Corvette Grand Sport #002 Finds a Home at the Simeone Foundation Museum in Philly

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Grand Sport #002 Featured in Simeone Foundation Museum in Philly

For those of us who were wondering what became of the #002 Grand Sport Corvette following its failure to sell at RM’s Arizona auction earlier this year, we learned today the former racer has found a new home at one of the premiere automotive racing museums in the country, the Simeone Foundation Museum in Philadelphia.

The Simeone Foundation Museum calls the return of the #002 Grand Sport a homecoming of sorts for the Corvette. Following the reveal of Zora Arkus-Duntov’s secret program to defeat the Shelby Corbras, GM ordered the program terminated. Philadelphia Chevrolet Dealer Roger Penske stepped forward and purchased the two Grand Sport Roadsters. Penske eventually sold chassis #002 to George Wintersteen who campaigned the car in 1966.

The previous owner of chassis #002 commissioned a complete duplicate body and a second engine. That body and engine was mounted on the original chassis frame so that the car could take part in vintage races without the fear of damaging the original body and engine. Both bodies are shown in the photos below:

1963 Corvette Grand Sport #002 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum 1963 Corvette Grand Sport #002 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum 1963 Corvette Grand Sport #002 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum
1963 Corvette Grand Sport #002 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum 1963 Corvette Grand Sport #002 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum 1963 Corvette Grand Sport #002 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum
1963 Corvette Grand Sport #002 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum 1963 Corvette Grand Sport #002 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum 1963 Corvette Grand Sport #002 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum
1963 Corvette Grand Sport #002 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum    

The #002 Corvette Grand Sport joins a collection of over 60 of most significant racing cars ever built. The Simone Foundation Automotive Museum is different than other auto museums as it uses the cars to tell a story. This collection is about how competition and racing improves the breed.

The Grand Sport was offered for sale earlier this year in January at RM Auction’s Automobiles of Arizona. Despite much publicity and excitement, the bidding stalled at $4.9 million, far short of the $7-$10 million estimate.

The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $12 adults, $10 seniors, $8 for students. Children under 8 are admitted free.


Source:
Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

Related:
Breaking News: Corvette Grand Sport #002 Fails to Reach Reserve
Corvette Grand Sport #002 to be Auctioned By RM in January ’09



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1 COMMENT

  1. I have a “VETTE” Magazine from 1980 that has a picture of #002. The owner at the time was Jon Thorne he bought from Wintersteen for $5000 in 1966. I thought it was pretty interesting.

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