C2 Corvette

[VIDEO] 1963 Corvette is World’s Fastest Street Legal Car

by Keith Cornett on February 10, 2009

Rod Saboury is used to making cars go fast, but his latest project tops them all. Taking seven years to build, the 1963 Corvette is a show car, street car and race car all rolled into one fiberglass body. And boy does this Corvette roll. During last summer’s Super Chevy show at Summit Motor Sports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, the 2,400 horsepower Sting Ray launched from zero to 60 mph in 1 second and crossed the quarter-mile mark in 6.95 seconds at 210.54 mph.

The ’63 is powered by a small-block Chevy V8 built by Moran Engines. Twin turbochargers boost the horsepower to 2,400 while 22-inch tires keep the Split-Window firmly planted to the pavement.

The Corvette is fully street legal and meets all the requirements to be registered for driving on the street. Creature comforts include power windows and cup holders. Street tires provide plenty of grip and Rod claims the car gets 10 miles to the gallon while running on pump gas.

People compare the twin-turbo Corvette with a jet being catapulted off an aircraft carrier. The Corvette is built for extreme acceleration. For his runs at the strip, Rod takes off in first gear which lifts the front tires off the track. He shifts into second gear at 8,200 RPM. Finishing a run at 210 MPH means the Corvette requires a half mile of breaking distance to stop. Twin parachutes mounted on the back to help slow the Corvette. The chutes create negative g-forces which Rod compares to slamming into a brick wall when they are deployed.

Source:
Baltimore Sun

One of My Favorite Corvette Photos

by Keith Cornett on February 7, 2009

Keith aka CorvetteBlogger his 1966 Corvette Convertible

I was looking for a photo to use as an avatar for a new Corvette social network I recently joined and came across this photo of me in my 1966 Corvette. I was returning to Tampa from the 2003 NCRS Winter Regional in Kissimmee with my friend Chris trailing me in his C5 Corvette Coupe. It wasn’t until that night that I knew he took this shot of me comfortably cruising at 82 mph on Interstate 4.

Several years later I paid forward the favor when I came upon Charlie driving his 1965 Corvette convertible on I-95 in South Carolina. He was returning to South Florida from Deals Gap, NC where he and some friends had cruised the Tail of the Dragon. Although I didn’t have a HUD in the GMC Arcadia rental to document our speed, Charlie had about the same surprised reaction at seeing him in his Corvette as I did after I was able to track him down through the forums and send him the pictures.

Like Charlie, I drive my 1966 Corvette regularly (although not usually that far from home) and I think that’s one of the neatest aspects of this photo: Just me on the road in my ’66 Sting Ray with the wind whipping through the cockpit and my focus on the road ahead. Life should be that good everyday.

Unique 1963 Corvette Display Seen in Vintage Dealership Photos

by Keith Cornett on February 4, 2009

Hemmings recently displayed these vintage photos taken inside a Chevy dealership back in the 60′s that show a 1963 Corvette Coupe display that was constructed with a hydraulic lift. At a touch of a button, the body would be lifted off the frame revealing the chassis and the small block 327 cubic inch V8.

The photographs were taken inside Grotewold Chevrolet, which was located in a small town in western Iowa. There is some debate as to which small town the dealership actually resided. Once inside, the dealership is vintage Chevy. We see the 1963 Corvette Coupe display is centrally located inside and as you can see from the photos, an audience of two Midwestern boys look on as the Corvette Coupe rises to show its inner workings.

We first saw one of these custom displays during our coverage of the Al Wiseman auction in December 2007. That display used a 1965 Corvette coupe and was built by Chevrolet for the 1965 Autorama that toured the country. The story was after the autorama concluded, the 1965 Corvette display bounced around before ending up in South Africa as a display at a technical school. As a side note to this story, the 1965 Autorama display sold at the Al Wiseman auction for $704k.

The owner of the 1965 Corvette Autorama Cutaway says he was told that Chevrolet built five of these unique displays but the whereabouts of this 1963 display is currently unknown.

Sources:
Hemmings Auto Blog

Auction Preview: 1965 Caplan/Gulstrand Corvette Racer

by Keith Cornett on February 4, 2009

Vintage race Corvettes with provenance are selling at record numbers and we now have word of another significant Corvette racecar set to hit the auction block in May. The 1965 Corvette roadster nicknamed the “8-Ball Cobra Killer” was one of the most dominating Corvette race cars of its day. The Corvette will be a winner once again as its offered for sale at the 5th Annual Houston Classic Auction hosted by Worldwide Auctioneers.

The 1965 Corvette was owned and raced by Herb Caplan alongside the legendary Dick Gulstand. One of the most dominating cars at the time, the 8-Ball Corvette saw most of its action on the west coast and won 46 of 49 races in a single season. Today the Corvette is restored to its original 1966 race specs.

The 5th Annual Houston Classic will be held at the Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook, TX on Saturday, May 2nd. Visit Worldwide Auctions for more details.

Sources:
Worldwide Auctions
Photo Credit: Toshi Akatsuka, courtesy of Worldwide Auctioneers

Five Easy Corvette Restoration Projects Anyone Can Do

by Keith Cornett on February 3, 2009

Are you and your Corvette snowbound? Now is the time a lot of guys work on their cars because old man winter is keeping their Corvettes off the roads. Want to spend some quality time upgrading your Corvette without breaking the bank? We turned to Ecklers Corvette Parts for some seriously easy Corvette restoration projects to get you through the winter while keeping some green in your pocket.

Corvette Emblem Assembly, 1958-1960 Front, 1958-1961 Rear
Reproduction Of Original. Includes Gold Emblem, Bezel, Gasket, Speed Nuts & Silver Backplate. This Corvette reproduction front and rear emblem assembly has been manufactured to original factory specifications using today’s modern manufacturing techniques. You will find the fit and finish will work superbly for your restoration. In addition, using a reproduction front and rear emblem assembly from Eckler’s will add authenticity and value to your Corvette. Did you know? Many people in our hobby refer to the front emblem as a nose emblem.

Corvette Clock, Quartz, 1958-1962
Impress your friends and fellow Corvette club members by replacing your broken clock with this original looking replacement which features a modern reliable quartz movement. As the clock is one of the focal points in your C1 Corvette, why not have one that works? You’ll be able to drive with pride know that ALL gauges are working and your wife will appreciate your new found ability to tell time while driving your Corvette! Just pop out your old clock and install the new one and never be late your club gathering again.

Corvette Parking Light Assembly, 1963-1967
Reproduction Of Original with Correct Lens Markings On Outer Edge “AMBER 595440″ & “CRYSTAL 5950982″ Center Markings “GUIDE F2=60″. This Corvette reproduction parking light assembly has been manufactured to original factory specifications using today’s modern manufacturing techniques. You will find the fit and function will work superbly for your restoration and the installation process couldn’t be easier. In addition, using a reproduction parking light assembly from Eckler’s will add authenticity and value to your Corvette.

Corvette Taillight Set, With Back-Up Lights, 1963-1966
Over time Corvette taillights dim and the lenses darken. New lights and signals will improve visibility as well as make your Corvette look great. These reproduction lights are made in the USA with original GM tooling and they are quite simple to install.

Corvette Power Window Switch, 1968-1982
Are your power windows switches not working correctly or has the finish worn off? Many times a replacement switch will solve your power window woes. For about $20 each, you’re looking at a cheap way to add that sparkle and bling back your window switches. For what its worth, I just installed these on my 1979 Corvette and couldn’t be happier with the good response and great looks.

Ecklers Corvette Parts has been in business for over 40 years and is one of the most trusted names in the corvette hobby. With over 20,000 products and accessories, you’ll find something your Corvette needs in the Ecklers catalog. Visit Ecklers Corvette Parts today and request your free catalog.

Source:
Ecklers Corvette Parts

[VIDEO] Gulf One 1963 Corvette Z06 Sells for $1.05 Million

by Keith Cornett on January 25, 2009

Dr. Dick Thompson, aka “The Flying Dentist” dominated SCCA racing in 1963 with this factory-backed 1963 Corvette Z06 race car. On Saturday afternoon at the Mecum High Performance Auction in Kissimmee, Florida, the “Gulf Oil” Corvette dominated the field once again with an auction-high gavel price of $1,050,000!

Dr. Thompson was on hand to sign autographs and introduce his old Corvette. He joked that the Corvette looked better today than it did when he was driving it. Noted Z06 historian Eric Gill was also on the stage and showed the original starting lineup for the 1963 24 hours of LeMans that had “Gulf One” in the #1 position followed by Mickey Thompson’s Z06 in position #2. Unfortunately, GM pulled out and “Gulf One” never made it to France to compete on the world stage.

