Continuing Americana Thursdays month long celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the USA’s first mass produced sports car today’s 1958 Chevrolet Corvette belonging to Brad Goldstone was photographed by Geoffrey Horton at Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance in July.

The third and final incarnation of the C1, solid axle, Corvette was introduced in 1958 with a baroque tooth grill, the styling was gradually simplified until production of the C1 ended in 1962.

Not much is known about #008 before 1968 when the car was raced at Mid Ohio by James A Murray of Lombard IL, 1972 James was 5th in The Great River regional points standings.

In 1989 Don Rettig purchased #008 from James and raced it before selling it to Brad with a blown 4.6 litre / 283 cui motor a couple of years ago. Brad’s mechanic “Frank Alaimo from A & E auto repair sourced a date correct seasoned but never used block.” The fuel injection was rebuilt by Jim Lockwood, the motor with fuel injection produces 290 hp, compared to the stock 230hp from a single 4 barrel carburetor version.

It is believed #008 was supplied with the Regular Production Option (RPO) 684 package that included heavy duty brakes with cooling fins and scoops for the drums, 5 leaf rear springs and heavy duty shock absorbers. John Fitch helped develop these parts during a research and test program run at Sebring in 1956. Apparently the aircraft specification Ceremetalix brake linings are so good under intense racing use that they will wear out the brake drums before they need replacing.

Brad says of his car ” I love this Corvette and have gone through her front to back at this time so she is “race ready”! My intention is to campaign her with CSRG next season and see where we go from there.”

I am sure everyone at GALPOT will join me in wishing Brad the best of luck.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photographs and to Brad Goldstone of San Francisco Sports Cars for telling me about his magnificent Baroque Tooth race car.

Thanks for joining me on this “Baroque Tooth Racer” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !