Tag Archives: Corvette

Baroque Tooth Racer – Chevrolet Corvette C1 #008

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.

Chevrolet Corvette, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

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.

Chevrolet Corvette, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

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.

Chevrolet Corvette, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

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.

Chevrolet Corvette, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

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.

Chevrolet Corvette, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

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 !

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SCORAD Demonstrator – Chevrolet Corvette #1399 Tribute

When I set out to find out about the car in today’s photographs taken at the Rolex Reunion at Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca by Geoffry Horton I mistakenly thought it couldn’t be that difficult to find out about a 1st generation Corvette C1 carrying a big #16 and a couple of NASCAR stickers. Boy was I proved wrong, but the upside is I have found out not only what it is, but also found out about a race series I am not sure ever got off the ground !

Chevrolet Corvette SCORAD Tribute, Rolex Reunion, Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca

An internet search soon led me to the owner / driver Noel Park and several descriptions of the car being a tribute to the 1955 Corvette better known as X87/5951 in which Zora Arkus- Duntov set a new flying-mile record of 150.583 mph at Daytona Beach in 1956. However that car had a 1956 body and two other ’56 Corvettes Chevrolet took along to Daytona Beach for John Fitch and Betty Skelton did not feature the distinctive #16 on the side although at least one photo caption on the net, subsequently shown to be wrong suggested otherwise.

Chevrolet Corvette SCORAD Tribute, Rolex Reunion, Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca

My break came when I found a second identical copy image of the #16 at Daytona Beach making reference to chassis #399, although again no driver was mentioned. A search for Corvettes with the number #399 led me to discovering that along with the three Corvette’s Chevrolet took along to the 1956 Daytona Speed Weeks for competition, two further Corvettes were supplied to NASCAR for promotional purposes and one of them was chassis #E55S001399 a 1955 model, described as a well used up former race car. The vehicle was rebuilt with a stock 4.6 litre 265 cui small block V8 and the body taken from another ’55 ‘Vette by Chevrolet Engineering in January 1956 with a “NASCAR” kit comprising aero screen and fiberglass torneau over the passenger area.

Chevrolet Corvette SCORAD Tribute, Rolex Reunion, Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca

Jack Hawkins and Bill France Jr are among those NASCAR individuals known to have demonstrated, but not competed in, the #16 at the 1956 Daytona Speed Weeks. It has also emerged thanks to Loren Lundberg over at The Nostalgia Forum that the #16 and an similarly upgraded ’53 Corvette which appeared carrying the #27 were to be used in NASCAR’s SCORAD ( Sports Car Owners and Drivers ) dirt track series. At the time of writing I’m not sure if this series ever got underway or not, if you know anything at all about SCORAD at all please do not hesitate to chip in below since there is zero but the name that appears about the series on the net as of now.

After the speed weeks #1399 spent two years under the direction of NASCAR’s Alvin Hawkin at various tracks primarily in North Carolina before being passed into private hands that included a spell as a donation with the Bible Broadcasting Church. As of 2009 #1399 was reported to be with the Lingenfelter Collection all though when I checked their website no mention was made of it.

I’m not too sure how or why Noel Parks cool tribute to the #1399 came to be made, but it has been an absolute blast getting to the bottom of the story of the #16 that ran at Daytona Beach in 1956.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photo’s from the Rolex Reunion and to Loren Lundberg at The Nostalgia Forum and of the Registry of Corvette Race Cars for his help in clarifying the story of the #16.

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

PS Opinions and predictions on Formula One and the Italian Grand Prix linked here at Motorsports Unplugged.

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Coffee, Croissant & Cars #08/13 – Avenue Drivers Club

The eight weeks since I last visited the Avenue Drivers Club seem to have flown by in no time at all, I guess there is nothing like being busy when your having fun.

Lotus Esprit, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Amongst Sundays potpourri of attendees was this immaculate 22 year old Lotus Esprit that would surely have won a Concours d’Elegance, if one had been run. The current owner told me that the car was originally sold to a customer in Singapore, and that he has had the car for 14 years during which time he has driven it just 4,000 miles.

Plymouth, Road Runner, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Regular readers will know that I have been a MOPAR fan since I saw the original version of “Vanishing Point”, above is a 1970 First Generation 335hp Plymouth Road Runner.

AC, Aceca, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Slightly more modest was this 1958 Bristol powered AC Aceca.