Bidding on the â€œGulf Oneâ€ Corvette Z06 opened at $400,000 and quickly climbed to $900,000. When the bid topped $1 million the crowed cheered and that seemed to elicit one more bid of $1,050,000 which removed the reserve. No other bids came in and the hammer dropped on this historic race car.

Although the $1.05 million selling price of “Gulf One” is significant, it was still less than the $1.485 million paid for the 1962 Gulf Oil Corvette that sold in August of 2008 at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach auction. That Corvette was also driven by Dr. Dick Thompson who finished first in class 12 times including wins at Daytona and Sebring and captured the 1962 SCCA-A production championship.

Sources:
Mecum

[VIDEO] Auction Preview: Gulf One 1963 Corvette Z06 Race Car

by Keith Cornett on January 22, 2009

Mecum Auctions calls “Gulf One” the most desirable 1963 Corvette Z06 of them all! Delivered from Yenko Chevrolet to Gulf Oil’s Grady Davis in October 1962, this Corvette Z06 was race prepared and rushed down to the Puerto Rico Grand Prix where it scored its first class win. With the “Flying Dentist” Dr. Dick Thompson at the wheel, the Gulf Oil sponsored Z06 became the most successful factory-backed production racing Corvette of the C2 era.

In addition to the Z06′s historical racing achievements, the Corvette itself is significant as it represented at the time the most dramatic advance in production Corvette performance. Of the 21,513 Corvettes produced in 1963, Gulf One was 1 of only 14 regular production Corvette Serial Numbers assigned specifically for competition and it was the first of 2 Serial Numbers assigned to Yenko Chevrolet specifically for competition.

After the win at Puerto Rico, Gulf One took the A-Production class win at Marlboro, Maryland in January 1963 and then was prepped for FIA competition for races at Daytona and Sebring. Thompson and Gulf one placed third overall and first in GT3 class at Daytona in February behind two Ferrari GTO’s, but a disappointing gearbox failure at Sebring marred the car’s impressive qualifying performance.

Thompson barnstormed Gulf One across the country, winning 1st place overall at the SCCA Presidentâ€™s Cup at Marlboro, Maryland and the A/Production class at Danville, Virginia and Road America. In all, Gulf One saw more racing combat in more venues than any of the other “Specially Assigned” factory Z-06â€™s and was always at the front of the pack.

Today, the Gulf One Corvette Z06 has been restored and appears as it did on the starting grid of the 1963 Sebring 12 Hours. Mecum will auction the Corvette this Saturday around 2:30pm at the annual Mecum Kissimmee auction in Central Florida. On hand to witness the sale as well as meet and greet fans is the “Flying Dentist” himself, Dr. Dick Thompson.

CorvetteBlogger will be spending some quality time in Orlando with both the NCRS Winter Regional Meet and the Mecum auction featuring 750+ cars. I’ll have results and auction videos early next week.

Sources:
Mecum

[VIDEO] 1967 Corvette Coupe Sells at 2009 Barrett-Jackson

by Keith Cornett on January 18, 2009

Here is a 1967 Corvette Coupe in Sunfire Yellow with Black interior that gaveled for $132,000 Saturday night at the 2009 Barrett-Jackson collector car auction. Powered by the L68 427 ci/400 hp V8, the coupe came equipped with air conditioning and 13 other options as documented by the original tank sticker. The Corvette Coupe received two NCRS Top Flight awards in 2008 and a Bowtie award in 1997.

From the Barrett-Jackson Catalog:

A Sunfire yellow car with black interior. Equipped with the following options: 427/400hp engine, 4-speed transmission, posi-traction, transistor ignition, AM/FM radio, tinted glass, power windows, head rest, shoulder harness, power brakes, side dual exhaust, telescopic steering wheel, power steering and “Four Seasons” air conditioning. This unique Corvette has earned the very rare and prestigious Five Star Bowtie Award in 1997. A complete and comprehensive rotisserie restoration was completed early 2008. The original motor was totally rebuilt with all new parts and without needing to use oversized pistons. Since completion, the car has been judged two times in 2008 by NCRS earning two Top Flights with scores of 97.7 and 96.2. Scoring sheets will be available. Documentation is presented with the original Tank Sticker. The original title will be presented to the new owner. This perfect example was painted in the original Sunfire Yellow in lacquer paint. I have owned many ’67 Corvettes and I will say this has been my favorite. If you are looking for the real deal, look no further. You will not be disappointed.

