see in the next Vintage project auction.
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