Morris, 1/2 Ton, Pick Up, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

When I took the photograph above I thought I was looking at an extremely late Austin A60 Pick up, closer inspection reveals it actually carries a Morris badge and is a vehicle that was marketed as the Morris 1/2 ton. This particular one was manufactured in 1972 the year before production ceased, the cab design dates back to the 1957 Austin A55 Cambridge 4 door saloon/sedan.

Ford, Sierra, XR4i, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

In 1983 Ford launched the Ford Sierra XR4i to top the new jelly mould bodied series of cars that had received a mixed reception since their introduction the previous year. The 2 door XR4i was powered by the same fuel injected 2.8 litre Cologne V6 as the late Ford Capri 2.8i.

Ford, 7Y, Eight, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

The owner of this 1938 Ford “7Y” Eight took the car over from his sister over 40 years ago, he told me how amongst many ways Ford had saved on the costs of manufacturing the car, they built it with 6 3/4″ head lights instead of the 7″ head lights used by their competitors and that the fabric panel in the roof along with wooden floor boards all saved on the use of steel.

Colt, Sigma, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

The Colt Sigma above caught my eye primarily because it was built the year I left school in 1977. It’s condition is testimony to the fact that if one looks after any car it can be made to last well beyond two score years.

Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Coupé, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Parking up next to a 60th Anniversary edition Corvette was this fifty year old 1963 split rear screen Corvette Sting Ray Coupé, without doubt my favourite of the sixty year Corvette production run.

Daimler, V8 250, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Looking like it had driven straight out of the film set of “Withnail and I” was this 1968 Daimler V8 250, though the film of course used a similar bodied Jaguar Mk II.

Plymouth, Road Runner, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

In 1971 the Plymouth Satelite won the US Car of the Year award, this is it’s big “bro” the 1971 Plymouth Road Runner 440 Six Pack, with a air grabber scoop in the bonnet/hood, the 7.2 litre motor was good for 390 hp when it left the factory.

Mazda, MX5, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

On a lighter note some cute adornment found on the dash of an Mazda MX5, disappointingly the only thing missing is a plastic Jesus, however since the magnets on said absent item are known to mess with the radio maybe the omission can be forgiven.

Jaguar, E-Type, Series III, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Vying strongly with the Daimler V8 250 for the patina of the day award was this 1973 Series III V12 E-Type Jaguar. Apparently the car was delivered new, painted Azure Blue to Victor Gauntlet the petroleum magnate who is best remembered as Executive Chairman of Aston Martin from 1981 until 1992.

Alfa Romeo, Giulia, Spider, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Among the many soft tops present was this 1964 Alfa Romeo, Giulia, Spider sharing the same engine Alfa Romeo 105 series Giulia saloon / sedan.

Porsche, 911, Cabriolet, Flachbau, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Porsche 911’s with flachbau (flat built) noses, inspired by the 1976 Porsche 935 racing program, are a relative rarity this cabriolet dates from 1988.

BMW, 530D, Touring, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Finally drawing the biggest crowd in the shortest period of time were the flashing blue lights on this 2010 BMW 530D Touring, no crime had been committed, the gentlemen of the Avon Constabulary were merely demonstrating some of the features on their car. One is unlikely to be pursued by this vehicle unless one is in the process of committing, or one has committed a serious crime as the car is being run by the Armed Response Unit.

Thanks for joining me on this “Coffee, Croissant & Cars #08/13” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Spirit Of ’76 – Chevrolet Corvette Greenwood #007

John and Burt Greenwood were the children of a WW2 fighter pilot who worked at the GM Tech Center. As a teenager John was working paper rounds so that he could build a Briggs Stratton powered kart. From there the Greenwood’s moved into street racing, preparing a car, racing it and then selling it to so that they could build up another.

Around 1968 the Greenwoods set up Auto Research Engineering to build engines and tune suspension and the following year started racing. John won back to back SCCA championships in 1970 and 1971. Over the following two years the Greenwood Corvettes had made trips to the Le Mans 24 hours where they had failed to finish having a best 16th place on the grid in ’72 to show for their efforts.

Chevrolet Corvette, Goodwood Festival of Speed

In 1976 John Greenwood was invited to return to Le Mans and this time he brought a wide bodied car to share with Bernard Darniche. Featuring a body that was developed the the aid of ‘Farther of the Corvette’ Zora Arkus-Duntov and aerodynamicist Randy Wittine that covered a 700 hp fuel injected 7 litre / 427 cui motor.