Source:
Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction
SPEED

[VIDEO] 1967 “Shriner” COPO Corvette Roadster Sells at 2009 Barrett-Jackson

by Keith Cornett on January 17, 2009

Some Corvettes are famous and some are infamous. Two years after Corvette enthusiasts rose up and cried foul which resulted in a botched eBay auction, the Shriner L88 Corvette makes an appearance at Barrett-Jackson and sells for $176,000.

In December 2005, this Corvette was being sold on eBay as an original 1 of 20 L88 Corvette. Unfortunately for the seller of the car, the son of the Corvette’s original owner had an extensive history on the car as the 1967 roadster was 1 of 13 Shriner Parade Cars that were all originally equipped with small blocks. Click here to read our original post: Seller of Fake L88 Caught by Corvette Community

Fast forward to 2009 where the L88 Corvette resurfaces, only this time the Shriner history was embraced. Here is the description from the Barrett-Jackson catalog:

Originally a base motor 300 and upgraded to a 427cid/430hp engine although it is now equipped with an L88 package. Documented as 1 of 13 Shriner COPO cars with a correct L88 driveline. Also features radio delete, correct carb, distributor, etc.

So the same Corvette advertised two years ago as an original 1 of 20 L88 Corvette was today offered as a documented 1 of 13 Shriner COPO Corvette with a correct L88 driveline. Diligent research of the Corvetteâ€™s history would have undoubtedly revealed her checkered past. Read what enthusiasts are saying about the car on CorvetteForum.com

During the 2009 Barrett-Jackson auction, SPEEDTV took a commercial break and came back to coverage with the Shriner COPO Corvette already on the block and bidding at $140,000. The Corvette gaveled for $160,000 and with commission, total price was $176,000.

Source:
Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction
SPEED
CorvetteForum.com

Breaking News: Corvette Grand Sport #002 Fails to Reach Reserve

by Keith Cornett on January 16, 2009

Despite all the anticipation and excitement surrounding the sale of the Grand Sport Corvette chassis #002 at RM Auction’s Automobiles of Arizona, the Corvette failed to reach reserve and went unsold. The legendary race car was expected to sell anywhere from $7-$10 million based on early estimates but unfortunately the bidding stalled at $5 million, short of the undisclosed reserve price. We’ll be watching on the chance that the Corvette is sold outside the ring.

Grand Sport Corvette #002 became the first of the legendary five Corvettes secretly built by Zora Arkus-Duntov and the Corvette engineering team to be offered at a public auction. No future sales plans for the Grand Sport are known at this time.

Stay tuned to CorvetteBlogger as we track the all important Corvette auctions.

Source:
RM Auctions

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Charles D. Fowler, III: I stopped subsribing to both after many years, and within a year or two of even having a “feature” article accepted and published, after meeting Corvette Fever execs at Carlisle. With the merger, I...
Jeff McKay: I also asked a local dealer and they knew nothing about it. How do I order it myself? I think that would be faster than trying to convince them they should know about it.
CrystalKnight: I have always loved the 63, one of my favorite classics of all time, and I have had a many sports cars…, owned and loved the C5 even though it was heavy and underpowered, owned and loved the C6 convertible. ….I...
CrystalKnight: I have always loved the 63, one of my favorite classics of all time, and I have had a many sports cars…, owned and loved the C5 even though it was heavy and underpowered, owned and loved the C6 convertible. ….I...
tonyman262: I have an 89 C4 & an 07 C6, both white. After seeing the CUE system; the daughter may get the 07, I NEED a C7 with the CUE system. The 89 C4 stays with me. The C7 (artic white of course) could just end up being the new...

C2 Corvette

[VIDEO] 1963 Corvette is World’s Fastest Street Legal Car

One of My Favorite Corvette Photos

Unique 1963 Corvette Display Seen in Vintage Dealership Photos

Auction Preview: 1965 Caplan/Gulstrand Corvette Racer

Five Easy Corvette Restoration Projects Anyone Can Do

[VIDEO] Gulf One 1963 Corvette Z06 Sells for $1.05 Million

[VIDEO] Auction Preview: Gulf One 1963 Corvette Z06 Race Car

[VIDEO] 1967 Corvette Coupe Sells at 2009 Barrett-Jackson

[VIDEO] 1967 “Shriner” COPO Corvette Roadster Sells at 2009 Barrett-Jackson

Breaking News: Corvette Grand Sport #002 Fails to Reach Reserve

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