Chassis #007 had been built up for Rick Mancuso a racer from Illinois who entered the car in the ’76 Sebring 12 hours but crashed it in practice so that it did not start, #007 is not to be confused with John Greenwoods “Spirit of Sebring ’76” which started from pole in the same race, but retired after 36 laps with clutch failure.

Chevrolet Corvette, Goodwood Festival of Speed

At his third attempt John’s Corvette, which was timed at over 215 mph on Mulsanne straight, qualified 9th behind a the turbocharged BMW CSl driven by Brian Redman and Peter Gregg and was one of just 12 cars to get below 4 mins in qualifying beating his own previous best time by a clear 20 seconds.

Unfortunately it was not third time lucky in the race as the car was retired with a split fuel cell during the early hours bringing to an end John’s hugely popular presence at the La Sarthe circuit.

Thanks for joining me on this “Spirit of ’76” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for “Ferrari Friday”. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Imperial Green – Lotus T104 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton

In 1990 Britain and Germany’s GM divisions launched a new Q car that could blow the contemporary Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4 performance model into the weeds. The new vehicle was known as the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton in the UK and Lotus Omega in the rest of Europe.

Vauxhall Lotus Carlton, Classic and Sports Car Action Day, Castle Combe

Lotus project Type 104 was responsible for turning the 3 litre / 183 cui executive saloon, into a barnstormer which included a body kit that fed more air into the engine and two small louvered out lets on the bonnet hood.

Vauxhall Lotus Carlton, Classic and Sports Car Action Day, Castle Combe

The six cylinder motor was comprehensively revised; the swept volume was increased to 3.6 litres / 219 cui and twin Garret T25 turbochargers with a Behr water to air inter cooler were fitted to take the power up to 377 hp at 5200 rpm. Transmission came courtesy of the contemporary Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and the limited slip differential from the Australian Holden Commodore.

Vauxhall Lotus Carlton, Classic and Sports Car Action Day, Castle Combe

The performance figures included rest to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds with 100 mph being reached in 11.1 seconds and a controversial top speed of 176 mph, which made the car the worlds fastest four door saloon. There had been, unheeded, calls for GM to follow the lead of BMW and others to restrict the top speed to 155 mph.

Vauxhall Lotus Carlton, Classic and Sports Car Action Day, Castle Combe

The suspension was also suitably modified for improved stability and handling to match the straight line performance of the car, standard Carlton / Omega Servotronic power assistance for the worm and roller steering was used as space and budgets precluded the development of rack and pinion steering.

Vauxhall Lotus Carlton, Classic and Sports Car Action Day, Castle Combe

You could have your £48,000 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton or Lotus Omega any colour you liked so long as it was imperial green, which as can be seen looks black in any light other than direct sun light. Just 320 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton’s were built and 630 Lotus Omega’s.

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

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Finest, Fiercest Yet – Chevrolet Corvette C1

The 1962 Chevrolet Corvette, like this one seen in the Malta Classic Car Collection in Qwara was the last of four variations known collectively as the C1 models and was advertised with the strap line ” Finest, Fiercest Yet – ’62 Corvette by Chevrolet“.

Chevrolet Corvette C1, Malta Classic Car Collection, Qwara

The front end styling was similar to that first seen in 1958 with four head lights, however the trade mark baroque tooth grill which had been a feature of Corvettes since their inception in 1953 was removed in 1961.

Chevrolet Corvette C1, Malta Classic Car Collection, Qwara

The engine displacement was increased from 4.6 litres / 283 cui to 5.4 litres / 327 cui which gave from 250 hp to 340 dependent of the carburetors and lifters specified or 360 hp when fitted with fuel injection. Two tone paintwork was no longer an option in 1962.

Chevrolet Corvette C1, Malta Classic Car Collection, Qwara

The instrumentation of the ’62 ‘vette remained largely unchanged from 1959 when the engine revolution counter first appeared in the centre of the drivers view below the outsize speedometer.

Chevrolet Corvette C1, Malta Classic Car Collection, Qwara

Among the rosta of winners driving ’62 Corvettes out on the race track were Dick Thompson, Delmo Thompson, Joe Freitas , Dave MacDonald, Everett Hatch, Mack Yates, Bob Moore, Dan McMahnon, Tom Robinson, Don Meline, Bob Paul, Joe Weiter, Jerry Grant, David Stanley, Martin Krinner, Paul Reinhart, Norman Namerow, Ralph Salyer, Nate Karras, Scott Briley, Mike Gammino, Lew Draper, Bob Brown, Roy Kumnick, Red Faris, Jim Collipriest, Roy Tuerke, Hank Mergner, John McVeigh and Mike Stephens.

Chevrolet Corvette C1, Malta Classic Car Collection, Qwara

The 120 mph 250 hp ’62 Corvette seen here was restored over a period of three years and has won numerous awards at classic car shows.

Thanks for joining me on this “Finest, Fiercest Yet” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again, for Ferrari Friday, tomorrow. Don’t for get to come back now !

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FI = 1 H.P. per CU. IN. x 283 – Chevrolet Corvette C1

With the arrival of the enthusiastic Zora Arkus-Duntov in GM’s engineering department, the famous Chevrolet small block in the engine bay and some competition in the form of the Ford Thunderbird, Chevrolet ramped up it’s commitment to building and American sports car in 1956 by replacing the first iteration of the Corvette which was considered low on performance, high on water leaks into the cockpit and less than a true sports car.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

Banished for ever in 1956 was the 155 hp triple carburetor Blue Flame six cylinder engine, the Corvette from 1956 on was strictly a V8 powered vehicle.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

For ’56 there was all new bodywork, replacing the first generations body that was close to the original concept Corvette first seen in 1953.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

The bold sculpted sides behind the front wheels really helped the second iteration two tone Corvette stand out from the crowd.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

As did the faux air scoops on the front wing/fender.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

There was a hard top hood option and the much improved soft top had a power assisted option as did the roll up glass window’s.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

The three speed manual transmission became standard but the, inferior performance wise, Powerglide automatic remained an option. The cockpit controls fittings and instrumentation of the ’56 and ’57 ‘vettes remained similar to the original Corvette cockpit.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

Following in the footsteps of 1953 Gutbrod and the 1954 Mercedes Benz 300SL in 1957 the GM Rochester constant flow fuel injection was an option for the Corvettes small block V8. This innovation while not widely taken up, 1040 FI units were sold, took the power up to 290 hp, however for marketing purposes the car was said to have 1 hp for every one of of the small block V8’s 283 cubic inches.

Chevrolet Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Bristol

Thanks to Zora Arkus-Duntov ’57 Corvettes could be ordered with ready to race options including the fuel injection, heavy duty suspension and if the advertising is to be believed even the power windows were said to be lighter than the manual window mechanisms.

Among the race outright Corvette winners in 1956 were Bob Stonedale, Mansfield, Bark Henry, Road America, Bill Pollack, Buchanan Field, Robert Bennet, Mansfield and most successful of all in ’56 was Dick Thompson who won at Beverly, Seafair, Thompson CT, and Palm Springs.

In 1957 Corvette drivers winning outright are known to have included Ruben Ciriacks and Peter Talbot at Hawaii, Ned Yarter at Willow Springs and Bakersfield, Jerry Parsons at Smartt Field, Bob Drake, Santa Barbra, Dick Thompson, Cumberland, Eagle Mountain, Marlboro, Viginia, Road America, Bob Byrd, John Masterson and Lloyd Gray at Cotati, Jim Jeffords, Milwaukee, Lloyd Porter at Bakersfield, Bark Henry, Lime Rock and Montgomery, Dean McCarthy, Watkins Glen, Jerry Austin, Pomona, Santa Barbra, Riverside, Palm Springs and Paramount Ranch, Bob Bent Cotati and Arcata, Leonard Butscher, Thompson CT, Fred Windridge, Watkins Glen and Bridgehampton, Dan Gurney at Riverside, John Wood, Willow Springs, H. C. Hoppe (Ladies Races) Bakersfield, Willow Springs and Orange County, Hugh Woods and Cal Bailey at Hourglass Field, Jack Bates and Frank Cairns at Pomona, John Voevodsky and Bill Moore at Phoenix and finally Elgin Holmes who won at Willow Springs and Orange County.

With Duntov’s vision the American sports car had finally arrived.

Thanks for joining me on this “FI = 1 H.P. per CU. IN. x 283” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me tomorrow for Ferrari Friday. Don’t forget to come back now !

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